`` Oh so -artsy- (Marcus)

[Kayleigh Santiago]

x

There are no raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses
It's sleeping with roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And add few more of your least favorite things
__________________________________________________

Kayleigh didn't want to be here. Well, not at the specific moment. Her mother had fallen ill, and she desperately wanted to be there with her family to help them. But no. She was stuck here, in this God forsaken place. Why in the hell had she agreed to come anyway? Oh yeah, that's right. Because her parents wanted her to control her power and learn about it more. What in the hell did she care? She begged her father on the phone if she could fly back to Maine, but he simply refused. He played the "everything's fine here, she'll get better soon" card, when Kayleigh knew it was a bunch of crock. She hated when people tried to spare her her feelings.

But she understood why her father did it. He didn't want her to worry - if it were her kid, she'd probably do the same thing. But telling her not to worry only makes her worry more. The sky was dark, and she could feel the guards' gaze on her. "Calm the hell down," she muttered. "Don't look at me too hard - you might give yourself a hemorrhoid." She sighed, looking out at the free streets beyond the giant gate. It's like a prison here, she thought.

Kayleigh sighed. The main reason she came down to the gate was to... well, draw it. Drawing helped get her mind off of things quite easily. She walked over to the big tower, sitting on the grass with her back leaning against the stone structure. She could still feel the guards' eyes on her. She wanted so badly to just make the tower fall and watch him go down with it. Stubbornly, she pushed the thought out of her mind. She was so annoyed she felt like she needed a cigarette to calm her nerves. Which, she probably did. But until she got her hands on one, drawing would suffice. She took her drawing pencil out from her coat and began to etch, her hand gliding over the page as if she were drawing on air.

[/size][/blockquote]

[Marcus Harding]

Why did life have to be hell? Why was it that everytime something good was going for Marcus it was all of a sudden messed right up again? This as well as several other questions were running through Marcus' head. He sighed gently to himself as he started to walk down the grand steps of the academy. He reached down towards the zipper of his black hoodie, and zipped it up partially. He shook his head as he recalled his events in his mind. His friend layed dying on a hospital bed due to liver failure, His dad had recently got laid off his job due to the economic chrisis, and what made it all worse was he almost got caught doing his job.

He kept walking though, remaining silent as he did so, digging his hands into his faded blue jean pockets. He saw a girl standing at the gates, but then she moved to the tower, sitting down with her back against it, a sketch pad and pencil in her hands. He heard her comment and laughed softly as he approached her.

"Too late on that!"

He joked back as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, taking one and placing it in between his lips. He drew his lighter and lit it, taking several puffs to get it full lighted.

"Hope you dont mind."

He sat beside her, laying the pack and lighter beside him. If she did care, oh well.

"I'm Marcus"

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh barely needed to glance up at the gate to see if her drawing was a match. She knew it was. After all, there really wasn't much to it - a few bars and then grass and trees and a dirt road on the other side. She paused, crinkled her nose, and looked up. Okay, so maybe there was a little bit more to that. But not much. She turned her eyes back down to her drawing and then jumped as she heard a voice. Her pencil strayed, creating a line through one one of the bars for the gate on the page. She looked up quickly and let out a soft laugh at the boys' comment. "Yeah, well, maybe he should stop eating so much corn. Doesn't digest and feels like bricks popping out of your ass." She tried to smile and managed a small yet soft one.

Kayleigh blinked her eyes as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Speaking of the Devil, she thought. She looked up at his face, noticing his green eyes and then to the cigarette he placed between his lips. "You smoke?" she asked, then snorted. "Of course you do. You only have one in your mouth. Do you think I could have one?" she asked with that same strained smile. "And, I'm Kayleigh."

[Marcus Harding]

"Hahahahaha"

He laughed at her little joke and managed to smiled back softly. He tried his best, but the cigarette purged between his lips made it hard. He looked at her drawing as he took random puffs off of his cigarette. He chuckled again at the drawing, seeing the line through the gate bar that he made when he scared her.

"Sorry about the drawing"

He gestured towards the mark and smiled, trying to be nice and make up for it. He heard her ask about his cigarettes and grinned. He reached down, pickg up the pack and the lighter and handed it to her.

"Knock yourself out!"

He grinned as he took another draw of his cigarette. He drew it back from his lips as he let out a puff of smoke int eh form of a soild ring. He chuckled, just trying to show off a bit as he took another hit off his cigarette.

"Smokings bad for you ya know?"

He chuckled at his little joke, his soft river green eyes glancing her up and down. She seemed alright, very friendly, and a smoker, that was a plus. He shook the thoughts out of his head and waited.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh's nose crinkled again as she glanced down at her sketch. "Don't worry about it. Erasers are magic." She smiled, beginning to like Marcus already. He seemed like a pretty cool guy, and from what Kayleigh gathered since her freshman year here, there weren't many of those around. And he also didn't mine sharing his nicotine sticks. Not many people were like that either. She smiled as he handed her the pack and the lighter. "Thanks," she said as she pulled a cigarette from the cardboard packaging, putting it in her mouth and lighting it. She took a puff and exhaled slowly, already feeling her nerves subsiding. "I really needed that. Thanks again. Really." Now that her nerves weren't so much of a factor, she gave him one of her 'good' smiles.

Kayleigh turned her head to him at his last comment and laughed. "Oh, okay. You're one to talk, mister." She gave him a little wink and chuckled. She set her sketch pad and pencil aside and stretched out her long legs, taking another puff of the cigarette. The guard had finally looked away. She smiled softly and looked back at Marcus. "So, Marcus," she said, wanting to get use to his name. "What, may I ask, are you doing out here at night?" She waited patiently for an answer, and as she did, she noted his black messy hair and again his green eyes. She noticed she was staring and reluctantly turned her eyes away.

[Marcus Harding]

"Yes I am the one to talk"

He said playfully, trying not to sound like a smart ass. eh felt relieved that she wasn't going to go off on him about the drawing. Most artist felt like if they scre wup once, they have to start all over, but she didn't seem like that kind of girl. He notcied her streatching out her legs and quickly followed, his leg falling asleep from where he was sitting indian style on it.

He smiled as he finished his cigarette, flicking the end off into the grass to leave a soft burnt patch. He grabbed another one and repeated the process of lighting it.

"Just to think, and hang out really. What about you?"

He looked over at her and found himself staring into her eyes. He saw her look away and did the same, a light blush taking over his cheeks. He didn't know what his problem was around her, and he never blushed! He raised a hand to his cheek to make sure, and felt the warm sensation transfer to his hand and he blushed harder. 'Oh god I really hope she doesn't see' he said as he bit his lip.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh grinned at his playful tone. She took a puff of the cigarette, shivering slightly as a light, cold wind blew her hair around. She let the smoke out through her nose, making it seem like she was a dragon. She laughed. Somehow, just having him around her made her feel better at her situation with her family. But she still didn't forget about the problem back home. She gave a sigh and put the cigarette out on the grass. She then flicked the butt and watched it fly through the air and land a foot or so away.

"Thinking," she said as she tucked her hair behind her small ears. "Problem back home. I came down here to draw. It usually helps me feel better." She stared off and past the gates for a few moments before she blinked and looked back at him. He saw his face was a little pink. She grinned. "Marcus? Are you.. blushing?" She didn't need an answer. She knew he was, and she found it quite cute. Guys rarely blush, and she thought it was adorable when they did. "There's no need to hide your face if you are you know... " she said, smiling and biting her lip gently.

[Marcus Harding]

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know how it is, I got some problems as well."

He sighed as he had recalled htem back to the front of his mind. Being around her made him feel better, but it sure didn't make him forget, something that he really wished he could do at the moment. Why did everything have to be this difficult in life? He sighed again and blushed even more when he had realized she had caught him.

"Yes I am."

he bit his lip as he turned to face her. His cheeks were now a little redder.

"I never do though! It's weird!"

It really was weird for Marcus. He had never blushed a single day in his life, but somehow he had ended up doing right here in front of some girl he met just five minutes agon. Maybe it was wa sign that he was changing for the better. Or it could of been that he was just overheated. He finally settled on that thought and shook the rest off his mind as he smiled kindly back at her.

"So...anyways!"

He chuckled nervously, trying to change the subject.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh nodded softly. "Yeah. As my mom always says, it's going to get harder before it gets easier." She paused. She didn't realize how much that phrase meant to her now, and to even think that she would lose her mother and never again hear those words come from her mouth again brought the stinging of tears to her eyes. She held them back perfectly, no sign that any drop of water would fall from her eyes. Her mother had also said to be strong during whatever obstacle you're going through. Kayleigh wondered if that's what her mom was doing now, and it probably was. Her mother was a very strong woman, Kayleigh modeling after her.

Kayleigh felt a rush of warmth run through her cheeks as well, but making no effort to hide it. She bit her lip again as she saw his cheeks redden even further. "Aw, that's cute," she said with a soft giggle. It was anything but a lie. If she thought Marcus was cute before, he's even cuter when he blushes. She laughed lightly as he tried to change the subject. "Oh, come on. Embrace your cute-ness." She winked again. "It's nothing to be ashamed of when you're already cute enough as it is." She felt the warmth in her cheeks even more now and glanced away, still biting her lip, and giggled.

[Marcus Harding]

Marcus nodded slightly. That's exactly what his mom would say to him in a heart beat. He sighed gently though as he gazed off into the night, wondering what was going on out in the vast darkness that was only barely luminated by the moon and the stars, which hung bright and high in the sky. the light shone from them though didn't seem to reach down to the ground.

His thoughts were interrupted by her laugh and her cute blush that fell over her face. He smiled softly at her. She was cute as well, but when she blushed, it was cute times a billion.

"Well Thank you, you are cute as well. Very cute actually."

He blushed brighter as he looked away, biting his lip. He never was the one to hit on a girl, and if her did, it wasn't on purpose. Things usually just happened for Marcus. He really didn't really take the time to try and get a girl, it naturally just happened. Like a lot of other things in his life at the moment. He sighed and finished his cigarette, taking it and flicking it into the grass. He took the lighter and lit it, watching the flame dance around in the wind.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh couldn't help but to smile. She never thought she'd be one someone would call cute, pretty, or even remotely beautiful. She had heard a few people say that to her before, but when Marcus said it sounded as if it rang true. "Thank you," she said softly with the smile still on her face. She would admit, in a heartbeat, that she indeed was a flirt. But she would also admit that flirting with Marcus was... different. She couldn't tell you how or why, but it was. It simply just felt different. As a matter of fact, the butterflies in her stomach scared her to death.

Kayleigh shook her head lightly. No, nothing was different, she thought to herself. I just met him, what, seven or eight minutes ago? I couldn't have gotten that much of a crush already... could I? She didn't dismiss the thought at all. Though she thought it, she was pretty sure she did fall for him. Barely ten minutes, and she was already falling for this green-eyed, messy haired, sweet guy. She shook her head again and watched as he lit the cigarette, the flames reflecting in her blue eyes. She was still smiling, the deep dimples in her cheek showing greatly.

[Marcus Harding]

Marcus gave her a slight nod, letting ehr know she was welcome. He stared off intot he night as he started to think about the blue-eyed girl that sat beside him. Why did he feel so different? Everything was falling into place, and rather fast actually. He didn't know whether to be happy or scared. He chose the first emotion and smiled softly. This was absolutely crazy! Ridiculous! Right! Wait...right? Why had that thought occured to him? Surely he wasn't falling for the girl already? He chuckled at the thought. yeah he was, even though it was hard to admit it. He felt different around her, not natural like usual. He acutally liked it for once.

He sighed and glanced over at her, her blue eyes catching his as he peered deep down into them. He started to feel strange, blinking several times. Each time he blinked, he found himself closer and closer to her lips. Finally he pressed his soft, warm lips against hers, kissing her softly and passionatly. He realized what he had done, and pulled away softly, blushing brightly as he looked away from her beauty.

"Um I-I am s-so so-sor-sorry"

He stuttered as he looked away stil.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh's eyes somehow always found a way back to his. As she looked at him their faces grew closer, and before she knew their lips collided. She took in a breath, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around wildly. She felt herself blush as they kissed, but she didn't care. His were lips so warm and soft, and also so inviting. When he pulled away, she looked into his eyes, unblinking. She bit her lip and smiled as he stuttered a sorry and blushed brightly. Again she thought of how cute he looked, and how much she wanted to kiss him again.

Kayleigh shook her head, her hair moving with the movement. She shivered again as the wind blew, but she didn't care. She just wanted him to kiss her again. "No," she said softly, a smile plastered on her face, "don't be sorry. Just kiss me again." With her index finger, she turned his head to her again, and this time she leaned in and kissed him passionately. She lowered her hand, and it landed lightly on his. She pulled away and this time she blushed, but smiled nonetheless.

[Marcus Harding]

Marcus blinked as he felt her lips against his again. His eyes closed as they kissed, then opened as she pulled away. He smiled gently at her and pulled her close to him, kissing her softly yet passionatly as he pressed close to her, their bodies touching. he dind't know what was comming over him, but he loved it. He had never felt this way before, and all he wanted to do at that very moment was kiss her, and keep kissing her forever. He loved the feeling of her soft lips against his. He kept kissing her softly, his lips parting to add a soft tongue to the kiss.

Just ten minutes again he had stumbled across her. He never thought in his wildest dreams that he would end up kissing her, his arms wrapped around her tightly. he never thought that he would feel this way. This mix of love and beauty, of happiness and of lust. He loved how it all felt and planned that it wouldn't end anytime soon, or at least he hoped it wouldn't. He would press her to far, unless she wanted to. That was another story though.

[Kayleigh Santiago]

Kayleigh's heart filled as he pulled her closer, and she wrapped her arms lightly around his neck. It felt so nice to have his arms around her, to feel the warmth of his body transfer to hers and then back again. She would never have thought that she would kiss a guy she had just met, but Marcus seemed so wonderful and gorgeous, and she couldn't help herself. As a matter of fact, she was glad he kissed her first. She was afraid that if it was reversed he would think her crazy to kiss someone she had only but just met. But when their lips clashed together for the first time, she knew that wouldn't have been the case, and she had gladly kissed him back.

And now she didn't want to stop kissing him. Kayleigh was filled with so much joy at that moment. As they kissed she could feel stones gravitating around them, and silently she wished that he didn't notice them. Both of their eyes were closed, so maybe he wouldn't. She tried to concentrate on bringing them back to the ground, but she couldn't. She was caught up in him and their kiss, and she tightened her arms around his neck slightly. She pulled away slowly, opening her eyes and looking into his light green ones.