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Chapter Fourteen
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This sucked. Life sucked. Marco Del Rossi slammed open the doors to the Degrassi school, pushing and plowing carelessly through innocent passerbys. He didn't care, he wasn't in a good mood. A few days had passed since the dinner at the Michalchuk's house and as far as anyone was concerned, he and Dylan hadn't spoke to each other. Marco didn't care that he was pitching people out of his way and he thundered to his locker, violently chucking it open and grabbing the books he needed for the day.
Ellie's voice floated somewhere behind him, "Marco?"
He muttered, zipping up his book bag, "Hey."
"Marco, what's up? You seem a little..."
Marco looked at her, ferocity in his eyes, "...Pissed off."
Ellie asked carefully, "About?"
He barked at her, the loathing in his voice surprised her, "Why don't you mind your own business?"
Marco began walking away and Ellie breathed, following him, "Whoa. I don't know what's got into you, but I hope it passes soon. Because it's becoming a little scary." Even though he was shorter than her, he suddenly spun around and backed her into a row of lockers.
With wide eyes, she watched as Marco whispered lowly, "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave me alone." He calmly began strolling away and she gaped. This was a side of Marco Del Rossi that she never seen or wanted to see. He was violently angry about something, and she decided to take his advice and left him alone for a while.
Marco passed Jimmy's locker where Craig, Spin, and the Jimster himself hung out.
Jimmy asked, "Hey, Del Rossi, what's-?" He felt the tension and built-up anger surrounded the smaller Italian boy and finished weakly, "-up?"
Marco's thoughts screamed 'Why didn't everyone just leave him the hell alone?' He said darkly, "I'm good."
Craig looked at him, a little uneasy, "Are you sure man?"
Marco's voice deepened with irritation, "I said, I'm good. What are you, hard of hearing?" His friends exchanged looks of disbelief and he walked away. It went on like that for the rest of the day. Marco managed not to lose his patience and avoided the senior hallway. He ate alone at lunch and during fifth period he went to his locker. Unfortunately, Jay's locker was nearby. He and his friend Towerz watched from the opposite side of the hallways. Marco was about to turn away when he heard Jay say loudly, "Oh look, it's Homochuk's boyfriend."
The gang-banger came right up to his face to harass him. Oh, the nerve. "I saw you two in the park. You like kissing guys, do you faggot?" Towerz snickered.
Marco's anger had just intensified by ten times "
I'm not in the mood today, Jay."
"Oh. It looks like I'm upsetting the faggot. What, faggot, are you going to go cry to your boyfriend?"
Marco growled, "I mean it."
Jay raised his hands in mock terror. "Ooo, I'm so scared. What are you gonna do, give me your disease?" He shoved Marco against his locker and laughed. And laughed. And laughed. It echoed down the hallway. Something in Marco broke. Something else did break too. Before anyone could register the sudden motion, Jay was sliding across the floor and holding his bleeding nose. Towerz was running down the hall. Marco was standing over him. He had gotten Jay right in the face with his fist and now the senior was staring at him like he was a lunatic, nose bleeding all over the place.
Marco saw the red and ran for it.
Somewhere on the other side of the building, Dylan Michalchuk was cleaning out his locker of trash. Particularly, old test papers and broken binders. He shut his locker door and saw Stan running down the hall, eyes looking right at him. The overweight senior slowed to a stop, trying to catch his breath. Dylan frowned, "What's going on?"
"That...kid you're seeing- Marco. He...beat up Jay."
"He what?" That did not sound like Marco.
Stan gasped, "Don saw...from across the hall...that Jay was provoking him and that...Marco was getting angry. He punched him square...in the face. Blood's everywhere. Marco ran for it. Jay's in the principal's office...probably giving Raditich some bullshit story of his own. Don's...heading down there to..."
Dylan didn't bother to hear the rest.
If anyone would have watched Marco, they would have seen him go into the library and sit in a corner, quiet as a mouse. All of the anger inside him was gone replaced by a hollow emptiness. He wanted to apologize to everyone for how he acted, but he was hurting within. Hurting a lot. They wouldn't understand why. A few moments passed and Marco was still in the corner, once in a while someone passing through would look at him but would turn away immediately. Maybe they heard what happened. Marco was a little shaken by the fact he actually hit someone.
It frightened him. He didn't want to be like his Father. To lose his temper like that. That wasn't like himself. Marco knew he was going to pay consequences so how. A pair of eyes were on him. Marco looked sideways to Dylan who was standing just outside the entrance. The younger boy looked back to his knees. "You heard?"
"Yeah."
A long moment of silence passed between them. Suddenly, Dylan tossed a icepack at Marco. He caught it easily and placed it on his swollen fist. Then looked back to say thanks.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Later, Marco did have consequences for his actions. A week's detention for attacking another student and Jay had one too for provoking and assaulting. Marco's mom was very disappointed in him but when he asked for his cousin Rosalie's phone number, she minded him. He dialed up her number and a small voice answered, "Hello? May I ask who's calling?"
"Marco Del Rossi. May I speak to Rosalie please?"
"One moment please."
Rustling in the background.
"Hello, Marco?"
"Hey Rosie."
"Marco, how are you? What's going on?"
"Who was that?"
"My... friend of mine."
"Oh."
"So, what did you call you for? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"Some advice. I'm having a little trouble with a relationship."
"Ah, girl troubles?"
"More like boy troubles."
"Oh... your Ma and Pa never told me you were gay."
"They never knew in till I told them."
"How'd they take it?"
"Ma was fine with it but Pa..."
"No need to say more. So, who's the boy?"
"His name is Dylan Michalchuk, a senior in my school."
"What happened?"
"I went over to his house for dinner and a friend of theirs named Mikey was there too. For some reason he's attracted to me and kissed me, and Dylan saw it and thought I had kissed him. Then I found him and this guy Tom kissing later. We argued and shouted at each other, and we haven't talked to each other since."
"That seems silly. Are you sure that it was Dylan's fault when you found him and Tom kissing. What if Tom did the same thing to him like Mikey did to you?"
"That's not just it. One of his friends talked to me about he was leaving for college and it got me thinking that if we did stay in a relationship... it would hold him back from doing what he wanted to do."
"Ah, I see."
"I'm confused. Maybe Dylan and I just aren't going to work."
"Maybe. But you know Marco, love isn't just something that happens. It's built up over time, on trust, on work, and lots of it. You could be right, maybe you're too young for this, or maybe you need to time to think. You have your entire life to reason and settle down with someone."
"Thanks, Rosie."
"No problem, sweetie. I'm glad I could help. Call me whenever. Tell your Mama I said hi."
"I will. Thanks again."
"Ciao."
"Ciao."
