IN THIS SKIN -- CHICAGO FIRE

1;

  "What do you mean you failed again?!" Kelly shouted at his adopted daughter. The girl, who was sat on the kitchen counter, laughed at him.
"Why do you care? You're not my dad." She responded. Kelly grew more angry.
"I know I'm not your dad Marley, but that doesn't mean you can treat me with the lack of respect you have been! I'm your guardian and I want you to do well, but I can't help you in school with your work when you don't help yourself!" He shouted at her, not noticed the girls fearful trembles every so often.
"Kelly, I don't know what you expect from me! You know I can't get the grades you want me to-" She began.
"No Marley, listen to me. I don't really care what grades you get honestly, I just want you to try! Having dyslexia and ADHD isn't a free pass to bunk off all the time! You need to work twice as hard as everyone else Marley and you know that." Kelly spoke, his voice softening slightly. Marley put her head down.
"I'm sorry Kelly. I just couldn't be bothered." She shrugged.
"I appreciate the apology but I won't allow you to bunk off because you 'couldn't be bothered' Marley. That's not how things work, okay? You're grounded." He snapped. Marley's head shot up.

"Grounded?! What the hell Kelly?! You can't ground me. You know I'm going to Ryan's party tomorrow!" She screamed, jumping off the counter and stalking after Kelly. Kelly simply placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Sweetie, you know I love you, and I'm not doing this to be mean. You need to get your grades up. Your biology teacher told me you have another exam on Monday and I want you to come to the firehouse with me where I can make sure you're studying." Kelly stated and Marley knew it was no good arguing with him.
"Fine." She muttered and ran up the apartment steps to her room.

Kelly sighed and threw himself on her couch next to Shay who was smirking at him.
"What?" He asked sharply. Shay giggled.
"She's a handful. Can I see her grade card?" Kelly nodded and handed it over. Shay studied it. (AG- achieved grade/ PD-predicted Grade)
AG. PD
Biology- F. D
Chemistry- C- B
Physics- F. D
Mathematics- D- D
English- F. C
Music- B+. A
Drama- A- A
PE- A+. A+

Shay frowned. "She's only passing 5 of her classes?" Kelly nodded.
"Yeah, it's disappointing. I thought we were helping her." He ran a hand through his hair.
"We are Kel, she's just getting to an age where grades don't matter. She'll get better. It's just a phase."

Meanwhile, Marley threw herself onto her bed and clutched her phone close to her chest. Ryan was Marley's boyfriend, and he hated it when Marley bailed on him. She wasn't scared about telling him: more apprehensive. She called him up.
"What Marls? I'm busy setting up my place for tomorrow." He snapped.
"It's about the party. Ry-" she began.
"Have you got your sexy outfit ready for me baby? I can't wait until the after party. Just me and you, all alone in my bedroom." She could hear the lust in his voice. It made her sick.
"Ryan, baby, I'm not allowed to go." She spoke quickly and closed her eyes.
"What do you mean you can't come?!" He shouted.
"Babe I'm grounded. My grades dropped from when I ditched and Kelly's making me go to work with him so I can't come. I'm sorry babe, ho-" Ryan didn't let her finish before hanging up the phone.

Marley was sick of him. She loved him a lot, but he treated her like dirt. He would use her for drugs and parade her around the neighbourhood where him and his gang terrorised. Wiping her eyes, she went to the bathroom that she and Shay shared and picked up the razor blade. Slowly, she began to cut her wrist. Over and over. Watching the blood flow from her veins to her skin. She was used to the pain now; after some time of self harming you become accustomed to it. Putting down the razor blade, she walked back into the bedroom and put one of her hoodies on before she laid down. Sleep didn't come easily.