(Jack's P.O.V.)

I knock on Mark's apartment door. I just got back from meeting with Brittany, who deleted the picture like she promised and let me make sure that it was gone for good. But earlier, when I Kik messaged Mark, he said to come over after school. However, he doesn't answer the door. Tom does. I frown. Tom has a similar expression. 

"Jack? Is everything okay?" He asks. I nod. 

"Yeah, Mark said to come over after school. Is he home?" I ask. He shakes his head. 

"No, I thought he was with you." He says. Oh crap. I pull out my phone, opening Kik. "What are you doing?" Tom asks. 

"Messaging Mark." I say. I send a simple "Where are you?" And get no reply, which is very weird for Mark. Most of the time he responds immediately. "He's not answering." I say, looking up at his brother. Tom frowns and gets his own phone, quickly dialing a number. He puts it up to his ear and shakes his head. 

"Straight to voicemail." He says. Dammit, Mark where are you? Why aren't you answering? Wait. 

"I may know where he is." I say. Tom nods. 

"You check there, I check the school?" He suggests, grabbing his jacket. I nod and with that I run down the stairs and out of the apartment building. I run down the few blocks it takes to the café and I run through the doors, making Ann jump. 

"Whoa, Jack, you okay?" She asks. I shake my head. 

"Have you seen Mark?" I ask. She shakes her head, now frowning. 

"No, he didn't have work today. Why?" She asks, now incredibly concerned. I'm panting slightly when I answer. 

"We don't know where he is and he's not answering his phone." She swears quietly, which surprises me, but then holds up her index finger, telling me to wait a minute. Then she walks quickly to the kitchen, soon returning, no longer wearing her apron but a leather jacket. She grabs my hand and pulls me out the door. 

"Come on, we're finding Mark." She says. I nod. I really don't want to let on how much I'm worried, but I'm really fricken worried. And the fact that Tom was as worried as he was, doesn't help either. Wait a second... 

"Ann, where the hell are we going?" I ask. She chuckles and finally lets go of my hand. 

"Mark's favorite hiding places. Or "safe havens". I know where all of them are." She says. I frown. 

"How do I not know where any of them are?" I ask. She smiles and doesn't answer right away. When she does though, she looks at me. 

"Because they used to be safe havens from you." She says before turning back to where we're going. Oh yeah. I use to bully him. That's right. That's a thing that happened. 

"Where is this safe haven then?" I ask. She bites her lip. 

"Mark's favorite park. You know, the one on 7th and Ogden?" She says simply. Oh yeah! I know that park! I used to hang out there during freshman year, but then I stopped going cause it wasn't fun for me anymore. Wow, that's one of his safe havens? I wouldn't have ever guessed. Which is probably why it's one of his safe havens. I focus back in on reality to see Ann with her phone. 

"What are you doing?" I ask as she puts the phone up to her ear. 

"Calling Mark." She answer simply. I chuckle.

"Nice try but he won't-" 

"Mark!" I'm cut off by Ann. He answered? Really? Why did he answer Ann but not Tom or I? Ann continues. "Mark! I'm with Jack! Where the - Hello?" She takes the phone away from her ear, looks at the screen, and then looks at me. "He hung up as soon as I said your name." She says. I frown. My name? What did I do? Why is he so upset? I did something wrong, I screwed up again. I always screw up. But what did I do?... Wait a second... I take my phone out and I quickly dial a number. Ring, ring, ring. After the third ring she answers. 

"Hello?" Brittany's voice rings sweetly. A little to sweet. I scowl. 

"What the hell did you say to Mark?" I ask. Ann looks at me with wide eyes. She's never seen me angry. Well, first time for everything. Brittany chuckles. 

"I didn't say anything." She says. I'm about to call her a filthy liar when she continues. "All I did was forge a note that he thought was from you that told him to meet you in the back of the school at 4:05." She says. The time she told me to kiss her. He saw that and thought it was genuine... And I don't blame him... I growl softly. I cover the microphone and look at Ann. 

"Hey, stop here for a second." I say. She nods in return and I walk back a bit, making sure she's out of hearing range. I do not necessarily want her to see me go scary angry. I growl into the phone. "You listen here bitch. If you come near Mark and I, if you talk to us, if you even anonymously message us, I will find you and I personally guarantee you that you will not be going to cheerleading practice for the next month." And I will hold to that threat till the day I die. Cause Brittany deserves it. She's silent for a minute. 

"Fine. But I'd find Mark quick. Last time I saw him, he didn't look to keen on the whole "live life to the fullest" thing." She says and I can practically hear her smirk. I'm about to yell at her when she says one last thing. "Go enjoy your pathetic life with your boyfriend." I want to yell at her, tell her Mark isn't my boyfriend, but she hangs up. I put the phone in my pocket and I storm over to Ann, dragging her along until she takes her hand back and just keeps going on her own. 

"What was that?" She asks. I sigh angrily. 

"Well I at least know why he's so upset now." I say. And it's all that bitches fault. Man, if it weren't for Mark she would be in a very bad condition right now. But I don't want to be that bad anymore. Not around Mark. He keeps me in check and that's good. Very, very good. 

"What happened? Why is he so upset?" Ann asks. I sigh and while we walk the rest of the way to the park I explain what Brittany did. Ann looks up at me with wide eyes. "No wonder he's so upset." She says, looking back to the sidewalk. Then she smiles, taking my hand and dragging me across the street. 

"Holy..." I silence myself, though tripping over my own feet did surprise me. Soon we're running through a park surrounded by trees, trees and more trees. "Can I have my hand back?" I yell. Ann groans but does indeed let go of my hand, also slowing down to just a quick walk. "Thank you. So we're at the park. Where are we going?" I ask. She smiles. 

"Mark's favorite place." She says. I narrow my eyes and follow anyways. We walk for a good two minutes or so, just walking around the park searching for this favorite place of Mark's. Soon, whilst walking along a trail, Ann stops and turns, going off the trail. 

"Um... I'm pretty sure we're supposed to stay on the trail." I say. She shakes her head and continues walking, soon disappearing behind a group of trees. I just shrug and follow, catching up to her in no time. We go through groups of trees and I keep a look out for wild plants, though I'm sure there aren't many if any poisonous ones out here. And then Ann stops. 

"Here." She speaks quietly. I look above her head and I see it. An old playground, with old swings, a broken slide and rusty monkey bars. Sitting on one of the swings, slowly swinging back and forth, is Mark, staring at the ground, looking absolutely upset and broken. I just stare at him with sadness and regret. I'm the cause of that. I'm the reason he's so upset... 

"I'm gonna talk to him. You stay here." Ann says. I nod and I just stay in my previous position while Ann walks towards Mark. 

She calls out and he looks up, looking back down immediately. She goes and sits on the swing next to his, talking. They're far enough away and quiet enough that I can't hear what either of them are saying. I wait for what seems like forever until Ann turns and looks at me, shaking her head, telling me without words that Mark doesn't want anything to do with me at the moment. I nod slowly and I turn, slowly and sadly making my way back to the path. Man... I screwed up big time...