Epidsode 6

It's kind of funny how worry and dread can control humans.

Just hours ago, it was the beginning of the school day, and things were starting to look up for me. It was my last day of ISS, and Reginald's sister gave me her thanks for protecting him. I was finally feeling like I did the right thing. And in that same hour, I got the news that Mark Streissand, my worst nightmare, the reason for me picking the current school I am at, was now coming there.

I now sit at the table with my family for dinner, barely eating my food and picking at it, all because of Mark, the kid who still has complete control of my life even when I try to get away.

"Jack, what's wrong? You've barely touched your food."

"Oh, it's nothing, just thinking about some schoolwork."

I guess we're back to this again.

"So, Jack, you're out of ISS after today." "How does it feel to be a free man?" my father said jokingly

"It's good to finally be free," I said, mirroring his joking tone

I wanted to tell them how I was feeling, about all the pain from 8th grade, all the beatings and sleepless nights, but I couldn't. It was like there was a permanent lump in my throat when it came to talking about those events.

"Well, son, just try to stay out of trouble," my father said with a grin.

I gave him a thumbs up, flashed him a weak smile, excused myself from the table, and cleaned off my plate and area.

As I lay on my bed, I thought about how much pain Mark brought to me and how much suffering he imposed on Kevin and me.

Why, Gracie? Why is he back?

I opened up Chrono-Chat to ask her why he was suddenly back in my life.

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*Chrono-Chat Log*

*Gracie, why the hell is Mark back in my life?*

*Well, Jack, I hope you remember what I said. You know about changing your reality, and not just the flow of time.*

*Are you saying that I brought Mark back?*

*Precisely.*

*So my decision to rewind time and help out Reginald caused this.*

*Yes, Jack, it did.*

*What the hell, Gracie? Why didn't you tell me this would be the outcome?*

*I had no idea this would happen. Jack, please try to calm down.*

*How am I supposed to calm down when the guy who made my life a living nightmare is going to be in my first-period class tomorrow!*

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I closed the app out of anger. How could she just be so indifferent? She knows how he treated me, and she knows all the beatings Kevin and I endured, so why was she acting like this wasn't an issue? All I wanted to do was protect someone and actually make a change for once, and this is the crap I get in return.

Why

I thought this as tears began to fall from my eyes; I was having a hard time breathing and thinking straight. All the moments of pain replayed in my mind: Kevin crying with a bloody nose, Mark laughing as he made me watch while his friends held me down.

I tried to shut my eyes and rest, but every time I did, I was met with his awful grin, and my ears rang with his horrible laugh. I attempted to calm myself down with every method imaginable. I tried to put on music and breathe steadily, and I even tried cleaning my room, but it was pointless.

"Just make it stop, please."

Upon saying this to myself, the thoughts halted for a moment, but instead of stopping completely, an even worse thought bubbled up from the depths of repression. The day that I failed to protect Kevin.