FIVE

The bell rang.

Damn it, he was fast.

How could someone like him who doesn't have any kind of physical strength run so fast? Oh, but he was messing with the wrong guy. I was from the soccer team; I knew real running, he didn't.

My feet clashed on the floor as I accelerated to catch up to him, but surprisingly, I was having a hard time. Thankfully, one of the guys gave me a water balloon; just one, though. I had one shot at him. We turned corners, jumped some benches and avoided people like real Assassins. Damn it, this just looked like one of those chase you had in the game. This time he was the Assassin and I was the Templar. Fuck him; I wanted to be the Assassin.

Surprisingly, my adrenaline shot up, mixed with competition. This was getting fun. It made me forget everything that had happened to me today.

We kept running until he reached a dead end, where he couldn't run anymore, -"Nowhere to run now, Assassin."- I slapped myself mentally. This was no game.

He turned around and shot his head up when he saw me, lowering the hood to reveal his face and the Superman beanie, -"Oh! Jean!"- Apparently, he didn't hear me calling him Assassin. By the way, how did he remember my name? –"I've been trying to…run from some guys that have balloons and… eggs. Can you help me?"- He tried to catch his breath.

Hasn't he realized that he was running from me? I didn't know how to answer and he looked at me with begging eyes, sweat traveling from his forehead to his neck. I just put my hand into my pocket and dug out a pink water balloon. Great. He stared at me and then at the balloon. I've been waiting this whole time for this, -"Happy new school year!"- I said and launched the gay pink balloon.

To surprise me even more, he gasped and sweetly dodged it, water splashing in the wall behind him. He had reflexes, I had to admit. He quickly ran past me, but I reached to him, grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Again, he stared at me, only this time, he looked surprised, like… disappointed, like his only hope of escaping tumbled down. Disappointed at me? He probably couldn't believe that I was one of those guys who ruin new kids' lives. After helping him, he thought that I wouldn't do this. Mysteriously, I felt like something stabbed my heart.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, my guys came, -"Good job, Jean!"- Frank shouted as he ran towards me and Marco.

Marco looked at me with pleading eyes and I received the message, Let me go, please. I looked at Marco and then at Frank. I had to choose now.Where could he run to anyway? Run past them just like he did with me? If he couldn't get past me, though he almost did, how does he plan on escaping Frank, the leader of the soccer team and master at sports? Aside from Frank, there were two guys following him. I wanted him to get that message, so I slipped my hand off of him and he quickly ran.

Like I said, he couldn't run past Frank. All he had to do was raise his arm in ninety degree, exposing his rough muscle and Marco slammed into it with his throat, quickly falling on his back. Shit. That had to hurt. He was now coughing on the floor, out of breath. My heart jumped for a second and then Frank and the other guys threw him water balloons and then eggs. Marco struggled, giving them a hard time. Though, it seemed like he wanted to do something, fight back, but in the end he didn't and it wasn't because he couldn't… he just didn't.

I just stared at his struggle; he was covering his face with his arm, -"Son of a bitch."- Frank growled angrily and took Marco's arm, pulling it away to expose his face and that's when another guy slammed a water balloon in his face.

Shit. Shit.

Memories began to flow into me again: me running away from bullies, me being thrown by some guy I didn't know, punched, kicked…

This wasn't the same, but seeing him in the floor like that…

His face must be burning, even though he was soaking wet. The impact of that balloon on his face… I began to feel a slight burn too, the one I had long ago by the same way.

The grin on Frank's face scared me a little; he was enjoying this too much. Above all, he was angry at Marco because he struggled and Frank didn't like it one bit when new kids struggled. He supposedly does it for 'fun', so when he sees that the freshmen take it seriously, he gets angry, -"I hope you enjoy your first day on school and the rest of the year."- Frank laughed and so did the others.

Marco tried to stand up, but he slipped and fell again, this time on his butt. More laughter, -"Now do the chicken." -Marco stared at him for a moment and then shook his head. Wrong move,I said to myself, remembering what happened to me when I denied dancing the chicken, -"What? C'mon, do it!"

Marco didn't answer.

Frank was about to throw him another balloon, when one of the other guys changed subject, -"Look at his freckles!"- He laughed while pointing at Marco's face, who slightly touched his cheeks with the tip of his finger, -"He looks like a girl!"

-"Gaaaaay!"-

They all laughed and Marco just stared at the floor, enduring it all. Something tells me that he's already been through this…

I had to do something.

-"Hey, Frank, this guy's a waste. Let's go."- I said, hoping that I'd convince him. Marco looked at me.

Unfortunately, I didn't, -"What? He's not leaving without doing the chicken dance,"- Frank said angrily, -"The freckled bitch wi-"

Taking advantage of the moment, Marco ran for his life. Jesus! I tried to convince Frank to leave him alone, I never thought he'd actually run right in front of Frank. That wasn't good.

-"Hey! I'm not done with you! GET BACK HERE! "- He shouted as he ran after Marco, so did the others. After a while of thinking about it, I ran too. He was dead, so dead.

Marco was running at the same speed as before, but I could see him. Frank was losing him, unable to catch up to him. My jaw dropped. Frank must be losing his mind. Then, all of a sudden he disappeared, but I could see him blending in with the crowd of people in McDonald's. Like… like Altair did with the erudite. He put on the hood back and walked with the crowd, completely disappearing from Frank's sight, -"Dammit! He escaped!"- He growled, clearly furious at Marco.

I couldn't believe it… my jaw dropped again. He just ran away from the master at sports, probably the fastest runner in the school. That can't be normal; he'd had to be in some kind of… special training, or in a sport or something. But how… someone like him…?

Then, it popped in my head. I used to say that videogames aren't all just fantasy, that they actually teach you something, but… damn.

I tried not to think about it and focus on Frank's rage. No one, no freshmen could escape him like that; they never could, but Marco… gosh. Appearances can be deceiving; I never thought he'd pull something like that. On the other hand, if Frank gets or sees him, the freckle guy will pay… deeply and harshly.

After some moments of swearing words and unending rage, Frank's phone ringed, -"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming… no, nothing's wrong me!"- He hung up and stomped to McDonald's. When we reached it, the food he ordered from outside the school arrived and sat to eat.

I sat too, but I didn't order anything since I didn't have money. Everyone around here always ordered outside because they didn't liked the food on the canteen. I didn't like it either, but what choice do I have? Mother never gives me money for anything, so I eat in it without wanting to and sometimes, I didn't go and just starve until the day ended. It was painful, but better that than the horrible food on the canteen.

This was part of my daily routine, watching them eat while I starve. I always hoped that they gave me some, but it never happens. Hell, even my girlfriend ordered. They just kept chatting while eating as if I was never there. Time passed and my stomach started to grumble, ordering me to eat. Seeing people eat was never good for it, so I stood up a bit angry at their inconsideration and walked to the launch room… alone. I bet they didn't even notice that I just left, not even my girlfriend.

The launch room was wide with large tables that had six or more chairs. It was an ordinary room like any other, nothing good to mention about it. Before I walked to the line, I looked at the food: ravioli. Fuck. Just when I was about to step away, my stomach grumbled more and I halted, -"Fine, I'll stay."- I muttered while walking to the line. When I reached it, I leaned on the wall and immediately, I heard someone sneeze in front of me, -"Bless you."- I said without looking at the person.

He sniffed, -"Thanks."- He sounded sick, like unable to speak correctly, I almost couldn't understand him. Then, something fell from him: a Hunger Games book.

Marco kneeled and took the book, then sneezed again, the book falling once more. I grunted and kneeled, taking the book. When I gave it to him, he laughed shyly and awkwardly, -"Thanks again, um…,"- He looked at me, surprised, -"Oh… Jean."- He averted his gaze from me.

He still had the hood on, but I could still see his face well enough to know that his nose and cheeks were red; especially his nose though, meaning that he had been sneezing a lot… meaning that he had allergy, meaning that the soak he got did notdo him well. Above all, his right side of his face worried me; it was all burning red, eye almost swollen. The freckles were barely visible and I had a feeling that's where he received the impact from the water balloon. Shit.

Apart from all that, he was soaked wet, obviously. His black jacket still had the eggs and it reeked. After what happened, he came here instead of the bathroom, apparently. I could see the difference between a water drop and a sweat and Marco was sweating. The black jacket wasn't doing him good either. He probably had a fever, his forehead was also red. In conclusion, he looked like a tomato. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and… guilty.

He sneezed again and I just looked around, not knowing what to say or do, -"Um…,"- I didn't really know if I wanted him to escape Frank, but that was amazing. What's more amazing is that it was him.Someone like him couldn't pull that out. In fact, like I said before, no one could escape Frank's fun time with freshmen. He's the first one and I wanted to know how he did it, the curiosity was killing me, -"Can I ask you something?"- He didn't say anything, didn't nod or anything, so I just continued, -"Do you belong to a sport group or something?"

He didn't answer at first, probably thinking 'why areyouasking me this?'He was probably mad at me for what I did, but his face didn't show anything that could make me confirm that. No frown or scowl. He seemed… calmed, shocked and surprised but weirdly calm, -"Uh… no, I don't."- He pulled the hood down and I saw the reddened ear now. Shit. I was becoming even guiltier.

-"Oh… well, just asking."- I shrugged and looked away, awkward. I'm going to act like nothing happened earlier.

He did the same, probably feeling the same way instead of angry at me. I just couldn't believe it. All the damage he had on his face was my fault, well… not all but I was an accomplice and that made it half my fault. I've been there and did nothing to stop Frank. In the end, Marco saved himself; something I didn't expected him to do seeing as how much he depended on me this morning. Above all, I realize now that if he didn't run like he did, it was going to get worse.

But then, Marco said something that made me confused, -"Thanks for, uh… helping me out there."- He said, not looking at me, avoiding eye contact. I could now see how shy he was.

I was going to ask, 'what are you talking about?'ignorantly, like I didn't know anything, but I lost it, raising my arms in exasperation, -"Are you serious? I didn't do anything!"- I was practically already losing my mind putting the pieces together to see if I could understand him.

I raised my voice without wanting to and had attracted some stares. Marco noticed and glanced around, putting his hands in front of me in an attempt to calm me down, -"Uh… sure you did. You distracted that guy to let me run, remember?"

I did?I just stared at him… I couldn't believe him.

He kept bragging, -"I'm really not good in dealing with those kinds of situations… a guy like you would probably fight. I just run…"- He looked down, suddenly sad and unsatisfied.

Those kinds of situations…so I was right. He'd been through it before; and heck yeah I would fight, but that was kind of ironic seeing as how he could fight back there but didn't. I couldn't mention that so I just…, -"It was nothing."- I answered, putting some muscle and pride, trying to look cool, shaking off my earlier weird thoughts about him.

He seemed to have forgotten that I also threw him a balloon, -"You always say that."- He let out a low chuckle and smiled at me, bearing with the pain he must have on his face. How… just how…?

I suddenly grew angry and annoyed at him again. Grunting, I hurried to the janitors giving the ravioli, taking the tray and slamming it in the counter. They glared at me, but when they poured the damned ravioli, I quickly slid it over to the forks and spoons, taking one with the chocolate milk and dashed to the near table. Marco sat with me, obviously worried at my sudden mood, probably thinking I was bipolar and had mind disorder or something; he didn't say anything though, figuring it was best not to bother me more.

I ate quickly and sometimes gazed up at Marco who kept his worried face. Though, when I looked up at him from my food, he looked away, but his eyes slowly dragged themselves to me. A sly smirk spread my lips.

When I finished, I didn't even said bon appetite to him, I just walked to trash my left over and walked outside without even saying goodbye, even though we'd meet for the next class. Once outside, I met with my girlfriend who just finished eating and immediately went to make out with me.

She sat on my lap again, leaning down to kiss me, but… I didn't felt like it. I wanted to, I don't know, do something else. Is this all she really does? Is my relationship always going to be like this? God, but she was so hot that that is what I wanted. Yesterday was the same. I barely knew her, but when I brought up the topic about knowing each other more, she quickly changed it, like she really didn't care. I practically didn't either, but still…

Our tongues were dancing when I felt the need to stand up and do nothing in particular. So, I pushed her gently, breaking the long kiss, -"What's wrong, babe?"- She asked me, her hands traveling to my chest again.

-"Uh… I need to go to the bathroom."- I lied and stood up. It wasn't actually a lie, because I didn't really know where to go.

A wide grin spread on her lips, giggling, thinking I stained myself.

I blushed, but said nothing.

I walked and walked and naturally ended up in the bathroom. It was almost time for class again, so when I finished there, I'll go to my next class. I didn't really want to see Trisha again until the end of the day. God, what was wrong with me? My earlier anger still lingered, but I couldn't take it on her, I actually wasn't… it's just that… I don't know. I ended up giving up the same excuse I always did when I didn't understand myself: I'm just tired. It's the stress. I always convinced myself, but today… it wasn't working. I'd have to figure it out at home.

When I reached the bathroom, I froze, hearing grunting sounds, moans and pained breaths. Was someone having sex… in the guy's bathroom?

-"…huh, huh? Answer me, little bitch!"

I heard something slamming on the wall, followed by a pained groan, -"… n-no."

I wanted to turn around; whatever was happening in there, it was none of my business, but I suddenly recognized one voice: Frank. The other was faint.

-"Pl-please…"- The faint voice spoke again, pleading for something.

Another loud thud. More groaning.

Like a curious cat, I went inside and, again, I froze.

I totally take back what I said earlier, that I didn't have anything to do with what was happening in here. On the contrary, it had a lot to do with me.

Frank, on the verge of exploding with anger, if he didn't already, was lifting the poor and all bruised up Marco, slamming him hard on the wall.

I repeated… this had a lotto do with me.