TWO YEARS LATER
Chapter 2 —
MARC
I felt something substantially hard hit my head and groaned. “Dude!”
“Get the fuck up you asshole it’s almost fucking eight! You’re gonna be late AGAIN!”
Oh how I did love my mornings. “OK you old hag! Get off my back already!”
She barked a last reply about me being an ungrateful brat and left. I earnestly considered just sleeping in and cutting my morning classes but then I remembered.
“Brielle,” I whispered into my pillow a little too breathlessly. God I felt pathetic at that moment, I groaned into my pillow and my nerves went haywire as my mind went back to what I had done last night. I broke into school and left a special surprise for my little Red Riding Hood, Brielle. She could either love it or lock herself up in a room and never come out, fearing an inexistent Wolf who would never come.
I got out of bed a little too quickly which was completely out of character for me but I felt a sudden burst of energy and I needed like hell to get my ass down at school right then. I needed to see her face as she found my “treats” and uncovered my hidden message. I didn’t reveal who I was though but I definitely planned on it. It would be the final reveal.
I know this unexpected burst of confidence isn’t a part of my personality either. I don’t have the confidence to tell a girl I like her. But after years of stalking her, I know I have to make a move, fear of rejection be damned. There was only one more year left of high school and I wanted it to count.
~
I reached the school and kept running till I reached the doors and jerked them open with a little too much pressure. “Fuck!” I cussed. I was late and the corridors were empty. Everyone was in class. I was extremely pissed off at my sister. Ok fine, granted it wasn’t entirely her fault. But God, she could have been rougher with me. I mean a book to the head? That’s all I got today. She’s usually pretty creative in choosing the things she throws at me while I slumber.
I stalked my way up to my English class. I was grateful that my English teacher, Mrs. Drew was pretty kind and lenient. She wouldn’t give me a tardy if I was remorseful about my late arrival or at least looked a bit remorseful about it. Seconds before grabbing the knob I stopped myself and schooled my features into an expression of nonchalance I didn’t feel at that moment. “Damn it all to hell,” I whispered under my breath. I had lost the chance to see the moment I’d been up all night thinking about, I tried to pacify myself with no such luck. I was mad.
I opened the door and walked in. The class immediately turned their attention to me. I wasn’t invisible as much as I would’ve liked to be. I had messy jet black hair with honey coloured eyes and an olive skin tone; I was also 6”1. All of these nuances about my appearance garnered me quite a bit of attention, especially from women and I didn’t like that. Brielle needed to know I was available.
Mrs. Drew finally looked up from the poem she was going through realizing how quiet the class had gotten and looked my way. I gave her a purposeful nervous, lopsided grin I knew she’d fall for. “Sorry Mrs. Drew.” I wanted to blush a little but I hadn’t perfected that trick yet and thought better of it. I’d just be over-doing it and she bought the crap anyway. She gave a forced sigh, “Come in Marcus, late as always I see.”
“Trust me Mrs. Drew I actually feel pretty shit- rotten about it,” and under my breath I said, “today.”
I gave a quick glance at Brielle and went to take my seat. It was in the adjacent row to hers; one seat behind hers. All of my seats were arranged in this manner, every year. I sat down and mused over her expression. She looked as if she was in deep thought, worried lines etched on her forehead. Why the hell?
