We Can't Wake Up

Marcus sat in the back of the potions room, quietly observing Anne from behind. She had her hair arranged differently; instead of leaving it out, or putting in a plait or pony-tail as she usually did, Anne had plaited her hair in a crown around her head.

Marcus’ eyes wandered to the smooth skin of her neck. He remembered how it felt underneath his skin, the satiny feel of it as he glided his fingers down her neck. He could remember the way she would look at him as she ran her fingers through his hair, the way she sighed dreamily as he kissed her neck.

Anne turned around at that moment to say something to one of her friends.
Her eyes locked with Marcus’ and she shivered as she saw the intensity in his gaze. She still hurt after his rejection of her in the clearing. She had no memory of doing anything to cause him to do that to her.

Marcus continued to watch her as her face reddened slightly and her eyes filled with tears. She blinked quickly, trying to rid her eyes of the tears. When that didn’t work, she turned back around and wiped at them.

After class Marcus walked closely behind her, letting the perfume of her skin fill his mind. She paused to pick up something she had dropped and Marcus swept past her. From the corner of his eye, he saw her look up at him and her jaw drop slightly.

After lunch, Marcus walked out into the forest, ignoring the fact that he had classes to attend. His stride was so long that he made it to the clearing even quicker than usual. He flung himself down on his back and watched as the sky above became thick with black clouds. The clouds moved so quickly, they looked like raging bulls, determined to shred each other to pieces.

Marcus couldn’t help but notice that he felt exactly like that inside. Everything was tormenting him. The thought of Anne, the thought of Anne with Percy, the holidays not being close enough so that he could carry out his plan and have Percy removed from this world. Everything was just building up.

This had never happened to him before. He had always been in control of himself; until he had first kissed Anne.

Marcus detested himself for kissing her. He was destroying himself internally, because of one girl.

Rain dripped slowly down, a drop striking Marcus’ forehead and dribbling down the side. Another hit his throat. It pooled there quietly, waiting like a lion for the kill.

Marcus could hear someone running and crying at the same time. The sound became clearer as the tempo of the rain steadily increased.

Anne burst into the clearing, running fleetly across the ground like a gazelle. She paused when she saw Marcus and then walked determinedly towards him.

Her eyes were red and swollen, tears left their mark on her face. Marcus stood and faced her. He knew that she wanted to say something to him, and he knew it was going to take all of his self control to keep his hands to himself.

Anne stopped when she was five feet away from Marcus, her upper lip twisted in anger.

“I hate you!” she spat viciously. Her words struck deeply into Marcus, ringing through his mind like bells. “You think that you can treat me like this?” her voice was rising quickly in pitch and she was almost screaming at him. Marcus quickly cast the Muffliato spell around the clearing. “I’ve never done anything wrong, I never did anything wrong and yet…..”

Anne bit her lip and shook her head as if she were trying to sort her words into order. She looked back up at him; she was crying again, her tears mixing with the rain. “What did I do Marcus? Just tell me, and then that can be the end.”

Marcus’ heart clenched tightly in his chest and he frowned minutely. “Tell you what you did wrong?” he asked her, so quietly that Anne had to move forwards to hear him. He paused and then asked “The end of what?”

“The end of me loving you Marcus. You will never love me back, I know that. You’re too…….” Anne looked searchingly into his eyes, as if she were trying to get him to contradict her words. “Tell me what I did wrong.” Marcus remained quiet. Anne hissed and stamped her foot. “Tell me what I did wrong damnit!” she screeched.

Marcus stepped forwards so that they were only thirty centimetres apart. He looked deep into Anne’s eyes. She shivered and clamped her arms to her sides.

“What did I do Marcus?” she pleaded, her voice as soft as a butterfly’s touch.

Marcus still said nothing as his hands slowly rose to her face. Anne closed her eyes as he rested his hands on her cheeks. “Nothing,” he whispered his mouth right next to her ear. “Anne, you did nothing.” he paused letting his lips gently press against her neck. “It was I who did something wrong,”

Marcus pressed his lips to her neck once more. Then with difficulty he pulled himself away from her. His fingers gently trailing her cheeks, feeling the steady rush of tears; he looked into her eyes and then left.