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Questions & Answers

A week has passed since the fight, and things were beginning to settle again. Elio was less anxious, Faye was less wary. Today, for some reason, Maeve has invited me to have lunch with her and a group of other juniors. And, for some reason, I agreed.

We were seated in a pizza shop, Maeve beside me, and surrounded by people who I have never once spoken to willingly. Noah- Maeve's almost boyfriend- is sitting across from her and beside him is a girl named Ruby Thompson. Her hair is so blonde it's almost white and her eyes are a deep brown. She gives me a smile every few minutes and I'm not quite sure why.

There are a few more people sitting with us- Sam H. and Sam M., Victoria Rivera, Reagan Alexander, and two boys that I do not know the names of. We are an odd group. Maeve and Noah flirt back and forth, Sam H. and Sam M. constantly mention soccer practice, Victoria Rivera speaks enthusiastically to everyone, Reagan Alexander watches Maeve and Noah, the two boys stuff their faces with pizza, Ruby smiles at me. I have no idea why I am here.

"So, who do you all think started the fight?" Victoria says, leaning in. I find it infuriating that my brother's trauma has become school gossip.

"Landon Finley," Reagan says immediately.

"Who?" Victoria sips her soda. "The one that only wears black?"

"Yep. I'm guessing he wanted to see blood and so he started this weird, pervy revolution."

"I don't think Landon even knew Marcos, though," Sam H. adds in.

"What about you, Sunny," Victoria looks at me. "Elio Davidson is your brother, right? Do you have any idea who started it?"

I shrug and turn my eyes to the sprite in from of me, giving the ice cubes a stir with my straw. "No clue."

"Well, aren't you glad it happened? I mean, he got what he deserved," Reagan says with a smile. I don't really feel like replying, but I still do with great reluctance.

"I don't know," I say. "The whole thing was scary."

"Oh, yeah. I heard he broke a rib," Sam M. says.

"Really?" Maeve stops talking to Noah for a moment.

"Mhm," he nods and takes a bite of pizza. "He was unconscious for a bit." Maeve gives me this look, something between pity and fear, and I ignore it completely.

"I'm just happy he's not at our school anymore," Ruby says, quietly, and I nod.

"I had, like, no idea that he bullied people! I always thought he was this nice guy," Victoria exclaims and pulls another slice of pizza from the round pan on the table. "Like, come on. He was on the debate team and shit. He made A's and B's. Those kind of people are never bullies."

I think this is the smartest thing that has come out of Victoria Rivera's mouth since we sat down. She was right. Marcos Smith wasn't a bully, not really. He didn't steal lunch money or graffiti lockers. Outwardly, Marcos was charming. I fell for it. Elio fell for it. The whole entire school fell for it. But, now, he was gone and his damage still remains. You can practically see "Marcos" engraved into my brother's forehead. The boy who ruined Elio's life never truly goes away.

"Yeah, crazy," says one of the boys whose name I don't know. "I had study hall with him."

"I sat at his lunch table," Noah adds in.

It's funny how we treat Marcos now, as if he had gone to jail or something. His name is barely a name anymore. Just a cautionary tale.

"Anyway, how has the new student been?" Reagan asks to no one in particular.