𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 | 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥/𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲

4. Marked

I grabbed my bags as soon as the bell rang out, rushing down the halls. It wasn't long before I was roughly shoved into the lockers lining the hallway. I grunted, picking myself up off the floor.

"Hey gay boy, have you kissed your boyfriends dead corpse lately?" The leader of the group sneered. I looked at his smug face. "What exactly are you insinuating, that I'm some sort of gay necrophiliac?" I retorted, rolling my eyes. Anger washed over Mark's face.

He ran a hand through his ruffled brown hair, his chocolate eyes turning dark. "Ew, big words are so gay" he stated, causing his group of friends behind him to laugh. What limited humour these band of degenerates had.

I sighed. "Oh no, we wouldn't want to confuse your two whole braincells! God forbid you actually learnt some standard English, let alone some basic manners!" I sarcastically mocked. I suddenly realised what I had just said. Gulping, I instantly regretted it as I saw Mark's fist clench. "Listen here, pretty boy-" Mark began, but his voice was cut off by that of a stranger's.

"How is that even an insult?" A voice from behind me questioned. I turned around and my eyes landed on someone I'd never seen before. He wasn't tall, yet he wasn't all that small either. He had soft brown eyes and a mass of curls on his head. He approached me and confidently wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I flinched slightly, confused at his actions, yet I did not remove his arm.

Mark was taken aback by his comment. He stumbled over his words, stuttering like an idiot and not knowing what to say. "I- I... uh... fuck" Mark muttered, frowning.

"Come on, spit it out. Oh, don't tell me you forgot how to speak!" Curly boy patronized, frowning with fake sympathy. "Just- just shut up!" He blurted out, frustrated and still tripping over his words. Curly boy looked as if he was suppressing a laugh.

"I mean... you just admitted to thinking he's pretty. I don't know man, that's pretty gay..." he retorted, a mocking smirk on his face. All of Mark's friends took a step away from him. "Ew, Mark's gay!" They all joked, laughing. Mark creased his eyebrows in annoyance. "I'll get you for this, you stupid poodle wannabe!" Mark yelled, pointing at the curly-haired boy. Mark stormed off, his group of friends following behind him.

I turned to the stranger, who removed his arm from around my shoulders. "They were assholes" he joked, lightly chuckling. I dismissed his attempt at making light conversation."You didn't have to do that..." I mumbled, looking down at the floor shyly. My cheeks tinted pink; even rosier than their natural shade. "Of course I did" he replied, a soft smile on his lips. I glanced at them for a second, but quickly averted my gaze.

"Thanks" I mumbled. I turned to walk off but he grabbed my arm to stop me, turning me back around. "Wait, you're going? I never even got to ask if you were ok" he interjected, a hurt expression on his face.

I sighed, looking down. "Trust me, you don't want to be involved with me. I don't bring any good to your life, especially not at this school. Just forget me. Forget all about me. Forget that you ever talked to me, forget that you ever saw me. Forget that I even exist..."

I looked into his eyes for a moment, and as our eyes locked, I sensed something. Some sort of force, or connection. Just, something. But I brushed it off. I pulled my arm away, drawing away from the connection and getting lost in the crowd of people walking down the hall.

"Wait, I never got your name!" He called out after me, but it was already too late; I was already gone, engulfed by the sea of people and ripped away from him like a storm.

And that's the way it should be...