Mary's Innocence

Being his enemy

“No.” Mary squealed out so fast, that Liz’s eyebrows practically shot up to her hairline.

“Oh Mary! You poor, poor girl!” Liz sniffed loudly.

Mary casted her gaze down and shifted one foot to another uncomfortably, but when she glanced at Liz again – she was already on the phone, confirming Mary’s worse suspicions.

“Listen, my darling is getting abused at your school......Don’t you - you me, Ben! I know exactly what I’m talking about!”  Liz screeched into the handset. “A misunderstanding? I’ve never heard something as ridiculous! I – “

Mary strode numbly out of the lounge, her head throbbing but she hardly thought it was from the bruise.

But maybe Liz knowing was a good thing; she just wanted to end the whole feud! The whole school ganging up on you was no fun, especially when you were just a girl.

***

“First day, and you’ve already told mummy dearest. Congratulations.” Victor sneered.

Mary stopped in her steps and twisted herself around to face him, the glare on her face told it all. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you anymore. Can you just forget about it and not bug me?”

Victor’s mouth curled into a cruel smirk; “sure, if you get on your knees and beg for my forgiveness!” He said smugly, crossing his toned arms in front of his chest.

Mary’s mouth dropped open in shock, oh the atrocity! “Excuse me, but if you didn’t touch my chest, I wouldn’t have slapped you!” She snapped, barely being able to control her rising temper.

Victor’s eyes flashed with anger; “look, if you weren’t so nosy and barged in out of nowhere, none of this would’ve happened!” He managed to growl back.

“Well excuse me for being nosy! You were beating an innocent boy to death, I’m not one to stand there and watch you kill him!” Mary spluttered furiously. “And for god sakes, he was begging you!” She added; smoke billowing out of her nostrils.

“He tried to force himself on my sister!” Victor yelled out, freezing when he realized what he’d just said.

There was a tense silence for a moment, the tension like an iron cage surrounding them.

“Oh,” Mary murmured in realization.

Victor didn’t reply but just clenched his fists tightly, hating the fact that he let his anger get the best of him.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Mary spoke softly.

Victor switched his gaze over to her in surprise, so why wasn’t she using it? And as if to spike his heart rate up even more, Mary got down on her knees.

“I’m sorry for slapping you and punching you, please forgive me.” She whispered, lowering her head as she spoke.

Before Victor could react however, she was standing up again. “I hope you keep your promise.” She said, and then she stepped away from him, marching towards the school building as if nothing had just happened.

***

Mary felt awful, and the reason she had begged for forgiveness was more or less because she felt bad. Call her a coward, but it was the easy way out.

In-fact, Mary never truly understood why people chose to make it harder for themselves in order to protect their pride. Pride couldn’t feed you, or give you somewhere to live; pride was just a superior feeling that made you feel better about yourself.

Actually, she was glad she got everything off her shoulders now, at least her classmates wouldn’t deliberately pick on her anymore. Victor’s outburst however, still weighed heavily on her mind, she couldn’t help but think he didn’t mean to say it and somehow she had provoked him to.

But Mary was never one to use other people’s weaknesses against them, and the thought of telling someone about his secret, had never once crossed her mind.

“Hey, wait up.” A smooth male voice called.

Mary felt a hand land on her shoulder, and her heart nearly fell out of her chest when she saw who it was.

“What’s the hurry?” Marc joked, a teasing glint in his stormy blue eyes.

Mary let her fringe fall in front of her eyes shyly; “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were there.” She mumbled quietly.

“You my friend, are my hero. Nobody punches Victor and gets away with it. Although I’m technically supposed to be on his side, it’s too entertaining. Don’t surrender okay? I’ll be rooting for you.” Marc winked, doing a two finger salute at her.

Mary felt her cheeks redden furiously, she took it that he didn’t know she had just admitted defeat, and even kneeled down for forgiveness in front of his friend. How embarrassing! What was he going to think of her now? “Actually, I – “

“See you around Mary.” He grinned, and then he walked straight past her, leaving her wondering how on earth he knew her name.

*A/N... you guys must be shocked that Mary actually admitted defeat right? Since the typical girl character is stubborn to a fault, and they would never do something so degrading. I guess Mary is different, to her  - pride isn't that important, and she doesn't really care what other people will think.