Halo IV
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 5
Bad Romance

Scene A

Giselle wiped her mouth as she had gotten finished throwing up in the bathroom. This had been going on for almost a week now and she didn’t know what was going on. 

She flushed the toilet and headed out of the stall to see Carmen standing there propped up against the sink. 

"Yeah, I recognize those knock-off guicci shoes anywhere," Carmen said with a sly smile. 

Giselle sighed and walked to the sink. "Really now, Carmen? Are you going to seriously do the bitch thing? It’s seriously not a good look for you." 

"Sweetie, it looks like you are getting thick around that tummy of yours," Carmen retorted back. "Is that why you are in there practicing bulimia?" 

"I am not bulimic," Giselle said as she washed her hands. "I am just sick." 

Carmen shrugged and folded her arms. "Yeah, I guess if I were you I would be sick of me too." 

Giselle sighed and cut the water off. "Carmen, what is your problem?" 

"What do you mean?" Carmen asked as she checked her make-up in the mirror. 

"I mean that you are just…turning into a total bitch," Giselle said. "You don’t have to act like that to us. We are your friends." 

"You are not my friends," Carmen Corrected her as she reapplied her lip gloss. "You guys are major annoyances that needed to be cut out of my life. You’re gone so leave me be." 

Giselle didn’t know what else to say.

Carmen headed towards the door and opened it but stopped. "Consider this my last friend duty," She said to her. "Get a pregnancy test." 

Giselle looked at her stomach in the reflection of the mirror.

"I am not pregnant…Am I?" She asked herself, now confused.

Scene B

I walked into school and immediately I felt like something was weird. All eyes were on me and when I looked people in the face they had these confused looks on their face.

I walked over to Giselle, who stood with Josh, Nick, and Ky.

"This reminds me too much of that time Ky pretended to be me," I said to the four of them. "What is going on?"

Nobody wanted to look at me in the eye.

"Guys," I said folding my arms. "What in the hell is going?"

Ky unraveled a paper and handed it to me.

I looked at it. It was a flyer of me…drunk and passed out.

"But this isn’t me…I mean it is me but it’s not…You know what I mean," I said frustrated.

It was during the Marco phase of my life. Some party I really didn't remember. 

"Who did this?" I asked them.

"Who do you think?" Giselle asked motioning behind me as I turned to see Jacob walking towards us.

"Did you like my flyers, Coy?" he asked us with a cheerful smile on his face.

"Dude, you aren’t even funny," Josh said to him. "I have half a mind…"

"Josh, you don’t even half a mind," Jacob interjected. "Between your drug addictions & what not."

Josh made a move but Ky, Nick, and I blocked him from moving.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him.

"Because I want people to know who they may potentially, if by some unlucky circumstance, get as a president," He said clearing his throat.

"Coy had a bad time last year…but a lot of people know Coy is a pretty good guy," Nick said to Jacob. 

"I could report you for this," I said to him. "This shit is slander."

"Such a filthy mouth, Coy," He said with a smile. "Do you suck Matt’s dick with that potty mouth? Besides, it’s not slander. It actually happened. I understand you had a lot of issues Last year but I didn’t say anything that wasn’t untrue."

"You are using my misfortunes as ammunition against me for your campaign," I said to him.

"I don’t need ammunition to defend myself, Coy," He said to me. "Trust me, you are not a threat to me. But doesn’t hurt to destroy you as I once again run this campus."

He patted me on the shoulder. "It’s not too late to back out and have a dignified defeat. Nobody will think less of you than they already do."

"It’s not too late to take your hand off my shoulder before I break it," I said with a glare. "I am not backing out. I am going to fight this till the end of the elections."

"Well, may the best man win," Jacob said with a snort.

He walked off leaving us there in shock.

Nate walked past us and I grabbed his arm. 

"Need…You…Now," I said to him as I pulled him past me.

"Just what I wanted to hear," Nate said with a sly smile.

"Hey, babe," Matt said to me as I walked past him.

“Now is not good,” I said as I walked past him, dragging Nate along with me. 

"I can’t get a hug or a kiss," He called out to my retreating back.

"He’s just busy," Nick said to try to make Matt feel better.

"Yeah, with the dude I hate and who wants him," Matt said with a frown.

Scene C

Daniel reached down to grab his bag and turn to see Anthony standing there, startling him.

"What the hell babe?" Daniel said clutching his chest.

He hit Anthony in the chest.

"Ow, that hurt," Anthony said frowning.

"That scared me," Daniel said with a smile. "Now we are even."

"Funny," Anthony said still rubbing his chest. "How’d you sleep last night?"

"Very well," Daniel said with a smile. "Knowing that I have an amazing guy makes me sleep like a baby."

Anthony laughed. "I am kind of amazing, aren’t I?"

"Kind of cocky too," Daniel retorted. "We should do something today."

Anthony noticed Damien ahead and grew nervous, as he hadn’t officially broken up with him yet.

"Anthony?"

"Hmm?" Anthony asked snapping out of his thoughts.

"I said we should do something today," Daniel repeated to his boyfriend.

"Um yeah…sure," Anthony said growing even more nervous as Damien made his way to the two of them.

"Aw, how cute," Damien said with a mocking smile.  

Daniel rolled his eyes. "I really hope he dies a slow, painful death. He is so….Holier than thou and I hate that."

"Mhm," Anthony said as he thought about how he was going to break up with Damien for Daniel.

"I really want to go see that new movie ‘The taking of the crows," Daniel continued. "It’s like a love-story between these 2 gay guys. Sounds good."

Anthony’s phone vibrated and he opened it to see a text from Damien.

Break up with the dead weight…SOON!!! I hate him so baddd and I want to rub us in his face!

I am feeling horny and ready to fuck…Meet me later today…Our spot. 

Damien 

Anthony sighed as he realized this is what Damien wanted. To tempt him.

"Anthony?" Daniel asked him and Anthony looked up. 

"Sounds like a good idea, babe," Anthony said with a tight smile. 

Scene D

Josh walked out of his class, having to run to his car to get his textbook. He had been so scatterbrained with everything that was going on over the past few weeks and luckily, he had a pretty cool teacher.

He walked outside and towards his car. He loved how his Car was parked in shade. He had one of the better parking spots as opposed to Matt who had to park in the underclassmen parking lot which were subject to vandalism because he didn’t turn his papers in on time.

Josh opened his Car door to grab his book. He looked down a few Cars to see a kid from the football team, that he didn’t like, Frandy Riverra with his eyes closed and mouthing something.

He didn’t pay it any mind and he grabbed his book and was about to shut his door but noticed under his seat was a bong and a needle.

He picked them up for a second and looked at them and memories began to fade back.

"Did I really think it was easier back then?" He thought to himself. He placed it in his glove-compartment to throw away later.

He shut his door which alerted Frandy who’s eyes opened. Josh frowned at him, as it was common knowledge that neither boy really were fond of the other. Frandy and Josh hung in two different circles…Josh with the football & basketball players and Frandy with the wrestlers & baseball players. For some reason, there was animosity between their select groups over the past few years and they hated each other for it.

However, he was shocked when Carmen’s head lifted up from obviously being in his lap.

Carmen looked shocked as she saw Josh standing there but her face immediately registered this dark look that Josh had never seen on her face.

He headed back towards the building. 

"You told me, you were going to keep lookout," Carmen said to Frandy as she got out the car and followed after Josh.

She had to run in her heels to catch up with the fast football player. She jumped in front of him. 

"Get out of my way, Carmen," He said to her not wanting to look her in the face.

"What are you so mad about, josh?" She asked him. "That I am with Frandy?" 

Josh was annoyed by that but that wasn’t the main reason why he was mad at her. It was what she was doing with Frandy.

"Before we dated, I remember a conversation you, Coy, and I had about what we would never do as far as sex was concerned," Josh said to her. "Coy would never eat ass, I would never fuck a dude in the ass…"

"Looks like you did that," Carmen said sarcastically. "More than once."

"That wasn’t me, that was the drugs," He said defensively. "You said you would never give anybody head. You never did it with me. What you were doing in the car with Frandy…Who you are being is not you."

"It is me," She said to him pointedly. "I am sorry that you guys want me to be the Carmen who is always there dealing with your drama and allowing you to break my heart over and over again. I am sorry but I am done with that girl. It’s senior year…I am re-inventing myself."

"If you want to be mad at me, be mad," Josh said to her. "But don’t change who you are because of me. I am not worth it."

"You are right, Josh," She said to him with a tight smile. "You aren’t worth it. That’s why I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for me. I need to get rid of all of you and live my life in a new, fun way. I am having fun…without you. Without any of you."

Frandy walked over towards the two. "Carmen, hope I am not interrupting anything. I would hate to be like some people." 

Josh eyed Frandy angrily. He wasn’t really thrilled about this. He loved Carmen and it would hurt him to see her with another boyfriend but he would be okay if it was somebody other than Frandy. He was bad news and tended to exploit weak, emotional girls like Carmen and used them. 

"You’re not interrupting anything," Carmen said locking hands with Frandy and eyeing Josh with a devious smile.

Josh’s heart was crushing. He had to do something. To show her that he cared…That he didn’t want this. He didn’t want this girl in front of him. He wanted the Carmen he knew, loved, and to this day always loved.

"Carmen…don’t do this," Josh pleaded.

He didn’t care about Frandy’s mocking smile. He just cared about trying to get through to Carmen.

"I know I fucked up…Bad," He said to her. "I’ll apologize and do whatever I have to do to make it up to you as much as I need to. Whatever you want me to do."

"Then stay out of my life." Carmen said to him, voice full of coldness and harshness.

She made a move to leave but Josh reached out for her but was met with Frandy’s buff bod.

Carmen turned around to see Frandy and Josh face to face. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, she realized Josh wasn’t really the most aggressive anymore and was worried. He was on a road to pacifism she had heard from Giselle awhile back and Frandy was ruthless when it came to fights.

"Get out of my way," Josh said looking Frandy dead in the eye.

"Or what? You going to fight me?" Frandy asked him. "If I remember correctly, you have to stay out of trouble this year. No drugs...No fights...No anything. If you get caught, then you get shipped back to rehab and you can say bye-bye to graduating this year. That’s what I heard you tell Coach." 

Carmen wasn’t aware of this and it intrigued her a bit. 

"Carmen, just please listen," Josh said trying to move past Frandy, who shoved him back hard causing him to fall back on the ground.

Carmen gasped as she expected Josh to jump up and knock Frandy out. However, Josh just sat there feeling helpless.

"Let’s go," Carmen said grabbing Frandy’s arm.

Frandy laughed and followed behind Carmen.

"I love you," Josh called out to her. "I always have…I always will…No matter what."

Carmen stopped and looked back at Josh. She could tell he meant it. She knew he was sorry. She felt it. She could tell because he didn’t react to Frandy pushing him.

But she remembered…The nights she would worry about where he was. The times they had dates but he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The forgotten dates. The forgotten relationship. The relationship with Marco. How he chose the drugs over her.

She knew he loved her but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because all she needed to know was that she hated Josh.

Josh felt a glimmer of hope as he saw the Carmen he once knew, shinning through all the make-up and smiled at her. It faltered when he noticed the cold look on her face.

"I don’t love you," She said and turned to continue walking with Frandy behind her.

Josh stood up, crushed and not knowing what to do or expect from now on. 

Scene E

Jacob looked up from his studying in the library as Nate took a seat in the chair across from him. Frowning, Jacob closed the book and stared narrowly at him.

"What’s up?" Nate asked Jacob with a perky smile on his face.

"Exactly, what is up with you sitting here…bothering me," Jacob said annoyed. "I am busy."

"Worrying about how Coy is going to destroy you in the elections?" Nate asked with a sly smile.

Jacob laughed loudly but blushed as he noticed people look at him with annoyed expressions. "Nathan, Nathan, Nathan," Jacob said as he sat back in his seat. "What makes you think Coy has a chance in hell in winning this election?"

"What makes you think they you have a chance?" Nate asked him.

"I have been involved in student government for quite a few years," Jacob explained. "Coy has no experience in government. The people don’t want an Obama like president. Sorry, no black vote here. I’m half black."

"Coy might not have the experience that you have, Sir arrogant but Coy does have a great deal of support in

this school," Nate said to him. "His boyfriend and most of his friends control most of the athletics in the school and is guaranteed the majority of the votes. Coy is also influential with academics because he is smart as hell. Tell me, aren’t you also trying for valedictorian as well. Coy has a GPA well over 4.0 and I checked this morning…Jacob Kimble has only a 3.89 GPA." 

Jacob’s face flushed a dark red. It has been his dream to not only be student president but valedictorian as well.

"Why do you care?" Jacob asked, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"I want to help the needy and you needy my help," Nate said to him.

"What do you get out of this?" Jacob asked him. "I am not sleeping with you. I’m not gay."

"And I have standards that you don’t meet," Nate retorted. "Don’t flatter yourself. I want to help you destroy Coy but I need your help to destroy Matt."

"Matt? Gleisner? His boyfriend?" Jacob asked nervously.

"I hope you aren’t afraid of him," Nate scoffed.

"He has a reputation of getting very defensive when Coy is involved," Jacob said simply. "I kind of like my face the way it is arranged."

"Do you want my help or not?" Nate asked him. "Because you will not win this election without me."

Jacob stared Nate in the eye. He wasn’t sure if he could trust him but was he willing to risk something that has been his dream on not trusting Nate.

Realizing he was making a deal with the devil, Jacob nodded his head softly. "What do you plan to do to get me to win if Coy has all this support?"

"The whole school thinks of Coy as a saint and he can do no wrong," Nate explained. "I say we destroy the image Coy has and make him one of our own."

Jacob was truly intrigued by this plan.

"How? When?" 

"You let me worry about How….when is tonight," Nate said standing up. "Elections are tomorrow morning and Kyle Bradley is having a gathering at his house. To celebrate fall break starting. Be there. Let them know you are a friend of mine."

Jacob watched Nate walk out of the library. He was nervous and thrilled to see what was going to happen tonight.

He had to win this election because if he didn’t…He didn’t know what would happen. 

Scene F

Anthony walked out of his class, deciding to head to the gym instead of meeting everyone for lunch. He needed some time to himself.

Suddenly, he was pulled down a hall by Damien.

"Damien…what the hell?" Anthony asked as he shook him off.

"I’m horny," Damien said with a smile. "I need your help to get rid of the feeling. Relieve my stress….I got a lot of stress pent up inside me right now."

Damien bit his lip in that seductive way that Anthony liked. Anthony could feel his jeans tightening as he stood in front of Damien.

"I…I’m not in the mood," Anthony stammered softly.

Damien squeezed Anthony’s dick firmly. "Not even in the mood for me."

"Damien, stop somebody might see," Anthony said, feeling it near impossible to say no to Damien. He was very enticing and Anthony was so turned on by him right now.

"You know I like to show off," Damien said kissing him softly.

Anthony’s cell phone rang "The One" by Mary J. Blige….Daniel’s ringtone.

"Stop," Anthony said shoving Damien back hard.

Damien looked at him with shock and anger registered on his face. He wasn’t used to be told stop very often and especially not so forcefully like that.

"Stop what? You know as well as I do that you want it…and I want to give it to you," Damien said. "No need to front. I’ve been fucked by you plenty of times. I know what makes you hot. I know what makes you scream. I know what makes you cum in your pants without me touching you….Me. So why are you trying to resist me."

"Because of him," Anthony said shoving his phone into Damien’s face to show him the wallpaper of Daniel & him kissing.

Damien frowned. "Okay, why are you showing me this peasant."

"Because I fucking love him," Anthony said to him. "I love Daniel Rodriguez and I never experienced love before. You want to know why I am resisting you? Because I don’t love you Damien. I just want to fuck you."

Damien’s face cracked…He tried to force a false sense of strength but he couldn’t. Damien was very experienced sexually and he had no problem fulfilling any and every guys sexual fantasy and desire so as long as he was happy. But Anthony made him want to do more than be a sexual outlet. He wanted what Daniel was taking from him…Anthony. All he wanted was Anthony.

"Quoting Taylor Swift, you belong with me," Damien said trying to make a joke and ease the obvious tension between the two of them.

"Why? Because of the sex?" Anthony asked incredulously. "I risked Daniel the first time because I thought maybe you could be what I wanted but obviously you can’t…and aren’t."

"No…not because of the sex," Damien said as he struggled to say the words. "Because…Because…."

"Because what?" Anthony asked him annoyed.

"I love you, Anthony," Damien said softly.

It was so soft Anthony barely heard him. Damien looked at Anthony expectantly. Hoping that they could forget this conversation & Daniel and do what they do best. However, he was met with this blank look.

Anthony’s cell rang again and Damien’s heart sunk.

"I…gotta go," Anthony said leaving Damien standing their.

He had never told a boy he loved them and the first time he did…he was left standing there all alone. 

Scene G

"I can’t believe she dissed you like that," Ky said as he sat with Josh, Nick, and Matt in Mcdonald’s. It was after school and there was no practice today, so they decided to chill for awhile.

"For Frandy at that," Matt said shaking his head. "That dude has bad news written all over him."

Josh poked at his hamburger with his straw not really paying attention. Nick looked across at him…He worried. It was amazing how their friendship had developed. When they first met, Anthony & Nick didn’t like Josh and the feeling was mutual. But when they found out about Josh’s abusive father and the resulting drugs…Things changed drastically between them. Besides Anthony, Nick never had a best friend…Ky was his best friend but he was also his boyfriend. Josh was truly Nick’s best friend and he saw how sad he looked and was worried.

"You going to be okay, man?" Nick asked him.

Matt & Ky looked at Josh, awaiting an answer. Josh looked at the three of them.

"What? You think because I’m a recovering addict that I am going to relapse back into drugs?" He asked them angrily.

He wasn’t really angry at them but it was so easy to take out his frustrations on them.

"Josh…I don’t think it’s what he meant," Matt said a little taken aback by Josh’s outburst.

"You know I saw a bong and a needle in my junkie ass car and it was a defining moment for me," He said to them. "I am fucking hurting now because the guy that I love is with some dude and is running away from me into the arms of the devil because I hurt her…I broke her heart. Whenever I took drugs, it numbed me and for a second…I wanted that numbing feeling again. But what I want more is Carmen. I can’t have that and it’s fucking pissing me off and it pisses me off that you think I am going to relapse."

"Josh, I didn’t say that," Nick said starting to get annoyed.

"If somebody ask you are you okay or going to be okay…they don’t have the thoughts of you being a junkie in their heads but when they ask me…Do you think they forget I was strung out on hardcore drugs?" He asked them. "I know what you guys mean when you ask am I okay."

"We are only concerned for you," Nick said to him. "You are right. I do worry about you. We all worry about you. Because you were such a good ass guy…the best…and you had some shitty cards dealt to you and you didn’t handle that the best way. Josh, you are my best friend because I was the first person to know you were in hell. Coy nor Ky knew. It was Anthony & I…I love you man and I see you hurting and I don’t want the same thing happening over again. You were a good person then…And you are a greater person now because you learned from the mistakes you made. I…We just all worry about you and I guess we do hold on to you too tightly."

Josh nodded his head softly. "I….I guess this is what I deserve and I get mad….If she is happy…"

"She isn’t happy, josh," Matt said to him. "She is hurting."

"But she won’t allow him or any of us in so I say fuck her and forget her," Ky said with a shurg. "Anyway…changing the subject…Are we going to KB’s party tonight?"

"Yeah, I need something to take my mind off of Carmen and Frandy," Josh said with a sigh. He looked over at Matt. "What about you? You taking Coy?"

"Ha, I really don’t know," Matt said with a half-chuckle. "We’ve barely talked and now it seems like Nate is occupying so much of his time. It will be such a relief when these damn elections are over."

"Do you think Coy has a thing for Nate…seriously?" Nick asked him.

"They do have a very twisted & crazy past…no pun intended," Matt said to him. "I don’t know. I love Coy so much but this relationship seriously has so much more negatives then it does positives. Sometimes I wonder is it worth it."

Ky patted him on the back. "I always say…in order to have a meaningful relationship you have to do more then love the person you are with. You have to want to go the end of the world with them. You have to want them…want it." 

Matt looked down at the table. Did he really want this relationship anymore?

It had been going on three years….three years of pain, fear, lies, deception, heartbreak, and little love.

"It’s hard to remember why I fell in love with you, Coy," he thought to himself. 

Scene H

Nate opened his door to see me with a pissed off look on my face. "Coy, my friend…what brings you here to my lovely casa?"

"This," I said flashing the picture of me half-naked to him "You are selling pictures of me? Better yet of Marco. All these pictures are during that time. Nate, what the hell?"

"Coy, you’re extremely hot," Nate explained as I walked into his house. "You would be surprised how many DL guys want to use you as their jerk-off material. I can’t reveal their idenities but these will be votes for your election."

"I am not a porn star, Nate," I said throwing my hands up in the air. "I want to get votes in a fair way not use my looks or anything to get votes. That makes me even more pathetic than Jacob himself."

"It makes you smart," Nate said to me biting his lip. "Use your nice ass…ets and get the votes."

I rolled my eyes. "No more of this crap out there between now & elections…Deal?"

Nate sighed and pouted. "Deal…jerk."

I smiled as my cell rang. "Hey babe," I answered with a smile.

"Where are you?" Matt asked me.

I looked back at Nate before turning my attention back to the phone.

"I am at Giselle’s talking about the elections," I lied and Nate smiled to himself.

"Perhaps, this will be easier than I thought," He thought to himself.

"Cool…Hey, I don’t want to keep you but I wanted you to come with me to this guy’s party tonight," He said to me. "You can’t say no though. I feel like I haven’t seen you in awhile."

"You saw me today at school," I said with a half-chuckle.

"Coy…" He said making me feel bad.

"Fine…But I am not drinking and I doubt I will be staying that long," I said to him with a sigh. 

"Alright, Kyle Bradley is hosting it…I took you there once before during the summer," Matt said to me. "You remember?"

Nate cleared his throat to get my attention.

"Yeah, I remember but I got to go," I said to him. "love you. Bye. See you tonight."

I hung the phone up before he had a chance to explain.

"Nobody likes a liar," Nate said with a sly smile.

"Shut up," I said to him rolling my eyes. "I didn’t want him to get mad that I was here. I am going to need your help getting to Kyle Bradley’s party."

I noticed him smiling hard about something.

"What are you up to?" I asked him.

He shook his head

"Nothing much," He said to me with a smile. 

To be continued...