Marco lay in bed on his phone later that night, talking to Selah again.
Selah: how's Boston marcooo
Marco: It smells like salt
Selah: so like our good buddy
Marco: Haha, yeah
Marco: I met a cute dude
Marco: kinda hipstery
Marco: He called me freckles
Marco: Selah?
Selah: ooooooh ooooh ya findin a duuuuuude
Marco: I'm supposed to text him about showing me around the school
Selah: well hop to it boy
Typical Selah. Trying to get him hooked up. As usual. He typed in the number Jean had given him earlier.
Marco: Hi Jean, it's Marco, so maybe tomorrow could we go over to the school? If you're free, that is
Seconds. Minutes. Marco turned his attention away. He went downstairs in search of lemonade, and when he walked back into his room, his phone had a notification. It was Jean.
Jean: sure freckles ill be at ur house around 12
Jean: also whats yer snapchat
Marco: Haha are you always gonna call me that? And it's marcob23
Jean: maybe
Jean: added you
Jean: gn dude see you tomorrow
Marco awoke to the sounds of police sirens outside. He lifted his head off the pillow and looked at his alarm clock.
8:00am
The sirens got louder and louder, and they continued until it sounded like they were right outside. He swung his legs off the bed and hurried downstairs.
"Mom?" He called. "Mom, what's happening? Maia?" Marco found his mother on the front porch, talking quickly with a police officer.
"Mom?" She turned around at the sound of his voice, and the officer headed off. He looked at her expectantly.
"Marco...There's been another homicide. At the end of the street." Marco's eyes widened, and he looked down towards the cop cars. "Nobody we know. It was a girl, about your age."
"I can't believe it. In our neighborhood? That's..that's really scary." His mom looked at him. She was tall, not as tall as he was, but tall enough that she barely had to look up at him.
"I know. You and Jean be careful today walking to the school, alright? I have to leave for work soon, and Maia slept over at her friend' 'll be over at the school today too."
Marco nodded in response, and his mom smiled at him and headed to her car. "Be safe, Marco!"
Jean showed up at 12, as he said he would. He'd knocked on the door when Marco was getting his paper that showed all the room numbers of his classes. Marco hurried to the door to answer it.
"Sup freckles." Jean was dressed sloppily, in sweatpants (as the day had been abnormally cold) and another band t-shirt, this time one that Marco recognized.
"You like Twenty Øne Pilots?"
"Yeah, they're pretty good. Wanna get going?"
Marco nodded and stepped out of the house, locking the door. They walked up the street and around the corner, not speaking much.
"There it is. The ol' Devil's Temple." Jean chuckled as he spoke.
"The Devil's Temple, huh. That's a nice name for the school."
"You'll understand once you meet the teachers, Marco." Marco's heart skipped. Jean hadn't called him by his name yet. Get it together, Marco.
"Will I now? I happen to enjoy school."
Jean snickered at his statement.
"Hey, come on. It's not that weird."
"You're a regular dork, aren't ya?"
"I guess I am."
"You're a cute dork though."
Marco blushed. "You think?"
"Oh yeah. Now come on, let's go inside."
Marco followed Jean into the school and as Jean was showing him around, a dark haired boy with cool green eyes carrying a duffel bag rushed over to them.
"Jean you asshole! Connie told me you took my skateboard!" Give it back!" The kid whacked Jean with his bag. "Where's my board?"
Jean was looking at the guy with the most adorable look of amusement on his face. He obviously had something to do with the missing skateboard.
"Dunno, Eren. Maybe you should check the dump behind the park." Jean snickered at the brunette.
"Oh, Jeanny Boy, you fucking wish you hadn't."