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MARCUS BAKER "so be it, i think we all have secrets. but mines are better kept."
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"you know i can defend myself right?" i say, sitting across from him. the sunrise filled the room with an orange tint; telling us it was about seven in the morning.
timothée glared at me "i wasn't defending you."
"you clearly were, also you called me a whore as well. so it seems to me— that you and marcus are just as alike." i fold the blankets, putting them on top of a chair.
"and i apologized—because of how misunderstood it was." he says.
"misunderstood? is that what you're gonna label it as ."
"your boyfriend died and you needed that consistent attention you lost. yes, i'm gonna label it as that." he drawls, placing all his guns and knives from underneath the bed.
"my boyfriend was named griffin— how can you be so bitter and sick! i'm grieving over his death while y- you patronize it."
"i'm bitter? he sighed with a small laughter, that made my skin boil. "i defended you! and your fucking whine about how i should've kept quiet." he gets up, slowly backing me into a wall, placing his hands on either sides of my head.
i feel my heart stop and he leans further towards me, i move closer towards him, with my mouth near his ears. pulling the dagger out that was strap in my thighs. "move the fuck away." i say quietly with nothing but anger on my mind, applying pressure onto his stomach, signaling him that i will stab.
he kept his stillness, as if he didn't care. "i know why you didn't want me to defend you; because you are what everyone says— probably slept with marcus. maybe the exchange student downstairs as well—what's his name charlie?" he whispered, a taunt back into my ears.
"don't you dare." i target my eyes at him. "it was a kiss, i made out with marcus once!" i lift my dagger near his chest. "now fucking move back."
"kill me." he says, teasing me once more.
"you don't know how badly i want to." i murmured.
the knock on a door, while someone's footstep follow from inside, it was riley. she looked at us confused while she had a teddy bear in her hands, swaying it back and forth.
"riley!" timothée moods changes, as he removes his hands away from me, going over to her. "did you eat yet?" he asked, getting on one knee to check on her.
"yes! libby got me this!" she jumps up and down in excitement, flaunting the bear she had.
"woah." he laughed, comforting her. "get on my back, let's go find some ladybugs." he says, she jumps on his back as he carried her on downstairs.
"fate! come with us!" she pled, with a smile on her face. her soft little adorable voice almost making me say yes because i'd feel bad afterwards for saying no.
"yeah come with us fate." timothée says to belittle me, in a sick joking way.
but i was hesitant at first, i would for riley. but timothée was with her and i was already done with him. "i wish! but i'm busy— catch me a butterfly?" a smile paves from my face, more forceful because timothée eyed me down the entire time i spoke.
"okay." she giggles. "let's go!" she points, so timothée can take her.
—
i walked into libby's room, she now shared rooms with riley, she enjoyed her company and the room was pink, riley loved that color and begged to be there. so timothée agreed to let her go as long as she was with someone.
now i was alone with timothée all over again in a room. i wanted to switch out rooms but that led me to sleeping in a room with marcus or charlie, which was a no for me. anyone but marcus and a boy i barely knew.
"marcus wouldn't stop talking about you." libby says, laying on my shoulders.
"what he say?" i asked.
"nothing but blabber—about how you played him. how he doesn't like you. but i shut him up." libby says.
"he just can't seem to get over a kiss."
libby sighed. "you don't understand how much i wanted to rip my ears out! walking all the way here with him was miserable."
"you and i both, i'm already sick of him."
"but he can be thoughtful at times." her face brightened up."he knew i wouldn't follow him anywhere if i didn't have my good luck necklace i dropped in the halls. so he went all the way back to get it and he did." she holds her necklace up to show me.
"marcus can be nice? that's rare." i say. "glad you got that necklace back—i know how much that means to you." i smiled, her father gave that her. libby told me she had no idea where her dad was, but she believes he was okay and far away from here. she was very faithful that he was alright.
marcus walks to shut the window, he glared over to me seeing i'm in libby's room, not expecting me to be here. he doesn't say a word, ignoring my existences. "libby, it's not safe to keep windows open." he says.
"but i need air and i want to hear the birds!" she frowned.
he looks at her in disbelief. "anyone can jump through that window. so close it and keep it close." he says once more before leaving.
i took some time to realized he had a soft spot for libby which made me happy. although i hated him, he cared for my best friend. a warm feeling follow along my heart knowing people were watching over her and it wasn't just me who did.
it was clear to see he wanted her safe as much as i did.
