MARCUS

Unhappy bitter resentful desperately sad and lonely. Also: shockingly principled, kind, and honest. Wants to RELAX.

Marcus failed in every way to make himself well-liked in high school. He was unwilling to change, moody, awkward, and had a bit of a superiority complex (everyone else is a NORMIE). He was good at disliking everything. His mother is a great parent, though, and while she couldn't get him to be well-liked, she managed to give him conviction and a sense of ethics. Marcus wasn't ever as confident and sure of himself as he made himself out to be, which Sebastian couldn't know at all costs. Marcus had two (2) friends in high school. Evelyn, who was very similar to him--and who was nice to him. And, of course, Sebastian, who he's sure he would have hated if he hadn't known him. Marcus is very certain no one will ever know Sebastian like he does. No one else, in his opinion, has ever gotten close enough. Underneath Seb's friendliness and charm is someone far worse.

Marcus is miserable in high school, but he has a great time in college. There are a lot more likeminded people, and a lot more things to do. He also gets another friend: Todd. Todd fascinates Marcus, because Todd is so weird--he tries to be well-liked but is so abrasive that he can't quite manage it. He's not very altruistically fascinated by Todd's story about how he got his scars, and offers to help Todd research them. He discovers the scars' supernatural cause, and in doing so, draws the attention of the SCD onto him and Todd.

Marcus resents Sebastian for saving him. Marcus wishes he were back in that idyllic, empty field. He's sick of the lack of control over his life; he can't stop himself from lashing out. He would like a break from everything and everyone. But he feels like he can't leave.