I Dare You

Chapter 44

I impatiently clicked my pen repeatedly as I waited for the teacher to be interrupted by the bell. As interesting as the use of trench warfare in World War I was, I really needed to leave. I'be been waiting all day to hear anything about Marcel. After school, I was planning to go to his house to check on him.

"-hiding in the trenches. The opponents would throw mustard gas bombs into the trenches. Which caused them to choke and die. But they only had the choice of getting out and being shot down immediately or breathing the gas, slowly killing them. Now, every now and then one would-"

Never in my life, have I ever related to army men so much. If I tried to reach out to Marcel, I was shot down immediately. Not with a bullet, but with an excuse. Or I could stay away from Marcel and just wait and wait. This would be my own slow painful death. I was torn between two decisions that would both kill me in the end. The bell rang and everyone scrambled towards the door as the teacher tried to finish saying her last thoughts on the topic. For once, this class period was very productive.

"So what did you do yesterday? Visit Marcel again?" Jen picked at her salad topped with ranch dressing.

"Maybe" I shrugged. I'm pretty sure I heard her eyes roll even though I wasn't looking at her.

"I went to the hospital, but he wasn't there. He's back Jen."

She smiled at me, but avoided eye contact, and stared past me.

"How is he?"

" I don't know. I just said I didn't see him. But Gemma called me and said that he had to carry around one of those oxygen tank things."

"Uh huh." She nodded. It sounded like She didn't believe what I was saying.

"It's true," I whined. "When do you think he'll come back?" It was a long shot trying to talk to Jen right now. She was clearly interested in something else. No that I think about it, a lot of people were. Heads were turning and the unclear conversations got louder.

"What's going on?" I asked Jen. She finally paid some attention to me.

"You said Marcel was back right?" I nodded to her, ignoring my lunch. " I really think you should see this." She pointed her fork over my shoulder. I followed the point to the one sight that was scary, but at the same time relieving. Marcel was standing at the entrance of the canteen. His oxygen concentrator was resting by his side. The light made his skin look paler than it was, but he definitely was paler than the last time I saw him. There was something about him. I kow that he just came back from being gravely ill, it there was something entirely different than the sickly aura his body physically showed.  Maybe it was me, but it seemed as if all the worries and stress of the past few wekks have been lifted off of me. I really didn't care right now about all the crap that happened at the party. I didn't realize he was walking towards me until I saw him smile. His smile changed everything. It looked as though it physically glowed because it lit up everything at that moment.  I was slightly in awe at the moment that I saw him in front of me. He sat next to me, tubes up his nose and he still looked happier than ever. THis moment, this was the moment that I was unsure of everything. By now, we all figured out this was more than a dare that I kept on. Something had developed and it was too soon to be love, but stronger than a like.

"You're back," I said quietly, like I would hurt him for talking too loud. He looked so fragile now.

"Yeah," he smiled. I, and I'm sure Jennifer, noticed the crack in his voice. Somethings were going to be different now. 

"How are you?" Jenn butt in. I couldn't stop staring at Marcel and I'm sure he got slightly weirded out by it.

"As well as I can be. I'm healthier than I once was, if that is what you were getting at." HIs lips helped to wiggle the plastic tubes that wrapped around his face.

"Well good," Jenn laughed. She asked him some more questions about what he was going to do about all the schoolwork, and just making small talk. At least she was talking. All I could do was stare at him. For two reasons: He looked so different and I felt so different about him.

"Addy?" He asked, snapping me out of trance.

"Yeah?" I piped.

"Would you like to walk to class together?" I nodded my head consciously. We rose from the table and parted ways with Jennifer. Soon enough, it was just me and Marcel. His concentrator was rolling on the tiled floor, occasionally squeaking in the hallway.

"I'm glad to have you back Marcel." And that was no lie.

"Thanks," he chuckled, "It's good to be back. Even though I look like a mess." The one regular thing about him was his slick hair. Everything else was different. He was wearing a regular black t-shirt and white khakis. It was a weird outfit, but looked nice on him.

"You look fine."

"Fine," he scoffed. Shaking his head, he looked at the ground. I didn't know what to say to that. But I had something else I needed to address. 

"Can I ask you something Marcel?"

He smiled up at me. "Of course Addison."

"Why didn't you want to see me?" Maybe it was the wrong time to ask because he instantly dropped his smile. I didn't want to screw things up already.

"It was the other way around I'd say. I didn't want you to see me," He answered. " I didn't want to scare you, Addy."

"Why would I be-"

"It was miserable," he raised his voice. "I was miserable. It was miserable seeing all those doctors. My parents were miserable watching me be prodded and poked at. It was miserable observing their miserable faces. I refused to see you with the same looks on their faces." I had to take a moment to think of what Marcel just told me. 

"I care for you, Addy. I know that I would not have been able to see in the same pain they were in." All because he cared. I was at home complaining about Marcel and his stubbirn ways, when he only wanted to protect me. I didn't know what to say and I had nothing to say. He left me speechless, and this wasn't the first time. Since there was nothing to say, we kept walking and took the long route. For what? I don't know. maybe just to be with each other. 

"Addy, can I ask you a question now?" We were getting closer and closer to the classroom and there were more and more people staring at Marcel. 

"Of course marcel." I smiled gently.

"There is a special event being held this Saturday I believe." I nodded my head in confirmation. The Winter Formal. "And I was just thinking that since I am back, and if you are possibly available, maybe we could go together?" The smile spead on my face like the bubonic plague.

"I'd be honored to Marcel." I took his hand and squeezed it. There we were walking hand in hand to the classroom where whispers were spread when we walked in. It was weird. They bothered me more than they bothered Marcel. Just another thing to add to the list of why I admired him.