Halo III
Marco

By: Micah Diablo
(© 2010-2011 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 3
Things We Lost In the Fire

Scene A 

Josh walked toward his locker and noticed Nate and me talking and standing together rather closely.

"Hey, man," Matt said, walking up behind him. Josh jumped at the surprise arrival of Matt.

"Oh ... hey," he said half-heartedly, as he began to get his stuff ready for class.

"Haven't seen much of you since the other day at practice," Matt said with a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay, man?"

Josh slammed his locker and I looked at Matt with an annoyed face. "I'm good. I will be great when I don't have to be annoyed with you and the rest of the football bitches who sold me out."

"Look, what's with the tude toward Anthony, Nick, and me?" Matt asked him. "We actually voted for your ass."

"Guilty by association," Josh said with a shrug. "Look, just leave me alone and have a good season, and stay away from me."

"Josh, wait," Matt said, grabbing his backpack to stop him from walking off. A bag of white powder fell out of his backpack and onto the floor.

Josh quickly reached down to get the Ziploc bag.

"You're still using?" Matt asked him. Josh looked down. "Josh? What the fuck."

"Like I said, stay away from me," Josh said walking away from Matt.

"Gee, Senior year will be full of drama, I can tell," he said aloud to himself as I walked past him.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to be crazy, and you're over here talking to yourself," I said passing by. He followed after me. "That wasn't an invitation to follow me."

Matt sighed. "Coy ... Marco ... Whatever .. .I want to talk to you," he said. "About us."

"What us?" I asked, as we headed toward today's first Lab. "There is no us."

"Yes, there is," Matt said, frustrated, and grabbed me and turned me around to look him in the eye.

We stood face to face ... looking straight at one another.

"The Coy I know is in there. The one that I love," he said, his eyes tearing up. "I love you, Coy."

I clutched my head as I could feel that side of me trying to break through. The part that Matt wanted ... I could feel myself losing control.

"Matt," I said softly. He looked deeper into my eyes.

"Coy?" he asked, nervously, not sure who he was talking to.

I nodded my head and kissed him softly. I don't know where Marco went to but I had to kiss him because I could feel him fighting for control.

"Baby, it's you," he said, kissing me more aggressively. He didn't care who was watching. He had his boyfriend back.

Josh, out of nowhere, tackled Matt to the ground and punched him hard.

"Shit, man, what the fuck is your problem?" Matt asked as he tried to get up, but Josh kept attacking him.

I clutched my head as a crowd formed around us watching the fight between us two guys.

Carmen and Giselle pushed through the crowd toward me. "Coy, what happened?"

I ignored them because this pounding in my head was killing me. Anthony and Nick both pushed through the crowd.

Anthony didn't know why, but from seeing the two fighting and his brother, he tackled Nick to the floor and began punching him.

"What the hell is going on?" Carmen asked, confused.

"Overload of testosterone," Giselle quipped.

I looked up to see Darek and Nate standing by, watching. Darek was recording the fight.

"Smile for the camera, Coy," he said with a smile. It was then that I could feel my control slipping away.

"No." I said softly before I fainted.

Carmen caught me just as teachers scrambled to break us up. 

Scene B 

I opened my eyes and realized that I was back in the same room as the last time I met Marco, who was sitting on the steps in front of me.

"You're stronger than I thought, little man," he teased. "A lot stronger. Tell me, where was that strength when Tony fucked your brains out ... painfully and raw."

I got up and dashed for the exit but Marco grabbed my arm and slammed me into the wall.

"I said you're stronger than I thought," he said with a laugh. "But still not stronger than I am. Don't try that again."

He walked toward the door, turned, and looked back at me.

"You should make yourself comfortable here, Coy," he sneered. "You're going to be stuck here for a long time."

He walked out just as I ran toward the door, and t slammed shut, right in front of me, trapping me inside.

Scene C 

Ky walked toward Nick as he sat on the bench outside the Assistant Dean's office.

"I got your text," he said, taking a seat beside him. "What's up?"

"Well, I just racked up some more demerits," he said with a sigh; "which means Ant, Matt, and I are also suspended from the game this Friday and the one next week because of the fight."

"Why were you guys fighting anyway?" he asked his boyfriend, confused.

"I don't know," Nick said, throwing his bag of ice for his eye at the wall. "I don't fucking know! He just tackled me and started wailing on me out of nowhere, and I'm suspended from playing for trying to defend myself."

"I'm sorry, babe," Ky said, resting his head on Nick's shoulder. "We'll do our best without you guys. We got Darek and Nate. They're a powerhouse duo, those two."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" Nick asked Ky. "Nate is a jerk, and Darek was the boy who helped try and kill my boyfriend less than six months ago, after all. How can you forgive him so easily?"

"I never said I forgave him," Ky explained. "But I'm not going to hate the guy because I'm alive, and I'm right here with you, babe. Look at Matt and Coy. Compared to them, we are blessed, because they're finished."

"True," Nick said, kissing him softly on the lips. "I love you, K-Y Jelly."

"God, I've been hearing that for like all my life," Ky laughed. "I'm gonna give you a black eye to match the one you already have if you call me that again, punk."

"Oh, you know you love this black eye," Nick joked. "I think it makes me look hard."

"I can do a lot more than punch you in the face to make you look hard," Ky said as they kissed again.

Assistant Dean Turner cleared his throat as he walked out of his office. "Kyle, please make your way to class before I have to suspend another football player ... this time for skipping."

Kyle rolled his eyes and kissed Nick on the cheek. "Text me later, babe," he said getting up. "Dean Turner, try loosening up. You might have better luck with Miss Monroe in guidance."

The A.D. shook his head and looked at Nick. "Your father will be here shortly to deal with you and your brother."

"My father? As in John Pagan?" Nick asked, shocked. "Why did you call him?"

"You've been suspended plenty of times before ... you know calling parents is a part of due process," Turner said. "Take your books and go down to the Library. I have to separate you and your brother.  You're still acting like a couple of high school kids."

Nick sighed, annoyed. If his father were called for this, he knew somehow he would get blamed for it. John Pagan tended to take Anthony's side and ideas for most things, even when Anthony was dead wrong. 

Scene D 

I walked out of the Teams Managers' office to see Josh walking toward the exit and the student parking lot.

"So how many days off you get?" I asked him as I walked toward him.

"Till next Tuesday," Josh said, annoyed. "No thanks to you."

"What's that supposed to mean, Curly Sue?" I asked playing with his hair. He batted my hand away.

"What's with you flirting with Nate this morning?" he asked. "Then, you kissing Matt a little later?"

I laughed loudly. "That's what that's all about? All this because you'are jealous of other guys?"

"I thought we had something," Josh said, looking at me with a hurt look on his face.

"Yes, we do have something," I said to him. "Hot sex. Why ruin that with a relationship?"

Josh sighed and turned to leave. I followed him out of the doors.

"Stop following me, Marco," he said without looking behind him.

I grabbed his arm. "Josh..."

"What?" he asked me. "What now?"

I kissed him on the lips. "That's … what now."

"What are you doing?" Josh asked looking around to see if anybody saw. "I thought we were going to keep it D.L."

"If you want me, you have to realize Marco James is nobody's secret," I said to him as I kissed him again. He pushed me away.

"Stop," he said to me.

"Josh, I'm the only one who understands the darkness you feel in your heart," I said as he took a step back away from me, down the stairs. He lost his balance and almost fell back, but I grabbed his hand. "I'm the only one who will ever let you be yourself and allow you to delve into the darkness you feel. All I ask for is no secrets. If you want me, then everybody has to know."

Josh looked down at my hand in his hand and was confused. He wasn't gay, he knew that. But ... he was tired of not being understood ... tired of being labeled as somebody he was not. Tired of being let down. I was the only one willing to give him a chance.

"Okay," he said to me as he kissed me on the lips. "But I gotta go."

"Alright, well, I'll see you later on after school," I said as he kissed my cheek and walked off to the parking lot.

I began to feel guilt. Guilt for using Josh. Guilt for encouraging his dark motives.

Then I realized it wasn’t my guilt I was feeling….

"Shut up, Coy," I said to myself. "You won't get control again." 

Scene E

Giselle sat at the typical lunch table eating her food. She was sitting alone because Carmen wanted to get some work done in the Library, but she was hoping Ky would come sit with her so she could talk to him. Without Anthony, Josh, and Nick there, she hoped she could find him and talk.

"Why are you sitting at my table?" Ky asked, walking up to the table sitting across from her. "A table I share with my friends, and you, my dear, aren't my friend."

"I wanted to talk," Giselle said with a nervous sigh.

"Why would I want to talk to you, Giselle?" Ky asked her. "I hate you."

Giselle looked at him with a hurt look on her face. He scoffed.

"Why so surprised?" He asked, taking a fry off her tray. "I expected evilness from Darek and that group. Giselle, I actually thought you were a decent person. You knew what he had planned, and you said nothing."

"I know that," she said to him. "I know that, and I'm sorry. I'm not that vindictive bitch that I was last year."

"But see, that's just it, Gi," he said. "No matter how much you think you changed, and no matter how much you convince Carmen and Nick and all the rest that you've changed, I see the same vindictive bitch, and that will never change, my dear."

He got up, grabbed his tray, and left her sitting there, ashamed and hurt.

"Hey, Sexy," Darek said, taking a seat beside her at the table. Giselle scoffed and made a move to leave but he grabbed her hand.

"Don't touch me," she said to him before she sat back down. "What do you want besides causing more drama?"

"I wanted to see how my girl was doing," he said, rubbing her leg softly.

She grabbed his hand tightly. "One, stop touching me," She said sternly. "Two, I am not your girl."

Darek sighed. "Come on, Gisellionare," he said to her. "I know I made that deal with you last year but I really do like and care about you."

"You cost me my friends," she said to him. "I can't believe I trusted you. I can't believe I thought dating you could save Nick and Matt when in reality you manipulated me because who you really wanted was Coy and Ky."

"You cost yourself your friends," he said. "I was just the push you needed to destroy two people who hurt you."

"They didn't hurt me," Giselle said shaking her head. "You're right. I cost myself my friends."

Darek looked her in the eye. "Then come back to me, Giselle," he said playing in her hair. "Come back to me, and let's start over."

Giselle got up and grabbed her tray. "I have sunk that low, yet, to give you a second chance," she said to him before she left.

Darek watched as she walked off. "No, but you will," he said with a smile. 

Scene F 

Carmen sighed as she rubbed her temples. She was trying to figure out her homework that was due next period, but the fact that Josh was fighting, really bothered her. Fighting Anthony at that. They were supposed to be best friends, next to Josh and herself and me.

"Thinking hard?" Nate asked her as he walked up next to her. "Is this seat taken?"

Carmen looked at him, confused. Nate pointed to the chair beside her and she moved her purse. "No, take a seat," she said, before going back to her homework.

"You look too pretty to be stressed," Nate said to her, and Carmen rolled her eyes.

"Okay, look guy, I know how you little boys here at this college work," she said to him. "I'm a Senior. I know you're new, but I'm not the type of girl who falls for bullshit lines from a guy just trying to fuck."

Nate laughed softly. "Actually, I'm trying to get to know your name and trying to get to know you and put a smile on that pretty face that's frowning" he said, standing up. "But I'll leave you alone. Sorry to bother you."

Carmen watched as he walked off and realized that she was being overly hostile to a guy who hadn't done anything to her. She got up and ran after him.

"Carmen Gianni," she said, sticking her hand out. "That's my name. You're friends with Coy and Giselle right?"

Nate thought about the closeness in our friendship, yet the distance. "You could say that. I heard a lot about you from those two. I see you're more beautiful than either of them let on."

Carmen blushed slightly and smiled at him. "Are you good with Trig?"

Nate nodded. "Need some help?"

"Yep," she said to him. "I got fifteen minutes to do forty problems."

"Lucky for you, I only need ten of those fifteen minutes," he said with a smile. "The other five I'm going to use to get to know you."

Carmen smiled and led the way back to her table.

Nate laughed. 'Oh, Carmen, you pegged me very well,' he thought to himself. 'But you'll be a special fuck. I'm gonna make you my girl.' 

Scene F  

Nick and Anthony sat in their father's limo glaring at one another with annoyed looks on their faces.

"So, can you tell me why you two were fighting?" John Pagan asked his two sons.

Nick pointed at Anthony. "Ask your golden boy," he spat.

Anthony realized that if he told his father the real reason he fought Nick, he would first have to out himself ... Nick realized this as well.

"I stole Anthony's girlfriend," Nick lied. "I've been putting moves on her for awhile, and she started going out with me this morning, and Anthony got mad and we fought. End of story."

John Pagan looked at both of his sons and laughed. "Fighting over a girl? What have I told you boys about fighting anybody over a girl?" he asked them. "I raised you two to realize you are handsome young men, and Pagan's never fight over anything there is an overabundance of, especially women."

The limo parked and John Pagan climbed out. Anthony looked over at Nick.

"Thanks," he muttered with a blush.

"Consider it an apology," Nick said blushing, too. He stuck his fist out. "Brothers?"

"Best," Anthony said, knocking his fist against his brother's before they hugged and got out of the limo.

"Oh, my God ... Dad will find out about Josh," Nick said rushing toward the front door as his dad opened it.

"Who are you?" John asked Josh who lay on the couch. "Who is he?"

"Um..." Josh stammered unsure of what to say.

"Um..." Anthony stammered out.

"Um...It's a long story," Nick said to his dad.

"Cliff note it for me," John said, looking at his sons. Anthony and Nick sighed and told the story of Josh, and how he came to start living with them.

After about fifteen minutes, John Pagan looked at Josh with a stern look on his face.

"I can leave if you want," Josh said getting up off the couch.

"Sit down, son," John said and looked at Anthony and Nick. "Boys, I have never been more proud of you than I am at this very moment. That is what a Pagan does. No matter how much bad we do, we still are good people. Josh, as far as I'm concerned, you are a part of this family."

"Thank you," Josh said appreciatively. "I really didn't know where I would stay if you kicked me out."

John hugged Anthony and Nick tightly. "What do you boys say I order us some hot strippers for you guys to have your way with?"

Anthony, Josh, and Nick looked at each other with uncomfortable glances.

"Josh, do you like blondes? Brunettes? Redheads?" John asked him as he skimmed through his phone. 

Scene G 

Matt opened his front door to see me standing there. "Coy..."

"Marco," I corrected. "I need to talk to you."

"I was coming to see you and talk to you about this morning," Matt said walking out on the front porch.

"That's what I'm here for," I said. "Don't ever do what you did this morning."

"Look, I saw my Coy come out," he said angrily. "My Coy is still in there. No matter how much control you have over him, he's still there."

"You caught me off guard, and I lost control temporarily, Matt," I said to him. "Never again. I am not Coy. So stop chasing after something that will never return."

"Regardless of what is happening now," Matt said grabbing my hand. "I love Coy and when I declared my love to him. I swore that I will always be there. I am not giving up."

I pulled away from him and turned to leave. "It's dumb determination like that will get you hurt," I said walking down the steps. "Kiss me ... touch me again ... I will destroy you."

Matt watched as I walked down the steps and toward my car. He sighed to himself.

'Is he really not coming back to me?' he though to himself. 

Scene H 

Giselle walked toward Carmen, who was laughing with Nate at her locker.

"Didn't know you two were friends," she said to the pair with a smile.

"We met today in the library," Carmen said, elbowing Nate in the side. "He's a loser."

"A cute loser, though," Nate said throwing his arm around her. "You can't resist this cute loser."

Carmen laughed, and Giselle smiled softly.

"I was going to ask you if you'd want to go to the mall and do some shopping," Giselle said hopefully.

Carmen's smile faltered. "Well ... Nate, did kind of ask me to go get some ice cream with him," she said. "Then I was going to check on the boys and..."

"It's okay," Giselle said, forcing a smile. "I understand. Call me tonight, though. I want to hear about everything, and YOU … you better behave yourself, Nathan Soto."

Nate laughed, and Carmen hugged Giselle and walked off with him.

"That could be us," Darek said walking up behind Giselle. "Even when you get your friends back, things aren't the same. You're still lonely. But I'm here for you. What do you say, Giselle?"

Giselle watched as she saw how happy Carmen was and she missed being that happy. She missed having a boyfriend on her arm.

"Yes," she said without looking at him. "My answer is yes." 

To be continued... 

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