Marcel Witsel acted as a young victim of bullying for a youth series and in real life he was also one. The people who were hurt by him took revenge using his same strategies. One day, his classmates falsely accused him of stealing their belongings and hid them in his backpack. Several teachers were notified of what happened and he was about to be expelled.

Lucas, his father, unable to control his temper, tried to do something crazy against his son but Eleanor intervened in time and, miraculously, the school principal gave Marcel one last chance. If social media had existed in the 90s, his humiliation would have escalated much more, but the mere fact that his martyrdom began with his own classmates and “friends” was more than enough. Most of the students in the school looked down on him and spoke rudely against him, as if he was the vilest being in the world and deserved more punishment.

Lester, one of his main victims, had his own criteria; hated violence and often argued with the guys. He asked them to stop, because they were becoming the person they hated so much, they weren't the heroes they mistakenly thought.

***

It was 3 in the afternoon (15:00) at school. Lester saw Marcel sitting on the stairs leading to the music room. With dark circles under his eyes,... with food-stained clothes, dirty shoes, and disheveled hair. He was no longer the strong, self-confident and arrogant boy of years ago.

He approached his ex bully, had some snacks in his hand - including a green apple - and tried to give it to him.

“Are you hungry?  Can I eat here with you?”

Marcel didn't answer but he did look at him coldly and walked away from him without accepting the fruit.

He went up the stairs to the music room, there was no one there.  He went to the window in front of him to look towards the street, he was on the fifth floor and he saw a dumpster in a corner.  Marcel thought that his life was worthless and that he should only obey orders.

Lester followed him, he knew something was wrong with the young man but he didn't want to talk to him, he refused to go near him. He sat down by the grand piano and placed the food on his lap.  He remembered Victor and fiddled awkwardly with the keys.

Hearing the sound, Marcel turned to look at him, at that moment his stomach growled, he stared at the apple as if he hadn't eaten in hours.  Embarrassed, he tried to hide his face with his red hair.

“Do you want it, Marcel?”  Lester asked again.

“Why are you nice to me?”  said Marcel, who walked over to him.

“Why not?”  Lester said, pretending to be confused.

“Well, you already know.”

“I forgive your attitude but not your actions, just so you know.  Besides, I'm not like the others who find it fun to annoy you.”

“Come on, bro. Do you think it bothers me what those idiots do to me?”

“I think they think you're a coward, Marcel.”

Marcel didn't know what to say, but hunger took over him and he stole the apple from his hands to eat it quickly. From one moment to the next he felt an enormous urge to vomit.

“You are okay?”  Lester asked, getting up from his seat and looking at Marcel, who walked over to the nearest wall and leaned his head against it.

Lester approached the young man, but Marcel placed his hand on his old victim's chest, gently pushing him away to change the subject.

“I don't like twins, luckily there's only one left here.”

“Victor... What?”  inquired Lester.

“Nothing, he is… ” Marcel said a little angrily.  “Victor is less annoying than his brother. Benxamin is just a strange being who seems to be unreachable. I hate him so much.”

“But what has Benxa done to you?”

“So you call him Benxa, Les?  Well, Vic isn't that perfect.”

“Perfect?! Neither is Benxamin.  He has weaknesses just like any of us.  He wants to be a photographer and Victor will definitely be an actor and singer,”  said Lester defended his friends.

“Actor, you say?  Ha ha, I don't recommend him. Tell him to find another job.”

“Why?  What's wrong with it?”

“You have to be perfect at everything, Les. The world of acting isn't what many people think. Since I started working as an actor at the age of three, people recognize me on the street and I like it when they ask me for autographs or photos.  But sometimes, there are others who believe that I'm a trophy.”

Lester got scared; “h-has something bad happened to you, Marcel?”

“My mother does anything for me to get good roles. If people find out that I was a bully, my acting career will end and I will disappoint her”.

Marcel sat down on the floor and finished eating his apple.

“But, I don't want to do this anymore.”

He bit his lip and asked, “do you know how I can stop feeling like I'm about to explode? I've changed, I haven't bothered you anymore, you useless fucking idiots. I tried to be nice, to talk to people in a friendly way, but... I made them hate me more.”

“Have you changed so that people love you?” Lester, for the first time in his life, felt sorry for Marcel and even had a strong desire to tell him that there were no hard feelings towards him - no matter how much of an idiot he was -  but he held his ground, refusing to show sympathy for him, and less, compassion.

Lester decided to leave him alone, he went downstairs and headed to the entrance of the classroom where Victor was looking out the window.  He approached him because he thought about asking for advice, he doubted if it was the right thing to do, but finally he didn't.  He felt masochistic for caring about a person who had hurt him.

“Shall we go home, Victor?”  Lester suggested.

“Uh, yup, I have to change clothes for the audition.”

“Oh, it's true.”

But a few blocks later and remorseful, Lester stopped and grabbed the sleeve of Victor's jacket with the intention of speaking to him.

“I need your help.”

“Something happened to you?”  asked Victor.

“I'm afraid Marcel could do something dangerous.  I want you to come with me.”

Victor had other plans, he wasn't going to a casting but to his “illegal work”.

“Lester, I can't. I have to leave soon, still, please call me on this number in case it's important.”

He left him a black business card with silver lettering and the name Lark&Sea imprinted, on which was also the logo of a medieval shield. Lester thought it was a talent agency, as Victor explained to him based on lies.

“Tell the person who answers that you need to talk to me.”

Victor left without giving any further explanation. He worked every afternoon and weekend in what seemed to be a haute couture clothing store, a place like any other in a section of the city where wealthy people lived.  However, the real functionality was in the basement of the establishment: the company generated money laundering operations mainly through the smuggling of products such as clothing, footwear, and jewelry, but also... in the world of illicit drugs.

Victor's boss, named Ernest “Estévez”, was a 40 year old man with a prosthesis on his right leg.  Young Dautt's occupation was being an interpreter for many non-English speaking clients interested in such services. 

The way he acquired this job was by obligation; while singing inside a subway station, Ernest's daughter Tamara, 18, happened to see him. She was attracted to his singing and especially to him. Intent on meeting him, she asked him if he was looking for a job and promised to help him through her father.

Victor visited the man who, at Tamara' insistence, was initially hired as a salesman. “Mr. Estévez” realized shortly after that he wasn't like any other young man his age.  He tried to indoctrinate him into becoming part of his business by giving him a considerable sum of money as a form of persuasion.

But he wasn't as innocent as Ernest thought; Victor threw the money in his face, telling him that he wouldn't bow down to a rich man's handout.  His boss told him that he would never hurt him and that if he needed help, he could be the one. 

For Victor, the affection of a father figure had him with James. Until one day, Ernest found out through his trusted men, all the personal information of his new employee.  The man knew about Stella and Benxamin and it was through him that his aunt managed to sell her paintings, as well as get her new job. The young Dautt agreed for fear of reprisal.

***

After an exhausting day, Victor went to the Japanese restaurant where Benxamin worked; Lester left early worried about the health of his mother after an unexpected call.

With the commissions Victor received during that time, he foolishly thought he could live on his own in a matter of weeks.  Stella went on with her life as if he never existed, and his brother took a different path than his. Nothing was holding him back from that life except Lester and his parents, but mostly his feelings for his dear friend. He decided to take the trip Lester suggested and confess his feelings to him.

It wasn't long before he saw Marcel a few blocks away, hands behind his neck, staring off into space.

Victor remembered what Lester told him hours before and followed him; the ex-bully, legally an adult, seemed like a helpless child, confused and alone.

Marcel stopped next to a traffic light that was red, while several vehicles waited their turn to accelerate. He bit his lip hard, his palms sweating, and he took several deep breaths. He tried to take several steps forward when he saw a huge truck speed up just as the light turned green. Fortunately he didn't get what he wanted, Victor stopped him by pulling on his jacket with all his might. Marcel couldn't contain his anger and pushed him, making him fall to the ground. Victor got up quickly but lost sight of him, so he yelled for help.

The young Witsel ran as fast as he could aimlessly.