Never Normal

Karen was listening to the music and when her consciousness slowly started to come back, she broke down in tears. She has never been so scared like she just had. It wasn't new that people called her a freak, but attacking her like that was uncalled for. What if they were really trying to hurt her, or rape her? As these thoughts filled her head, Karen kept crying, her head in her arms, on the floor crying.
 
Mark heard crying from the nurse's office. He quickly made his way back into the room to see Karen on the floor crying. He wanted to go over there and comfort her, but he knew by now that contact would just make this worse for her. Mark walked over to where Karen was on the floor, crouching down in front of her, staying a few feet away.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure they will never do something like this ever again." He said with a determined look. He didn't know if she could hear him with the music playing, but he thought he should say something.
 
She looked up to see Mark crouching down next to her and he said something with a determined look in his eye. She nodded and couldn't help to hug him as she cried. At the moment, he was the only person that seemed like he cared.
 
He was surprised that she hugged him, but he didn't pull away. Karen needed some comfort and he wasn't about to take that away from her. He placed his right hand on her back, rubbing her back to try and calm her down.

Don't worry...I'll make sure they won't do this again. He thought. He repressed thoughts about his brother so Karen wouldn't have to deal with them now.
 
Karen started to calm down as Mark rubbed her back. She hugged him more and didn't want to let go. She never had anyone to turn to and she's not going to lose someone else. She just wanted to go home and sleep in his arms. They felt like they can protect her from anything and even though she didn't like being viewed as vulnerable...sometimes a girl can't help it.
 
Mark continued to rub her back, wanting her to stay calm. There wasn't any noise going on in the hallways. It seems like everyone has left the school grounds already. He just realized he missed his bus, and there wasn't going to be another. His mom couldn't come to pick him up because she was at work. He'd have to walk home today. But first, he wanted to make sure Karen got home safely.
 
Karen stood up and wiped the tears away from her eyes with her jacket. She stood up and walked out into the hallways, noticing that it was empty.

"I um...walk home, if you don't mind."

She put her hair behind her ear and shouldered her backpack, trying to get herself calm again. She really didn't want to come back to school tomorrow and she wasn't planning to now. Her hands were still shaking from the incident and she doesn't know if she's able to come back and face them.
 
Mark stood up as well, ignoring the tears on his shirt and the stain they would most likely make. He walked over to Karen, and just now realized he never asked her what her name was.

"Uh..." He started, feeling awkward that he never thought to ask her name before. "I know this is really late, but...What is your name?" He asked. There was no easy way to ask her without feeling like a complete idiot, so he just came out and asked it.
 
Karen sniffed and looked at him with her big, light brown eyes.

"Karen Louis. And you're Mark, I already knew that. It's okay." She smiled slightly and started towards the front doors of the school. Her jacket seemed to be a size larger than her and she had difficulty keeping the sleeves away from her palms.
 
Mark jogged the little distance that Karen made between them.

"I'll walk you home Karen." He said. "The streets are full of crazy people. I'd feel better if I knew you got home safely."
 
Karen smiled in his direction.

"Thanks, but I've walked those streets for a while now, I haven't experienced anything that was....well."

She continued walking and turned the corner. The bushes were particularly greener for some reason and Karen decided that it was because of the change in seasons. When she crossed the street, she walked towards the small white house on the far corner and struggled to grab her keys from her backpack and then heard the clatter when it hit the sidewalk.
 
Mark snatched up the keys from the sidewalk, and dangled them in front of Karen.

"You pissed my brother off. So he won't stop until he gets bored." He said. "I can't just leave you alone when I know what he's capable of..."
 
Karen took the keys and nodded.

"I see." She turned the lock and walked in. The stairs went up and down the hall was the small kitchen and dining room.

"....Dad, I'm home." A door upstairs opened.

"Alright." She heard him shout. Then there was the sound of pounding keys and Karen sighed.

"You can come in if you'd like." She walked over to the small dining room and put a tea kettle on the stove and turned the stove on.
 
He saw no harm in going into her house. His mother wouldn't be home until early in the morning, and he wasn't about to stay in his home with his now angry older brother.

He stepped inside Karen's home, closing the door behind him and looking around. He then walked over to the small dining room where Karen was.

"So...do you live here with just your dad?" He asked, trying to make some conversation. He was truly curious about his question since he himself doesn't have a father. Just his Wicca mother and his insane brother.
 
Karen swallowed and stayed silent for a while.

"Um...yeah," she heard the kettle whistle and poured out a cup of hot water into a mug, then put in a small bag of English Breakfast tea. Looking in a cabinet she continued, "She died of cancer....two years ago."

Pulling out the bag of sugar, she took a teaspoon and poured it into the tea and then proceeded to pull out the milk carton and poured that too into the tea.

"My dad's a writer, so he's usually home..."
 
He stood there, feeling a bit awkward during the silence. He cursed at himself under his breath at a level Karen wouldn't hear. He didn't think it because he knew she would hear his thoughts.

"I'm sorry..." He said finally said. "My dad left us after I was born...and my mother is still alive, so I don't know what it's like to lose a loved one like that." He added.

After a while, he thought of something. It was a bit hard to believe Karen could read thoughts. It could be something else that isn't paranormal. But he also couldn't help thinking she was telling the truth. He decided that if she would say his full name out loud, then he would believe her completely without any doubt. Only his mother and brother knows his full name.

Marcus Vincent Giles Flores. That was his full name. He always went by Mark though, even in pre-school.
 
Karen took a sip of her tea and quickly put the mug back down. Too hot.

"Nice to meet you, Flores." She said. She knew he still had doubts, but she didn't want to say his full name out in the open. Never in her life has she met someone who had some kind of acceptance of her odd...skill. Sitting down at the table, Karen looked at him.

"I hope you don't treat me like some kind of freak. I know you don't really mean to...but...it's very discouraging."
 
"Ah, I'm sorry. I don't mean to come off as rude or anything..." He said, rubbing the back of his head out of habit.

"Just because you're different doesn't mean you're a freak. It's normal for you anyway." He added. Mark couldn't think of anything better to say to her. This was the first time he encountered someone with powers, even though his mother practices witch craft.
 
Karen shrugged.

"As long as I'm not treated as such, I won't mind. Tea?" She gestured to the kettle and took another sip. Still too hot.

"You're also allowed to sit down you know, you are the guest after all." The chair next to her was empty and she kindly waited for Mark to sit down.
 
Mark shook his head when he was offered some tea. He sat down in the chair next to Karen after she said it was fine. Mark wasn't sure of what to say at this point. Unfortunatly all he could think about right now was older brother. Mark wanted to find a way to get his brother to stop all this nonsense before he pushes Mark to take extreme measures.