Demon's blood

Marco walked into school, his mood already down from waking up to his normal life.

He stood in front of the homeroom door, he didn't want to go in. His mates were not nice to him and he didn't want to face their ridicule today.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, as he walked into the classroom, he was greeted by the sound of happy birthday and a room filled with balloons and streamers. Marco was taken aback and filled with confusion, as he had never experienced such kindness from his classmates before.

"Happy birthday, Marco!" shouted one of his classmates, Raina.

Raina is the head cheerleader and one of the nicest people Marco knows. Her smile could brighten up the whole room and right now, he felt lucky that he was on the receiving end of that smile.

Marco rubbed his eyes, still not believing what he was seeing. He had always felt like an outcast at school, constantly teased and mocked for his poverty. He never expected his classmates to show him any kindness, let alone throw him a birthday surprise.

"What's going on?" Marco asked, looking around the room.

He could see faces smiling at him but Marco was terrified inside.

They don't usually smile at him, the expression on their faces when they see him is either a scowl, sneer, or a look of disdain.

"It's your birthday, of course!" said Raina with a grin. "We all chipped in to throw you a party."

Marco waited for the camera to pop and out and shout it was a prank but all he could see were expectant faces.

He waited but nothing happened, Raina kept looking at him like she wanted him to say something but Marco didn't want to be fooled.

"What?" he asked.

Raina shoved the cake forward, "I made this for you. It's your birthday." She stated the obvious.

"but..." he tried to speak.

"No buts" Raina scolded him playfully.

She wiggled her finger in front of him like a mean nanny.

Marco felt his eyes fill with tears, as he struggled to contain his emotions. He had never felt so touched in his life.

"I-I don't know what to say," He stammered, feeling overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness from his classmates.

"Just say you will come to the party, Marco," said Raina with a smile. "It's your day after all."

Marco took a deep breath and tried to relax, but his heart was pounding with excitement and gratitude. He looked around the room and saw that his classmates had gone all out to make his day special. There was a large birthday cake, a balloon arch, and even a decorated table with presents for him.

Marco was approached by one of his classmates, Tim.

Tim was usually the jock but he retreated to the corner when Chris, the bully came into the picture.

Chris is the one person Marco tries to avoid, he was a mean bully and of course, nothing he does is ever proven because of his rich parents.

"I know we've given you a hard time in the past," said Tim, looking sheepish. "But we wanted to show you that we care about you."

Marco felt his eyes well up with tears, as he realized the true meaning behind the after-party. His classmates may have teased him in the past, but they were trying to make up for it by showing him how much they cared.

"Thank you, guys," Marco said, his voice filled with emotion. "This is the best birthday I've ever had."

if only he knew

Marco felt so hyped up about the party, he turned on his best clothes and shoes. they looked worn out but that's all he had.

Whistling to himself, Marco did a happy dance. He couldn't believe a day like this would come when his peers would surprise him. Normally, they just made fun of him.

Marco had always been a firm believer of people and situations can change but this was way too soon and in a way, he was glad that they had changed.

He could finally enjoy the last few months of school with happy memories instead of the ones that made him want to kill himself.

He checked himself in the mirror, he didn't look too shabby but he wasn't overly dressed for the party either. He wanted to fit in and not look like a freak.

The place of the party was not that far from school, he walked there. He tried dialing Dahlia's number but it went straight to voicemail.

Marco shrugged, maybe she was busy setting up. His girlfriend was a planner.

The party was in full swing as he walked across the lawn to the house. The bouncers took a look at him and let him in.

As Marco walked into the room, his eyes immediately fell upon Dahlia, who was locked in an intimate embrace with another man. Marco felt a surge of anger and jealousy, and he strode over to them, his fists clenched at his sides.

"What the hell is going on here?" Marco yelled, his voice filled with rage.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Dahlia, who had a smirk on her face, stepped forward.

"Surprise, happy birthday Marco!" his classmates shouted, still laughing.

"What's so funny?" Marco asked, his voice filled with confusion.

"It's your birthday gift from us," Dahlia said her smirk widening.

"A gift? What kind of gift involves you kissing another guy?" Marco asked, his anger rising with each word.

"It's just a joke, relax," Dahlia said, trying to calm him down.

"A joke? You're cheating on me and it's a joke?" Marco yelled, his voice filled with hurt and anger.

"Come on, Marco. It's just a game," one of his classmates chimed in.

"A game? You think cheating on me is a game?" Marco asked Dahlia, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Yeah, it's just for fun. Lighten up, man," another classmate added, still laughing.

Marco felt his anger boil over. He couldn't believe that the people he thought were his classmates could be so cruel and insensitive. He felt a deep hurt and betrayal that went beyond just the kiss.

"Fun? You call this fun?" Marco asked, his voice filled with hurt. "I can't believe you could do this to me. To us."

Marco turned to Dahlia, tears welling up in his eyes. "How could you be a part of this? I trusted you, I loved you," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"It's your birthday, Marco," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I thought I would give you a special gift."

The rest of the guests started to laugh, and Marco felt his anger turn to embarrassment. He felt as though he had been set up, and he was unable to understand why Dahlia would do this to him.

"Why?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper. "Why would you do this to me?"

Dahlia simply shrugged and said, "You're just a poor guy, Marco. I thought you could use a little excitement in your life."

The rest of the guests started to mock Marco, making comments about his financial status and calling him names. Marco felt his depression set in, and he felt as though he had been dealt a cruel blow.

He couldn't understand why Dahlia would do this to him, or why his peers would join in on the cruel joke, especially on his birthday.

As Marco stood there, surrounded by people who were laughing at him, he felt his heart break. He realized that he had been foolish to think that Dahlia had ever truly cared for him and that his classmates planned a party for him.

He felt alone and defeated, and he wondered if he would ever be able to trust anyone again. He was stupid enough to fall for their false care and kindness. Marco believed he was desperate to belong that her forgot how cruel his peers could be.

At that moment, Marco made a decision. He gathered up what was left of his dignity and walked out of the room, leaving behind the laughter and the cruel comments. He knew that he needed to start over, to find new friends and a new love, someone who would appreciate and accept him for who he was.

He paused when he met Raina's eyes. she was looking at him with a sad look. Marco shook his head and walked away when she mouthed the words, "I am sorry, I didn't know."

As Marco walked out into the night, he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He felt hate burn into him when he thought back, they went through all this trouble just to make fun of him?

Marco realized that his 18th birthday party was another turning point in his life. What looked promising to be the best day of his life turned out to be a nightmare.