Chapter Four

Monday. 6:30 A.M.

My alarm blared the local spanish station. A nice, loud Mexican song. Because that was really the only type of music that could wake me up, for some very odd reason.

I pushed myself out of bed with a groan and hit the button to stop it. "Ugh," is the only comment I had to make on it, as I fell back down against my bed, in pursuit of fifteen sweet more minutes of sleep.

The events of the night before came rolling back to me. My leg's gash. My arm went to my leg and rubbed it. Of course, it's not wasn't there anymore.

With a grumble, I got up and took a quick shower and then dressed. My hair wet and straggly, I pulled a beanie of my favorite Christian band, Newsboys, over it and ran down the stairs. A dozen almost-worn-down-to-the-nub pencils and little doodled, folded up papers flew out of it, left and right. My bookbag had a lot of holes in it. It's my favorite bookbag, because it's small yet can oddly fit almost any amount of school crap in it. It's like it had some kind of Z-Space effect on it.

I grinned with an idea of a good prank to pull on poor Ax sometime. "Hey Ax, I think my bookbag has some kind of anti-matter ability..." I giggled at the thought of him contemplating it and looking it over.

I climbed the bus and there was Marco, grinning sardonically at me from my usual seat. I glare at him. He was in my window seat! I liked my window seat...I'm one of those people who likes to listen to my cd player and stare out the window on the ride to school. Zone out and not have to talk to anyone. But I could see Marco wanted to talk.

I sighed and resigned myself to his cheesy jokes, flirting, and more likely, snarky comments about my faith.

"So, Jamie." Marco grinned at me. "What's up?"

"Umm not much. Just...going to school." 'And you're in my seat!' I couldn't help but think.

He nodded a little, looked out the window and pretended as if he was zoning out, then looked at me again. "So uh...about yesterday..."

"My leg is fine."

"Oh I know. I'm not worried about you. You can take care of yourself now." he smirked.

"Oh okay. So, you really just wanted to sit next to me and talk to me?"

He looked at me then in the eyes. "I wanted you to know that it's going to be a lot worse than just a bite in the leg." He had dropped his voice lower, I guess in case anyone heard us.

I felt a shiver down my spine. His eyes were dark and serious to the point of scaring me.

"There are going to be times when your leg is completely taken off. Or your arm. Or your stomach gets sliced open."

"Okay..." I said, smirking a little. I looked at the back of the seat in front of me, my face burning. I don't even know why, I was just nervous all of a sudden.

"Marco why are you saying this to me?"

"Because honestly," he snapped. "I don't think you're up for it. I think you're too worried about being little miss moral, little miss sunday school, to be of any real help to us. I think you don't even believe in fighting for freedom." he laughed sardonically. "And that's not good..."

I swallowed. I couldn't help it, I was cringing from him, still looking at the seat in front of me. I hated myself for it, but I was cringing from him. "What about Cassie?" I said. "She doesn't believe in fighting-"

He laughed again. "No...she doesn't...to a point. She'll fight if it's for something she believes is right. You on the other hand. You believe in turning the other cheek." he hissed "And that's useless to us Stephanie. Turning the other cheek in this war gets you with a slug in your head."

I felt sick. I wanted to throw up, wanted to slap him, wanted to move to another seat, and I even found myself looking for one.

I reached into my bag and quickly put on my earphones, turning on my cd player. He snatched my earphones off.

"Don't avoid me!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I said out loud. People grew quiet around us and stared.

"Be quiet!" he hissed. The people around us gradually turned away after laughing and saying "OOooooh!"

"I don't remember you being appointed leader." I snapped, snatching back my earphones. "Or Inquisitor!"

He leered at me and shook his head. "Great way to avoid what I was saying."

"I can avoid it if I want to!" I snapped. "I don't have to answer to you. Because you're not Jake. I've already answered to Jake. That's it. Finito."

"Yeah but I just can't wait to see when a battle comes around and -"

"You want to go and tell Jake that I'm going to be the ruin of this group, go ahead, Marco!" I hissed at him. "Go ahead! I'm serious. Because the only reason you're saying all this to me is because if you said it to Jake, he would just tell you the same thing, and you know it!"

"And what would that be?" he snapped.

"That I'm here. And that I'm obviously willing to fight. And that the other Animorphs have already made their decision about me." I put my headphones on. "Whether you like it or not." I felt a smile grow on my face and he glared at me, and then turned to look out the window the rest of the ride.

My so called "triumph" against Marco that morning wasn't really a triumph of course, because the rest of the day, I felt doubtful and weary, and the feeling that someone else in the group didn't like me, didn't want me there, was making me feel really sick inside.

I prayed about it. It was strange. I was sitting in science class, and it was like Jesus just bumped my shoulder and said "Hey...I'm here, remember? Don't let him throw you. Marco's not so scary. He's just a kid like you. Talk to me..."

I prayed that God would help me to keep things on a calm level with Marco and that I wouldn't get upset or defensive when we talked.

"Amen." I muttered as Mr. Eady, my science teacher, concluded his lecture on weather currents and the evidence of global warming.

My friend since grade school, Ashley, smirked. "Stephanie the answer isn't 'Jesus.'"

I pinched her arm and she cracked up and tried to pinch me back. I jerked my desk away.

"Girls!" Mr. Eady said. "Please. Stop." In that I'm Mr Bald and Serious Scary Teacher voice he used a lot with me and Ashley.

"Oh. K." Ashley whispered and I was laughing again. We spent the rest of the class muffling our laughter in our hoodies, and scribbling notes and little pictures comparing Mr. Eady's bald head to an egg.

"Who's that guy I heard you were fighting with on the bus this morning?" she scribbled.

I felt myself turn red. Word definitely got around our school way too fast.

"What do you mean fighting? Who told you we were fighting?" I scribbled back.

She looked at me and smirked, shaking her head. "Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. What's his name? Is it Marco? I overheard Katrina and Isabel talking about it."

I made a mental note to...pray...for Katrina and Isabel. Then I forced myself not to crumple up the paper and scribbled back. "He's nobody. Just some jerk who keeps like, trying to hit on me-"

Mr Egg Head grabbed my note.

"What's this? Hmm...let's see what couldn't wait until the end of class, huh Stephanie?"

I thought I would die as he read it aloud to everyone else. They had a great laugh at it.

"Ooooooh go Stephanie!" a girl named Christina said.

"No way!" Danielle snapped. "Marco is like, so disgusting are you kidding me? Plus he's like, super annoying."

Christina shrugged. "Hey, at least he's noticing her. Oh, Stephanie, I didn't mean that like, you know-"

More laughter followed and I turned what was probably a very unattractive tomato shade again. I prayed a bitter thanks to God as the bell rang and I grabbed my stuff as I left.

"Stupid egg head," Ashley said, trying for sympathy as if she hadn't been laughing along with the rest of them.

I stormed past her and she called out "Hey! Wait! What'd I do? I'm sorry!"

She caught up with me at my locker and I huffed. "I am so...sick of people acting like I can't get a date!"

"Hey now, I know you can get a date!"

"Oh please! I'm the Christian girl and on top of it, I'm the freak too! Nobody crushes on orangey haired, "prudes!""

"Well obviously your Mr. Don Juan here does, because here he comes again!" she giggled and began to scamper away.

"No, wait! Ashley come back and talk to me so he won't-"

"Byyeee! Give you sometime alone!" she snickered, hurrying off. I stared hopelessly after her chain covered, baggy black jeans as she hurried off.

"Stephanie!" I gritted my teeth as I jolted...and banged my head on the corner of my locker door.

"Gaaaahgh!" I moaned, clutching and rubbing my head as it throbbed in pain.

"Ohhh!" Marco put his hands on my head and started to rub at my temples.

"Whatgggffferrr! Get off!" I slapped his hands away. Why was he touching me?

He stared at me for a moment, and people around us laughed and stared for a while to see if we were going to fight.

He burst in snickering. "Well...sorry. I guess I'll leave you alone until you feel nice and spiritual again."

"Okay, can you just stop with the little subtle insults to my faith and come to the point of why you came to talk to me? Please?" He was ruining my whole day!

"Okay, okay! Calm down...Feisty Redhead." he winked and grinned at me. I wanted to laugh and smack the cheesy, confident Marco grin off his face at the same time.

"Excuse me?" I glared at him. "I am not 'feisty'...I'm crazy. Now spill or leave me alone."

"You know what? You're right." I couldn't believe my ears. "I've been...less than respectful of your...religious orientation (I snorted) lately."

"Mmmhmmm..." I said. 'And where exactly is this going?' I couldn't help but just want him to spit out whatever was on his mind and go away.

"So I apologize..." he gritted his teeth and forced it into a smile. I suddenly grasped how difficult it was for Marco to say sorry to anyone for anything he said and started to appreciate...and even enjoy the conversation.

I grinned. "Why, for what?"

His grin disappeared and his eyes turned mock beady and serious. "Hey now...don't push it."

I nodded, smiling. "Okay, let's skip the apology. Since you'll probably keep making remarks about my faith anyway..." Marco laughed. "And go ahead and say what you came to say."

"Alright..." he seemed grateful but disguised it with his usual Marco smoothness. "There's the little matter of this uh...social event on Friday...I believe you know what I mean."

I didn't. "Marco...I don't have a social life..."

He stared at me for a moment. "Oh yeah that's right-"

"Hey!" I slapped him on the arm.

"Ow! Hey you said it yourself!"

"Well...yeah..." I said. ("Ha!" Marco cried in triumph.)

"Anyway, go on."

Marco grinned. "The dance, Stephanie. The school dance...coming up Friday. Three fifteen. School gym. You and me babe," he winked. I stared at him, agog.

"Oh I know, I know. You've been dreaming of this forever. You felt as if it would never come true. But it has Stephanie..." he grinned again and smoothed back his hair, admiring his reflection in my locker mirror. "Yes, yes...You'll be out there with me and...well...I don't know if anyone's told you but..." he blushed and I raised an eyebrow. "I'm like...the best dancer in this school. I mean...I make Fred Astair look like Steve Urkel. It's...embarrassing really." he winked at me. Then his face fell. "What's so funny?"

I was doubling over, holding my ribs. "AHAHAHAHAHA!" The few people remaining in the halls were staring now.

"What the-"

"HA HA HA HA HA HAAaaaaa!" I thought I was going to explode. "Oh my gosh!" I fell against the wall of lockers, wiping tears from my eyes. "You...you really think you're something special don't you?"

He looked annoyed and puzzled now. "Stephanie...if this is what you do when a guy asks you to a dance, then, damn. It's really no surprise you're alone..." he started to storm away and I began to giggle even harder. His words hadn't even offended me! I couldn't even get mad! It was just so funny!

I finally got to my feet and began to put my books in my book bag. Oh man, I had to tell this to Rachel. And Cassie. Anybody who would listen, really. This was just too funny.

In global history I started getting mad though. Who did he think he was after all? Like he could just snap at me and insult me one minute and then ask me out the next! Like I would say yes, like...

I felt as if God was in the back of my brain then suddenly saying "You asked me to help you keep things level...don't look for reasons to get mad and argue if you meant that..."

I sighed a long sigh and Mrs. Cranes said "Just a moment longer, Stephanie, I promise! We just need to cover this one more section and you guys can go!"

"Oh I wasn't-" I sat up in my seat.

"It's alright. I understand you want to go and talk to your little boyfriend."

"What?"

The class was laughing. I felt myself turn bright red again.

Great! Whether I was going with him to the dance or not he succeeded in making my life an embarrassment!

I struggled between praying for God to give me restraint and already praying for the forgiveness I would need for finding and punching Marco as soon as this class ended!

Review Comments - For those of you who bothered (a long time in coming, but better late than never, no?)

LilManiac - Well I'm glad you apparently enjoyed it anyway! And I like to talk about my religion. :)

Nikki - glad you're liking the story! It's nice to be encouraged!

Saint Josmane - thank you! I will! ;D

gpshaw - Yeah, I'm thinking Stephanie will definitely face a lot of controversy about her faith and the fighting, and not really from Marco or others the way I've portrayed so far, so much as herself. I'm glad you can appreciate the spiritual/religious view and I hope you'll keep enjoying the story! Also I can definitely foresee some difficulty with her having a relationship with Marco or any other guy due to confusion about her faith as a possibility in the future! Very perceptive and I appreciate the tip:) And yes, I definitely intend on flashing back to her gaining the power at some point.

shadow-angel5192 - yes, I was all too honored to reference Jibjab's vid in here. :)

Lucien Ancalmon - thanks and here I have! I intend to update more due to revived interest in this story from reviewers and on my own part:D

Anifan1 - yes my story ideas tend to be a little odd and eye catching ;D If I say so myself. Anyway, thanks for reviewing:D

JohnPsuedonymDoeSmith - Thank you for taking the time to review at least. But while I'm pleased at your enthusiasm, I find a few things odd about your review. First of all, I don't think anyone on this site finds reviews comprised of walls of angry, choppy, caps-locked text pleasant to read. Secondly, for the great philosopher that you seem to pride yourself to be, you fail to realize that philosophy is not meant to beat people over the head with. As for the argument of keeping wild animals in zoos - this is a fanfiction from the point of view of a middle school girl. Not really meant to be a debate forum. I didn't realize that a proper logical argument was necessary, but I'll try to keep that in mind next time.

KoreanPearl - Thanks for reviewing though:D It has been a while and I'm sorry!

Dreamstar's Courage - Yes, I want Stephanie to be a character that people can find real. I try to make all of my characters with some flaws and I definitely want Stephanie to be flawed since as Christians we're not flawed and yeah, it really is unfair when people assume us to be and then expect it.

TwinTrouble - Thanks! And yes, I'm a Christian. :) I don't know if I mentioned it in my profile (should probably go back and put it in there if I didn't). Stephanie's faith is just kind of along the lines of that Jesus told her to turn the other cheek. I agree that war in the Old Testament is justified. I'm not don't remember where Jesus might have said that it was okay though. If you have verses you'd like to show me though, I'm interested and I think you can find my messenger in my profile. I'll check and see that it's in there and you and I can talk. :D And yes, I'll keep writing!

The Enthusiast - you really live up to your pen name:) Yes, I am a Christian! And I'm glad you enjoy my stories! It's always great to hear that!

I'll be working to put out another chapter soon! Thanks for all your reviews!