Marcus hurriedly pulled back from his kiss with Kira. "Kinsley, wait I can explain," Marcus said as he raised a hand towards her.
Kira wore a smug smile as she made her way behind Marcus.
Kinsley met Marcus with a cold expression. "You can explain?" She said angrily. "Not Let me explain it for you." She said with a point as she stood before Marcus. "You realized you couldn't fuck my whore of a friend on the bleachers, so you snuck back here to do it!"
Marcus grimaced. "That's not true, I came back here to take a call, I swear, she just fo–"
Kinsley swiftly pulled back her fist and punched Marcus, slobber flying out of his mouth as his head followed the motion of her punch.
"I don't want to hear your bullshit excuse!" She shouted angrily. "I gave you my trust, I wanted to make this work, and this is how you thank me?"
Marcus frowned as he tried to find an explanation.
Kinsley then turned her attention to Kira. "Lucas just wasn't enough for you, you just had to take him too, didn't you."
Kira feigned an innocent expression. "No, no, no." She said, shaking her head. "Lucas came on to me, remember." Kira then patted Marcus's back, "and Marcus, he was just exhausted."
"I'll show you fucking exhausted." Kinsley hissed as she moved to punch Kira, fortunately for her though, Kinsley was stopped by Marcus. He grabbed her wrist and held it tightly.
"Can we just talk?" Marcus asked calmly, attempting to meditate on the situation.
Kinsley frowned as she yanked her hand back. "I bet you'd just love that huh?." She said angrily. "You sneak around my back, then wanna talk your way out of it."
Kira giggled as she wrapped her arms around Marcus's waist. "You act as if you own Marcus, he can make his own decisions you know."
Kinsley ignored Kira, focusing her attention on Marcus. "I expected this crap from her, sooner or later she'd have made her move." Kinsley shook her head, "but you, I expected better."
"I…." Marcus struggled to find the words to express his feelings. "I don't like Kira." He stated, "I really don't, but she's attractive and she's really persistent, so the logical part of my mind vanished."
Kinsley shook her head, turning her attention towards Kira. "We need to talk, now." She said sternly, reaching behind Marcus and grabbing Kira's arm.
Kira giggled as she released Marcus. "Oh Kinsley, it was just a little harmless fun." She teased.
Marcus felt a pang of guilt as he watched Kinsley drag Kira into the girl's locker room. He was so confused, angry, and frustrated…..
— — —
Meanwhile, inside the girl's locker room. Kinsley dragged Kira into a corner between a row of lockers and the wall.
"Start talking," Kinsley demanded as she stood over Kira, her expression stern and her eyes narrowed.
Kira smirked. "I already told you, Marcus was just tired from a long day's work…" she explained. Grinning all the while.
"So you kissed him?" Kinsley asked sarcastically. "Marcus is an idiot, so I know he didn't persuade you to do that." Kinsley then leaned closer, her eyes staring into Kira like daggers. "Kira, I am not in the mood for your antics." She said coldly.
Kira softly giggled as she averted her gaze. "I mean, maybe he's just faking it, at least that's what I think, it's too bad you interrupted us… "Kira trailed off, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Kinsley sighed as she stepped away from Kira. "So what was it for?" She asked in frustration. "What tipped you off about him." She asked with a sigh.
Kira shrugged, feigning ignorance. "I haven't the faintest clue of what you mean."
Kinsley shook her head. "You're manipulative, but not to my detriment," Kinsley replied. "Something tipped you off about him, what was it."
Kira sighed as she crossed her arms, finally dropping the act. "I've always had my suspicions," Kira said semi-seriously. "About him and Felix, but after they left the first time, I didn't care to look into them."
"Ok," Kinsley said, turning to face Kira completely. "So what changed?"
"Marcus coming back," Kira said bluntly. "Or rather, what he did when coming back." She further added.
"You mean the issue surrounding our argument?"
Kira nodded. "Yeah, I thought he was just using you as cover for whatever nefarious 'work' he was doing." She explained. "And I figured if he was using you as cover, that maybe he didn't actually like you, and I could use that to pry information out of him, with sex if I had to."
Kinsley frowned, "so what changed?"
"Nothing really, you caught me before I could do anything." She said with a smirk. "But, I did listen in on a phone call he had."
Kinsley raised an eyebrow. "Phone call?"
Kira nodded, her grin widening. "Yeah, Marcus was conversing with who I assume is his boss or handler maybe." She said with a tap on her chin. "She informed him of a rift opening in New York, something about a rank-three anomaly."
"What?" Kinsley said in confusion, her face contorting to show it.
Kira smirked as she continued. "And that's not all, apparently Marcus is a high-ranking officer, he's ranked three too." She explained, she then frowned. "But, whatever is happening in New York, Marcus is afraid of it, he was scared to go by himself."
Kinsley's expression grew sympathetic at the mention of Marcus being afraid. She covered her mouth as she looked down. "Marcus?" She said softly, "I couldn't imagine him being scared, he's stubborn but scared?"
Kira nodded as she crossed his arms. "Whatever it is, Marcus believes there's a chance of him dying." She continued. "When he told me we'd have a proper talk, he made sure to add, if I survive, to it."
Kinsley's expression fell. Her eyes widened slightly as she raised an eyebrow. "I don't even know what to think." She said softly. "None of this makes sense."
Kira frowned. "Well I could've learned more, but someone had to get so emotional over a guy she just met." She muttered under her breath.
Kinsley rolled her eyes, removing her hand from her mouth. "So what, I'm supposed to watch as you do what a whore does best?" She replied bluntly. "Sorry, but I rather never find out his secret than watch you do that rubbish again."
Kira sighed as she threw her hands up. "So are you going to ask him then?" She joked. "He won't talk, his lips are sealed tighter than a gnat's ass."
"W-what?" Kinsley stammered with a chuckle.
"Hmm?" Kira said, tilting her head slightly to the left.
"Nothing," Kinsley said, shaking her hand as she turned towards the exit. "Just stay away from Marcus, I'll take over with figuring out his secret."
Kira shrugged. "Fine, I'll be back at the bleachers."
"Tell the coach I'm almost done using the restroom," Kinsley said as she stepped outside.
"Fine."
— — —
Marcus sat in the grass. His arms over his knees as he held his head down. His cheek still stinging from Kinsley's punch.
He couldn't catch a break. From the fight with Susan to Kira listening in on his conversation.
And to top it off, Kinsley was probably about to dump him. He couldn't even get mad if she dumped him.
He couldn't even imagine what he'd have done if he walked in on Kinsley kissing Felix.
Marcus probably would've cried.
Tears began welling in his eyes as he thought about everything. He fought to keep them down, yet it proved to be challenging. "It's not fair." He whispered to himself softly, his voice trembling slightly. "I didn't even do anything."
But that was the problem, wasn't it?
Him doing nothing.
Just then, Marcus heard the soft footsteps of some approaching in the grass. Looking up, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. It was Kinsley.
"Marc–"
"I'm sorry," Marcus said, cutting her off before she spoke. "I… I know you don't want to hear that from me, but I just want you to know I'm sorry."
Kinsley sighed softly crossing her arms as she continued to approach him. "We can discuss that later." She said gently, squatting down beside Marcus once she was close enough. "But now I need to know, what are you involved in?" She asked.
Marcus sighed as he averted his gaze. Of course, Kira told Kinsley about that phone call. "I already told you, that stays private."
Kinsley sighed as she looked down. "Why can't you tell me?" She asked softly.
Marcus frowned. "Because it's complicated." He replied. "And even if you did know, what good would that information do, besides putting you in danger?"
"Is there nothing I could do to help you?"
Marcus nodded. "Yes, there really isn't anything." He answered. He then sighed. "I can barely handle what I come across on a regular basis. I've been deluding myself by hiding my fear, but after a recent fight, I lost it…. I can't even remember how I won."
Kinsley nodded, quietly listening to him.
Marcus's tears slowly began to fall. "And now I'm supposed to just…" Marcus bit his bottom lip as he looked out onto the outstretched campus. He hated what was happening. He hated crying like he did in the past. He hated feeling scared. He never wanted to feel fear again, yet here he was.
Crying his eyes out like a child.
Marcus sighed deeply as he reached for a hand to wipe his tears. "I have to leave tonight." She said softly. "So, can I just sleep in your room until then?" Marcus asked, his gaze focused on the ground.
Kinsley shook her head no. "We need to talk Marcus, about your job, about us, everything." She said softly, reaching a gentle hand to the sane cheek she struck mere moments ago. "But right now I have to finish practice, can you wait on the bleachers with Luna until I'm done?"
Marcus remained silent, he didn't know what to say, or how he even felt at the moment.
Kinsley sighed softly as she grabbed Marcus's hand. "Come on, and don't worry, I'll be sure to keep Kira away from you."
Marcus nodded as she rose up from the grass with Kinsley. She then led him back towards the training pitch, with their hands still intertwined.
Kinsley led Marcus towards the bleachers, bringing him between two students, who were watching their friends practice. "Can he sit with you?" Kinsley asked, gesturing towards the downcast Marcus.
One of the students, a younger guy, probably around Marcus's age stammered. "S-sure, " he said, gathering his book and tablet. "Move over Roger." He said to the other student he was sitting with.
"Thanks," Kinsley said as she sat Marcus between them. She then looked at Marcus once more, a tender smile dancing on her lips. "Just two hours, ok?"
Marcus silently nodded.
"Kins!" The coach yelled, spotting her from the bench. "If you're done in the loo, get your arse back over here!"
Kinsley gave a thumbs up. "Be there in a second!" She called out. Jogging backwards as she studied Marcus for a quick moment, before sprinting back towards the center of the pitch.
Marcus quietly sat at the edge of the bleacher row. His mind was filled with chaos, confusion, and turmoil.
His expression was blank.
Just then, Marcus felt a familiar presence growing closer. Turning around, he saw Luna, approaching from where he had been sitting earlier. Her silver eyes filled with concern and worry. "Marcus." She said softly as she finally reached him.
Marcus's hands almost instinctively reached for her. He quickly scooped her up from behind him and brought her to his lap. "What's wrong Marcus?" She asked softly, looking up at him, her head on his chest.
Marcus softly smiled as he kissed Luna's smooth forehead. "I'll talk about it later." He said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Let's just watch Kinsley for now."
"O-ok," Luna said softly. She then looked down at Kinsley's phone, which she still held. "Do you want to read with me?" She asked.
Marcus nodded. "Sure." He replied, grateful for the distraction.
Unbeknownst to him, Kira looked down at him from a higher bleacher row. A mischievous glint in her eyes as she leaned forward, crossing her arms in her lap.