Tony's POV

I'm glad that Mark is still my BFF. To be honest, he is my only friend that I have left, and I want to cherish our friendship forever. I can't believe that it almost went away today. I hope that doesn't happen again.

We're laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling in comfortable silence. Mark is so warm and muscular. He has a perfect body shape, and his abs are so sexy. I mean I have muscles and abs too, but his is better looking and more defined than mine.

I don't know how or why, I guess it's kind of a habit of mine, but my hand ends up on top of Mark's... again, but this time, he doesn't do anything. He didn't look at it weirdly, or ask about it. He just kept staring at the ceiling.

"Tony?" He broke the silence. Aww, say my name again, it sounds so sexy when you say it...... I sound like a total creep right now.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"What's it like being gay?" He asked, hesitating a little.

I turned my body around in my bed, he just turned his head, I stare into his beautiful eyes.

"This is what it's like." I grabbed his chin gently, brought him closer to my face, and pressed my lips into his. "That was the best kiss ever." Is probably what I would've said if that actually happened.

Here's what really happened: "Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"What's it like being gay?"

I turned my body around in my bed, he just turned his head, I stare into his beautiful eyes. No one really asked me that question before, and I'm wondering why he's asking it.

"Well, it's not too different from being straight. You'll just like the people who have more in common with you because they're the same gender, so neither of you would have to deal with 'buying bae some pads or tampons.'"

Mark laughed. He has a sexy laugh. "Good to know."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Just wondering what it's like on the other side. Or why people would make fun of someone for that."

"Are you seriously ok with me being gay?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it."

"But, you're straight."

"Yeah, but not homophobic. You don't have to be gay just to support gay rights, right?"

"I know, but... it kinda feels weird. It even felt weird when my mom accepted me, but also relieving. I've been picked on all my life because of that, and the only people who accepted me were you and mom."

Mark nodded. "Sorry dude." I turn my head to him, he was still staring at the ceiling. I wonder what he's thinking.

I took another slice of pizza, then realized something. I jumped off my bed and went in my closet.

After grabbing something important, I went back to Mark, who is now sitting up.

"Here." What I grabbed was money, and I handed it to him.

He just stared at it. "What's this for?"

"It's for the pizza you bought me."

He still doesn't take it. I kept gesturing him to take it, but he doesn't.

"I don't want it." He stated.

"Ok then. Give it to your parents. It's their money you stole, right?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't wanna be rude, and cause you to be broke. Like, what if you need that money some day?"

"What if your parents needed that money?" I answered his question with another question like that Greek man...... soccer cleats did. I think that's what his name was. I remember learning that in school.

"Dude, I don't wanna take your money." He said, forcefully (but not too forceful) and serious, looking into my eyes.

"Ok ok...... would you want my mom's money?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Dude..."

"I felt bad, Mark. About making you take a risk that could get you grounded for life just to make me happy. I wanna repay you... with 10 bucks. Please take it. It'll make the guilt go away." I implored, fake pouting a little. He stares at me, then the money. Hesitantly, he took the money, and I smiled.

"Ok, thanks I guess." He faintly smiled, then put the money in his pocket.

"Want a slice?" I asked, reaching for the box.

He shook his head, then said, "I'm fine." But I handed him a slice anyways, and he took it. "Dude, what time is it?"

I look at my alarm clock that's beside my bed.

"It's 9:00, why?"

"SHIT!" He jumped off the bed, and made me jump a little. "My parents are gonna kill me since I'm not home on time. FUCK!"

"Shhh! Don't let my mom hear you cussing like that." I whispered. "Don't worry, we could call your mom and tell her that you want to spend the night at my house."

"But I didn't bring anything clothes."

"We wear the same size, you can borrow my clothes." Mark was quiet for a while. "I know what I wear isn't 'your style' it's just something you could wear so you won't have to be shirtless and cold. Even though I don't want you to put on a shirt because your abs are so god damn fine." I added, mumbling that last part.

Thank goodness he didn't hear me mumble. He looked at my closet, then nodded. "Ok then, I'll return it to you when you come over my house."

"Ok, pick out whatever you want. I'll tell my mom that you're gonna spend the night."

Luckily, she came in the room. "Hey boys, whatcha doing? Playing dress up?" She teased when she saw Mark decide between the 2 shirts he was holding.

"Mom!" I whined. "...Ooh Mom! Mark's gonna spend the night."

"That's good honey." Mom said, taking another slice of pizza, and eating it. "Did you tell your parents, Mark?" She asked with a full mouth.

"I was just about to." Mark threw my clothes on the floor and ran to the house phone.

"Nice job of getting floor germs on my clothes buddy!" I remarked sarcastically. I picked out some night clothes for me and him.

"Sleeping bag or bed?" Mom asked, staring at my surfboard and getting pizza grease on it. Oh mom.

"I'll let him sleep on my bed, but if he wants the sleeping bag--"

"No you idiot, I was asking what you want. He's the guest, you shouldn't let him sleep in a sleeping bag on this dirty floor."

"Oh, well I don't know. Depends on him. MOM!"

"What?" She rolled her eyes.

"You're getting my surfboard dirty!"

"Oh man up! You're gonna clean it tomorrow, right?"

"Well yeah, but--"

Mark came in the room, all swag like. "They said I could stay."

"YAY!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"That's great! And I don't have to work tomorrow, so you guys are free to stay up as long as you want. Have fun!"

"Awesome!" We both exclaimed.

Then I suddenly remembered. "Did they say anything about the money?"

He shook his head. "Nah, but I'm gonna have to figure out a way to sneak it back in their wallet."

"That's true." I flopped on my bed. "Sooo, whatcha wanna do?"

He laid back on my bed. "I don't know. What is there to do?"

There isn't much to do at my house, which is why I usually go to his. "Maybe we could watch a movie, or something. If that's fine with you."

He was quiet for a while then nodded. We put on one of our favorite movies, Soul Surfer. This movie is what inspired us to try out surfing in 5th grade....... no not the part where Bethany lost her arm, the parts where they make surfing seem so fun and interesting.

I remember when we first started surfing when we were 10 years old. I fell off a lot, so did Mark, but every year, his surfing improves to the point where, 6 years later, he's a natural at it. I improve every year too, but he's a quicker learner.

We continue watching the movie, on my bed, under the covers, in comfortable silence.

*****

Towards the end of the movie, we both fell asleep on my bed. We've seen it so many times, but we still love it.

However, when I woke up, Mark wasn't beside me anymore. Maybe he's already awake. Wrong!

I got off my bed, and my feet didn't land on the floor, they landed on his stomach.

"OW!" He groaned in his sleep.

"Omg, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you was down there."

He hissed at the pain, but it felt like he was hissing at me. "It's fine, help me up."

I grabbed his warm, soft hands and pulled him up. He stretched then went in the bathroom.

"When did he get off my bed and got in a sleeping bag on the floor?" I wondered. As I was rolling the sleeping bag up for him, my mom came in my room.

"Good morning. Everything alright? Thought I heard screaming?"

"Morning mom, we're fine." I reassured her.

"Where's Mark?"

"Bathroom. You know, it would really help if you closed the door while handling your business." I called out to Mark, then pulled the door shut for him.

My mom was chuckling and giggling about something in her phone.

"Whatcha got there, Mother?" I asked.

"Oh nothing." She swatted her hand away in attempt to get rid of me, but I never left.

When she realized that I wasn't gonna leave, she groaned, "Oh alright!" Then showed me a pic on her phone. It was a pic of me and Mark sleeping on my bed. He was holding me in his sleep while I rested my head on his chest with my arms wrapped around his waist.

It was a cute pic, but I can't believe my mom did that...... well maybe I could.

"You two look so cute together. You should totally ask him out." My mom whisper-yelled.

"Mom!" I whined.

"You know you want to, you know you want to!" Mom teased me in a sing-song tone.

Yes, I do wanna ask him out, but I'm not sure if he's ready. Now I kinda see why he slept on the floor.

He came out the bathroom. "Oh, mornin' Megan."

"Good morning Mark! How was your night?" Mom asked in a weirdly sweet tone.

"It was a'ight."

"You never asked me how my night was--"

"Shut up Tony!" Mom interjected. "Anyways Mark, your dad had brought your surfboard over. It's on the porch."

"Cool, thanks!" He went on the porch to get it.

Wow, he's so cute, even in the morning, while I look like a troll that's been sleeping under a bridge every morning. Speaking of that, I grabbed a brush and brushed my hair. For a dude, I have long hair.

"No no no, you dumbass. You're doing it wrong!" Mom yelled.

"How am I doing it wrong? How can you brush your hair wrong?"

"I don't know but the way you're doing it seems wrong... stop it Tony, j-just let me do it. Sit down." Mom commanded. She can be pretty scary in the morning. I did what she said and let her brush my hair 'the right way'.

Mark stuck his head in the door. "Yo dude, I'm about to go polish my surfboard, want me to do yours too?"

I was about to answer, but my mom already did. "No, he can polish his own damn surfboard. You can go ahead and do yours honey."

"A'ight then." He left.

"Why are you always so mean to me? You're never mean to Mark."

"I'm never mean to our guests. Especially your friends."

"But you was mean to Aunty Nancy--"

"What does a'ight even mean?" Oh, I just love the way my mom interrupts me.

"It's another, shorter way of saying alright." I informed. "Like, it's kinda boring to say alright all the time, so you can shorten it to a'ight."

"Hmm, that's fresh yo. I wanna try that." Oh, I also love when my mom attempts to be cool and young.

"Mom, please don't." I blushed in embarrassment.

"A'ight then. Wow, that's so fresh, I feel so not wack."

"Mom! No one says wack anymore." I covered up my face.

Mom smacked my head with the brush. "Sit still god dammit! I'm almost done."

"Ow mommy!" I whined.

When my mom was through brushing my hair, I heard a phone ring. I thought it was mine but it wasn't, and it wasn't my mom's either.

"Mark! Your phone is ringing!"

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