Marcus Hayes

The blow landed with a satisfying thud as Marcus's knuckles connected with Ethan's cheek, echoing through the deserted hallway of Crestview High. He watched with a smirk of satisfaction, knowing Ethan hated that grin. He relished this victory, once again proving to Ethan that Marcus wasn't weak enough to cry over a dog's death or hide in a cupboard in the attic.

"Get up, now," Peter Gordon laughed.

Marcus looked at Ethan, almost crumpled to the ground. His eyes swept over the contents of Ethan's spilled backpack. Power surged through Marcus, mixed with a guilt he forced himself to ignore. Bullying Ethan was like a drug; the more he did it, the more he felt compelled to continue. He needed to stay ahead of Ethan, even if it meant making his life hell or punching him in the face. He didn't enjoy Ethan's tears, but the satisfaction of showing stubborn Ethan his place and hearing Peter, Jacob, and Jamie laugh about it gave him a twisted sense of power, even though he wasn't truly in control.

Every cry of pain from Ethan reassured Marcus that Ethan wouldn't reveal his secrets—the dog, the kiss, or the confession.

"You know, the last two weeks have been bliss without Ethan," Marcus said to Peter and Jamie, ignoring Jacob, who wasn't listening as usual.

He turned back to look at Ethan, still on the floor. He crouched down next to him. Ethan pretended not to hear him and drew to pick up his belongings.

"Pathetic," Marcus spat at him. "Why did you have to show up, and on a Monday morning? Pathetic combination, you know. The last few months of school, and I don't want to see your face."

Ethan's heart hissed, 'Close your eyes then. Walk with a blindfold. Why bother me?' His attempts to make Ethan react failed; Ethan had stopped responding to his taunts long ago.

This either comforted Marcus or made him more insecure. It made him more confident in his act, yet troubled him just as much. 'Was he scared? Of me?' Marcus wondered now and then. He couldn't understand the conflicted emotion of satisfaction, yet he regretted it all again and again.

Marcus enjoyed his two weeks away from school and his parents, spending time with his caring grandmother. It was a break from the constant reminder of his weaknesses—of Ethan, the dog story, the water park incident, the confession, and the kiss.

Did Ethan remember any of it? Sometimes Marcus wondered. Did Ethan hate him and secretly enjoy knowing Marcus had confessed his love to him? The more Marcus wondered, the more he feared what Ethan thought of him. Why didn't Ethan ever respond to those past incidents or mention the kiss? Demons on Marcus's shoulder whispered possible reasons, and the biggest one was the idea that Ethan pitied him, fueling his rage every time. Marcus hated being pitied, especially by his father.

Back in the hills, at the cottage of his grandmother, and two weeks away from everybody, the demons had left him temporarily. Marcus even considered his behavior and the looming end of school. Soon, Ethan would be gone, and Marcus would have to let go of his feelings for him—feelings he acknowledged while sitting on his grandmother's porch, waiting for lemonade.

All of these thoughts lasted for those two weeks, but back again to reality in Maple Woods, Marcus was determined to remind Ethan of his rightful place. Marcus wanted to show Ethan that he was not a boy to be pitied or gossiped about.

Marcus glanced around the hallway, his mind elsewhere. Back to Ethan—who didn't flinch anymore. There was a time he did, but not now. Marcus had relished the idea that Ethan feared him, but honestly, he feared Ethan just as much, though he was oblivious to it.

He looked at his cronies, the other three. Jacob had now looked up from the screen, finally, due to the strange silence that loomed about. Meeting Ethan's eyes briefly before turning to Marcus, Jacob said, "Let's go, now."

Marcus grinned in agreement, taking his time. Then he said to Ethan, "There's nothing left to do today. See you tomorrow, Ethan. Good day."

Ethan didn't react, his timid demeanor unchanged. Face crimson out of anger, furious glare set on grinning Marcus. He clicked the picture of Ethan. He averted his eyes, Marcus didn't mind, rather smiled with satisfaction.

The boys left, Marcus looking at the picture of Ethan, pleased about his act.

Was he the same Marcus? Who at night, before sleep, crawled near his window, pushed the lime-yellow curtains aside, and looked at the window across the road. He wouldn't see anything, but it was a habit. Then he'd return to bed, happy until thoughts of Oleander gnawed at him.

He hated Ethan's close relationship with Oleander, and worse was Oleander's meddling attitude toward Marcus's acts.

Ethan and Oleander embodied everything of the perfect family, something Marcus longed for. Even without his father, Ethan's family didn't feel broken. While Marcus, with both parents, had nothing resembling a family feeling about it.

Marcus looked back; Ethan was on his feet. He gave Ethan the finger, watching his earlobes flush crimson, and further grow over his face. At Ethan's furious face, satisfaction washed over Marcu. It was a small victory but crucial for maintaining his dominance over Ethan. He turned away with a smirk and left the empty hallway, echoes of their struggle lingering.

His friends cheered, discussing where to stop before heading home. They decided whether at Jave or Sunshine Santora. While Marcus must stop by 'Hayes Hardware.'

Some called at Jamie, when they had reached outside of the Campus. He rushed away after saying, "I'll catch up."

Marcus pulled out gum. One of them got snatched away from Jacob. The only one who noticed. Peter was busy texting someone, walking ahead of them.

"Don't indulge too much with him," Jacob started, popping a chewing gum into his mouth.

"Who?"

"Ethan"

"And why?"

Jacob searched for something in his phone, it was a jiffy search.

Disappointed he gave up. "He's hitting on Waffle, the skater boy, who is aiming for the Olympics," he said, "I guess."

"I saw him skating during winter sports day," Jamie agreed, jumping at them from behind, "Fringemark brothers, right?"

Marcus looked at Jacob, spectacles of the boy hazed from day use.

"What does that have to do with me?" Marcus asked him.

Before Jacob could get into it, which Marcus sensed was headed which way, he walked to Peter, ahead of them. His thumbs moved non-stop. Marcus stuck his feet out in front of the busy boy, tripping him down.

A little chaos and chasing broke out, lasting until they reached the cycle parking lot.

"I'll whip your ass," Peter shouted, "I'll flog you to death after I get you."

Marcus laughed, "Will you? But who were you texting?" he asked.

Jamie grabbed him from behind, "Are you secretly dating someone?"

Peter struggled in Jamie's hold. "Who is she?" Jamie asked. Held Peter tighter, keeping him from pouncing on Marcus.

"No one." 

"Who were you texting, then?" Jamie pressed, letting go of Peter.

"Just someone."

Shocked, Jamie cried in Peter's face, "Peter Godard, are you seeing someone!?" He turned Peter to face him. Shook him to speak. Peter didn't, only smiled mysteriously.

"No girls on the camp," Jacob reminded, and gasped, "Are you setting yourself a date for the camp?"

The gasp was dramatic, and then he was back lounging on a steel bench, back to his screen and scrolling. Marcus laughed but said nothing.

After disappointed and shocked sighs at the revelation of who it was, complaints from Jamie, several in-between teases from Jacob (still not looking away from his screen), and after Peter had whipped Marcus a bit, they mounted their bicycles.

Jamie kept complaining, "You couldn't find a better way to betray us. Yo, where are you looking?" he asked, "Tell me, why her? Weren't you seeing my sister? She was talking about you?"

"Anne? No!" Peter said, trying to overtake Jamie, but Jamie always chased and overtook him.

Jacob looked away from Marcus to the other two ahead of them. He shouted at them, "He's simply looking for someone to take to prom. Or someone with, I suppose, big curves." Jacob added, "Anne isn't one."

Then back at Marcus, he asked "Who would you be taking?" 

Marcus ignored him.

While Marcus tried to meddle in the struggle between Jamie and Peter, his mind ran the thought of Ethan. It ran without any warning. His thoughts, sometimes lovely ones, other times disturbing ones, entered his mind. They troubled him, teased him with a series of questions regarding his feelings, and then vanished in a puff. He tried to focus, but he wondered what Ethan might be doing. He hated Ethan, at least now. That was not the case before. Ethan was the good boy next door that Marcus liked. He wasn't anymore.

The more Ethan grew, the more he felt like Miss Oleander. He folded, shoved, and threw the thought of Ethan in some corner. He cornered everything about him. Always.

Laughing and teasing, they reached Maplewood Springs town square. While the others stopped there, Marcus had to be at Hayes Hardware store, three streets from Town Square. It was the biggest shop on Maplewood Springs Street. At the store, after greeting a lot of people on the way, he walked down the stairs to his father's office, Mr. Edward Hayes.

Every time he entered his father's office, Marcus knew a battle awaited him. He had to win it by being silent and obedient to Mr. Edward and each bitter word he spewed out.

Little did he know, the real battle had not yet begun.