Chapter 2, Part 7 - An Embarrassing Love?

Locker Room
I'm the last one! PE class is over and everyone else has already returned to class! This is bad, really bad: if I don't hurry, they might think I didn't return to class voluntarily and that I'm up to who knows what.

By the time I realized everyone had gone into the locker rooms, it was already too late, and here I am in this situation. I need to be faster than Flash, I need to do everything in a matter of seconds—I really don't think it's possible...

Hopefully the teacher will be a little patient. But there's a problem: I'm assuming he already knows I'm not here, yet I'm sure none of my classmates really noticed. So, until the teacher calls roll to check everyone's presence, no one will know I'm absent. I have time. Not much. Very little time. Basically, I have to convince myself I have enough time so my brain doesn't short-circuit.

"Alright, now that we're alone..."
"Yes... I'm ready."
"It's going to be amazing, baby."
"Oh... Marco~"

W-w-what am I hearing?! They're not... doing something intense, are they?! No, it must all be in my head, I must have imagined it. No one would do that at school; there's a principle of privacy here that the school can't always guarantee.

"Muah muah muah"

Ah! Kisses?! This time I'm sure—I heard them, it's not in my head. Just hearing this gives me a strange feeling, somewhere between embarrassment and astronomical cringe, really, because why kiss in here?

And then... Marco?! Has the bad-boy charm struck someone and captivated them? No, wait a second, that would mean a boy is in the girls' locker room?! Who had the absurd idea of letting him in here?! This place should be strictly off-limits to boys, yet now one is doing "things" with someone else in here, even though I don't know where these sounds are coming from.

"What a wonderful feeling..."
"You're a feast for the eyes."
"How romantic..."
"Let's not stop."
"Muah muah muah"

Yes, they're definitely coming from the bathrooms—they must have locked themselves in one of the stalls. I... I don't know what to say, it all seems so surreal. Usually, I'm the one making a fool of myself; if someone saw what they're doing, they might think all sorts of things: some would tease them, and others, probably the boys, would be proud of Marco for winning over another lady after the long line of lovers he already has.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure that's really Marco's voice—it sounds higher than usual and not comparable to his usual voice, the one I hear almost every day. Could it not be him? But he's the only Marco in the class, so... if that name is being used, it must be him.

I move closer to the door to "eavesdrop" better. I'm just curious, nothing more—

"You know how to kiss so well..."
"It's all thanks to you; I would never have learned without you."
"You just needed a little push; you already had a good foundation."

I've realized one thing: this isn't Marco. I hear two different tones, but at the same time they sound very similar, hmm... Also, I hear sweet giggles; I admit they sound really nice, but in this context, I don't think they matter.

Something is rubbing against something else... what could it be?

"Oh, I love you, Marco!"

I hear a sound, like something just hit the door. I need to move a-w-way—! Too late, there's nothing left to hide the presence. Everything opens slowly with a creak that would be perfect for a horror movie.

"Um..."

The moment her eyes land on me, her entire body turns red as a tomato. Something also falls from her hands.

I try to move my eyes a little to see what it is, but...

"Don't look!"

She picks it up instantly, without wasting a moment, and puts it in her backpack.

"D-did you hear anything?"

Me? No, I didn't hear anything, I didn't imagine strange or embarrassing scenarios, nooo, never. I would never let my mind wander that far...

I adore you, Marco. You kiss well. You're a feast for the eyes, and who knows what else she said before I entered the locker room, and then... was she talking to herself?

I don't respond, also because I can't.

My silence makes her feel forced to say something.

"Don't tell anyone, understood?"

She only said "understood," yet I can feel a not-so-friendly aura around her body.

I nod. Why would I ever tell anyone about this? I'd never do it.

She gives me one last threatening look before putting on her backpack and leaving the room. I'm sure the embarrassment will last a while; beyond that, from now on she might watch me more often to prevent her secret from spreading around school. I hope she doesn't have bad intentions.

I wonder what she picked up from the floor—I didn't have time to see. Talking to herself... maybe she likes doing the same thing I do? That is, inventing imaginary scenarios in her mind, even if mine aren't... quite as dramatic.