Toxic Valentine (Kellic) - boyxboy

Chapter 5: Canals

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You know that admitting the problem is the first step towards repair.

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Vic's POV

There's something wrong. I can see it. He's just not himself today. Where did that bruise go from his cheek? If he covered it with make-up, then why didn't he do that yesterday? Maybe there's more. Am I being too paranoid? Why is there a Band-Aid on his forehead?

I watch Kellin from my table at the café. It's a cold day so I stopped by for a hot chocolate on my way home from Mama and Papa's house. I don't really like going to visit them but Mike's still a Mama's boy so he insisted that I took him to see them. I usually just stay in the car anyway.

When I got here, I discovered that Kellin's working. Though, he doesn't seem like Kellin at all. He barely even smiled at me, actually he's barely smiled in general.

"Do you think he's okay?" I ask Mike, who had previously been talking to me about god knows what. I wasn't listening.

"Who? What? Were you listening?" Mike asks seeming annoyed.

"No. There's something wrong with Kellin." I mumble.

Mike looks over his shoulder at Kellin who's wiping down a table. He's got an intense look of hopelessness on his face. It's not even sadness. It's the kind of look you have when you've given up.

"He looks kind of down. Maybe you should ask him if he's okay." Mike shrugs.

"Yeah, maybe." I sigh.

Would that be intrusive or rude? I barely know him. But he is a friend. Should I?

"I'm going to use the restroom." Mike announces, standing up then heading towards the restroom.

I pick up my spoon and spoon a marshmallow out of my hot chocolate before I put it in my mouth, sucking the froth off of the spoon.

"Is Mike finished with this?" Kellin asks, with a voice that isn't like his own. There's no joy, no life in it.

I look up and nod so he takes Mike's cup and spoon as he wipes down the table with his spare hand.

"Kells, are you alright?" I ask him softly.

He looks a little shocked but that goes away. He then gives me a forced smile and nods.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He chirps, his voice sickly sweet. He's lying, I just know it. There's something wrong.

"What happened to your head?" I ask.

"Nothing. I just fell." He shrugs but I know he's lying. Why is he lying?

He then walks off and I sigh. We're friends. He should be able to talk me, shouldn't he? Mike soon comes back, another hot chocolate in hand. We then talk about nothing special until a guy covered in tattoos, comes into the store seeming pissed off. Just by the bad vibe he's letting off, he's caught most people's attention, including mine and Mike's. He goes up to the counter where Kellin's waiting to serve customers.

"You tell me when and where you're going, you understand me!" The guy speaks to Kellin angrily in a hushed voice.

"I-I got called in. You were asleep. I didn't want to wake you." Kellin murmurs back, seeming anxious and uncomfortable.

"You didn't think to leave a note? Text me? Anything? How the fuck was I supposed to know where you were?" He growls.

Kellin glances at me, our eyes connecting. I can see the fear in them. He then looks back at the guy.