Oh, Marcel!

And The Truth Flows Out

~Marcel~

I was sitting on the couch now, but I was still holding Ember close to me as her sobs quieted. 

This was the first time I had ever held a girl so close. It was like instincts just took over.

I realized that I liked her, maybe more than she liked me.

But then again she was the first girl that had given me any sort of attention. Besides we didn't know each other for long. I felt like we were still destined to be best friends at least.

"Marcel.." Ember said pulling her head up from my chest. She looked up at me with those blue eyes that now haunted my dreams.

"I..I'm just so greatful..for you." She said and then burst into another round of tears.

Something took over in me again.

"I'm glad I have you too, and I'm glad you're safe." I said and rubbed small circles on her arm.

"You're the best friend anyone could ask for. I feel so bad for doubting you. I feel bad for trying to be like them, when I should be like you. Marcel, give me another chance? Forget what has happened so far? Except thank you for last night." She mumbled into my chest, but I heard every word clearly in the empty house.

"E-Ember, you don't know how much it means to hear you say that. A-and of course we can start over. I hated that I doubted you as well. So I am happy to begin again." I say surprising myself that all those words came out of my mouth.

Marcel the complete and utter dork was really deep underneath.

"Thank you." She says and sits up on the couch. I move my arm and put it back by my side. She looks over at me, but doesn't say anything.

"Ember, a-as long as we're starting over, I want to be honest with you. Just, c-can I trust you now?" I say looking deep into her eyes.

She reaches for my hand and stares deeply back. I feel so comfortable with her.

"I promise." And she looks so sincere, so fragile.

So I tell her everything.

"My mom and dad are never home and I don't know why. They were even supposed to be home last night, but they didn't even call." I say not knowing how to begin.

"So ever since I was little, I haven't had friends. This was due to my nanny that basically raised me. She dressed me, gelled my hair, and gave the glasses I always wear. So when I grew up, i never knew any different. And it isn't like my mom or dad ever cared about what I'd wear. Mom just said 'oh how cute, kiss, kiss!' and dad, well he wasn't around as much."

She looks at me, her face so pitiful. Shes listening, really listening to me. The Marcel that no one listens to.

"Go on." Ember says and pats my leg.

"So that explains how I dress and why I don't have friends. I wasn't really bullied until I got older. Then kids started to hate me, and I didn't know why either. Johnny and Jimmy were always the worst." I said dropping my head as I felt a tear slide from my eye.

Ember reached up and wiped away the tear with her thumb and then took my hand in her smaller, warmer one.

I rambled on.

"They liked to hit me. Use me as their punching bag. For no reason. I did nothing to them. They hate me. On the day that we met, after school they beat me. It's why I didn't come over. " I said and licked my free hand and began to gently rub at my tender face revealing the purplish bruises.

Ember gasped and let go of my hand. More words caught in my throat.

Did she think it was disgusting? Does she hate me too now?

She reached her hands up to my face, hesitating before she touched her warm fingertips to the welts on my face. I winced slightly and she pulled away.

"Oh, Marcel. I'm so sorry." She says slipping her arms around me and leaning into me, her head resting on my shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm used to it. I try to ignore them and hide, because I still want to go to school. I still want to learn. To gain knowledge to someday in the furture become a famous marketer." I say and breathe in deep. I don't know why I said that.

"But when I saw you with Jimmy, I was jealous. Can you imagine that? Jealous over a girl I barely knew."

"Marcel, you were jealous? A guy has never told me that before. It's probably because I never had a real boyfriend, but still..." She says trailing off figuring that she has said too much.

"I was. I just know that there is something inside me now that takes over when I see you in a bad situation. It's like I have to save you. And this is not normal Marcel." I say and lean my head on hers.

"Which also reminds me of another thing. Where are your glasses?" She says with a little giggle.

"Well ya see, long story short, I stepped on them and the well y-ya know broke." I said laughing at my episode yesterday. "That's why I didn't come to s-school."

"But then why did you come to the party?" She asks her voice quiet again.

"I don't know, I guess I must have just know somewhere inside me that I h-had to go."

"Thank you for that Marcel. Without you, I don't think I would be here." She said and patted my leg again.

"You're welcome, but there is one other thing that you should know about me." I removed her from me and stood up and turned to face her.

I swallowed hard, and prepared myself for what I was about to do as Ember grew nervous.

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head revealing my muscles.

Ember's mouth dropped.

"Holy shit." Was all she could say as she stood up and reached out to touch my abs.

"I told myself that I needed to stand up to bullies. So I started going to the gym, a few towns over of course." I explained as she ran her hand up and down my toned body, her eyes still in shock at what was before her. "I almost got up the nerve to confront them, but then I would chicken out. So no one ever knew what I was really like. I just wish I was braver."

"Oh, Marcel. You are brave!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around me. A piece of my hair fell in my face from the impact and I laughed. She pulled away and looked up at me, her features serious.

"Why is that funny?" She asked, her blue eyes growing dull.

"It's not that, its the fact that you hugged me. The fact that you hugged me before when you didn't know I had abs and now you did again. It just makes me happy." I said and lightly tapped her on the arm.

"I love you, best friend!" She squeals and hugs me tighter this time.

She just called me her best friend.

Someone called me their best friend.

This was all so new to me, and I loved it.