Red Sparkle

We must learn who is GOLD, And who is simply GOLD PLATED.

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Marcus' POV

"Oh no!"

I heard Ember's alarmed voice and looked at her. Sean walked to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist. Me and Erin exchanged looks and walked forward to walk next to them. "What's wrong?" Sean asked her in concern. She didn't say anything but just jolted forward and rushed to the crowd of people that gathered in the hall. I looked over the crowd and saw the Barbie girls, surrounding someone. As my eyes fell on Ember heading toward the middle of all the chaos, I knew for a fact that the barbie girls were surrounding the new girl. I rose to my full height and the girl came into view. A pang of joy and confusion hit me like a cement truck. I didn't know what was happening to me and at the same time I did. A warm feeling spread inside my chest. My heartbeat doubled in speed and my breathing came out in shallow, quick gasps. Before I could stop myself I lunged forward not far behind Ember. I rushed toward the crowd and pushed past people with no difficulty. I got glared at by some people but they quickly walked away while avoiding eye contact, seeing that it was me. By the time I reached the middle of the crowd the leader of the barbie girls was a almost as close as a hair's length away from the girl. I just had to take one long stride to step between them. So I did. And with the best timing I've anticipated in a while. Because I took that stride the moment barbie queen was about to insult her, "You are a fat bi-" and before the last word could escape her uptight, self-absorbed lips, I was in front of the girl. Protecting her from everyone who wanted to hurt her. Whether it was just emotionally, I didn't care. As long as she was out of their reach.

The crowd started to step away from me slowly and as my friends came into the circle, the crowd started to disappear. But even though they were gone and the girl was safe, an overwhelming anger took over me. By the time Ember was trying to comfort the girl, I was seething with outrage. My mind was a scramble of murderous ways to make those people pay for insulting her. I was thinking of how I would somehow find the barbie girls and rip them apart in a dark alley. With no evidence leading to me. As for the boys that were so small minded, I would wait for a late football practice and tear them to pieces. Ripping them apart, limb from limb. And then after, I would go home and take a shower to get rid of the blood. But before I could think of an alternative plan if the first options didn't work, I heard a frantic voice. "How can I help her? She's to freaked out!" Ember's worried voice snapped me out of my haze of bloodlust. I turn around and push Ember aside. I bend down to look the girl in the eyes and gingerly wrap my hands around her upper arms. A stinging started on my hands but there was no pain. It was like a tingling that enveloped my hands, that only made my heart flutter even more. I looked into the girl's eyes to see if she felt it to but her eyes were shielded with unshed tears. I focused on the frenetic thumping in my ears that were so loud it sounded like it was blaring in my ears. But it wasn't. It was coming from the girl I was holding. She is having a panic attack! I thought with my own consternation kicking in.

My head lowered to her ear on it's own accord and I whispered in her ear, "Breathe. Your having a panic attack. You have to breathe!" All of a sudden she sucked in a lungful of air and her heartbeat went back to a normal rhythm. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth until she calmed down. She blinked a few times and shook her head, like she was scolding herself and the pucker between her brows only made me clarify my thoughts. Once the pace of her heart was steady, she looked around with confusion. After a second of looking around, her eyes drifted to Ember who had a worried and sympathetic smile that seemed to reach deeper than only her lips or eyes. It seemed like Ember was living in the past at the moment. Sean was probably gonna give her a long lecture about it later. But I couldn't think of it further because my eyes drifted back to the girl. Her gaze dropped to my hands that were clasped around her upper arms. It lingered on my hands for a second then her head started to tilt up and our eyes locked on each other's.

The brown orbs that were staring at me had a strange sparkle that almost looked red. It took my breath away and I found myself lost in a whirlwind of encouragements to lean forward and...You are a monster. She'll run away screaming. The voice, that has tormented me since I was 12, instantaneously whispered in my head. My mind blocked out all encouragements instantly after the first sentence of the slithering, black voice was heard. But I couldn't bare to rip my gaze from hers. "Are you alright?" I asked in concern. She took a deep breath and looked up again and said, "Yes, thank you." The red sparkle was oddly alluring and it felt like I was under a trance because it made me believe her. But the entranced feeling was interrupted all too soon. A hand was placed on my shoulder. "Dude?" I looked over my shoulder and see Sean that was staring at me in confusion and concern. I looked away from him and rested my gaze on his hand resting on my shoulder. A low growl, that was to soft for the girl to hear, started deep in my chest. Sean swiftly ripped his hand off my shoulder and I looked back at the girl. The growl vanished as soon as I had her in my sight. But the relief soon dissipated when I saw a strange emotion flickering in her eyes. I slowly let my hands slide down her arms and let her go but the gesture was oddly intimate. I rose to my full height and looked down at her with concern and a hint of worry of what she'll think of me. I looked down into her face but instead of seeing fear I saw confusion. It did't make sence why she wouldn't be afraid. She cleared her throat then looked at my friends.

After a few seconds of silence she finally spoke again and I found myself in the trance, once again. "Thank you, all of you, for helping me. I appreciate it." She looked each of us in the eyes as she spoke and when her eyes skimmed over mine I felt a strange thril that ran up on my spine. We all looked at her in sincerity and Sean spoke up first. "Don't mention it. They should all just go learn some manners and not bully the new kids." Though it was an innocent statement of nonchalance, the red in her eyes sparked up and blazed like fire in her eyes. "I'm not a kid. I'm seventeen, probably not much younger than you. So before you call me kid again, think before you talk." She bit back at him in a defensive tone and it surprized us but Sean reeled back and quickly apologised, "Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you." He said with a tint of uncertainty and a whole lot of worry or fear to be exact. She seemed angry but surprise was evident in her features and as expected like any other human she back pedilled fast. She sighed and spoke, "No, it's...it's okay. I have to get to class." She turned and started to walk away, brushing past Ember and not looking back. I desperately wanted to say something, just to have another minute near her. But I didn't have to say anything. When she was a few feet from us she stopped and turned toward us, "Thanks again... For calming me down." She looked me in the eyes with confidence and gratitude. The red sparkle blazed in her eyes amd she swifty turned away from us and walked away. I stood there for a solid five minutes with my friends staring at me in concern and thinking I went crazy. But I barely noticed their questioning stares. All my thought were driven toward her and the red sparkle in her eyes. Without saying a word to my friends I turned and walked away to the opposite direction the girl went. But I wasn't really seeing anything around me. I could only see the red sparkled eyes in front of my own.