Last Chance High - 5. Chapter 5

Marc didn’t have much experience avoiding people. Not since the fiasco with Warren two years ago, but he thought he was doing a pretty good job. Or maybe it was just so easy because Toni was avoiding him too. It had been a long week, and he managed to only see the brown-eyed Italian in gym class. Which, of course, was the worst time to see him. Toni looked good in his usual uniform of skinny jeans and leather jacket. He looked even better in gym class. Marc had a hard time not staring when the boy was being active. The way his lean muscles seemed to ripple under his shirt, a thin sheen of sweat on his skin. Marc shuddered just thinking about him. Which he was doing far too often. He just couldn’t get the guy out of his head. Toni had made it perfectly clear he wanted nothing to do with him, so why couldn’t he just let it go? He had never been so infatuated with someone in his life.

“Earth to Marc?” Alex waved his hand in front of his face, making Marc blink. He hadn’t even realized it but he had been staring at the back of Toni’s head from across the cafeteria. “Dude, I’ve never seen you like this. I’m starting to get worried.”

“You should just talk to him.” Breanna said with a smile.

“I tried that, he made his position clear.”

Brittany snorted, “Come on, there’s nothing special about THAT BOY. He’s such a freak.” Marc glared at her, even if Toni was cruel to him he couldn’t help but get upset to hear someone talk bad about him. “Really thou, he was kicked out of five different schools in the last three years. I heard he was even arrested a few times.” Now she had everyone's interest.

“What are you talking about? Where did you hear that?” Jack asked.

“You know my Dad works for the school board. He’s on probation. No other schools in the district would let him in, if he even gets a detention they will throw his ass out. It’s military school for that one. If he doesn’t go to jail first.”

“Why did he get kicked out?” As much as Marc hated gossip, he couldn’t help but be curious about the boy’s past.

“For starting fights. I heard he was a major bully; even put a couple of guys in the hospital.”

“What? No way, I don’t believe it.” Marc dropped the fork he had been holding.

“Way. My Dad told me to stay away from him.” Brittany smirked; Marc felt disgusted, she actually seemed proud of herself.

“Alex? Could you...”

“Grab my sister? Yea I was thinking the same thing. I’ll catch her on the way out.”

Marc waited by the library with Jack for Alex and Jenny. He couldn’t stand still. He had to know, could he be wrong about Toni?

“Alright, I’m here. What’s this all about?” Jenny crossed her arms and gave Marc a pointed look.

“I’m sorry Jenny, I’m usually not one to listen to gossip but...” Marc trailed off, he wasn’t sure how to continue.

“Jen, Brittany said some things. And we wanted to defend Toni, but we don’t know him that well. And after what happened last week...”

“You’re worried she’s right?”

“No!” Marc nearly shouted, “There’s no way.”

Jenny raised her eyebrows. Marc blushed.

“Why don’t you just tell me what she’s saying? It will be easier to squash the rumors if we know about them before hand.”

Marc hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he could get the words out. Jack pulled him down next to him on the stairs and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Alex filled his sister in on everything Brittany had told them.

“Oh. Well, some of that might actually be true.” Marc stared at her in shock. “But out of context. He did mention he’s gotten in a lot of trouble. Been in a few fights. But he wasn’t the bully, he was being bullied. And it sounded like it got pretty, violent. That’s why he started working out and stuff. To defend himself. He mentioned people usually laid the blame on him, because he refused to let himself get beat.”

Marc stared wide-eyed, his stomach twisted. He felt his blood boil at the thought of people bullying Toni. He could see the small boy, before he grew strong, scared and alone facing bullies. He squeezed his hands into fists.

“Why? Why would they bully him?”

“He wouldn’t say. I shouldn’t be telling you this, and if it was anyone else I wouldn’t. But I know you...care about him. You can’t let him know you know. He’d be so embarrassed.”

“It’s not like he’ll talk to me anyways. He hates me.”

“Well, you could repay me by telling me why? What exactly happened at that party that pissed him off so much?”

Marc groaned and his cheeks flamed. He kept his eyes on his feet as he mumbled his response, “I tried to kiss him.”

Jenny couldn’t help but laugh. Marc buried his face in his arms and prayed the earth would open him up and swallow him whole.

“It’s not funny. I messed up and now he’s joined Warren in the ‘we hate Marc Townsend club’ . Even thou Simon told me he was straight, I just couldn’t help myself.”

“Yes, it is. Relax Marc, I’ll talk to him. Without Warren around. I don’t think he hates you as much as you think he does. And Simon isn’t exactly the guy you go to for romantic advice.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s just say his mom was a little too calm about two girls being in her teenage sons room while he got changed.”

“You watched him change?” Marc snapped.

“Relax Romeo, it was only his shirt. The point is she didn’t even bat an eye when we went in there and closed the door. And she’s Italian.”

“So you think, maybe, Simon was wrong?” Marc was afraid to get his hopes up.

“I’m not saying for sure either way. But I’ll talk to him.”

“Thanks Jen!”

“Hey, I can’t stand to see those baby seal eyes all mopey. It could melt even the coldest heart.”

And with a wink and a smile she slipped away.

+X+

"Hey Toni, wait up."

"What's up Jenny?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Jenny took his arm and led Toni into an empty stairwell. "About what happened with Marc?"

"Oh God, not this again."

"No, I'm not talking about what happened in the hall. I mean at the party."

Toni swallowed. Oh God what did Marc say? Did he know Toni wanted to kiss him? Could he see the lust in his eyes?

"Marc said you just took off. He thinks he did something or said something to upset you."

"Wait, what?"

"Look I'm not trying to force you to be friends with him. That's your choice. He's just worried he hurt your feelings or something."

With a sigh Toni sat down on the step. "He didn't do anything. I just realized I was late for curfew. That's why I took off."

"Oh, well he'll be glad to know that."

"He was really worried he hurt me? Even after how I treated him?"

"Oh course he is. I know Warren talks a lot of shit about him, but he actually is a nice guy."

"I guess that makes me even more of an ass. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. He just caught me at a bad time. I was upset about something else and kind of blew up."

"If you feel bad why don't you apologise?” She asked, “Not that I'm pushing you." Jenny added, her hands up in front of her in mock surrender.

"I don't know. At first I was just pissed, and I didn't think he actually cared what I would say. Then I was too embarrassed."

"It’s not too late. Apologising doesn't mean you have to be friends with him. Although, I don't know why you wouldn't want that."

"It’s complicated."

"I'm not pushing. I get it; you're not the sharing type. I'm just saying you'd feel better if you talked to him."

"What would I say?"

"Just what you told me. That you didn't mean to be so harsh, you were upset about something else and you took it out on the wrong guy."

Toni nodded. He knew Jenny was right. And avoiding Marc wasn't helping him forget the way he made him feel anyways. It was time to grow some balls and apologise.

"Okay. You're right. I should talk to him."

+X+

Toni didn't get a chance to talk to Marc until the following Monday. He had spent all weekend agonising about what he would say and how Marc would respond. And when he wasn't thinking about that he was thinking about Marc is other ways. He had never touched himself as often as he had since he met that boy.

After history he ditched Warren, telling him he'd meet him at the cafeteria, and ran off to find Marc. He was glad the others excused themselves when they saw Toni approach.

"Hey Marc, you got a minute?"

"Sure, I guess." Marc stared at his shoes.

"Look, I've realized I was a little short with you the other day. I had a lot on my mind; I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

The older boy glanced up with hope in his eyes, Toni tried not to stare. "I'm just saying, you know, I didn't mean to be harsh."

"But you meant what you said?" Marc pouted.

Toni blinked. He hasn't expected Marc to question him on that. He wished he could be friends with Marc, but it was too hard to be around him.

"I just wanted to say I don't hate you or anything. That's all."

Marc looked dejected. "Oh, yea. Okay then. That's cool. Thanks, for you know, saying sorry." Toni nodded, unsure what to say. With a weak smile Marc walked away. Toni hit his head against the locker. How was he ever going to get through this year?

+X+

His friends grew silent as he joined them at their regular table in the cafeteria.

“So... what happened?” Marc noticed Jenny was also sitting with them that day.

“What did he say?” Breanna urged.

Marc sighed, “He apologised for being harsh.”

“That’s it?” Alex looked confused. “I mean, he said he didn’t mean it right?”

“No, he definitely meant it. I guess he just didn’t want to look like an ass.”

“He doesn’t know.” Jenny laid her hand on top of his.

“Doesn’t know what?”

“That you were trying to kiss him. I asked him what happened. When I said, you were worried you did something to upset him, he was genuinely confused.”

“Great, so that means he just doesn’t like me as a person. At all.” Marc laid his head down on the table.

“It means you have a shot at changing his mind.” Jenny patted his hand one more time before sliding out of her seat. Toni as he came in the doors, heading to their own table together.

“Jenny is right Marc. You have two choices; let him go or change his mind.”

Marc watched Toni slide in next to Warren, who threw his arm around his shoulder. He noticed how Toni stiffened and gently pulled away. Daphne said something and they all laughed. Marc’s chest hurt. When Toni looked up and their eyes met, Marc gave him a small friendly smile. Toni looked away without returning the smile. Marc frowned.

“I don’t know if either is possible.”

“We’ll help you.” Breanna said with a smile.

“Yea man, we got your back!” Jack jumped up from his seat in excitement.

“Count me out. That little dweeb isn’t worth your time Marc.” Everyone stared at Brittany in surprise; she just inspected her nails ignoring her friends.

Marc smiled at the rest of his friends, “Thanks guys.” Maybe, with a little help from his friends, he would be able to win Toni’s heart. He was never one to give up before. He looked across the cafeteria at the boy he couldn’t get out of his head and smiled to himself. That boy definitely was worth his time, and he wasn’t going to let him go without a fight. With that Marc dug into his lunch, all of a sudden he was starving.