58- floating/flying

                                    

                                          
During their training before the match, Mark couldn't focus. The rest of the team were worried. What if he couldn't pull it together before the match?
Only Axel knew the truth, and it was twisting him up inside, as much as he didn't want to admit it. 
Axel saw Mark run off the field, trying to hide his panicked expression, and made eye contact with Sylvia.
Sylvia knew that she should go after Mark, so she did. 
She heard him talking to himself from outside the door.
"Man, pull yourself together!"
"Ugh, why?"
"Why did it have to be this way?"
"Ugh."
"Hey,"Sylvia entered the boys bathroom. "Trouble with Axel? You guys looked fine five minutes ago."
Mark laughed, but Sylvia could hear a tinge of sadness in his voice.. "Not every problem in my life is Axel, you know."
"If it's not Axel, then what? Is it Nathan? I haven't seen you guys talk today,"said Sylvia.
"What? Nathan? He's fine,"Mark said.
Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?   He looked green on the bus."
Mark's eyes widened. "He's not fine? Oh shit. I should've payed him more attention." Mark looked frustrated.
Sylvia sighed. "Please, just tell me what's wrong. I can see there's something."
"There's nothing, I promise you. I should check on Nathan if he's as bad as you say-"
"No!"Sylvia blocked the door. "I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth!"
Mark rolled his eyes, but started relaying the information to her as she had hoped. He seemed relieved to be getting it out.
"Does anybody else know?"Sylvia asked. 
"Only Axel. He was behind the wall listening the whole time. He told me that I shouldn't be manipulated by them,"Mark sighed.
Just then, they heard shouts.
"Why? Why? You're so different, Jude, and you never even bothered to contact me! And you expect me to believe that you care? Ever since you became a Sharp you've been extremely selfish, you know that?!"A hysterical voice yelled, that they both identified as Celia.
There was a brief silence before she started yelling again.
"Do you care about me at all?"her voice was barely audible this time, but heartbreak coarser through her voice. "Do you?" 
Still, silence. Mark and Sylvia were both pressed against the door, listening.
"You never called me. Not even once."
She sounded heartbroken, and on the verge of tears. Then they heard running noises, and somebody crying.
But little did they know, the one crying was Jude, not Celia.
**********
Mark and Sylvia exited the building, and Sylvia left him alone to talk with Axel. 
"So, did you clear your head? Did you make your decision?"Axel's caring tone suddenly shifted. "Actually, I don't really care. Whatever it is, I'm not forfeiting. You spent all this time badgering me to join the team, and you wanna give up? Not a chance. I won't let you!"
Mark grinned. "Then you'll be happy to know that I haven't decided to forfeit."
Axel hugged Mark. Mark's stomach leaped. He already felt like he was floating with happiness, but then, Axel whispered,"I knew that you'd make the right choice in the end, Mark. You always do." his heart flew.