Friday Night
"I mean, you should be able to re-create it. Dad could help," Marco quickly amended to Ax.
Jake nodded.
"Ax?"
I will do it, Prince Jake. >
"Well then," Jake said, "let's go for it. It's too important no to try."
Jake watched Ax and Marco fly off. He clenched his fist. "DAMN HIM!" He yelled. "What right did he have to endanger us all??"
No one answered. Perhaps it was because they all knew Jake was right. Marco did something very foolish.
Finally, Tobias spoke up, breaking the silence. At one of my old schools, a kid died. There was all kinds of stuff that happened after that. Speeches, a memorial, therapists being open to all the kids. I'll bet anything it'll be like that at school Monday. >
Rachel nodded. She understood. "And all of us, especially you Jake, will be expected to be wrecks."
"How can I be sad over someone I'm so incredibly pissed at?" He asked angrily through clenched teeth.
Cassie looked down, almost ashamed. "We've been lying so much, why can't we do it now?"
That was all that was said. One by one, they left the barn, into the cold night air.
Saturday
Rachel sat down in front of the TV to eat her sandwich. She turn it on, and flipped to the local news station.
"- turn to Cindy Rothe for the full story," The news lady said.
The camera was suddenly on a home Rachel knew well: Marco's. She leaned forward in interest. Then a second reporter's voice could be heard. "Last night at this home around 11, unidentified intruders entered this house, and robbed and shot 2 people: 47-year old scientist Jeremy Guerra, and his son, 15-year old high school student Marco Guerra. The police have no clues as to who committed this crime, but it is suspected that it was the work of a local anti-Hispanic(A/N: Is Jeremy Hispanic? I was never really sure if Marco got it from both parents, or just his mom) group. Any information on the shootings should be reported immediately. Jeremy leaves behind his wife, Nora Guerra."
The first news lady came back in. "That is truly sad that such racist crimes are committed in this day and age. Now we turn to-"
Rachel was on the phone before she finished talking. It was decided that whoever heard the news of Marco's 'death' first was to call all the others and tell them. And of course, act like they thought he was really dead. Rachel dialed Jake's first.
"Hello?" A voice asked. Tom.
Rachel tired to sound shaky and upset. "Tom, and you get...get Jake on quick? I really need to...to talk to him."
"One moment."
A few seconds later, Jake picked up. "Hello?"
"Ohmygod! Jake! Are you watching the news? Its...its about Marco. Jake, he's dead!"
It sounded like he dropped the phone. About a minute later, Jake picked up again. "I..I can't believe it. Not...not Marco!"
Rachel swallowed hard. "He was shot. Last night. His dad too."
Jake sounded shocked. "I have to go."
Rachel hung up. She was very pleased with her performance. Then she called Cassie. Cassie had to act a little more uncaring, since as far as people in school were concerned, they didn't know each other. But, since Cassie was Cassie, she also had to act...well, like Cassie.
Rachel didn't eat the rest of the day. And only a little bit on Sunday. Everyone that knew Rachel knew that she and Marco had almost a sibling relationship. They acted like they loathed each other, but deep down, they were friends.
By the time Monday came, the whole school knew Marco was gone.
***
Monday Morning
Jake walked into school, and was flocked by people telling him how sorry they were. All he wanted to find was Rachel and Cassie. He found Rachel first. She had a lot of people by her, since Rachel did hang with Marco too.
Cassie was harder to find. Most people didn't know she and Marco were friends. She was at Marco's locker, pinning up a picture. It was of Marco, Jake, Rachel and Cassie. Jake remembered the day the picture was taken well. The six of the animorphs had taken pictures in every possible combination. Jake suspected Cassie picked that one because people would wonder who Ax and Tobias were.
But that wasn't the only thing a Marco's locker that amazed him. So many people had put so many things up, it was hard to tell it was even a locker.
"Hey."
"Hey."
After that, the decided to split up, and go to homeroom. Jake slid into his seat, and scrunched low. He heard a girl behind him crying a little. He turned around and looked at her.
"I'm sorry," She sniffled. "But Marco sat next to be in science. I know you should be more upset, but it's just so surprising, you know? So sudden. And I...I kind of had a crush on him. He was good looking, funny, and now he's gone. It just...just gets to me...."
Jake turned around, and smiled very, very deep inside. Marco would be pleased to know that there was someone who liked him.
The day dragged on. Every now and then a girl would stop him and tell him that they had liked Marco. "Oh, if only I had asked him out..." "Oh, if only he was here now I wouldn't have any hesitations...". Ect.
In third period (A/N *cough* Just to clarify, this is not a morning time. I'm assuming that the school is like mine, where there are 4 120-minute periods a day. So this would be about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, not 10 in the morning), he got a slip to go to the principals office. His teacher let him go.
"Jake, I'm so sorry," The principal began. "I know this has been a great loss. It has been decided to put in a memorial for Marco. I was wondering if you would speak at the dedication ceremony?"
Jake looked at the floor. He paused. When he finally spoke, he made sure to sound choked. "...Sure."
Jake left the office.
Monday after school
Jake stopped at Erek's house. "Hey," Erek said.
"Hey. I came to talk to Marco."
"No problem." Marco was laying down on the couch.
"Hey Marco."
"Hey Jake. What's up?" Marco said.
"Not much. I was stopped today by," Jake paused to count, "9 girls who told me they wished they had only mention their wild passion for you before you died."
"9??" Marco yelled. "Why didn't I get their numbers BEFORE I went into hiding??"
"Oh, yeah. And they're dedicating a memorial to you. I'm supposed to speak at the dedicating ceremony. I was wondering if you wanted to help me write the speech?"
Marco laughed. "Sure. How many people get to write their own memorial speeches?"
Wednesday
The entire school filed down the stairs and outside for a ceremony. No one noticed a student who stepped outside of the bathroom when everyone has left. He slid behind everyone else.
It was Marco, clad in a hologram made for him by Erek. It didn't look like him at all. Marco sat down at the back and watched.
Jake was at the very front, sitting on a platform. The principal stood up, said a few words, and cut a ribbon surrounding a small tree. Marco's tree. Then Jake spoke.
"You want to know what the last words I said to Marco were? We were leaving, and he said some stupid comment...you knew Marco...and I said, 'You're an idiot', jokingly. But I was the idiot. I didn't know that a few hours later, he would be dead. I know he knew I was joking, but it makes you think. What if I had told him how much I appreciated his friendship? Or that I thought he was a very cool person?
"Marco was a cool person. He liked to make people laugh more than he liked to make them frown. he smiled a lot. Even his is darkest days a few years ago, he always had a joke to tell. But I'm not going to make him sound like a saint. He was human, just like the rest of us. He didn't do his homework until the lunch period before, and he would strike back when offended. But he even laughed along with us over his mistakes. Like the time he got detention not for having a Walkman in class, but for singing along?" The school chuckled a bit.
"Life is precious, guys. It can be taken away in an instant. Be sure to tell people how much they mean to you, how much you appreciate them. Don't leave a room on a sad note. With death, there are no second chances. Live life to the fullest."
Jake brushed away a tear. "If Marco were here now, I'm sure he would tell me to stop being so sad. He would make me laugh. But...he's not. When you see his tree, remember Marco. Remember the good times. The laughs. The smiles. And live life the way Marco would have wanted you to live it: look at it laughing, not crying. Thank you."
Jake sat down, and everyone clapped. Marco was impressed. The last paragraph was all improv. A few more words from the principal, and everyone left. Marco hurried and reached Jake. "Hey, it's me," He said so no one else could hear. "Good job."
With that, Marco left the school.
Another fic done! Goooooo me! And the tree will be referred to in 'Living History', so read up! Also, a note to everyone: Do live life to the fullest. Laugh often. Smile. And never leave a room with a grudge.