Marissa loves it, Dan hates it, and Mark is just stuck between the two bickering extremes.
Marissa loves the fact that Mark is getting to know more friends and is slowly becoming more comfortable in the new school environment.
Dan hates the fact that Mark is not staying true to himself and is only playing the kind of person that he thinks his new friends would like. Dan think it's stupid, and utterly superficial. Dan is disappointed in Mark and really can't wait to clobber him.
Mark on the other hand sits in between the two listening intently with wide open brown eyes and just wondering what in the world are they bickering about. He can't seem to understand that in any reasonable, and long-lasting relationship, there needs to be an equillibrium between what part of yourself you compromise for others, and when you need to stand up and speak out for your own identity. Most of all, he can't balance the two and the scale always topples in favour of the former.
So now Marissa hates Dan and vice versa. Love hates hate and vice versa.
Ahh yes. The not-so-holy-equivalent-of-the trinity is finally complete.
! dug deep in the sand
