Chapter 3: Mark learns how to make friends

***

Mark's pov.
Jackson and JB's first project meeting together doesn't go well.

***

Mark has friends. He’s just doesn’t see a need to contact his friends frequently, that’s all. Which is the reason he has no idea why JB, instead of Amber or Jackson, just entered the discussion room he’s in, waiting for the meeting to start.

JB, testament to the fact that the friendship he has with Mark is real and not a figment of Mark’s imagination, quickly catches on to Mark’s raised brows. “Amber told me to be here at 9.”

“You’re part of this project?”

“Uh, yea? I wrote the idea,” JB’s amused now, mouth turning up in a lopsided almost-smile.

“Oh, god. And I was almost going to ask Amber to cast you yesterday because I thought you’ll be perfect for the lead.” Mark buries his face into his hands. “This is embarrassing.”

Mark’s saved from any reply JB may have, because Amber and Jackson stroll in just then, holding laptops, papers and 4 coffees in a cardboard holder, but he still gets a jab from JB on his side.

“This’s great, we’re all here on time, so we can start,” Amber claps. “Guys, this is JB, he wrote the first draft of the video, and he offered to direct. JB, you know Mark, and this’s Jackson, the scriptwriter.”

Mark notices JB and Jackson nodding when their names are mentioned, but neither says a word. JB just opens his file, and Jackson helps himself to the coffee. There’s nothing out of the ordinary, but Mark wonders why JB’s keeping his neutral face. Maybe he’ll ask later.

Mark pays enough attention to the meeting to jot down what he needs to do, but he doesn’t really join the conversation (more like lowkey argument) JB and Jackson have about the flow of the video and the plot, except to say, “Do we really need a scene of the biual guy looking at girls on the street while he’s with his boyfriend?” because street scenes are painful to shoot. He doesn’t want the hassle of filming in crowded streets if he can avoid it.

“Yes!” JB says, the same time Jackson yells a “No!”

Maybe they didn’t get the point of his question, because JB’s already going on about how the scene is necessary to establish the premise of the gay lead’s insecurity, while Jackson sighs really loudly, huffing about how stereotypical and wrong it is to think that biuals are unfaithful and that of all people, Buzzfeed shouldn’t perpetuate such misconceptions.

Mark glances at Amber, and she gives a shrug, because JB and Jackson seem to be having more dissonance in opinion on the story than expected since the meeting started 2 hours ago, and this exchange, if it can be called that, is just one of many. She doesn’t seem to see a need to intervene, but Mark is a bit sick of the constant arguing.

“Jackson, biuals aren’t going to kill us for that scene if it’s explained later in the video that the gay lead was just looking for evidence to support his insecurity.”

“How would you know that?” Jackson’s getting worked up, and it shows in his tone.

JB doesn’t help by agreeing with Mark with more force than necessary, adding in an undertone, “Besides, it’s not like you would know because you are gay.”

The glare Jackson gives to JB shows that he’d heard, and Mark doesn’t even understand why they are arguing about the necessity of the scene. Isn’t the point of the video series to show that the gay lead’s insecurity is due to his preconceptions, and that his biual boyfriend is not unfaithful simply because he’s bi? Mark points out as much, and Jackson finally relents begrudgingly.

The meeting ends quickly after, not because JB and Jackson have stopped arguing over every other detail, but because JB needs to head to another meeting. Mark’s glad though, even if it means that the next meeting will probably be an even longer one, because that is when Jackson will show the first draft of the script.

On his way back to office after lunch, Mark hears someone call his name over the sound of the music playing through his earphones. He contemplates whether to pretend that he doesn’t