Jealousy > Marcus

nine

I enter the changing rooms and hurry to the mirror. Looking down at my wet top, of course this just had to happen.

I sigh as I take off my top, leaving me in just my red bra. There must be a spare jacket around here somewhere. I walk towards the showers to see if there are any clothes behind the wall.

I suddenly stop as someone is sitting on the floor wearing black and white superstars. Marcus.

He looks up to me as he smokes. "Hey, nice bra" he says.  "Hi, I'm just gonna. Um- yeah" I say as I walk over to the shower to get the sticky coffee off my skin.

"You get how weird this looks, right?" I ask him. "Yeah I'm the one that's standing in my bra" he replies sarcastically. I throw water from the shower on to him because of his smart ass comment. "Hey!" he laughs.

"What are you even doing in here?" I question him. "I am riding out this lame sleepover" he responds. "It's not lame it's actually rather fun" I say back, scrubbing my skin to remove the coffee.

"You're so tough and alternative and too cool for fun" I say walking over to him and ruffling his hair to one side. "Is that your impression of me?" he asks. "Yes I'm too cool for fun Amelie" he mocks me. I walk back towards the shower as he stands up.

"Seriously, why aren't you into this? There's a bounce house and all" I ask. "None of my friends are here" he replies. "I'm sure you could hang with Max and us" I say. "The bro squad? I'm good thanks" he laughs at my suggestion.

We sit on the ground beside one another. After a while we started having a deep conversation.
"I always feel like there's these voices in my head telling me how bad and useless I am, they never seem to go away. When my parents got divorced the voices got worse blaming me for it all. Does that even make sense" I laugh slightly.

"Voices in your head? Yikes, you should probably get that looked at" he sarcastically says. I kick him with my foot and we laugh. "Nah, I get it. Wellsbury sucks" he says.

"No it doesn't, this is the first placed I've ever lived where it's cool to be smart and they want you to succeed" I reply. "They want you to fit into a neat, little, predetermined box. If you don't take a certain amount of 'smart' classes, they call you a problem" he says back.

"You have a mum and a dad that are happily married, a nice house and the ability to do anything you want in life. If I had that I'd be pretty happy in this town" I tell him. "So I don't have any valid problems because I live in Wellsbury?" he asks me. "I didn't say that" I reply. "Yeah, you sorta did" he says sharply with tears forming in his eyes.

"My, uh- , bestfriend died last year. He uh- , he got cancer" marcus tells me. "I'm so sorry" I reply. "It's fine" he says. "It doesn't sound fine Marcus"

"Everyone has their own problems" he states. "Do you wanna talk about it?" I ask watching him wipe his tears. "Definitely not, damn this got heavy" he chuckles.

"Maybe we just need to chill out" he says as he reaches towards the shower above where I sit. "No! Stop!" I say pulling his hands away from the lever. He grabs my hands and pulls them down, bringing his face to my level, he slowly begins to lean in. The door opens and I run to the side of the wall to hide.

"Come on. Two seconds" I hear my mother say. "Really, I'm fine" Maxine replies. "Yeah when I'm fine, I sob uncontrollably too" my mum says to Max. "Just... I made such a fool of myself" Maxine says whilst crying. "You put your heart on the line Maxine, that takes guts" my mother tries to comfort her.

I look up to Marcus and we share a look. "Now get out there and have fun. Ignore Riley. Indifference is the best revenge" mum says to Max. "Thanks. Amelie's really lucky to have you" Maxine says to her as she walks out of the changing rooms, leaving my mum alone.

She looks at herself in the mirror and notices a top sitting on the bench.

"Ok, who's in here?" she asks. "I was just with M so I know I'm dealing with some fraction of A-AN" she says. "Amelie. That you?" she asks.
I quickly come out of the side wall so she doesn't come any closer to see that Marcus is behind it.

"Hey mum" I say making my way to the sink. "Hey. What are you doing in here, weirdo?" she asks. "Some woman spilt coffee all down my shirt and I came to find something else to wear" I tell her. "Lemme see it" she says as I hand her my top. "Honey that's hardly soaking wet, just a little dribble. I can fix it" my mother says whilst she ties a knot to cover the stain. She hands it to me and I put it on.

"Can we get out of here now, please" I say wanting to leave before my mother would catch Marcus behind the wall. "You look like you were enjoying yourself with Alex" she says as my face drops knowing Marcus heard that. "Mum!" I say. "What? I'm being supportive" she tells me. "Can we drop it?" I ask wanting to leave. "Fine let's go" she finally says as we walk out of the changing room into the hall.

.....

In the morning I grab Maxine and we walk out of the school towards Alex and Matt. "Rejection sucks. Like it really, really sucks" Maxine tells me. "I'm really sorry Max" I say as we approach the boys.

"That didn't totally suck" Matt says. "Are you kidding it was great" Alex replies. "Yeahhh the best!" Maxine says rolling her eyes and chuckling. "Is that a burrito? Yeah I'll take it" Maxine says as she takes the burrito from Alex's hand. Max and Matt walk over to Abby and Norah. Leaving me and Alex alone.

"That was for you but-" Alex starts to speak. "She needed it more" I say as we both laugh. "I had a good time tonight, I think your amazing Amelie" Alex says to me. "Yeah I am pretty cool" I joke. He gives me a kiss and everyone around us cheers. I watch Marcus walk away as he seen the kiss.

"Amelie, Max! Time to go" my mum shouts. We walk over to Ellen and my mother. "We had so much fun thank you" Maxine tells our mothers. "Our pleasure" my mum replies as she puts her arm over my shoulder walking us to our car.