OMG, yes! themortalfangirl, I heard the song and it definitely sounds like this story's main theme! xD Very, very good song ;) I loved it! "Between the Bars", by Elliot Smith!

FIFTEEN

I was on a rampage once again.

My eyes were locked on Frank and Frank only. There wasn't anyone else in this corner than him and me. I wanted to punch, kick, throw him… I wanted to break him; I wanted him to feel the pain Marco had. I wanted him to taste his own poison.

Frank ordered his dogs to attack me so that he could get to Marco, but I saw it coming and I didn't move. I fought those two real quick. They weren't strong, only Frank will be the real challenge, but I was ready; I felt like I could teach him, that I could make him pay. Even so, I got pretty bruised up before fighting him.

I was cleaning off the blood on my mouth when Frank stood right in front of me with a menacing pose. He looked down at me angrily, -"I'm gonna give you one last chance to step aside or else."

I didn't move from my spot in front of Marco and grinned, -"Or else what?"

-"You'll regret having me as your enemy,"- He growled and gazed back to a sudden crowd of people cheering Frank on that I just noticed and looked back at me with a smug, -"Is a life or death decision, Jean,"- He again had the scowl, -"Step aside."- His voice was harsh and serious.

Seconds passed and I just kept glaring at him with a grin.

He growled, -"You disappoint me, Jean. From now on, things won't be the same. I'm gonna teach you not to mess into other's bus-"

I punched his face before he could finish, -"You talk too much bullshit."

He stumbled, but managed to stand firm. His scowl went worse. He was trying to keep it cool in front of the crowd who cheered for him while I just burned in anger.

He dashed forward and clashed into me; we stumbled and almost fell into Marco, but I shoved the motherfucker to the side and went for another punch, -"You're not touching Marco anymore, you fucking bastard!"- I shouted.

He made a swift turn to stand up and while doing so, he slapped me hard. My stand faltered a bit, but I managed to keep him away from Marco. Frank was starting to lose it when I dodged one of his kicks and punched his chest, -"You…! Stay down already!"- He was losing his so called cool and people were more interested in the fight. Then, however, they began to leave as things got bloody and intense. Silence prevailed. This was serious. It wasn't a normal fight.

Frank had me real cornered and defenseless. His punches were knocking me out hard and I took minutes to recover. I was on the floor, trying to stand up and when I managed to kneel, he kicked me down. His kicks on my back left me numb, with a soaring pain and breathless. Frank was furious, like never before and it was at me. Some people of the crowd wanted to do something, but they didn't dare. Thing got out of hand. At least, Frank's attention was all on me and maybe… maybe he'll leave Marco alone, -"Losers like you stay like that under my feet! Don't you dare stand up!"- He pressed his foot on my back. I grunted and clenched my fist while gritting my teeth, enduring the pain, -"I knew that we'd end up like this, Jean and naturally, I win. I always do. I stay on the top and you lost the opportunity to be beside me because of some freckled nerd. You know, I saw you changing the moment that nerd set foot on this school. It was radical; when you stopped me in the bathroom, blocked my eyesight of him in Spanish… at the end, it was all him for you. He was like controlling you and you were weak, Jean. You let him get to you; you gave up the glory of being like us for a stupid nerd. I can't believe it. Well, that's makes you one of them and your kind,"- He kneeled and lifted my head with my hair, -"Doesn't have a space in my school or the world,"- He smashed my head back in the floor and walked away towards Marco, -"Now to finish with the one who started everything…"

He started talking to Marco, but I couldn't hear. My mind was racing, my heart was beating fast, my adrenaline running high and I had to do something! Come on! Stand up! I can't let him touch Marco anymore! He'll… he'll..., -"No… stop."

Frank was lifting Marco by the collar of his jacket and began slamming him hard on the wall. One, two, three times… I heard gasps and whispers around me, but no one did anything. Some started to run, but I stayed. I had to! Marco needed me! Come on, you asshole! Stand up, please! I was going to break that lowlife in two, I swear!

Another slam. I heard Marco's breath leaving his mouth and reaching my ears. I couldn't take it anymore.

I compelled my body up, ignoring all the pain and slowly making my way towards Frank one legged. Marco saw me and swiftly gazed at me, his pain reaching me. His eyes were slowly closing and his arms fell from his grip on Frank's hands, but Frank kept shaking him. He was distracted, unaware of the danger behind him and I took that advantage. I reached for his head again and when my fingers slightly brushed his hair, he turned around, but it was too late. I already had his head in my hand and smashed his face into the wall: one, two, three times… he slumped to the floor, his face already bruised up, but I wasn't over. I sat over him and began punching his face in nowhere in particular. One, two, three times, -"You… motherfucker! I told you… I'm not letting you touch him!"-… four, five, six…, -"How does it feel, huh!? Tell me! This is what he felt all this fucking time because of you! Have a taste of you own fucking poison, asshole!"- I was literally shouting to his face. My knuckles ached, but I couldn't stop. It wasn't enough, he wasn't getting it right, -"You dick! You'll pay for all you've done to him…!"

I was about to land a seventh punch, until a soft hand stopped my arm, -"Jean! Stop, please!"

I froze for a couple of minutes. Then, I began to look around: there were only three people left of the crowd. Their eyes were wide in terror. My knuckled were aching badly and I looked at them. They're all bloodied… my gaze moved slowly to the guy below me. Frank was definitely knocked out with a broken nose, blood trailed out of it like cascade. He didn't moan, he didn't move… he…

I looked over my shoulder and met Marco's eyes. He was panicked and terrified, but at the same time worried about me… just like back then. Suddenly, an image flashed and I saw a little Marco holding my arm just like now with the same look. Below me was that same little kid as before with a broken nose, my knuckles were bathed in blood…, -"It's… over."- Little Marco whispered at me.

I felt a squeeze in my arm and I was out of trance and back in reality, -"It's… over."- He breathed out and his head fell in my shoulder. I realized that something warm was falling from my eyes, but I couldn't figure out what it was when I too slumped to floor, my body finally giving up. Marco was over me, his head right were my heart was. My hand moved on its own and rested on his head, his soft hair brushing it slightly…

Then, darkness was all I could see…

-"Hey, you, leave him alone!"

I was having a dream or better yet… a memory.

-"Says who? You're not my mom! Ha-ha!"

In the dream, I was a little kid and I recognize the place I was in: drawing class, Marianne's house. I was sitting on a soft fluffy chair and in front of me was a large table with lots of paint colors, paint brushes, papers and other stuff. Beside me was little Marco and on the other side was a weird shaved kid who liked to mock Marco a lot. He was older than me and Marco. Right now, he was mocking Marco's freckles and I was always there to stop him, -"Says me! Just finish your ugly draw!"

The shaved kid gasped and a scowl appeared on his face, -"I don't take orders from you! I always do what I want! That's what mommy says to me!"

I didn't care what his mom said to him, all I cared about is making him stop bothering Marco, -"Then you better go to your mommy and hide or I'll… I'll…!"

-"You'll what, bozo?"

-"I'll… I'll punch you!"

The shaved kid gasped and called Marianne and told her of my behavior. She walked towards me. Marianne looked like an Indian; she had bronze-like skin, chocolate short curly hair and light brown eyes. She always dressed in the hippie way with the peace sign. She had a peace sign bandage around her forehead, knee short pants and long colorful shirts, -"Jean, you don't fight your friends, alright?"

-"But he's… he's taunting him."- I pointed to Marco. It appeared that I didn't know him well yet. He was just a drawing classes' partner.

She looked at Marco and then back at me, -"Lying isn't good and you know that, right? God doesn't like it and you're a good boy, Jean."- She happily stroked my hair.

I crossed my little arms together. No one believed me and everyone always said that I lied every time. They just though no one could simply mock Marco because of how cute he was, but they didn't know it was completely the opposite. Only I knew, and I did because I went through that.

The shaved kid was laughing out loud, -"Liar, liar, liar!"- The kid didn't stop mocking Marco after that; he pulled his hair, made fart sounds when he walked around, pinched him, ruined his draws and when Marianne wasn't around, he became aggressive with Marco; pushing and kicking him…

I was so mad at him that I really ended up punching him… more than once. I was defending Marco and Marianne couldn't stop me, only Marco did, -"It's… over."- Marco whispered and stopped my bloodied knuckles from punching the other kid again. He helped me stand up and that's how we met.

Awkward moments passed and I felt like breaking it, -"I um… I'm Jean."- I said while scratching the back of my head. I was blushing.

He looked at me surprised. Surely, after a fight, he wouldn't expect this. His freckled cheeks blushed lightly, -"I'm… Marco Bott."

I, as a curious monkey, poked his cheek and asked, -"What are those, Maco?"- I always spelled his name wrong when kid.

-"Oh,"- He looked down and slightly touched his cheek, -"Mom says they're freckles or something."

I was a very curious kid back then, -"Why does he taunts you?"

Marco shrugged still looking down, -"I dunno… he says my freckles makes me look stupid."

I walked closer to him and raised his head, squeezing his cheeks, -"Don't listen to him, they look cool,"- He blushed even more, his eyes locked with mines, -"You don't have to worry anymore. I won't let him hurt you anymore."

Marco's eyes began to water, but he hold tears and just nodded. He took my hands and started cleaning off the blood. I just stared at him and he smiled back at me.

At the end of that class, a huge woman that I knew was the shaved kid's mom stepped in front of me and I stepped in front of Marco, ready to defend him.

I woke up and sighed. I couldn't sleep, I've been rolling on my bed the whole night and when I did fell asleep, I had dreams; to be exact, memories.

I sat up and with a hand on my hair, I sighed again. All this time, I've been having those memories returning to me. They were all about Marco and me in old times. I had a nightmare of my fight with Frank once. That was a week ago and I still couldn't stop thinking about that. It was radical. No one ever broke Frank's nose and whoever did, was in big trouble. I was. After the fight, I went to the infirmary and there, I received a visit from the principal and Frank's dad himself. They couldn't wait for me to recover. There, we discussed. It didn't end well. Like always, no one believed Frank was the one who caused all that. It was obvious, actually. I spoke the shit out there, but I was walking on fire. With one finger, Frank's dad could put me in jail if he wanted to and he did want to, to be honest; I just broke his son's nose. On the other hand, I couldn't shut up and let Frank walk out of it like an innocent, because he wasn't.

I don't why, but I knew Levi and other teacher, including Kat, took action too. They checked Marco and he was worse than me. Most of the teachers knew Marco's situation with Frank and that's what busted me out from Frank's dad. To add more drama to this, Frank's dad knew of his son's abusive methods of entertainment. He also knew his boy was a bully, but he never did anything. He didn't care. He just lets his son do what he wants. Levi was the one to figure that out. He had an awful discussion with him and Frank in which I wasn't invited. Others actions were made and I was saved, but Frank's dad wanted me at least suspended. I was for one because of my way to solve situations with violence. Aside from that, I also had to deal with psychological talks with Kat twice a week: Mondays and Fridays. Now, I'm here at home, bored and unable to sleep.

I don't know what happened with Frank, if he was suspended like me or expelled from school or in an asylum. I was desperate to know, he needs more than just a suspension or expulsion. I wanted him to rot in an asylum and die there because of what he did to Marco.

Speaking of Marco, he wasn't suspended or anything, because he didn't do anything from a start. Well, if messing with my mind counts, then maybe, but no… I don't want to blackmail the person I wanted to protect in the first place. Anyway, he was sent to his home to recuperate and I had a feeling that his mom will change him to another school. I didn't know and I had no way to communicate with him, no way to know for sure.

One thing's for sure though, tomorrow Monday I'll know everything.

My stomach growled hungrily and I went downstairs for a snack and that's when I met dad. He was sitting on the couch watching something, but really, he was waiting for me. During this week, he's the one who's been really worried. Mom just shouted to me that I had to have more control over myself. We had a lot of discussions, since they were cited to school and mom didn't liked that stuff, she never goes to school for anything. She kept wining that I got her in trouble; she's not the type to discuss with other people that weren't me or dad, with superior people. On the other hand, dad went through the process smoothly. He spoke mostly, mom didn't say much, but above all, he was worried about me, about my lack of control and emotion disorder. He though I had some kind of mental problems and wanted to assign my personal psychologist, but Kat volunteered. Also, he thought that I wasn't speaking of my problems with anyone and that that's the source of everything else… he was right.

-"Son…,"- He spoke in a low tone and patted the side of the couch, -"Please,"- I sighed, took a small piece of bread and sat in the couch. The television was on one of those night comical shows, but dad wasn't watching it so he shut it down and I lost any change of escaping this conversation, -"You know what I'm going to talk about… I never taught you to fight like that, Jean: you broke a student's nose, the son of a wealthy man, for God's sake. You could've gone to jail, son!"- He was straight to the point.

I just sighed calmly, -"Dad… I don't pick fight just because I want to."- I took a bite of the bread.

-"Then what is it, son? Tell me so I can understand, because this all seems like you've lost reason! That's not how you solve a dilemma!"- He was desperate.

I began to splutter, unsure how to answer him, how to explain all this, -"Dad he… was bullying another guy and I just wanted to stop him, but he didn't and it was too much. I just defended him and… that's it."

He was dumbstruck, like everyone, -"Are you… what?"- He wasn't going through any of this, -"Jean, that couldn't be it. I thought I told you…,"

-"I know what you told me! To stay away from those kind of troubles, but apparently I can't, okay?"- Now, I stood up, hands up in exasperation, -"It's everywhere, dad! It's pointless to run away from it!"

His face blended into panic, he was thinking I was being bullied again, -"Son, it's not… happening again, is it?"- His voice was shaky. We'd been through awful times when I was bullied. He tried many things to stop it, but it kept happening. Dad literally stopped working and sleeping. The only solution I found was to join guys like them, like twelve one, and renew my life… or so I though.

I shook my head, -"No, dad, but this time, it's happening around me and I can't bear with it! I had to do something! That guy was going to get his neck broken!"- That was the only explanation I could give him, I couldn't give any more detail, -"It… it won't happen again, I promise."- I said with a soft voice, hoping I sounded persuasive.

I was about to leave, but he suddenly stood up and hugged me. I did my best to answer the hug, my finger barely brushing his shirt, -"Please, son, please… stay out of trouble."- I heard sobs.

I slowly nodded, -"I promise."

After that, I went up to my room and launched my body into my bed. I fell like a rock.

Stay out of trouble…? Not happening again? Nah, this has just begun.

Trouble followed me.

Heya :D let me know if you want me to write the whole discussion with the principal and Frank's dad, how that mess was solved! I'll make it happen ;)

Oh and about Jean poking Marco's freckles, asking him what they are and calling him 'Maco', I took it from a fanart! All the credit to the artist!