Labelled by Blood

      I was training. My rifle was up and my scope focused. A can of grape soda flew up and I tracked and hit it with a quick flick. The purple explosion had me whooping. Jesse came from deeper in the forest and I flicked down to him. I didn't squeeze the trigger and he stopped mere inches from my face. He mouthed something. "Too damn good."       I smirked, hooking my rifle up on my shoulder. He walked back into the forest. Another can thrown into the air. Within a second, I gunned it down and tracked Jesse as he came at me again. This time from my left. I was visualizing angles and anticipating his moves. He was predictable. Easy.       We started up again. This time, he threw my favorite flavor into the sky. The sun glistened and gleamed off the aluminum body and I laughed before obliterating it. My aim shot down and I guessed he'd come from my left again. But he didn't. He actually delayed himself. This threw me off and I had to play it by ear. Interesting.       I peeked from above my scope and waited. I'd be able to get him in time the moment he showed his hand. But he still didn't jump out. His strim never went off. I heard a couple of branches rustle. Smart, he was trying to come in from above. I blinked hard to get some dirt out of my eyes and peered through my scope.       Hello, blared a nasty voice.       Its face perfectly enveloped my scope's view. I almost hesitated to pull the trigger but did it anyways. The Collector blurred and was gone. I called for Jesse. He didn't answer. What happened to him? I took a step forward, my rifle raised but my eyes scanning.       You're already dead.       The moment I heard the voice, I saw the Collector flanking me. It got to me before I even stood a chance. It was like being hit my a marble statue.       And then I jolted up, looked all around me. In my dark and empty room. I was drenched in sweat and my pajamas were suffocating me. I threw my shirt off and found a dry part of the bed to lay on. I sat there, trying to process what just happened. The more I tried to remember, the fuzzier and less clear everything got. It was gone in minutes. A nightmare. Again.       Only this time, I died. I checked my phone. It was 1 AM. I guess I went to bed earlier than I usually did. To account for that, my body wanted to wake me up at one instead of three. I laid there in apathy. Tossing and turning wasn't worth it anymore. I let the hours roll by. Jesse was asleep by now. Probably even had a late night if he was trying to rush homework. Meanwhile I was here waiting for the sun to rise.       I rolled to my other side and stared out at the moonlight. It was dimmer than last night. Maybe that moon didn't care about me anymore. Maybe it didn't want to check in on me. Or maybe the clouds weren't letting it. The hours kept rolling.       At some point I must've fallen asleep. I woke up to my school alarm and I snoozed it. When it went off again, I snoozed it a second time. Then a third. If I stayed here, what was the worst that could happen?       I'd let Jesse down. That sucked. I dragged myself out of bed and looked at my outfits. Today was a jeans and hoodie day. I didn't want to be seen. Please let me fade into obscurity. It'd be easier if that happened. It'd be unfair if that happened. Fine. I got changed and freshened up in the bathroom. I pinned my bangs up and a half smile played at my lips. I looked like someone you would probably not hate to hang out with.       But I knew that wasn't true. I was a boy. A girl. A weirdo.       A loser.       Those labels. They all defined me. They all captured my essence. They all stung. No matter which you used. So why care which was used? I didn't. I told myself that over and over until I believed it. Then I grabbed my backpack and a banana and went to school. I got there early despite sleeping in and I snuck inside to my class. My teacher was here, but she didn't really care to talk. That was fine with me. She let me in and gave me a place to stick around in.       Minutes passed and more and more kids flooded into the classroom. I got a text from Jesse asking where I was. Right. I usually met him first thing in the morning. How did I forget about that? But it was too late to leave and see him now, class was starting in a few minutes. I told him I'd meet him for lunch and that I was sorry. He gave me a thumbs up.       I was miserable. But time didn't stop. And neither did a teacher with a job. She lectured. Assigned. I listened. Passed. No one talked to me. No one looked at me. I was invisible. The bell rang and I headed to second period. I had Jesse in third, so this wasn't really anything worth looking forward to. It was history. In the halls, I tripped. My stapler clattered. I reached for it but someone snagged it before I could. I half expected a hand to help me up. The twins saved me last time.       When I looked up, Parker was standing there all smug. His flannel hung open and almost billowed in the stagnant corridors. His hair was cut. He looked good. His gold necklace caught the light. I stood up and he handed me my stapler.       "Ay, Lex," he started, hugging me. "Sorry I was out all weekend. Heard you and Jess were doing alright."       I nodded, returning his hug. I still didn't know how to feel about him. He was a good guy, no doubt. But I just didn't feel that close to him.       "Lex?" he asked.       I shrugged. "Rough night, Parks."       He patted my back and handed me a candy bar. "Hope this helps. I'll be around with y'all after school today. I've got some new strats I want to go over with you two."       That brightened my mood. "Thanks," I said, pocketing the candy. "We've actually been working on something ourselves."       He flashed a toothy smile and nodded as he walked on. "Oh, I've heard all about it," he said.       With a bit of renewed motivation, I headed to second period. I had Ava in this class. I saw her talking to her friends and she caught my eye. She smiled gently and waved. She recognized me. I nodded at her.       As I sat down, she walked up to me and sat on the desk next to mine. "Hey," she said.       How did people do that? Just walk up and talk to someone new? I felt myself getting choked up and didn't know how to respond.       "I hope you have a good one," she said, giving my desk a tiny knock before hopping off and going back to her seat.       I sat there, motionless. Class started.