Chapter Text
“Wake up wanker,you’re going to make us late” Eddie said sharply as he pulled Marcel’s sheets cleanly off his bed. Marcel fumbled around,grabbing at his nightstand until his hands wrapped around his glasses. Eddie had already left the room and was bounding down the stairs where Marcel could hear Toby and Mum having a loud conversation. He could also make out a fuzzy version of Harry’s voice,which meant he was Skyping Mum from California. Marcel shook his head as his mother shouted things such as “Aw baby we miss you so much! How’s Lexi? Be good to that girl and don’t be stupid like your brothers” That , of course, was in reference to Eddie and Toby. Marcel and Harry were the good ones, but Harry was gone so that left Marcel to keep up a good impression. He pulled on his favorite brown trousers and white button up, finishing the look with a red sweater vest.
“Ugh” he muttered as yet another one of his curls flopped into his face. Marcel couldn’t understand how Harry and Eddie could let their brown curly hair just dangle in their eyes all day. It would drive Marcel insane. At least Toby kept his cut short for football. And lacrosse. And rugby. Marcel didn’t understand that either. He would rather just sit at home and read a good book. Sighing,he grabbed his favorite hair gel and headed to the bathroom that joined his room and Toby’s. Toby had left the water running. Again. Marcel just shook his head and got to work on his unruly hair, combing it and gelling it until the part was just perfect. There. He smiled into the mirror and headed downstairs. His mum was dishing out a plate of eggs while Toby talked to Harry on the laptop and Eddie inhaled his bowl of cereal.
“Morning Mum.” Marcel said as he took his plate and kissed her cheek,sitting down at the counter next to Eddie. Eddie’s hair stuck up in a million different directions with a red streak falling into his green eyes. His lip ring clanged against his spoon as he noisily slurped up the last of the milk from his bowl. Tattoos stretched up his neck and down his arms and you could see his chest tattoo peeking out of his ripped Green Day tshirt. “You smell like smoke again. Mum’s going to kill you.” Marcel whispered
“You smell like a fag too.” Eddie muttered as he reached up and knocked Marcel’s glasses off his face and walked back up the stairs. Marcel flushed pink as he fixed his frames. His sexuality had become one of Eddie's favorite topics of discussion,especially in an argument. Marcel had come out at the end of sophomore year so now he was pegged as the nerdy GAY one instead of just the geek. Harry was very supportive and Toby was always too busy to care, but Eddie was,as per usual, a different story. He was never physically mean but he loved to slip in little comments and names. Marcel wasn't really bothered very much he was used to it. Mum just gave him an apologetic look because she gave up on trying to fight Eddie a long time ago.
"Hey Marcie! I see you bud! Come say hi to your favorite brother will you?" Harry chuckled from the computer screen. Rolling his eyes, Marcel walked over next to Toby and waved at the camera.
"Hey Haz. How's LA?" he said half heartedly. If Marcel was being totally honest, he would say that Harry was his favorite brother. They both sort of kept to themselves and they had intense passions. Harry would always go to the library with Marcel when he needed a new book to read and Marcel would always accompany Harry to the record store where Zayn worked so he could pick up his new vinyls. But ever since their youtube videos were discovered, Harry and his best friend Niall were in LA, a famous popstar/songwriting duo working with the likes of Frank Ocean and Bruno Mars leaving Marcel behind and basically alone.
Harry could tell he was upset though "Marcie. I know things haven't been the same, but you still have Tobs and Eddie right?" Marcel smirked. Toby was always too preoccupied with Gracie or team get-togethers and Eddie liked to call Marcel a fag every chance he got so no. Marcel didn't have them. But he shook his head anyway and smiled at Harry as brightly as he could,dimples and all
"Yeah Haz I got them, you just need to get home sooner though. Mum is going to kill Eddie one of these days i swear." Toby chuckled beside him. Toby never said much,always preferred actions instead. He was big too. Well, as big as the Styles boys could get. His muscles rippled under his tight black tshirt and his close cropped curls sort of made him look like a thug, or a friendly Yeti. He also liked to party. Maybe too much but he wasn't as bad as Eddie so Mum usually left him alone. Harry was lankier, with scattered tattoos up his arms and two giant birds on his chest that you could usually see under the half undone flannel shirts he liked to wear. His new thing was headbands made out of ripped tshirts, which Marcel thought was completely ridiculous, but he was Harry Styles so the girls loved him anyway. His head band today was a green scarf pulling his long curls out of his face.
"Well buddy, Lexi,Niall and I are heading home next week for awhile. No more tour dates until October" Harry said smiling wide as Lexi came and sat next to him. Lexi was a tall skinny blonde with the kindest face Marcel had ever seen. She was a songwriter and part-time model that Harry had met during a writing session for Usher's new album and they had been dating ever since,almost 8 months now. They were clearly in love, with the way Harry's smile stretched across his face and her sparkling blue eyes as she watched him talk. Marcel was happy for them,but also kind of jealous. He wanted to find someone like Harry had. Well,he already had a someone picked out,but that's a story for later.
Marcel and Harry talked some more about Harry's tour and Marcel's all advanced course load as Toby made his vitamin supplement and gulped it down. Marcel had just said bye to Harry and blown a kiss to Lexi when Eddie bounded down the stairs,his massive backpack strapped to his back and his keys in hand.
"Hey fag we better head out so we won't be late. We need to pick Lou up on the way too." Marcel groaned as he closed the laptop. He didn't know why he kept putting off getting his license when all of his brothers already had cars. I guess he just didn't see the point. Except that meant he had to ride to school with Eddie in his vintage black Mustang. Eddie was a terrible driver and had almost wrecked his car on many occasions. It gave Marcel nightmares just thinking about it.
And they had to pick up Louis. Louis Tomlinson had been Eddie's best friend since they were kids and he used to be good friends with Marcel too. They used to read comic books together until Louis deemed them too babyish and took up partying instead. Marcel hated Louis with his stupid sparkly blue eyes and his stupid fluffy hair that Marcel never dreams about stupidly running his fingers through. Nope never. Eddie knew too. Eddie might be an idiot but he wasn't oblivious. As soon as he found out (which involved a particularly dirty dream Marcel had and moaning Louis' name as he writhed on his bed early one morning), he insisted that they carpool saying that he couldn't pay for gas all by himself to which Louis agreed.
So Marcel slowly made his way up the stairs, grabbed his leather messenger bag and walked out to the car. Eddie was already in, playing Guns' N Roses and smoking with the windows rolled up. He always forgot that Marcel was asthmatic until Marcel asked him between wheezes to roll the damn windows down
"You ready Marcie?" Eddie said as Marcel slid into the back seat. Marcel shrugged and pulled out his schedule to go over his classes for the day. His workload was actually lighter this year compared to last. Marcel had most of the afternoon off because he had finished all of his credits. He would spend most of that time in the library while he waited for Eddie to finish school. Eddie was in a lot of advanced courses as well so Marcel got to see him a lot. He shrugged and put his schedule back in his bag as they pulled up to Louis' house. Louis had a big house on the same street as the Styles boys. He needed one, with having four sisters and all. Eddie honked the horn loudly a few times until Louis walked out, yelling something over his shoulder to Lottie most likely.
Marcel tried not to blush too hard. Louis looked good today, wearing a tight pair of black jeans and a Killers tshirt that hugged his tattoo covered biceps. His hair was covered by a maroon beanie, with his blue tipped hair peeking out from under it. "Hey Lou." Eddie muttered as Louis slid into the seat next to him.
"Hey Ed. Did you get out of Nicky's party okay last night? That shit was crazy." Louis chuckled as he pulled out a cigarette and lighted it, thankfully rolling down the window. How nice of him to remember, Marcel thought as he tried not to smile.
"Barely, had to drag my useless brother out of there. Whining about his dumbass girlfriend again." Eddie sighed "Or whatever the fuck they are now."
Louis laughed and took another drag. "Hey Marce,have a good summer?" he called over his shoulder.
"Uh, y-yeah. It was fine. P-pretty boring though i guess." Marcel stuttered out, mentally kicking himself in the face repeatedly. He could never speak when Louis was around and he was president of the debate club. "Got a lot of reading done though."
"Of course you did." Louis said,but not in an unkind way. Marcel blushed as Eddie looked into his back mirror and smirked.
"That's not what the computer history says , little Marcie." Eddie said his eyes glinting "Lou, did you know that my little brother finally discovered porn? Can't get enough of it. I keep hearing little moans coming from his bedroom,saying something. I can't quite remember...Marcie do you remember?" A smile stretched across his face "Oh yeah, I remember now. Wasn't it-DAMN IT"he cried as Marcel whacked the side of his arm, knocking the cigarette out of his hand in the process. Eddie tried furiously to stamp it out making the Mustang swerve into the opposite lane.
"Jesus!" Louis cried out as he grabbed the wheel,narrowly missing the mini van in the other lane. "What the hell Ed? Forget how to drive much?" Marcel tried to hide a giggle as Louis turned around with a look that could kill. Actually Marcel probably just died a little. "You aren't any better you know."
Marcel turned red. "I'm not his flipping baby brother. We were born thirty seconds apart." he muttered as Eddie glared at him through the rearview mirror.
"You owe me a new pack of cigs, homo." Eddie said. Marcel really wanted to cry now. He had made himself look like a complete idiot in front of Louis, squashing any hope of ever impressing him. Well really how could he ever impress him with his massive glasses and stupid sweater vests and nasally voice. And he was a know it all too. Boys don't like know it alls. Now Louis was never going to talk to him again stupid stupi-
"Don't call him that Ed. That isn't nice." Louis muttered as he fiddled with his shirt. "He's your brother for Christ's sake." Marcel's heart swelled and a wide dimply smile stretched across his face. Louis just defended him. This may be the best day of his existence.
Eddie pulled into the parking lot of the school and turned the engine off. Louis opened the door. "Meet you behind the pool at lunch. Tell Zayn not to be late, you know he has the good stuff." he said over his shoulder as he got out "Have a good day Marce, don't get into too much trouble." Louis winked.
"Okay Marcie, remember the drill. Do not talk to me, do not partner up with me, don't look at me." Eddie said as he got out of the car. "And don't tell Toby that Lou and I are lighting up at lunch because you know he tells Mum everything. And please don't get in Josh's way. I dont like it when i have to drive you home all whiny and bloody and shit." he slammed the door and sulked away toward the English building, which was the same building Marcel was in, but Eddie liked to get a head start so people wouldn't see them together.
Marcel counted to thirty and got out of the car, his massive satchel straining against his shoulder. He really wished he could just carry his books around but he had too many. He hurried into the English building and into the classroom just in time. The only seat open was front and center, next to Liam Payne. Liam was the closest thing Marcel had to a best friend, besides Harry of course. They did debate team together and had been in the same advanced track since they were kids. Liam also went to a lot of sports events with Marcel, especially swim because both Toby and Louis were on the team and Liam was pretty close with Zayn. So they were close, well as close as any two antisocial teenagers could be.
"Hey Marce. Hear about the new teacher?" Liam said, turning to face Marcel as he pulled his textbook out.
Marcel shook his head "No?"
just as the door opened and a blonde woman walked in. She looked to be around thirty and had big blue eyes lined with heavy makeup. She was pretty and looked a little mischievous. This class was going to be fun.
"Hello class and welcome to Advanced English Literature. My name is Miss. Flack"