Chapter 9

“I know you aren’t falling for this. I know you’re smarter than that,” Silk was telling me.

Silk is sitting at the edge of my bed. I ask Marcel to give me some time to myself to think. He acknowledges and leaves to the other end of the train. “Time for myself” is what I wanted but instead I find Silk sitting at the edge of my bed.

“I don’t know…”

“He’s not going to drop out. He’s just saying that so that you can stay. He wants to USE you. Once he wins, he’ll abandon you. That’s how they are. These gays.”

Silk is getting angrier and angrier by the moment. I watch as he paces back and forth. There is an impatience in the way he talks. I want to listen to him and take his guidance but it’s hard. Right now I just keep thinking about Marcel. I just keep thinking about how genuine he sounded when he said that he wanted to get to know me on a deeper level. We didn’t get along. In fact we hated each other, but that didn’t stop my attraction from Marcel.

“What if he is serious? What if he is willing to give all this up?” I ask Silk.

It’s the same thought that keeps rolling in my head over and over. Silk doesn’t budge. He doesn’t seem like he’s willing to entertain that idea.

“He won’t.”

Silk’s words are sharp. Exact. He’s sure.

For a moment he is so sure that I start to question Marcel as well. What if Marcel is playing me? Marcel did plan with Florian to divorce me once he won. After the sex tape, Marcel’s campaign was compromised. He needed me more than ever.

“I like him. Call me gay. Call me…anything Silk. I like Marcel. I shouldn’t. I should probably leave right now with you and never look back. But I can’t. Something about that dude. I just like him. And I am going to stay…because I want to see where this goes.”

I attempt to sound as exact as Silk but my voice isn’t as strong. I can’t look at him in his cyborg eye and show him that I am certain of my decision. I’m not certain of my decision. I’m afraid and he can see it.

He crosses his arms.

“You’re making a mistake,” he replies, before he walks off.

“Florian is desperate.”

It is brunch the next morning. Marcel and I are at the table with Cid. A few of the other advisors are there. There is a boy named Remus. He is relatively attractive. Not Marcel attractive, because he reminds me of a little boy. He’s much too skinny and can use a few meals but he has a face that is pleasant enough to look at. When he comes around he looks at Marcel all the time. A lot of the boys do though. I have no doubt he’s working for Cid because like most of the boys around New Jerusalem he has a boyish crush on him. Marcel never really gives this Remus character a second look though.

Remus is one of the guys that comes around a lot and whispers to Cid. It’s him who walks up to Cid and whispers into his ear. He’s one of Cid’s parrots. That’s not what I call them…that’s what they have become known as. They repeat things they’ve heard to Cid.

And Cid…well, Cid is the ultimate bird trainer.

“What’s he doing?” Marcel asks him.

Marcel hasn’t looked at me all morning or said anything to me. I’m not sure why. Maybe he feels weird about yesterday or maybe he is still trying to give me some time to think.

“He saying that unless you give him money he’s going to write a tell-all about your affair with him.”

Marcel doesn’t look shocked. I’m not surprised. I shared what Florian and my father were really up to. He does look hurt though. Even though he doesn’t say it, I can tell. I can tell by his facial expression as he looks down.

“I’m not giving him a cent,” Marcel replies.

“I’ve already paid him off. He shouldn’t be bothering you any longer,” Cid replies.

“Why would you do that?” Marcel asks.

I’m a little confused by it too. Cid definitely seems to go above and beyond for this campaign. I don’t know how to feel about Florian. He’s an opportunist. Even with Cid paying him off I’m sure I haven’t heard the last of Florian.

“Money is minor,” Cid tells him, “Whatever gets him out of his hair is what matters. We need to turn our focus on winning the primaries. After the speech at the Education district a lot of the candidates should be falling off. This is the most important speech.”

Marcel looks at me.

Our eyes connect. Cid still thinks Marcel is running? He hasn’t told him.

Marcel shakes his head, “Cid listen…I have something to tell you.”

Even though Marcel tells me beforehand that this is coming I am still surprised when he says it. My heart hangs in my chest unsure of how Marcel is planning on dealing with this.

Cid ignores Marcel, “The biggest way that we can win more votes is to change your stance on heterosexuals. The majority of the party would love for you to be tougher when it comes to heterosexual rights.”

“You act like they are inferior to us,” I say.

“Listen. My job is to win votes. I’d love to support Marcel’s stance on equal rights for all. What I personally believe doesn’t matter,” Cid replies.

Very political. As usual.

“You’re his campaign manager, shouldn’t you want to care about his stances?” I ask a little confused.

“It doesn’t matter what my stance is,” Marcel replied cutting both Cid and I off, “I’m going to announce on my next speech that I’m dropping out of the race.”

Cid stops. He looks around for a moment. There are a lot of people in the room.

“Clear the room!”

He barks his order loudly and the people around him listen. His little parrots scatter to the wind. I get up as well getting ready to leave but Marcel grabs my hand.

Marcel holds me there and looks up saying softly, “Stay…”

I do stay. Cid seems like he is in more shock than anything. I expect him to go clean off on Marcel to be honest but right now he’s just quiet.

“You can’t joke around like that,” Cid says.

“It’s not a joke. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m losing out on life chasing this.”

“Life? This is your life. This is your dream,” Cid responds to him with the angriest tone ever, “You WANT to be president.”

“I want other things too. I want honesty in my life. I want real friends and just not political advisors around me. I want someone that loves me…not someone using me for their next come-up,” Marcel states.

I know he is referring to Florian. He is more hurt by Florian than he lets on. I know he is. I haven’t talked to him about his reaction to Florian but I knew he really cared about Florian whether he wanted to admit it or not. I feel bad for Marcel but happy for him at the same time.

“You are not going to do this,” Cid tells him, “All the work that I’ve done. All the work that we’ve done. Why would you throw all that away?”

“If Nazarius and Lexus want it so bad let them have it. I’m done.”

Cid is about to say something else. I can see him even open his mouth about to say something but Marcel doesn’t wait around for it. Marcel gets up off the table and walks out. He looks so proud when he walks out of the room.

I plan on following behind him and telling him how proud I am that he is standing up for what he believes in but I am so mesmerized by how handsome and strong he looks that I don’t move. It isn’t until Marcel is out of the room that I realize I’m alone with an angry Cid.

“What did you do?” Cid asks me.

“I didn’t do anything,” I respond.

“You’re lying. Marcel wanted this more than anything he’s ever wanted. Then you come along. So tell me, what did you do?”

“He’s decided that on himself. I mean with the sex tape out does Marcel even have a shot of winning anyway?”

“I can worry about politics. You had your own role to play. I’m the advisor remember?” Cid barks.

I twist my head, “You didn’t want me to play my own role when you wanted me to be part of your agenda and seduce Lexus. How do you think that makes me feel? This is too much for me and maybe it’s too much for Marcel too…”

“So you’re afraid and you are sharing your fears with Marcel?”

“I didn’t share anything with Marcel. He made that decision on his own. Maybe he just wants something else in life.”

“What do you think is going to happen between the two of you?” Cid asks, “You think he’ll leave. You think he’ll give it all up and take you to his villa on the outskirts of New Jerusalem. You’ll live happily ever after in his floating mansion. Do you forget that we had a deal? It wouldn’t take much to expose you and have you deported back to the breeding grounds you know?”

I’m shocked.

I sit there looking at Cid and for the first time I see that Florian isn’t the only desperate one. Cid must have a lot invested in this because he’s showing colors that I never saw from him.

I can’t help but to slow down my voice, “Are you threatening me?”

I stand up from the table. I’m not backing down this time. I’m not scared of Cid. I’m not one of his parrots on his payroll.

Cid is calm for a moment letting go of that anger and returning the same old Cid.

“I apologize. I just…you don’t understand how far Marcel and I have gone. We are SO close. Believe it or not Marcel can make a difference. You questioned me about believing in him. What about you? Don’t you believe in Marcel. Don’t you think he would make a good president? Or would you prefer your father…”

Cid is calm as he says it and he seems to know that this is the way to get to me. He is political. He knows exactly what to say to have me rethink things. But he’s also right.

I’ve seen the type of person my father is. He would be a horrible leader.

So now I’m in the room alone. Thinking and wondering.

“Welcome to the education district,” a man on the platform says as we get off.

The other candidates are off already. Silk is in the distance. He carries my bags close behind. Right next to me are Latosha and Natasha. Cid and Marcel are up ahead. Cid stays close to Marcel but Marcel isn’t smiling at the cameras and doing his normal two-step. He has taken a background to Cid who is doing the majority of the press.

The Education District looks a lot different from the Art Territories. Everything seems very serious here. There is a crowd of paparazzi on the platform as usual. Behind the platform there are a lot of students who have gathered around. They are all young probably all under the age of 21. Gays and lesbian children gathered around to get a look of the candidates for the race. They aren’t cheering or really talking much either. They just seem to be spectating. They seem more curious and nervous than excited. It makes sense though. If I got it right these students are probably new to New Jerusalem. They just recently passed the Kingsley scale. I remember how nervous I was when I first came to New Jerusalem.

“Marcel looks so handsome in the blue. We got you guys the matching blues for his speech. You know? Girl. You guys are going to be the talk of the town during the speech.”

It’s Latosha who speaks to me. I can tell from her excited smile that she doesn’t know anything about Marcel deciding to declare he is dropping out of the race.

“He is so photogenic. You are the luckiest man in New Jerusalem,” Natasha tells me.

“Yes very photogenic, especially in sex tapes,” a voice says.

I turn to see that we are being eavesdropped on. When I turn I notice it is Lexus Lucius. He’s always alone unlike Nazarius and Marcel. Lexus moves fast and quickly and when he is standing behind my back he seems to annoy the lesbian stylists almost immediately.

“Come along Marx…we should go join Marcel to get a photo op…” Latosha states.

It’s clear that Lexus makes them uncomfortable. They stare at one another. I have to admit Lexus makes me uncomfortable as well. He’s beyond attractive. His sharp features and shady dark eyes stare at me. The more I look at him the more I realize that he definitely has some sort of oriental descent from the old world when Asia still existed.

“Not so fast,” he whispers, as his dark tanned hands scoop around my waist and pulls me close. He pulls me so close that he grapples his hand around my ass.

It causes the lesbians to gasp a little bit when he holds tightly to my ass and squeezes tight. The lesbians turn away red with embarrassment. I can only imagine how other people would react if they are reacting like that. I find myself pushing away from Lexus and literally having to pry his strong fingers off of my ass cheeks.

“What are you doing?” I ask him, “There are cameras everywhere. You trying to start another scandal?”

Lexus smiles, “Relax. Live a little. You’ve been with uptight Marcel for too long. Listen. I’ve been thinking about your offer.”

“Offer?”

“You know…telling Nazarius I won’t run as his vice president. But my advisors are just saying I can’t win by myself. I won’t win.”

“Sucks. But I’m not interested in anyone who has anything to do with Nazarius. My father gave me away. So. I guess we just have to part ways huh?”

I figure if Marcel is serious this is the best time to stop whatever the hell is going on with Lexus. He’s attractive and all but I don’t trust him. After he put out Marcel’s sex tape he definitely showed me his true colors. Not even exotic sexy slanted eyes and dark sub-saharan skintone would make me change my mind about Lexus at this moment. I preferred Marcel and that was that.

“There has to be something else I can do. Something else I can do to show you that I want this between us,” Lexus states.

“Shouldn’t you be worried about your political future instead of me?” I ask.

I am being blunt but I have to be with someone like Lexus. He seems like the type of guy that if you give him an inch he’d take a mile.

Lexus smiles at me slyly, “Whose to say that I can’t worry about both? Just keep your mind open. In case I make a decision…just know that it’s for you.”

He says it in a strange way that makes me raise an eyebrow.

“What are you up to Lexus?”

I can tell he’s up to something. I want to dig more into what’s behind his sly gaze but I am distracted by Marcel coming towards us. Marcel has noticed we are talking and I’m not surprised when he makes his way over to us leaving interviewers and everything.

“Are you ok here baby?” Marcel asks me.

Marcel grabs me by the hand. I have to admit that it’s sexy how he does it. He pulls me clear away from Lexus and stand between us. Anyone else I would have thought it was annoying but with Marcel his jealousy was SEXY. My heart beat heavier as he stood there and stared Lexus down.

“Relax, just having a conversation with him,” Lexus replied softly.

“Maybe if you spent less time having conversations with other guy’s husbands and more time focusing on finding your own, you might be a front runner in this political race,” Marcel tells Lexus, “Instead of selling your soul for a VP slot.”

My mouth drops open as I don’t expect Marcel to say something like that. Marcel is ALWAYS politically correct. Always. Lexus seems shocked by it too. He just stares with wide eyes at that moment and watches speechless as Marcel takes me away.

Marcel has me by his hand right now and I can’t help but to look at him.

“Wow…”

“Sorry. I just…that guy is such snake,” Marcel tells me, “Him teaming up with Nazarius and releasing a sex-tape. You can’t trust people like him. He’s bad news.”

I can’t help but smile, “Wow…”

“What?”

“You shouldn’t apologize. You just actually kept it real, Marcel,” I state still shocked that Marcel went off on Lexus like that, “That just kind of turned me on…”

I can’t believe I say it but it stops Marcel dead in his tracks. We stop and among all these people Marcel is the only one that matters to me at that moment. He stares at me in my eyes and pulls me close.

“Me keeping it real turns you on huh?” Marcel asks.

“Yeah…” I admit.

“Well then c’mere. I’m about to keep it all the way real with you.”

Marcel pulls me close. He presses his solid body up against me. I can feel my heart stop as he starts kissing me. His tongue enters my mouth. I wrap my hands around him. I can feel our bodies collide onto one another as we start to kiss right there.

Cameras flash. The media buzz around us as they notice what’s happening.

Marcel doesn’t care though and neither do I. I want to have sex with him right then and there. I’m so turned on by him. His lips start licking on my neck.

I start to moan. I don’t know what comes over me but in the next minute my hand is down Marcel’s pants. I’m grabbing onto his dick!

His dick is hard. Fully hard. It makes a tent in his slacks. The cameras seem to be going crazy now! Everyone is watching.

Marcel’s eyes roll into the back of his head. He gasps, “FUCK!”

“Ok, Ok love birds,” Cid laughs talking loudly, “Let’s save it for the room.”

There is more laughter and more cameras flashing while the people record the kiss between Marcel and I. I have no doubt Cid says it so loudly to get even more people’s attention on what is going on between Marcel and I. It works too because EVERYONE within radius is looking at Marcel and I express our affection right now.

Cid’s voice is excited, “These headlines…guys…hello…guys!”

We are in the backstage of a stadium right now. Marcel is supposed to be making his speech in a few minutes. He isn’t worried about his speech though. He is kissing me backstage. I’m sitting on his lap and he has his hands on my ass. His tongue is in my mouth. I’ve unbuttoned his shirt and ripped off a few buttons by accident. Marcel is fully hard. His dick presses up against the back of my pants. I’m panting. He’s panting.

We’re both sweating.

“I think I just lost a few points on the Kingsley scale,” Natasha states. Latosha is next to her fanning herself. They are looking at us. They aren’t the only ones.

“Ok guys…break it up,” Cid states, “Silk…Silk can you.”

It literally takes my cyborg friend to separate Marcel and I. Even then Marcel gets up and seems to want to follow me.

“Damn…” Marcel says wiping his mouth.

I look over at him too. I stare intensely at him. I’d never felt so much passion in my life. I wanted to have sex with Marcel NOW! And I didn’t care who was around and who separated us. Silk literally was strong enough to hold me back though. Whatever alterations he had made him strong enough to separate Marcel and I. He also just seemed more than happy to.

Cid flashes us an article on a tablet, “You guys did amazing.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Marcel asked.

“People are raving…” Cid says, “People are saying if Marx forgives Marcel then why can’t everyone else. No one cares about the sextape anymore. Everyone is just intrigued on what the chemistry between Marcel/Marx is. You two have turned the ENTIRE country on! This is great for the campaign.”

I roll my eyes. Cid doesn’t get it. Everything is about the campaign to him.

Luckily Marcel seems to agree, “Look I’m going out there and announcing that I’m dropping out of the race.”

“Don’t do this,” Cid literally begs him.

“It’s done already,” Marcel states.

Marcel walks over to me and grabs my hand.

We walk out to an arena of people. I expect people to boo Marcel like they did before but it’s the opposite. Cheers. Marcel is holding on strong to my hand. He’s holding on tightly to my arm. We both look dis-sheveled from our public show of affection earlier but it seems to drive the crowd wild with excitement. Marcel doesn’t let go of my hand and the people seem to love that either.

A chant spreads across the arena.

“MARCEL AND MARX. MARCEL AND MARX!”

The chant is something you would hear for a popular talk show host instead of a politicial candidate but it’s a different time and age. Marcel smiles at me. He belongs in the spotlight. Before we get to the microphone I lean over and whisper to him.

“You don’t have to do this…maybe…maybe we can still win,” I tell him.

“I want to do this,” he replies.

I can tell now he’s not backing off. He means it. He wants to drop out of this race and right now it is clear that he’d made up his mind. I can do nothing but respect it. I stand by his side as he makes his way up to the podium.

“I want to thank everyone for being here today. I’m sorry for my appearance but like I’ve said before…I can’t keep my hands off my husband.”

The stadium erupts with cheers.

“MARCEL AND MARX! MARCEL AND MARX!”

The shouting doesn’t silence for a few minutes. It’s a full stadium. A lot of these people I assumed here here to criticize Marcel but I was wrong. They seem to be supporting him instead. I stand next to him and the bright lights in my face beam down.

They basically blind me at this point. Marcel looks back at me. He smiles. His smile is warm. Inviting. I can’t believe I’m falling for this guy who I can’t get along with. We were either at 0 or we were at 100. That was how our relationship was. And here I was supporting him through whatever.

“However I do have something very important to say to all of you. To all my supporters and even those who haven’t believed. I want to…I want to let you all know…that as of today I’ve decided to drop out of…”

Gunshots!

Screams!

It happened so quickly! I didn’t know what happened. The gunshots ran through the air. There were screaming everywhere. I just stood there in shock. Where did the shots come from? What was going on? What happened?

Then I realize Marcel running towards me. Security is storming the stage. Marcel is looking at me.

“Marx. Marx!”

I don’t understand why he is screaming my name. It isn’t until I see him reach down and there is blood. Oh no. Marcel! Marcel’s been shot.

“Marcel!”

That was when I realize that isn’t the case. Marcel hasn’t been shot. I was the one who was shot.

I look down to realize the blood on his hands isn’t his blood! No. It’s not his blood at all. My heart is racing. The world is spinning. My arm. My arm is bleeding.

I feel faint for a moment. I am falling over but Marcel catches me. Security is everywhere. They are grabbing Marcel.

“Get off me. It’s not my blood. It’s not my blood!” Marcel is screaming, “My husband. It’s my husband.”

No one seems to be listening to him. Chaos is everywhere. People in the stadium have started to run out. They think Marcel has been shot and they are stealing him away. I feel the pain. It’s so much fucking pain. I am bleeding out on the carpet. I attempt to move and scream but I’m in so much shock. Words come out but they are flushed by the sound of sirens.

All of a sudden I’m grabbed up.

Silk!

“Oh thank god!” I whisper to myself.

He grabs me and tows me under his arm. We run away. The chaos is everywhere but luckily Silk takes me off the stage. We run out the back into another section of the stadium. My heart is racing in and as I make my way to a room Silk puts me down on the floor.

He quickly locks us in to protect anyone from coming in. I’m breathing so heavy.

“I’ve been shot. I’ve been shot,” I tell Silk.

Silk turns around. He looks down on me. Then I realize something. Silk…has a gun in his hand. Silk is pointing the gun towards me. We are alone. Locked in a room and Silk has his gun POINTED AT ME!

“I know,” he says, “I missed…”

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