𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐄 | 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐘

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟒

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭

weeks later

I munched on my fries as I graded papers in my classroom, I frowned looking down at Mariano's paper.

This is the third one he's failed these past weeks, At first I let it slide because he never fails but this is the third time.

He has been acting distant lately since September started up.

I put his paper in my bag and decided I was gonna ask about it later, I graded the rest of the papers until a knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in." I say softly while keeping my attention on my papers, "You look even more beautiful with glasses on Ms. Pritchett." I immediately looked up and I saw Valerian standing with roses in his hand.

I smiled as he walked closer to me, "You're not supposed to be in here after hours." He chuckles and I bite my lip softly.

"You're right, Please punish me." He smirks while handing me the roses, "Thank you." My cheeks turn bright pink and I smell them.

"I just wanted to see you." He kisses my cheek while holding my chin. "Where's Mariano?" He scratches his head, "He's at his apartment, He's been acting a bit weird lately." I furrow my brows, "I noticed."

"Around this month he always acts distant every year." "And you guys didn't see what was wrong?"

"We try but he's always pushed us away, He wouldn't answer our calls or text, and after about 4-5 weeks he comes back like it was nothing.. so we don't talk about it."

I fold my arms across my chest, "Men, So Predictable." I roll my eyes, "He keeps pushing you away but he wants you to clearly stay."

I grab my bag and jacket, "Send me the location of his apartment," He frowns "You're just gonna leave me?" I walk up to him and kiss him on the lips, "I'll make it up to you later." I trail my hand down to his pants and grip his member.

"Fine."

"I'll send you his location, There's a spare key in the flower pot, He won't let you in.. He never does, so we hid the spare key there."

"Mkay," I rush myself downstairs and get inside my car.

❤︎︎❤︎︎❤︎︎

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭

I grabbed the spare key and dusted the dirt off, I turned the key in the lock and twisted the doorknob. "Mariano?" I softly call out, waiting for a response but it never came.

I dropped the key on the counter and walked to the bedroom, I looked down at the floor and saw blood patterns following to his door which was now making me worried.

I rush to open the door and I see Mariano sitting on the floor with a bottle in his hand, He had a cut on his foot and he was in nothing but a pair of joggers.

""Mariano?!" I rush to him while kicking the crushed glass on the floor, "Go away." I kneel down at his side and bring his face up so his eyes could meet mine.

They were red and he had serious eye bags, It looked like he hasn't slept in weeks. "I don't wanna talk to you." He looks away from me and I sigh.

"I'm not leaving till you do, I'm staying because you need someone right now.. and I won't let you be alone like this."

I stand up and walk to his bathroom to see if he had a first aid kit, I check under the sink and saw one. I grabbed it and kneeled down at his foot.

I cleaned his wound then stopped the bleeding so I could wrap the bandage around his foot, "I was 10." Mariano says hoarsely.

I look up at him and frown, "I was raped and molested for years, I didn't know what was happening. She told me it was okay."

"I was beaten everyday this month." I finished wrapping the bandage around his foot and I sat right next to him so I could hold his hand.

"Neighbors finally found out and I was taken to another home, Where I was beaten again.. I don't know what I did to deserve that- You didn't deserve it, No one deserves that and I know what you're going through, Because I went through the same with my parents."

"It's not your fault, Don't let what happen bring you down, Don't push away the people that care for you." I kissed his tear that fell, "I just wanna forget what happen to me but this month just reminds me what happen to me."

"I wanna forget and drink it away, but nothing works."

"Please I don't want to remember Scarlett." He looks at me and hugs my torso, He laid his head on my chest as he cried softly.

"Don't leave." He mumbles making me frown, "I would never leave you Mariano." I kiss him on the head.

We sat there for a while until I noticed he was sleep, I grabbed him and held him up on my shoulder and softly placed him on the bed.

I walked to his kitchen and grabbed the broom, I swept up the broken glass off the floor and dumped it in the trash. I cleaned the blood off the floor and sprayed it down with lysol.

I walked inside of Mariano's room and he was snoring softly. I grabbed the bottle from his hand that he was still holding onto from earlier and went to throw it away.

Before I could, He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the bed with him so now I was on top of him. "Don't leave." He looked at me with teary eyes making me frown.

"I'm not I'm just gonna throw this way and come back, Okay?" He nods and lets me go so I could move.

I went and threw the bottle of alcohol away then grabbed my phone from my jacket pocket so I could text Valerian.

He called me instead and I picked it up, "How is he?" Valerian asked as soon as I answered, "He was a mess when I got here but he's sleep now, He was drunk and he had a cut on his foot that's bad but we can go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Don't get mad but I'm gonna stay here with him tonight, Since he isn't doing well right now."

"That's fine I'll wait here, Stay safe baby." I smile at the mention of the word baby, I always liked when Valerian called me that.

"I will." He hung up and I put my phone back in my jacket pocket, I turned around and Mariano stood behind me with a frown on his face.

I jumped back and took a breath, "You scared me, What are you doing up?"

"You said you were coming back." He whines softly making me sigh, "I was just on the phone, You can't be up on your foot." I help him to the bed and he pulls me down with him.

"Can I take my shoes off before you suffocate me?" He nods and lets me go so I could take off my shoes. I unzip my boots and placed them by the bed.

Once I was done he grabbed me and put the cover over us, He laid his head on my chest and hugged my waist.

I rubbed his head until he fell back asleep, then dozed off after him.

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Me after I disappeared until 2024.

Don't hate me but this was a little filler chapter and more of what happen to Mariano back then.

Let's try 20 votes for the next chapter.