(we meet) beneath the stars tonight
Mark is the kind of geek that doesn’t really give a shit about space and aliens and stars. Dustin is the kind of geek that does. So when Mark finds out that the next gala in his schedule is located at an observatory, he tries his hardest to push his responsibilities onto Dustin because Dustin is a co-founder and knows all the same shit about the company that Mark does.
Also, Mark hates galas and suits and people who like to suck up because they’re all idiots.
“Mark, you are not getting out of going to this gala,” is the first thing out of Chris’ mouth when he walks into Mark’s office.
Mark doesn’t look up from the e-mail he is typing. “Hello to you too, Chris.”
Chris sighs and runs his hand through his hair. “Mark, you have to stop trying to get out of going to every event. It doesn’t look good for Facebook.”
“People don’t care if I go to events. They care that the site is running and that we make money,” Mark says, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. “Dustin can go and they’d all hear the same thing about the company anyway.”
“That’s not really the point!” Chris exclaims exasperatedly. “You know that I’m good at my job, Mark, or I wouldn’t be here. As CEO you need to make appearances or people will think you don’t care. That’s bad for business! I would know! So suck it up a go to this gala or I will have Dustin force you into a suit and drag you.”
And since Mark never wants to have to deal with Dustin manhandling and purposely touching him inappropriately for amusement, he finds himself in a tuxedo that Chris picked out for him walking into a room full of people also in tuxedos that Mark doesn’t want to interact with. Chris and Dustin follow behind him, because Chris really does know what he’s doing and that includes knowing that Mark will not remember many of the people there while Chris does.
“I’ll tell you who you need to talk to and what you need to talk about. Hopefully we’ll all survive,” Chris grumbles, grabbing Mark’s arm and pulling him into the crowd.
Dustin follows them like an excited puppy. He really does love all this space shit. The decorations include really classy looking silver spaceships. Dustin is really happy about that.
After talking to a few people, sitting down for an incredibly boring speech, and eating food that needed a lot more salt to taste okay, Mark finally manages to sneak away from Chris. He makes a note to himself to apologize later, because he knows Chris really is good at his job and Mark makes it hell. Mark just hates galas. It’s nothing personal.
Mark isn’t exactly sure where he’s going, but he figures the farther away from where the gala is being held, the better. He eventually finds himself in a mostly empty room with a glass dome above him and a huge telescope on the other side.
Mark doesn’t have to like astronomy to know that the night sky looks really beautiful with so many stars visible. He walks into the middle of the room and cranes his neck to look up at the tiny white dots of light.
“What are you doing in here? You’re not supposed to be here.”
The speed at which Mark turns around could probably give some people whiplash.
Standing in the doorway is a tall man in a lab coat with ridiculous brown eyes and even more ridiculous brown hair. And while both are ridiculous, the man is really good looking.
Mark is even willing to give him gorgeous.
“Hi,” Mark says.
Hi? Mark really questions his life sometimes. He can deliver speeches about technology and hold a crowd’s attention (not that he does it because he wants to), but he can’t think of the right things to say in the presence of beautiful people. It’s a curse. The curse of being a technology guy, Mark thinks.
“Hi,” the guy says back, grinning. “I’m Eduardo Saverin. And you are?”
“Oh. I’m Mark. Mark Zuckerberg.”
Mark is finding it a little hard to breathe, just because this stranger grinned at him with his shiny white teeth and crinkly smile wrinkles.
“Nice to meet you, Mark Zuckerberg! But you’re really not supposed to be here. Are you lost?” Eduardo says, inching a little closer towards Mark. “I can show you back to the gala if you want?”
“No, no. Sorry. I was wandering away from the gala. Those people are idiots,” Mark says, and immediately wants to bang his head against something hard.
It probably doesn’t come off as attractive insulting people like he’s doing. He’s done it on dates. Apparently he still hasn’t learned.
Mark is surprised though, because the guy just laughs and says, “I’m pretty sure a lot of them have to be geniuses. You don’t become successful without a brain, right?”
Mark isn’t sure what to say, because Eduardo is correct. But it doesn’t mean that those people at the gala aren’t idiots who only want money. Intelligent people can be idiots too. Mark has to grudgingly admit that he would know.
“Who are you, exactly?” Mark blurts out.
Sometimes Mark has a lack of things to say. This is one of those times. When that happens, he figures the first thing that comes to mind is the best thing to say. It really isn’t.
Luckily this Eduardo guy doesn’t seem to mind his horrible social skills.
“Eduardo Saverin. You know…Saverin Observatory? The place you’re standing in? It’s mine,” Eduardo says, clearly amused.
Mark feels like he should have just gone back to the gala. He hadn’t remembered the name of this place. He hadn’t known that this man was the owner. If Mark had stuck by Chris, he wouldn’t have problems like this. Chris knows everyone.
Before Mark can die of embarrassment in front of the gorgeous and also rich and probably smart Eduardo Saverin, Eduardo grabs his arm and pulls him over to the telescope.
“Do you want to take a look at the stars? It’s probably a lot less boring than the gala,” Eduardo speaks, smiling gently at Mark and pushing him down into the seat in front of the telescope.
“I’ll show you all my favorite constellations! Not all of them can be seen right now, sadly, but some of them are up there.”
Mark just nods along as Eduardo excitedly chatters on about the stars. Mark still doesn’t care much for stars, but he likes listening to Eduardo’s voice. He has an American accent, but there’s something else there.
Before Eduardo manages to show him anything, Mark’s phone goes off. Mark mutters an apology and fumbles a little as he pulls out his phone. It’s Chris.
Mark really wants to hang up, but Chris gets pretty scary whenever Mark doesn’t pick up his phone. He mutters a curse under his breath and accepts the call.
“Mark, where the hell are you? If you don’t get yourself back here right now, I will wring your neck and then take your laptop and hide it where you will never find it again!” the sound of Chris’ angry whisper floats from the phone.
“I could just buy a new laptop, you know.”
Eduardo is smiling at him like he’s the funniest person in the world.
Mark feels a little like he can’t breathe.
“Just get back here. NOW!”
Chis hangs up.
“I think I have to go now,” Mark states, staring at Eduardo’s smile.
Mark is staring at Eduardo’s lips. They’re pink.
Eduardo licks his lips. His tongue is pink too.
Right. Most people have pink tongues and lips. Mark should know that.
“I’ll walk you back,” Eduardo offers. “Your friend probably wouldn’t like it very much if you got lost.”
“Yeah. Yes. Thank you,” Mark says, still a little breathless.
He is also still looking at Eduardo’s lips.
“Come on.”
Eduardo takes Mark’s hand and pulls him up and out of the chair. He doesn’t let go even as they exit the room and walk down the hallways toward the room the gala is being held in. Chris is standing outside the room pacing worriedly. Before they reach him, Eduardo stops.
“I didn’t get to show you the stars today, but if you come back some other time I can. You know. If you want,” Eduardo says nervously, not looking directly at Mark’s face.
They are still holding hands.
“Yeah. Sure. I’d like that,” Mark agrees, unable to even think about refusing.
Eduardo rewards Mark with a bright smile. “I’ll see you then?”
Eduardo let’s go of his hand and Mark immediately wants to grab on again.
“How do I contact you to let you know I’m coming?” Mark asks.
Chris has finally spotted Mark, but he keeps his distance and stares.
Mark guesses that it’s surprising to see Mark make friends without the aid of Chris or Dustin. Mark would be surprised if he were Chris too.
“Facebook me. You know my name,” Eduardo winks at Mark and then turns and walks back the way they came from.
Mark stares after him and only turns when he feels Chris’ hand on his shoulder.
“Mark,” Chris says, eyes wide in surprise.
“What is it?” Mark asks.
He feels the corners of his mouth twitch and can’t help but smile.
Chris grins and shakes his head. “Nothing. Come on, there are a lot of people we need to talk to.”
Mark follows Chris without complaint. The sooner he talks to these people, the sooner he can leave.
He has a friend he needs to add on Facebook.