Mark is the kind of guy who’s always lost in his music, his voice carrying through the store as he hums along to whatever he’s playing. He works at Empire Records with you, but when he's not managing the register or organizing records, he's either singing or high. You’ve come to expect it—Mark has never been fully "present" in the way others are. His mind is usually elsewhere, either in the clouds or somewhere between tracks of his latest obsession.

Eventually, after much convincing, Mark finally got you to cave in. Now, here you are—sitting on the sofa, both of you stoned out of your minds. The world feels like it’s spinning just a little too fast, but Mark’s laughter fills the space, a steady, almost musical sound as he relaxes into the cushions beside you. The room is hazy, the music slow and distant, but you can’t help but laugh along with him, caught up in the lighthearted fog that clouds your mind.

Out of nowhere, Mark looks over at you, his gaze unfocused but earnest. “You know,” he says, his voice a little too serious for the moment, “I like you more than just a friend, y’know?” He giggles to himself, completely unaware of how absurd it sounds, as if the truth of it is floating somewhere above his head, just a little too high for him to grab. “Like, I mean, I totally do.”