Chapter 4

“Why, why do you make me feel this way,” Mark mumbled staring into Sicheng’s eyes, only inches away.

Sicheng himself was lost in Mark’s eyes and it took him a few seconds to come back to reality hearing Mark speak. He slowly brought down his hand along with Marks, still feeling the touch of his skin against his fingertips. He didn’t want to let go, but eventually, he moved away back to his original spot at the other table. He bit his lip, thinking of what to say “Sorry, I got carried away,” he smirked forgetting about what Mark had just said, preoccupied with his own thoughts.

Mark swallowed. He didn’t know how to react after that. They don’t even know each other and yet that totally just happened. He didn’t hate it, yet he didn’t understand his feelings. Why was this guy, he barely knew, making him feel this way?

He remembered throwing the polaroid of Sicheng into his drawer, but couldn’t help himself from taking it out the next morning and placing it into his pocket. Maybe, it was a good time to bring up the polaroid.

“Sicheng,” Mark said grabbing the polaroid in his pocket, Sicheng quickly looked up, “You said you were curious why I wanted to know your name, I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t sure myself, but this,” He pulled out the Polaroid, and showed it to Sicheng, “I found this, and well ever since, I just...wanted to know you.”

Sicheng smiled, “, really. Because of this?”

Mark nodded, “Yeah, I’m sorry if its weird. I don’t know what's wrong with me.”

“No it’s fine, I don’t think it’s weird,” Sicheng shook his head, “Actually, let me show you something.”

Sicheng got up and began to walk towards the back of the room. Mark followed. The back of the classroom was pretty cool. There were a few painting easels, a backdrop for picture taking, etc.

Sicheng stopped and pulled out a small box from inside a cabinet. He opened the box and inside were tons of polaroids of himself.

Mark looked in amazement, this was something most people would find stupid or conceited, but Mark found it interesting and cool. “You really appreciate your body,” Mark smiled, looking through the different pictures.  

Sicheng nodded, “Yeah, It’s been a newer hobby of mine. I guess I like to appreciate my own body because it was never appreciated and loved in the past,” he said thinking to himself.

Mark looked up with a concerned look, but Sicheng shook his hands and smiled, “Don’t worry, actually I’d be careful looking through those because you’ll most likely find a couple of nudes,” he laughed.

“Pft, seriously,” Mark laughed as well and continued to look through the polaroids.

Sicheng gently grabbed the box away from Mark, “Are you trying to find them,” he smirked, then placed the box away in the cabinet.

Mark let out a giggle, and smiled, “nah,” he said, then remembered the polaroid he had, “Oh, did you want this one back by the way?”

Sicheng shook his head, “No, you can go ahead and keep it,” Mark nodded, and placed the photo back into his pocket in response. “Oh, I actually want to show you something else, as well,” Sicheng said, then walked over to a stack of paintings on the floor. He picked up an unfinished painting from the stack, “These are actually all the paintings I’ve done this year, so far,” he said, then walked to an easel propping the painting he had just picked up on the edge of the easel.

Mark watched as Sicheng placed the painting down. Everything he did, it seemed so comfortable. He wondered why Sicheng was here in the art room so often.

“You can go ahead and look through them if you’d like. I’m currently working  on something new.” Sicheng glanced towards Mark, then started getting his paints and what not ready.

Mark walked over to the stack of paintings and smiled at the thought of Sicheng taking the time and effort into his art. He seemed quite talented at first glance looking through his art. Mark began to look through each one of his paintings and was amazed the more he looked, “Sicheng,” Mark asked, not sure if he wanted to interrupt the other.

Sicheng took his brush away from the canvas and looked over to Mark, “Yeah, what's up?”

“How come you stay here even after school?” Mark asked still looking through his paintings.

Sicheng laughed, then turned back to his painting, “I practically live here to be honest, I don’t actually, but I’m here all the time. If I could I’d be here on the weekends too.”

“Really?” Mark gasped, “don’t you hate just being at school though?”

“I do, I really do hate school, but I love it here, in this art room. Art is something I love, and maybe I could enjoy it at home, but I have my reasons. Here, here is my safe place,” Sicheng said as he the canvas with his paintbrush, focusing on his work.

Mark was in awe at how passionate Sicheng seemed to be towards his art. He had never met someone who loved doing something this much before. To be honest, Sicheng didn’t even have to say how he loved art, just looking at him at the easel, you could see he was passionate.   

“What about you? Do you have anything you love to do?” Sicheng asked glancing over at Mark.

Mark took a few seconds to think, but nothing came to mind. There was never really a hobby or anything in general that he felt he loved. There was nothing that ever excited him. He thought back to h