MARCELLUS WINCHESTER HELD A CIGARETTE IN BETWEEN HIS POINTER AND MIDDLE FINGER. The end of it lit and burning. But, the boy simply stared at the burning end, slowly bringing it up. But, not to his mouth.

The boy has brought the burning cigarette to the faded scar from before.

His door swung open. "Hey swee-" his father stopped, seeing the sight he was met with. "Marcellus!"

The cigarette dropped to the floor, immediately Marcellus put it out. Mark ran to his son, taking his hand into his own as he examined the wound. "Wha-"

Mark found himself speechless, unsure of what to say in the moment. Unsure of what he was supposed to say, allowed to say. "What have you done?" He voice come out soft spoke, shocked at what he had seen.

There were a total of five cigarette burns, four of which had happened previously. Four that had happened because of psych Patrica. Mark's ex-wife.

Mark sighed. "Okay. I'll call the school, and your staying home today."

"What, no, dad-" Marcellus went to stand up, and deny, say that he was okay to attend school. He wasn't thinking. That, it was an accident.

Mark didn't listen to him.

"Fuck," Marcel muttered as he sat back down. His father had exited the room. Marcel turned yo look at his phone, picking it up and dialing Max Evan's number. "Hey, Max, I won't be in school today. I'm not...feeling well."

"Oh, well, feel better." Max tells him.

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Kyle Valenti had realized that there was something off about today.

It wasn't until second period that he had realized that Marcellus wasn't in school.  The jock furrowed his eyebrows, because Marcel never missed a day of school. The boy had once passed out at school because he wasn't feeling well but had a test.

"Evans!" Kyle called out, knowing the one of the few people Marcel spoke to were the Evan twins.

Isobel turned, crossing her arms with an annoyed expression at him. Max looked annoyed aswell, but more worried.

"What do you want, Valenti?" Isobel asked.

"Where's Marcellus? He wasn't in class."

The twins looked at each other.

Isobel shrugged. "Running late?"

"Marcellus? Running late? I'm pretty sure he's here before the staff members are."

"What do you want with him?" Max inquired of.

"It's just odd that he isn't here."

"What, are you worried about him?"

That was unexpected. Max treating him with hostility. Max barely spoke to anyone who wasn't his siblings, or Marcellus.

Kyle shrugged, scoffing. "No. But, he and I were assigned partners for a project. And he didn't give me his number."

"Leave him alone-" Max's hands were drawn in fist next to his sides.

Isobel pulled Max away.
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Kyle did the one thing he swore that he would never do, afraid what people would assume and think if he did. He had gone to visit Marcel, at his house. Hopefully the other was just deciding to have fun for once, and not doing it to purposely allow Kyle to fail the class.

Kyle knocked on the door, had had placed in a face smile, after seeing that Mark's car was in the driveway. He had needed to act like he and Marcel were friends.

The door opened, revealing Mark Winchester. "Kyle Valenti," Mark greeted, surprised.

"Hey, Mr. Winchester," Kyle smiled, extending his hand to the man. "It's great to meet you."

Mark eyed the boy, suspiciously. And accepted the extended hand, shaking it.

"I'm sorry to drop by unannounced, but, I noticed that Marcellus wasn't in school. And he never misses class. I wanted to see if he was doing alright?"

"Oh, you know, now's not really a good time. Marcel isn't feeling well. I think he caught a stomach bug," Mark lied. "But, I'll be sure to tell him your stoped by."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could see him for myself?" Kyle asked.

"I'm sorry Kyle. But he really isn't up for any visitors."

"Okay. Sorry to bother you. Have a nice rest of your day."

Mark waved goodbye, closing the door. "Little punk."
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Kyle told himself that the only reason that he was doing this was because Marcel was annoying and over dramatic. It would be great, that whatever it was that managed to make Marcel stay home, was probably something stupid.

"Who was at the door?" Marcel asked, looking up from the wet towel pressed to his wrist.

"Kyle Valenti," Mark replied.

Marcel's look shifted, confused. "Why was he here?"

"Said that he came to if you were doing alright."

Marcel laughed, throwing his head back as he had. Kyle had almost fallen out of the tree he climbed.

"That's hilarious! Did he think I'd believe that?"

"Why Marcel?"

"You know he bull-" Marcel began.

"Not that."

"I don't know..." Marcel looked down at the covered burn mark.

Marcel had hurt himself? Kyle thought, and before he got caught, dunked out of the tree and left.