chapter nine – confessions and boarding schools

It was my first day ever at school. The first day of kindergarten and I was scared.

I cried all morning because I missed Mommy and Daddy.

Laurel, Kevin and Devin weren't in my class but Marc was. He kept making fun of me for crying like a baby.

I met a boy named Charlie though. He told Marc to shut up.

"Where do you wanna sit?" The red headed little boy next to me asked.

Charlie and I just got our lunch and we didn't know where we were supposed to sit.

"Over there!" I grinned as I saw Kevin and Devin waving wildly from their lunch table. "Come on, Charlie"

"I'm having major Deja-vu right now" Charlie frowned as we finished getting our lunch.

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He just nodded towards the 'popular' table.

My eyes found Kevin who was staring directly at me, waving me over.

"I don't want to go over there alone" I stared at Charlie with wide eyes.

'Why?" Charlie asked, not confused, thinking it was because of the hate I had for attention.

"I kissed him" I hiss quietly.

"You did what?!" Charlie yelled, causing a few people to glance our way. "I thought you didn't have a thing for him?"

"I don't!" I exasperate.

I went home last night right after the kiss. I guess I panicked. We stood there for 5 minutes. I'm not even exaggerating. Kevin, Marc and I stood there for 5 minutes staring at each other before I just grabbed my bag and left without a word.

I spent the whole night trying to figure out why I kissed Kevin. And I still don't know. I mean yes, it was because I wanted Mikayla to back off of me and she has for the most part. But I could have just punched her in the face. Why did I have to kiss Kevin Preston of all people? Less than 24 hours after Marc and I almost kissed.

I entertained the thought of maybe having repressed feelings for my childhood best friend but that didn't make sense. I never thought about him like that. He was always like a brother to me. And when we kissed, I felt nothing. I felt the physical parts like his lips against mine and his hands squeezing my waist but that was it. I didn't feel the warmth and sparks you're supposed to when you have feelings for someone.

Honestly, the almost kiss I had with Marc was so much better than the real kiss I shared with Kevin. With Kevin it felt like there were alarm bells going off in my head telling me that it was a bad idea. But with Marc, it felt like all I could hear was our breathing and my heart beat.

I groaned. Why couldn't I feel that way with, Kevin? At least then it would make sense. Kevin spent years being my friend and protecting me. Marc spent years picking on me over and over. I spent years hating him and now everything feels weird. Until we're together then it felt like nothing changed. But now...

"Wait" Charlie broke me out of my trance. "You almost kissed Marc?"

"How did you know about that?" I hissed, making sure nobody heard him.

"Tee. You just said it. You started panicking and mumbling a mile a minute but all I got was that" Charlie snorted and I glared at him. "When did that happen?"

"After the pep rally when he took me home" I sighed thinking back to that night with a blush on my face.

"Why do you look a lot more love struck about you almost kissing Marc than actually kissing blondie over there?" Charlie smirked and I rolled my eyes.

"It's not being love struck. It's being less panicked" I roll my eyes, slightly not believing myself. "Kevin is an attention whore. He likes people to know about every aspect of his life. I'm scared he's going to tell everyone. Marc, on the other hand, would never risk the embarrassment that would come if people found out he almost kissed me"

Charlie gave me a flat look and sighed.

"Have you ever entertained the idea that maybe Marc likes you?" He sighed.

"That would never happen" I wanted to laugh but the fact that 2 people have said that Marc has feelings for me this week made me worry.

"Why wouldn't it? Marc has spent his entire life giving you attention that he doesn't show anyone else. I've never seen him with a girlfriend or even talk to other girls the way he talks to you. He may have picked on you but he never let anyone else do it. Do you remember what happened the night before he left for the boarding school?"

I frowned. I did remember that night but I never thought much of it. I always thought he chose me because he didn't care much what I thought of him...

*Thea's House; 4 years ago*

"Thea!" Dad called up the stairs, interrupting my art project. "One of the Preston boys is here to see you!"

I frowned. I haven't hung out with Kevin or Devin since September. They always had football practice or parties to go to.

I glanced at myself in the mirror before heading downstairs. I had paint all over my new jeans and my arms. My hair was thrown into a wild bun, curls sticking out in each way.

I slide into my Nike slides and made my way downstairs.

"When did you start hanging out with Marc?" Wyatt asked as I passed him.

"I don't" I roll my eyes. "Why, is he the one here?" Wyatt only nodded and I groaned.

I made my way to the porch.

"Why are you here, Marc?" I crossed my arms as he came into view.

He was sitting on my porch swing in his usual attire. Ever since we started high school he started wearing this stupid leather jacket. He was trying to act cool and it annoyed me to no end.

Instead of the taunting blue eyes that I've seen for the past 14 years, sad, bloodshot eyes met mine.

"H-Hey, Thea" Marc whispered and immediately I knew something was wrong. His stutter went away years ago and he never cried. The last time I saw him like this, the accident had just happened.

"What's wrong?" I sat next to him and placed my hand on his arm.

"My parents are sending me to a boarding school" Marc looked away from me but not before I could see the tears well up in his eyes. "I don't want to leave my home"

"Is it because of the fight?" I ask. I remember hearing Mr. Preston screaming at him in the parking lot that day. He said a lot of mean things to him.

"I guess" Marc shrugged. "I j-just. I don't k-know what to do" His shoulders started jumping and I suddenly felt bad for him.

"Hey, don't cry" I use my hand to make him look at me and suddenly my heart broke at the sight of my childhood bully. He had tears streaming down his face and his hair was a mess like he had been pulling on it. His nose was slightly running and his blue eyes pierced brightly against the red in the whites of his eyes. "It'll be okay, Marc"

"No it won't. I'm being sent away from my friends, my family, my brothers" Marc looked angry for a second but it melted away into sadness. "And it's my fault"

"I'm not going to lie, it was your fault" I tried to joke but earned a glare from Marc. "But maybe this is a good thing. You'll be able to start over. Make a new reputation for yourself"

Marc stared at me for what looked like an eternity. Determination appeared in his eyes.

"Thea... I don't want to leave you" Marc whispered and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Marc, you hate me" I laugh quietly.

"I don't hate you, Thea. I lo-" He was cut off by the angry shouting of Mr. Preston.

"Adam, calm down" Mrs. Preston tried to calm her husband down but he shook her off of his arm, making her stumble back and fall.

"Don't touch Mom like that" Marc was up in an instance.

"How dare you run off like that" Mr. Preston bellowed and I flinched as I ran past them to make sure Mrs. Preston was okay.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Preston?" I knelt down as she sat up, pain and hurt in her eyes. "You're bleeding" I notice the scrape on her elbows and leg.

Our attention was turned back to Marc and his father screaming at each other.

"You never cared about any of us" Marc spat at his father. "You're just a fucking prick"

I screamed as Mr. Preston swung at Marc.

"Mom! Dad!" I screamed as Marc stumbled back with blood dripping from his nose.

"Oh my god!" Mom gasped as she took in the sight of Mrs. Preston and Marc both bleeding because of Mr. Preston.

Mom ushered the three of us inside while Dad stayed outside with Mr. Preston.

****

The next day, Marc was sent off to the boarding school and nobody really spoke about what happened. Dad assured me that Mr. Preston was not physically abusive. He didn't mean to hurt his wife and hitting Marc was a mistake made out of anger. But I was still worried. I never stopped worrying about them and I think that's why I brushed over Marc's words that night.

"Marc loved me" I whispered.

"What?" Charlie furrowed his eyebrows. "I mean I don't know about that but-"

"No. Charlie the night before he left. He was going to tell me" My eyes widen. "I said he hated me and then he said he didn't hate me and he almost said it but his parents showed up"

"Woah" Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. "Well what are you going to do?"

"I don't –"

"Hey! I was waving at you but I don't think you saw" Kevin cut me off and I jumped.

"Oh yeah" I mumbled. "I just got distracted by something"

"Yeah, that's cool" Kevin flashed me a smile and my stomach knotted up. I don't feel too good. "I wanted to see if you wanted to sit with me and my friends"

"Oh-" I glance over at Charlie in a panic.

"You can come to" Kevin looks at Charlie and Charlie shrugs.

"I'm going to eat with Laurel today. We have a history test next period so we need to study" Charlie gives me an apologetic look and I glare at him. Stupid love-sick Charlie.

"So?" Kevin smiles at me and I silently pray that something would show up to distract him.

"Hey, bro" No! I take it back!

"Hey, Marc" Kevin glances at his brother who fell into the spot where Charlie was.

"What're you guys talking about?" Marc glanced back and forth between us and suddenly I felt worse. If Marc still had feelings for me, I just kissed his brother in front of him.

"I was just asking Thea if she wanted to sit with me at lunch" Kevin squinted at Marc and Marc smirked.

What the hell is happening?

"We'd love to. Right, Thea?" Marc gave an evil look and I glared at him.

"Sure" I smiled awkwardly at Kevin.

I'm going to kill, Marc Preston.