"The Green-Eyed Monster"

Marcus's eyes narrowed as he watched Alex and Miranda laugh together in the cafeteria. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, a sensation that had been growing inside him for days. It wasn't that he was interested in Miranda, he told himself. He barely knew her, after all. But as he continued to watch them together, he couldn't shake the feeling that had taken up residence in his chest. Marcus tried to brush it off, telling himself he was just annoyed because Alex was getting attention from someone. But as he continued to observe them, he started to notice the little things. The way Alex looked at Miranda, with a softness in his eyes that he'd never seen before. The way they held hands, their fingers intertwined as they walked down the hallway. The way they laughed together, their smiles mirroring each other's. It was all so... endearing. And Marcus couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment. Why did Alex get to be happy, while Marcus was stuck in this rut of hatred and rivalry? It wasn't fair. As he walked away from the cafeteria, Marcus felt a sense of unease growing inside him. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he knew one thing for sure: he couldn't let Alex win. Not this time. Over the next few days, Marcus found himself growing more and more agitated. He'd catch glimpses of Alex and Miranda together, and his heart would twist into knots. He started to notice the way Alex looked at him, the way he smiled when he thought Marcus wasn't looking. And Marcus couldn't help but wonder if Alex was trying to provoke him, to get a rise out of him. It was then that Marcus started to plot his revenge. He'd sabotage Alex's relationship, drive a wedge between him and Miranda. It was the perfect plan, and Marcus felt a sense of satisfaction as he started to put it into action. He started small, making snide comments about Miranda to their mutual friends. "She's not that great, is she?" he'd say, or "I don't get what Alex sees in her." And slowly but surely, the rumors started to spread. But Alex and Miranda seemed to be immune to Marcus's efforts. They'd laugh and joke together, their relationship growing stronger with each passing day. And Marcus couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration, a growing sense of anger that he couldn't quite explain. As he walked down the hallway one day, Marcus saw Alex and Miranda holding hands. They were smiling at each other, their eyes locked in a way that made Marcus feel like he was intruding. He felt a surge of anger, a sense of jealousy that he couldn't control. And in that moment, Marcus realized that his feelings for Alex went far beyond mere rivalry. He was jealous, truly and deeply jealous, of the attention Alex was giving to someone else. And Marcus didn't know what to do with that realization. As he turned and walked away, Marcus felt a sense of uncertainty growing inside him. He'd always thought of himself as a master of control, but now he was starting to realize that he was just as vulnerable as the next person. And that realization was both terrifying and exhilarating. Marcus didn't know what the future held, but he knew one thing for sure: he couldn't keep doing what he was doing. He needed to find a way to deal with his feelings, to confront the green-eyed monster that had taken up residence in his chest. And as he walked away from the hallway, Marcus couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. Would he be able to sabotage Alex's relationship, or would his plans backfire in a way that would leave him reeling? Only time would tell, but one thing was certain: Marcus's life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.