It was late September, but even at 6:30 the weather was still pretty hot. Especially after football practice, and Coach Erwin had been particularly tough on them since their lost to Siena high school last week.
Porco leaned against his brothers car. Scrolling my through Instagram, particularly a certain neighbors account.
He was admiring a picture of her and her cat Luna when he was interrupted.
"How about instead of stalking her, you just tell her how you feel". Marcel said, causing Porco to nearly drop his phone.
"Can you not sneak up on me like that?" Porco mumbled. "And my love life isn't any of your business...or lack there of"
"Whatever, we gotta go to the store for mom so let's go"
The two pulled out of the school parking lot. "So what did Coach Erwin want?" Porco asked.
Marcel paused for a minute. "Nothing really, just wanted to see if everything was ok ya know, I didn't really play well last week, and my grades are slipping so he wanted to just remind me about academic requirements"
Porco was a bit confused, Marcel usually had pretty good grades, but he had noticed that his just didn't seem...well interested in football, or really anything. But he knew senior year came with it's pressures. Besides he and his brother talked about everything so if something was seriously wrong Marcel would for sure tell him.
"You worried that people might think your weird if you date Pieck?" Marcel asked.
"No it's not that it's just....I dunno I want to be popular, like you, you've got it made"
"Is that what it looks like?" Marcel said flatly. "To be honest, being the cool kid, the star athlete, it's really not all that it's cracked up to be. Just feels like everyone is looking for you to make a mistake, sometimes I just wonder if it's all worth it?"
"If what's all worth it?" Porco asked.
"Life I guess"
Porco was quiet not really sure how to respond.
"Forget I said anything....now let's talk about how you can increase your rushing yards" Marcel said changing the subject.
But the words "life I guess" were ringing in his ears, getting louder and louder.
"Porco.....Porco!!" His English teacher's voice snapped him out of his post lunch day dream.
"Are you feeling alright? Do you need to go to the guidance counselor or nurse?"
He knew Ms. Magnolia meant well, but it made him feel like even more of a pariah being called out like that. He wished she would have just scolded him or given him detention.
Now everyone was staring again. Porco began wondering if he could jump out the second floor window without getting seriously hurt.
"Alright, now let's get back to our discussion of Othello....yes Hanna?"
Soon the eyes were facing forward, and Ms. Magnolia started talking about the major themes of Othello.
"Life I guess", Marco couldn't get the words out of his head.
Had that been the first sign?
YOU ARE READING
Echos
FanfictionTW: mentions of suicide, depression, anxiety It's been a few months after the Galliard family tragically lost their oldest son Marcel. Still trying to navigate his own grief, and learning to live without his older brother, Porco decides he wants t...
