SIX

Remember when I said that when Frank finds Marco he will pay deeply? Well, it was happening right now.

Frank was pinning Marco on the wall hard, making him completely unable to move. He grasped Frank's arm tightly, to no avail. He couldn't free himself from his strong grip, -"Come oooon, tell me how you pulled that out. Do you have some kind of power or something?"

What? This was ridiculous.

Marco gasped for air, -"No… I don't…"

-"You think I'm stupid?"- He pressed Marco to the wall harder, -"You think you're some kind of god or something? Is that it? You think you're better than me, huh?! Well… let me tell you this: you're wrong!"- Frank suddenly scoffed and smirked, -"Look… I just want to uh, you know, consider whether or not let you in the soccer team. What do you say?"

Marco shocked his head, not interested in joining the soccer team.

Frank's anger shot up again, -"What!? You know, I shouldn't let you! What you did back there was disrespectful! I was just trying to be nice with you and you didn't appreciate it!"- Frank was practically screaming on Marco's face. He was too close. Marco turned his head to the side, closing one eye; the one that was almost swollen, -"I'm gonna teach you some manners!"

I wasn't welcomed here and apparently, I wasn't seen yet, but when I began to turn around, Marco's gazed me slightly and that made Frank look back.

I turned back again and my eyes glued to Marco's. He was scared and didn't dare to speak due to Frank's rage. He was afraid that he'd just add more fuel to it. But his eyes… his eyes tried to avoid mine. I couldn't move. His face says it all: worst day ever and it was just the first one, already making an enemy without wanting to and without realizing it. His expression was blank; he was enduring it all without having to act, just like before. When he saw me though, it lit up, like I was some kind of guardian angel; then, it faded and he looked away, ashamed and defeated.

And suddenly, instead of him, I saw myself; just right there where Marco was being held.

-"Oh, right on time, Jean! Close that door!"- Frank shouted to me, looking from his shoulder.

But I didn't do it at that instant, I just stared at myself: blank faced, scared, unable to speak, pushed back… and a wave of memories hit me again. I suddenly felt my head heavy…

I shocked it all away, coming back to normal and seeing Marco again instead of myself. My head ached, but I ignored it and managed to walk to the door and close it, confused. What was happening to me? Am I going crazy? All I knew is that I couldn't disobey Frank.

In the darkness, there was only a small dim light that came from the only window open, above Frank and Marco, illuminating them, but mostly Marco. I stayed back and again would be accomplice of whatever Frank does to Marco. He snickered, -"Yeah, that's better. Now, on to the manners lesson…,"

Marco gasped and pushed himself out of Frank's grip, only to be grabbed by the collar and pushed into the near toilet. Marco groaned, trying to stand up; while doing so, he accidentally flushed the toilet, -"Please, I-"

-"Here's some paper,"- Frank mocked and threw him toilet paper, quickly sticking into Marco's soaked jacket, -"To wipe your sorry ass."- He laughed.

Marco brushed his jacket, but Frank kept throwing him more and more until his face was literally covered up. Marco puffed, making the papers on his face fly away to let him see Frank dying of laughter. Dammit, he must feel like shit.

I knew Frank was an asshole, a competitor and a selfish guy. I also knew he liked to make fun of other people and have fun with the freshmen, but this? I didn't want to call him a bully, because it wasn't the same. He has something against Marco, that's for sure. He clearly was angry at him because of before, but even so, he enjoyed seeing his misery and pain. Was I seeing Frank's true nature?

It answered itself because all of a sudden, an unexplainable weird grin spread his lips when he began kicking Marco and this one stopped his foot. They began to struggle and Frank, with his trained legs, won, pinning Marco harder on the toilet. Then it followed: two, three, four more kicks…

Then it was obvious: Frank was one of the many bullies in here, probably the worst.

Marco groaned each time Frank kicked, be it in the abdomen, legs, arms… those groans echoed in my head and then I heard my groans instead of his. My mind was telling me to run away, telling me that this was none of my business, but I knew better. On the other hand, my body told me something else and before I knew it, I was holding Frank's arm. He was about to punch Marco and obliviously… I stopped him. My body acted on its own. It felt like it had to.

-"What… are you doing, Kirshtein?"- Frank asked, looking back from his shoulder, a scowl on his face. It said you are going to regret this.

Marco gave me a look of what-are-you-doing in a nice way without a scowl.

At first, I didn't know how to answer because I didn't know what I was doing and why, but something came out, -"Eh… just let it go. He got the message. Besides, we got class now."- I tried to sound cool, but honestly, I sounded like a fool saving a fool.

He growled, -"I don't give a fuck about class and I'llbe the one to say when he gets the message!"

Damn it, this wasn't going to get easy and I seriously didn't want a fight with him.

As if God had laid a hand, someone called him, a girl, -"Frank! Come on! You gotta see this! Someone's fighting over soccer!"

He obviously couldn't ignore that. He was the best soccer player, but instead of solving out argument, he'd join the fight.

But I saw that he didn't want to leave Marco. In the end, pride won.

He growled at Marco and me,jerking his hand away, -"I'm not done with you. I'll get you soon enough!"- Though, he said that to Marco. To me, he said, -"We need to talk."- Again. And I was in real trouble.

I sighed when he finally left the bathroom. I went to turn on the lights and then went back to Marco. He was slumped back in the toilet, arms wrapped around his abdomen, moaning. For a second, I stood too dumbstruck to react and when I finally came back to my senses, I leaned down and helped him stand up, an arm around my shoulder. I dragged him out to the hallway.

What was I doing? Just minutes ago I couldn't stand him, weirdly angry at him and now I was helping him. If Frank saw me, there was no soccer team or good looking and popular friends and no girlfriend. He'd think I was some nerd and made friends with Marco.

Even so… I couldn't leave him like that in there like junk. I don't know what happened to me back there that made me react and stop Frank from punching him, I don't know why was I having memories that I thought I'd forgot and I definitely didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. In conclusion, all this shit made me angry, but I cooled it down. Now that I had helped Marco, there was no turning back. I just hoped Frank wouldn't be around and that this weird and awkward good side of me vanished.

-"Hey, uh… you okay?"- I asked, breaking the awkward silence. It was reallyawkward talking to a person that had just been bullied and that you've seen it. For the bullied person, it seemed like he was weak and couldn't take control of the situation.

Marco nodded. Leaned on the wall, still clutching his abdomen and looked at me apologetically, -"I'm sorry for… dragging you into this… again."- He said with difficulty.

I didn't say anything about that, -"What happened?"

-"I was…,"- He apparently didn't wanted to say it, but I knew just by looking at him. His jacket was still soaked but the eggs were gone, some of them. He went to the bathroom to clean it up and that's when Frank came in, -"… I was going to clean my jacket when he suddenly appeared barging in and… you know."

Nailed it.

I somehow knew Frank followed him, but I didn't say that.

-"Oh,"- It's all I managed to say. Silent fell for several moment, Come on, don't make it more awkward for the guy!I reminded myself and then, -"Um, you should go to the infirmary or call your home or… something."

Marco looked at me, not sure at first, but in the end, we went to the infirmary. The best doctor, Katherine White, attended him. She was too beautiful for a doctor: neck short silky brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She was too tall for a doctor and had curves and breasts that added to her height. Her skin was perfectly tanned, no signs of imperfections and-

I was just checking out a doctor. I can't believe myself.

-"Hey, Kat,"- I said finally as I sat down a nearby chair. Many people called her Kat and she didn't bothered. Most doctors did.

-"Hello, Jean,"- She eyed me and snickered, -"It's a surprise you're still intact. You used to come three times a day with a new injury. It's a new record."

I laughed and smirked, -"I've been trying to, you know… not worry you."- I always tried to flirt with her, but she wasn't one of those, so it never works. She always laughed it off. Besides, I knew I wasn't the only one. It wouldn't surprise me that single guys would hurt themselves just so that she could touch and take care of them.

-"I would applaud you, but I have work to do,"- She laughed and then put on her work mask, -"So, what's the problem?"

-"Oh, it's not me,"- I pointed behind her and she looked back at Marco. He smiled, trying not to seem too hurt, -"It's him."

-"Oh, hello,"- She immediately gasped when she saw his reddened face, almost swollen, -"My God, what happened to you? Don't tell me, you're new, right?"

Marco nodded slowly, looking away.

She gasped again and began her work. She ordered him to sit on a table-like bed and gave him a blue bag full of ice that she then gently rubbed on both sides of his face and forehead. He slowly closed his eyes and then fluttered them open again. It happened constantly so I guess he was sleepy. He looked kinda cute -stupid and gay! Apparently, Kat though he was cute, because she took some time staring sweetly at his cheeks and freckles, rubbing them slowly with her thumbs. He obviously didn't mind. That son of a bitch. I suddenly grew jealous.

She kept checking him, -"You're burning, you have a fever. Are you sick? Do you suffer from allergies?"-He kept nodding to all her question and then she gave him two Panadol tablets and another bag, probably of ice, -"Here."

He took the pills while gently placing the bag on his forehead while she rubbed on his reddened areas with the other bag,-"Um… I have class now."- He told her.

-"What? In the condition you're in?"- She sounded a bit angry, but not at him, -"You're not safe out there. I've talked with the principal about the matter of the abuse against new students, but he couldn't do anything."- Guilt spread all over me, even though I just threw one balloon at one guy that didn't even hit him. It was all a mess and unfair, but I had to admit that it was fun.

-"Don't worry, I'll be fine,"- He smiled, reassuring her.

Yeah, sure you will, unless Frank finds you again, would he say anything about what happened with Frank? Will he say anything to his parents? Will he mention me? Will Frank find out? I'm so screwed.

She sighed and stood up to look for something else, -"Alright, since you're responsible, I'll let you go,"- She came back with a white jacket, -"Take that one off."- What? She never told any of her patients to take anything off. Lucky bastard.

Sure, leave the Assassin's Creed jacket here and I'll take it.

He gave her a worried and unsure face. She snickered, -"I'll save it right here. Come by afternoon to pick it up, but you can't walk around with a soaked coat or you'll get worse."

Jesus, he must feel like a little kid sucking it up to her. He was using his 'cuteness' to take advantage from her.

Convinced, he nodded and took off his amazing jacket, giving it to her. She placed it nicely over a table with a big lamp to dry it. Putting on the white coat, he asked if she could dry up the beanie. Of course, she accepted and now I could see his black messy hair. It had that same style as Levi's only that Marco's was longer and didn't shine as much as his. With a towel, he dried his hair and began to walk outside once the bell to resume class rang. I followed, only to be stopped by Kat. God, her hands were soft and cold from the infirmary. She gave me a worried look, -"Stay with him, Jean. The day isn't over yet and neither is the war."

I couldn't help but laugh at her term of the water balloons and eggs fight with the freshmen. It wasn't a war, it's having a good time. Though, after what happened to Marco with the balloons… I don't know. Still, I couldn't deny anything she told me, -"Yeah, sure."- A 'babe' almost escaped my lips. I was going to stick with him only today.

We left the infirmary and immediately, he took out the class schedule, -"We have Art. Cool."- He sounded excited. I figured as much: nerds always liked to draw. I used to draw, but that was a long time ago and I wasn't a nerd.

-"It's over there,"- I began to walk and he followed. Art class was in the same classroom as Music's in the lower level. It was a very comfortable and nice smelling classroom with air-conditioning. It always shifted in periods. One period was Art, the other Music and on forth. When we arrived, I stood outside.

-"You're not coming?"- He asked me, looking back, door mid open.

-"Uh, no. I have History."

-"Huh? That's weird. You were on the list when I signed up."

-"Really?"- I asked, scratching my head, -"It's probably a mistake, let me check."

We walked inside and immediately, I wanted to turn around and leave.

-"Heyyy! It's Jean! Come on in, buddy!"- Half of twelve one greeted me, but Frank was the one shouting, -"Coolguys only, you know?"- He laughed.

I looked back at Marco. I swore his breathing stopped; his face was suddenly pale.

The thing is… there was no turning back.