I M M A C U L A T E

D E C E I V E R S

 ____________________

"Connors birthday is tomorrow Red. I need you to be there with your equipment!" I sighed, leaning against Red's locker. His real name is John Miller, but everyone calls him Red. Why? I haven't the slightest idea.

Red is the school's DJ. He goes to every party and plays his beats all night long. He isn't cheap, but his music is amazing and I need Connors party to be a banger.

"It's last minute Naveah, you know I don't schedule parties last minute." He simply said, pulling books out of his locker.

"I know... but I planned the whole thing and completely forgot about the music!" I lied. "I need this to be perfect for my boyfriend. You know, Connor... your friend!" I urged.

Red deeply sighed before shutting and locking his locker. "Fine, but I am charging you extra for such late notice. Also, I will need a list of what types of songs to play."

"You can play whatever your heart desires Red! Thank you so much!" I placed my hand against his shoulder to thank him, and he nodded then walked away.

Finally, the last thing on my list done.

"Hey babe, what were you and Red talking about?" Connor asked while stopping in front of me. I leaned in and gave him a kiss.

"Oh you know... stuff." I smirked.

"P-a-r-t-y stuff?" Connor rose his eyebrows with a grin.

I sighed again. "Yes, but you have to act surprised Con. I worked hard on this p-a-r-t-y." Another lie.

"I know, and I am so grateful for you." He smiled sweetly. My cheeks turned red.

Wow, that's the first time that has happened with Connor in a while. I like it.

"You're so cute when you blush." He teased, wrapping his muscular arm over my shoulders as we walked down the hallway.

"Stop it." I smiled.

Upon nearing my locker, I saw a very happy Lucy and Callie standing there waiting for me.

"I gotta get to my locker, see you." Connor kissed my cheek and walked away, leaving us girls to chat.

"Lucy!" I smiled another fake smile.

"Oh my God, Naveah!" She wrapped me up in a hug and I wished that I was genuinely happy for her and Mark. I know it means so much to her that she had a good time. I just can't believe that it had to be with Mark of all people. If word ever gets out about us, she will be devastated.

Callie gave me a look and I shrugged her off, discreetly telling her that I was fine.

"I am so happy that you had a nice date, Luc. You deserve it." I smiled, Callie nodding in agreement.

"Ugh, you guys are the best. Today has been amazing and it only just began. My mother woke up as just that, my mother. She was completely normal today and I didn't have to clean up any messes or convince her of anything. That's how I knew today would be a good day!" She smiled brightly.

"I have to work tonight, but you guys should come to my job and have dinner with me while I am on break so we can talk more." Lucy suggested.

"Okay, sure." I replied.

"Sounds good." Callie smiled.

"Alright, I got to go. See you later!" Lucy waved as she walked down the hallway, leaving Callie and myself alone at my locker.

I opened the locker up and pulled out my books.

"This is terrible." I simply stated, turning to look at Callie.

"Why?"

"Because, they kissed Callie. Mark and Lucy kissed which means Mark wanted it which means he probably likes Lucy which means they will probably start dating." I huffed.

"Okay, and?" Callie sighed.

"You aren't being very supportive Cal." I deadpanned.

"What's there to support Naveah? You and Mark are over and Lucy really likes him. If he has moved on and is interested in Lucy then I do not see an issue. You can be with Connor and everyone wins and is happy. No one has to get hurt and no one has to split up." Callie stated.

"You're right. I am such a terrible friend! What the hell is wrong with me?" I frowned, leaning against my locker.

"Naveah... You are not terrible. You made some pretty dumb mistakes, multiple times, but you are not terrible. You are only human. We all misjudge and make irrational decisions. All we can do is right our wrongs and move forward." Callie gave me a side hug and I honestly couldn't think of anyone else to be there for me during all of this.

I love Lucy so much, and normally I can confide in her with anything... but this, with mark, I can't. It will ruin her. It will also ruin myself. Callie is so right and always makes sense. I am glad she is my friend, though I don't see how she still likes me after finding out what I've done.

"I love you Cal. I hope you know that. I don't know why you're still my friend, but I thank God for that every day." I smiled.

"I question it too sometimes." She teased with a smirk. "Now, let's get to class."

"Yippee, school. Shoot me." I whined, following Callie down the hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

| Mark's POV |

"Hey Lucy." I smiled, sitting down beside her at our lunch table.

"Oh, hey Mark." She smiled back, her cheeks starting to turn a light shade of pink.

"You look beautiful today." I grinned, which was not a lie. She has on blue-jean high wasted shorts, a red low-cut tank top and a black cardigan matched with black heels. Her blonde hair is in a fishtail braid hanging over her shoulder.

"Stop." She blushed, nudging her shoulder into mine softly.

"Nope, never." I chuckled, picking up a fry and eating it.

"Can you guys not? It's making me sick." Naveah sighed, causing Connor to laugh.

"Whatever." Lucy smiled, sticking her tongue out at Naveah to which she returned the gesture.

I rolled my eyes.

"Come on babe, let them be cute. I am sure we've disgusted them numerous times with our cutesy stuff." Connor laughed putting his arm over Naveah's shoulders.

"You're not lying there." I mumbled, which made Naveah give me a look.

"Don't be an ass." Naveah said to me.

Why does she care?

"When am I not?" I shrugged.

"You people are annoying... why do I even sit here?" Callie sighed, taking a sip of her chocolate milk.

"Because we are your only friends and you love us dearly." Lucy grinned poking her finger into Callie's side playfully.

"Sometimes I wish I had other friends." She sneered, causing everyone to laugh at her discomfort.

"Hey Callie." Red all of a sudden came up to our table.

"Um hello Red." Callie replied.

"Can we go talk for a sec?" Red smiled.

Callie looked to Lucy and Naveah for confirmation, whatever girls do, and they both nodded at her with a small smile.

"Alright." She replied, "Be right back guys." Then she left the table to talk with Red.

"Oh my gosh, I hope he asks her out!" Lucy hoped, clapping her hands together.

"I know right! They would make such a cute couple!" Naveah gushed, smiling at Lucy.

Why is her smile so pretty?

Dammit, stop it Mark. You like Lucy, remember? Naveah is ancient history.

"Can you females be any more annoying?" I stated, looking at Connor with bored eyes.

"I'm with Mark on that one." Connor said, to which I nodded his way.

"Actually, yes. We can." Naveah glared in my direction.

"SO... Lucy, would you like to be my date for tomorrow night?" I suddenly asked.

Lucy rose her eyebrows, but then remembered Connors birthday party tomorrow night. "Oh, of course!" She smiled sweetly at me.

I noticed Naveah out of the corner of my eye. She turned towards Connor and got up to sit in his lap.

"What are you doing?" Connor asked, but Naveah cut his question off with a kiss.

"Just trying to be more disgusting with more cutesy stuff." Naveah grinned at Connor and they lost themselves in their own little world.

I noticed Lucy watching me watch Naveah and Connor and I saw a glint of confusion laced in her eyes, though it went away quickly as if she were shrugging away a thought.

"I gotta split, but I'll see you tomorrow for the party alright?" I pulled Lucy in by the back of her neck and kissed her hard. She seemed shocked at first, but then immediately deepened the kiss back.

Tomorrow school is out due to a big teachers meeting some place off campus, so we have a nice three day weekend lined up.

I smirked at the hundreds of eyes watching Lucy and I. Many girls glared at her, and many guys smirked at me, as if saying congratulations.

I got up and walked away, but not before casting one more quick glance at Naveah who hadn't even noticed anything, being caught up in a conversation with Connor.

One of my fists clenched as I walked away.

Soon it won't hurt anymore Mark... soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

| Naveah's POV |

I kissed Connor once more before letting him get up to leave. Just as he did, Callie came strolling back up to our table and sat down.

"Well!" Lucy asked with a huge grin.

"Red asked me to Connors party tomorrow night..." Callie quietly mumbled.

"Why don't you sound happy Cal?" I asked, leaning in closer to hear her better.

"I just... I don't know. I am not the dating type of girl. I have had one boyfriend a year ago and that didn't turn out so well. I'm just not good at small talk, or being put under any type of pressure."

"You said yes though, right?" I asked.

"Oh of course!" She smiled wide.

"Okay, good!" Lucy cheered. "Now we all three have guys!"

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I resisted.

"Yes we all do!" I smiled.

I have become far too good at my fake smiles here lately.

"Since there's no school tomorrow, we should all three go shopping for party outfits!" Lucy suggested.

Callie and I both nodded with a smile and then finished up our lunch.

"Sounds good!" I smiled, getting up from the table and waving goodbye.

"See ya!" They both yelled at me.

Just as I rounded the hallway corner, I was yanked into an empty classroom.

"What the hell." I huffed, picking up my bag that I dropped onto the floor.

"Hello to you too." The husky voice spoke.

"Mark?" I asked, honestly surprised.

"I just need to do something, Nave." He quietly mumbled.

"What?" I tapped my foot against the floor, having no patience.

All of a sudden, my senses were lost and I couldn't breathe as Mark inched his body closer to mine.

"What are you-" Mark cut me off by holding his hand up. He then placed it behind my neck and gripped hard.

My breaths became rigid as he pulled my face closer to his, gently pressing his soft lips to my own.

In a matter of minutes, the kiss deepened into a full on make out session. After a couple of minutes, I pushed him away hard.

"What the hell Mark!" I whisper-yelled.

"I just..." He said in between deep breaths, "I needed closure."

My heart sunk. Closure? So this really is over?

"Oh..." I mumbled.

"I can't keep feeling this way Nave. I can't keep seeing you kiss Connor and hating it. I can't keep wishing you would leave him for me. I can't keep wanting to punch my best friend in the face every time he touches you. It's not fair to anyone. I am finally realizing it. I want you so bad, Nave. It hurts like hell, but I know that we can never be together. So I just needed to kiss you one last time, before it's really over for good."

I couldn't breathe, let alone say anything in response.

"Goodbye Naveah. See you at Connors party tomorrow." Mark walked out of the classroom, leaving me all alone.

I couldn't stop the tears that began falling from my face. Why do I feel this way? Why am I so hurt at his closure? Why does it feel like he just ripped my beating heart from my chest, killing me from the inside out?

I slowly slid down the wall of the classroom and sat on the ground, pulling my knees to my chest.

I sat on the floor and reminisced on every single encounter I have had with Mark. From the awkward sex in the janitor's closet, to meeting him for the first time, to following him inside of the janitor's closet for the first time, to all of the mean banter we would throw at each other whenever the group was together. I thought about it all and the memories wouldn't stop flooding my brain. The dam was broken, and everything came rushing out in waves. All of my feelings, all of the thoughts about Mark, everything.

I pulled out my makeup remover wipes and began wiping my face, knowing that my mascara had ran down my cheeks. I cleaned myself up and quickly re-applied my mascara before standing up and leaving the classroom.

Walking down the hallway was surreal. Despite the many students talking around me and trying to get to class before the bell rang, I felt as if I were walking the halls completely alone. It felts as though no one were around and I was floating. All of my emotions were drained out of me at Marks' words in that classroom. I felt nothing anymore.

I knew it was only a matter of time before everything was confirmed. Hearing Mark say that he now had closure and that he was ready to move on made me feel ill. Although, I still rather felt relieved in a way.

No more lying and sneaking around. No more backstabbing my boyfriend and my best friend. No more confused feelings. No more jealousy. Well, there might still be a little bit of jealousy, but hopefully it's not as intense.

Still, I already longed for Mark's touch. His rough hands caressing my body. His muscular arms picking me up and setting me on the janitor's closet sink. His warm dark eyes that lit up every time he saw me. The way he called me Nave. His soft dark hair every time I would run my finger through it. Everything.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in class while the teacher began her lecture.

When did I even get here?

I still felt horrible, no matter how hard I tried not to think about him. He was always there in my mind, screaming those last words at me over and over.

"I want you so bad, Nave. It hurts like hell, but I know that we can never be together."

It's driving me insane.

Then, all of a sudden, it hits me directly in the gut... almost knocking the air out of my lungs.

I am in love with Mark Chase.