I looked down at Ian when my face was completely flushed and my cheeks started hurting from me smiling for long.

I felt happy. Marcus had just made me the happiest person ever. Ian smiled at me and winked at me. I ruffled his hair,"Stop."

I looked at Marcus and saw him with a microphone in hand, by his mouth. "," Marcus sang and girls started screaming including Aaliyah. ""

"Come on, let's go help that idiot before he embarrasses himself," Xavier said and threw his burnt cigarette in the trash bin. Xavier and Chase pushed through the crowd and went to the stage.

Marcus chuckled and my heart fluttered,"We change the weather, yeah."

Ian started walking too with me still on his shoulders,"Where are you going, Ian?"

"You'll see," he replied and bent down and I got off. He rushed through the crowd and climbed onto the stage.

"I'm feelin' heat in December when you're 'round me," Marcus sang and Chase stumbled onto the stage and grabbed the microphone out of Marcus' hands.

"I've been dancin' on top of cars and stumblin' out of bars

I follow you through the dark, can't get enough," Chase sang and I gasped, realising that Chase could really sing.

"

," Marcus sang and looked at me, ""

Ian started strumming the guitar while Xavier got at the back to play the drums.

"You say the word and I'll go anywhere blindly

I'm a sucker for you, yeah

Any road you take, you know that you'll find me," Marcus sang and Xavier beat the sticks onto the drums before he and Ian started playing the instruments together.

"

(About you), , (About you)

, yeah,"

Chase and Marcus sang and paused at the last part for a second before singing and dancing around the stage.

Everyone was dancing too and I had my hand over my mouth as I stared at them. I grinned and decided that I should stand in front.

I walked through the crowd, with Aaliyah helping me make it to the front,"Move. Out of the way." Aaliyah pushed everyone in our way and I finally made to the front.

I stood in front and stared at Marcus sing wearing his unicorn onesie, Chase singing with him and Ian was standing beside Marcus playing the guitar. Xavier was playing the drums and he had unzipped the top of the unicorn onesie since it was warm.

"I'm a sucker for all the subliminal things

No one knows about you (About you), about you (About you)

And you're makin' the typical me break my typical rules

It's true, I'm a sucker for you (Uh)

I'm a sucker for you," Marcus finished and everyone screamed happily.

I laughed, feeling pure bliss inside me. Marcus immediately spotted me and crouched down to the edge of the stage and held my hand. He helped me up stage and I ended up stumbling onto him. We laughed as he picked me up and spun me around, lifting me up into the air.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he gently let me down. I stared into his brown eyes that were twinkling as he smiled at me. I cupped his cheeks and kissed him causing the audience to clap, whistle and cheer on.

Marcus grinned against the kiss and I pulled away and stared at him. He had the biggest smile on his face as he stared down, his cheeks turning red. "Say it again," I said over the cheering audience. I had been longing for those words from him and it caused a calm explosion inside me everytime he said it.

"I love you." he chuckled and I pulled on the hood on his head and cooed when I saw the unicorn horn on his head. I kissed him again and leaned back when had wrapped his arms around my waist. "I hope this doesn't change anything," he said against my lips.

"Oh baby, it changes everything." I bit my lip and Marcus smiled and suddenly Wesley grabbed the microphone out of Marcus' hands. Marcus didn't seem fazed, he was still staring at me smile.

"Thank you for warming up my crowd, I think you can leave now," Wesley stated.

"Glady," Marcus said and intertwined my hand with his as we left the stage with Ian, Xavier and Chase. Wesley immediately started singing and although I wanted to stay, I thought about Marcus' performance for me.

I love you, so much.

I smiled, replaying the event over and over and over in my head as I walked Marcus. "See? I told you motherfuckers!" Chase said to Sam and Kendall.

They rolled their eyes simultaneously, "Told us what?" Kendall asked.

"That I could sing," Chase said smugly.

"You do have a beautiful voice," I admitted.

"Oh sure. It was Chase singing. It definitely wasn't someone else singing and him lip-syncing," Sam said and Kendall chuckled and they went to the car.

"But I can sing! You just heard me sing!" Chase desperately told Sam and Kendall as they walked to the car.

"Hey Alyssa," Aaliyah said and I turned around.

"Yeah?" I answered.

Aaliyah smiled. "Thanks for the night. For inviting me to hang out with your friends."

"It's a pleasure." I hugged her. "How is it with Erik?" I asked and wriggled my eyebrows.

Aaliyah bit her bottom lip before smiling, "We're getting there. He asked me to go out with him on Saturday."

"Aww yes!" I nodded and I held up my hand for her to give me a high-five and she did.

"Say, where's Trick? I haven't seen him at school lately," Aaliyah said with furrowed eyebrows.

My heart sank at the mention of his name. I really wanted to forget about him. Aaliyah saw my expression change and it made her even more confused,"Did... did something happen to him?" Aaliyah asked worridly. "Is he okay?"

"He's dead," I said and looked at Aaliyah. Her mouth dropped open as she stared at me in shock. "To me," I finished the sentence dramatically and Aaliyah sighed in relief.

"Why? What happened?" she asked.

"He..." I sighed feeling sadness take over me. "He was never really my friend. Turns out he was pretending to be my friend to get me to trust him and take me to his boss who probably... wants to kill me," I said.

Aaliyah sighed and looked at the side for a moment,"Really?"

I nodded,"Yeah. This all happened during a day out with Trick. If the gang wasn't there, Trick would've hurt me and took me to his boss."

Aaliyah still looked shocked,"Man. What an asshole," she said and I chuckled trying to clear out the sadness. "I'm still trying to get used to all this gang stuff."

Suddenly Aaliyah took out her phone and put it by her ear,"Yes mom?" she answered. "Oh... okay. Yeah I'm at Wesley's concert by the mall... I'll wait for you at the entrance of the mall... okay... love you." Aaliyah put back her phone in her jean pocket. "Well, I have to go. My mom's coming over to pick me up," she said.

"I'll wait with you," I replied.

"No it's okay. Besides, your friends are leaving," Aaliyah said and I turned around to see Marcus talking to Kendall with the biggest smile on his face.

I smiled too.

"Hey!" Cameron called and Aaliyah and I looked the car where the gang was in. "Thanks for the night," Cameron said and the boys agreed nodding.

"Although we didn't like wearing the onesies, we did look cute," Chase said and winked at me.

"Now gangs will target us for this," Xavier repeated and Erik nudged him. "But it's okay..." Xavier rolled his eyes and smiled. "And you can eat my cake," he mouthed to me and I winked at him.

"Oh and Aaliyah," Erik said and Aaliyah put all her focus on him.

"Yeah?" Aaliyah replied with a growing smile.

"I enjoyed spending time with you," he said and Aaliyah nodded, grinning.

"Same here." Aaliyah tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Erik smiled and Ian started the car, "Bye," he said and we waved goodbye as the car as it drove away.

Aaliyah took out her phone,"It's my mother. She's already here."

"Well... okay. Bye then," I hugged her and she left after saying 'Bye' too. I went to the car with Sam, Kendall and Marcus and I got in the passenger seat.

Marcus started the car and drove out the parking lot and onto the road. After five minutes of me thinking then suddenly snapping back to reality. "So... you guys look cute," I commented, after looking at their onesies.

Sam chuckled,"It's actually comfortable."

"At first, I wanted to throw it away but now I don't," Kendall said and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"And it gave me the confidence to finally confess my feelings about you," Marcus said with a smile and I laughed, blushing uncontrollably. The car slowed down to a stop at Sam and Kendall's house.

"Well, thanks for today. Bye Alyssa," Kendall said and walked out the car. Sam pecked my right cheek and Marcus glared at him then they both broke into a grin before laughing.

"See you guys." Sam climbed out the car and shut it. Marcus sighed in relief and he drove to my house. He parked on the driveway and we got out. Once I caught up with him, I wrapped my arm around his waist and Marcus smiled, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I unlocked the door and we got in. Closing the door behind me, I looked at Marcus who was still wearing the unicorn onesie. He started to unzip the top revealing his muscular chest and abs.

"Alyssa?" he said and my gaze drifted from his chest to his eyes and he had noticed, breaking into a grin.

I bit my lip and looked away. "Hey," he said huskily and held my chin, turning me to look at him. "Baby, how are you feeling?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice suddenly sounding different than before.

"I told you I love you," he smiled and I blushed. "What are you feeling now?"

I shrugged and walked past him and walked up the stairs. "Happy," I replied. "Overjoyed. I really can't explain how I feel right now."

Marcus followed me and I sat on the edge of the bed to take off my shoes. Marcus sat on the floor in front of me and placed his elbows on his knees, staring at me.

"You don't have to love me back, you know," Marcus chuckled. "It would be awesome though," he whispered the last part to himself and I smiled.

"Though I don't want you seem that you have to love me back or you're feeling rushed or something like that. I just said what I felt. I really do love you, Baby cheeks. And it took some balls to finally tell you," Marcus said.

Of course I believed him but I was scared it that what he was feeling, he mistaked it as love.

"And the love I feel for you is intense," he said, not failing to make my heart speed up from it's normal pace. "I'd do anything to make you happy and trust me when I say this, Baby cheeks, I would fucking kill to protect you."

My heart melted as I had heard the last words. "Marcus." I cupped his cheeks,"I get it. You love me," I said and Marcus nodded. "And guess what?" I said as I stared into his eyes.

"What?" Marcus' voice came out strained.

"I love you too."

The look on his face when I had told him was one I would definitely pay to see. I smiled and my cheeks started heating up from his reaction.

"You... what," his gaze drifted from my lips to my big brown eyes. I bit my bottom lip nevrously making Marcus steal a look at my lips again.

"Fuck," he mouthed.

"Marcus, I love you," I repeated slowly as if explaining to a three year old. Marcus stared at me, the corners of his mouth slowly tugging upwards.

"Alyssa," he whispered. "Don't say it because you think you have to."

I pursed my lips,"Marcus. You're handsome, funny, kind of smart..." I trailed off with a smile on my face.

He chuckled.

"And the guy I am in love with," I concluded and ruffled his hair, making it fall onto his forehead. Smiling, Marcus held my wrist tightly, and pulled me close to him. He gently pressed his lips on mine. Butterflies erupted in my stomach and I pulled away quickly.

Poking his chest, I said,"You, Marcus Sawyer, made me fall in love with you when I didn't want to."

"You don't regret it do you?" he slowly stood up with his intense gaze on me. Marcus leaned in making me lean back onto the bed. He held himself above me as his lips lightly brushed mine and after what seemed like hours of teasing me, our lips started to move in sync.

Marcus trailed his hands under my hoodie and pulled it over my head, throwing it aside. I was now left in my black bra and shorts. I fisted the sheets while Marcus stared at my body, making me wonder what was going on in that mind of his.

"Alyssa," his tongue quickly swiped over his bottom lip. His eyes darkened when they met mine. I sat upright, not taking my eyes off him.

My hands snuck into his onesie, and held his chest. My heart was beating fast due to Marcus' gaze on me when I slowly removed the clothing off his torso. I traced his hard muscles, marvelling how beautiful his body was. His chest heaved faster than it normally was and burned under my touch.

Looking up at Marcus, I saw his jaw clench as his eyes flutter close. My arms wrapped around his waist and slowly went to his broad shoulders. Marcus let out a breath like he was tired of holding himself to be still.

His arms snaked around my waist, pulling us close until there was no space between us.

After that we did... things. Very intimate stuff. And I didn't regret it at all because I did it with the person I love and hoped to have a future with.

Marcus.