Marcus:)
I had pictured a small party with only Brad's soccer teammates but it turned out to be over a hundred people. There were people all over, at the pool, on the patios, in the living room...
I was walking around trying to find Brad when I saw Vanessa in the living room next to the two sided fireplace. She had on a red prom dress-- sparkling red tulle that went all the way down to the floor over a knee length red satin lining, plus a rhinestone pendant around the waist. I puffed my laugh with my palms. I completely understood the look on the face of the people around her and why she had to stand in the corner.
"Sup creepy girl!" I had to greet the prom queen.
"Are you talking to me?" She said lifting her glasses.
She was sweating a lot and her makeup was melting off her face--totally understandable with all the attention she was getting.
"No. Another prom Mardi-gras queen with a red dress on. Yes you freak!" Since I had to yell because the loud music which suddenly stopped for some unknown reason, everybody in the room heard my statement about Vanessa. Couple of kids giggled.
Ironically, I was no longer the outcast because of my clothes. I was calling someone else freak-- Vanessa the freak.
"What do you want from me?" She whispered.
The loud music started to play again.
"Where's Brad?" I said sharply.
"I don't know..." She babbled.
I didn’t want to believe her. Before I could ask her about Friday, Marcus a.k.a number 21 showed up.
"Hey girl!" He shouted
“What do you want Marcus the minus?” I made that up. I thought it kinda rhyme.
“The name is Marcus Travis. And why are you bullying this poor girl?” He said.
“That’s none of your business number 21.” I walked away.
“For the last time it’s...” Marcus was following me through the crowd.
“If I wanted to call you by your miserable name I would have. Now scram!” I yelled annoyed.
I stepped forward but Number 21 seized me by my wrist. I turned slowly to face him. I wish I had my baseball bat. I would have hit him so bad for touching me that he would go home with a broken bone. I tried to free my hand but number 21 held me tighter. My anger was growing bigger. No one had never made me feel so powerless before. I felt trapped.
While I was struggling to escape Marcus’ strong grip, a familiar voice talked behind me.
“Let the girl go, Marcus.” Number 8 said.
Number 21 let go but he still had the courage to reply.
“Just because you’re the captain’s best friend doesn’t give you the right to give me orders, Hadrien!” Marcus had the nerve to say.
“You’re suspended Marcus. Remember? Nobody invited you here. Leave, now!” Number 8 looked serious with his brown eyes and medium black hair.
I thought if he added some eyeliner and threw some black clothes on, he would have been more like a dark hero. I’d love it.
“It’s not your party and it’s not your house. I’m not afraid of you, Hadrien.”
But Marcus finally listened to reason and left. Couldn’t tell if he left the party or not but I couldn’t care less. As long he didn’t bother me, I was fine. Like a true Goth damsel in distress, I thanked my hero.
“Thanks,” I smiled.
“Anything for a friend of Brad...” He smiled back. His face lightened up.
“Did Brad talk to you about me?” I anxiously asked.
“Yea!” He answered. “And I saw you guys talking this morning. Remember Brad’s impatient ride... That was me.”
I was blushing. All I had in my head was ‘Brad talks about me with his best friend, Brad talks about me with his best friend, Brad talks about me with his BEST FRIEND....!!!’
“I’m Hadrien Parker. We have Chemistry lab together.” We shook hands briefly. “You’re Magalie Hogan.”
“I know who you are.” I nervously said. “You’re Brad’s best friend. Do you have any idea where he is by the way.”
He stared at me for a while before he answered.
“You should come to Brad’s parties more often... He’s where he usually is: in the backyard under the gazebo.”
“Thank you,” I politely said.
“See you around.”
We both went opposite directions. As I walked toward the yard, I could already see Brad’s silhouette standing through the window. I slowly approached him and stood next to him.
“Hi,” I timidly greeted him.
I was afraid of disturbing his peace. He apparently chose this place to stay away from the crowd.
“Hey,” He greeted me back with a smile on his handsome face.
If he didn’t want me next to him, he was doing a terrific job at hiding it.
“How do you like the party so far?” He asked.
“It’s great.” I said. “Why are you hiding here?” I asked.
“I like this place. It kinda reminds me of my old home.” He said looking around.
“Okay.”
I was thinking of a way to ask him about his relationship with Vanessa but I could not think of anything.
“You miss your old home huh?” I said.
“Yea. The city is fun. But when you lived in a town for your life, it’s hard to really let go. No matter how small the town is.” Brad voice was a little sad.
“I missed my old house sometimes too.” I whispered. “I never told anybody before but I miss my dad.”
“You said that like it was a crime.” He laughed.
“Considering what my dad had done to my family, it should be a crime to even like him. But I can’t help it.” I whispered again.
“I guess. Let’s not talk about depressing things like that!” He breathed in and out.
“Speaking of depressing...” I hesitated before I continued. “Your friend Vanessa might need your support right now.”
I stared at Brad for an answer.
“What’s wrong with her?” He asked alarmed.
“She’s wearing a prom dress. A red one with tulle...”
Brad laughed.
“I better stay away from her.” He said on a serious tone. “She’ll be fine.”
“If you say so.” I continued. “I never thought you guys were friends before I saw you talking to her on Friday. And mysteriously disappeared... skipped classes all day...” I was waiting for an answer.
“You mean you don’t know what happened?” He frowned. “I thought the whole school knew by now...”
My heart raced.
“What happened?”
“I went to the cafeteria with her and I accidentally switched my knife which had peanut butter and jelly with hers. Vanessa is extremely allergic to peanut butter. I knew this since seventh grade. But I don’t know what pushed me to eat that next to her. She fell on the floor and the school called an ambulance... It was a disaster.” Brad sadly explained.
For me it was not sad at all. I was glad that’s what happened. Not that I was cruel enough to want Vanessa dead...
“Poor thing,” I tried to sympathize.
“And it was my fault.” Brad blamed himself.
“It was an accident. She’s your childhood friend, I’m sure she would understand.” I said.
“We are not really friends... I used to see her in middle-school... I think. But we never talked. We only said greeted each other in hallway at my old school. I recently had a real conversation with her in this school. I feel really bad now. I don’t know how I will face her in the hallway...”
“I’m sure she doesn’t mind...” I tried to comfort him.
Brad smile at me. An awkward silence remained between us for a while. The night would have been quiet if it wasn’t for the One Direction music coming from Brad’s house and the enthusiastic girls screams that followed this song.
I avoided looking at Brad because I could feel his heavy glare on me. I was think really hard of something to say... But nothing came up.
After a while, Brad said,
“Stay here! I’ll get you some drink.” On theses words, he walked toward the house.
I was kinda glad. I could breathe normally and feel my heart slowing down. But my break didn’t last long for Number 21 showed up out nowhere.
“What in the world are you doing here?” I furiously asked.
“Shhh!!”
“Don’t shush me! Answer my question!”
“I’m here to check on you. You didn’t kiss that moron did ya?” He whispered.
“You came here to spy on me? This is my private life!” I said as I blushed.
Number 21 read between the lines and with a victorious grin on hi face he said,
“Good.”
He pressed his body against mine and tied his arms around me. It happened so fast that I did not have time to protest. Next thing I knew was Number 21’s warm lips over mine... I was still in disbelief of what he was doing.
Just to confirm, a drunk kid saw us through the glass doors. He opened the doors and yelled for the whole house to hear,
“Guys! Goth girl and Marcus are kissing under the gazebo!”
For some unknown reason again, the loud music had stopped at the time the big mouth kid yelled. Everybody assembled in the backyard to stare and wowed at us. I managed somehow to free myself from Marcus.
I slowly walked my way home without looking at the crowd who was booing life if I ruined some type of show and one by one went back inside. I didn’t stop at Marcus’ voice calling me. I didn’t look either if Brad came back with the drink he promised and saw what happened.
I just walked home. I hated Marcus. I hated myself. I wanted to die. But death would be a nice punishment. So my only option was to live knowing that my first kiss was not from Brad but for my least favorite person in the world...
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