I just wanted to say that it's my very first story in English (it is not my first language). Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. And I hope you'll enjoy!
Update: This fic is also available in Russian, (thanks to Nisl !) right here: ficbook-net/readfic/3544917 (replace dash with a full stop and you'll have the link!)
It started with a call. Just a simple, normal call. It was quite late, about eleven pm. I didn't have school tomorrow – summer holidays – so I decided to stay up longer than usually. I had just few more episodes of Attack On Titan to watch, and it was getting really intense and interesting, so I just couldn't bring myself to stop now. It was the middle of the episode, when my phone (laying on the desk next to the computer) started buzzing. I stopped the video and looked up who was interrupting me. I smiled, seeing familiar name. Feliks was calling. Feliks is my boyfriend. He's from Poland, I'm from Lithuania. It's kinda hard, cause we see each other once every few months, but we always text, and talk, so it's not that bad. We met for the first time in London. Both our schools had trips to England. I was fourteen then, Feliks was about to be my age in just few months. We met by a total accident. My class had free time. Me and my friend decided to walk around a little bit. He wanted to buy something for his sister, so we checked few shop. I stayed outside, while he was inside, looking for a teddy bear or something like that. I wanted to buy something for my brothers as well, and I saw a nice looking piggy bank. I though it would work fine for my youngest brother. So I told my friend that I'm going there, then, few steps and I was lying on the ground. With someone underneath me. I helped this guy, apologized countless times, and introduced myself. He said his name as well, being really shy. "Feliks" It didn't sound very English-like, so I asked if he's from here. He said "No, I'm Polish" - still being shy- then I answered "Well, seems like we're neighbours then! I'm Lithuanian". We walked to the shop together, when we both bought gifts for our siblings (it turned out that he has an elder sister, a twin sister and a younger brother). My friend called for me, we were supposed to head back to the group. Feliks and I exchanged numbers. Then we started texting. And, at summer holidays, one year later, we started dating. Now, I'm eighteen, Feliks kinda is (in about six months he'll be). Who could've known, that by a simple accident I am going to meet the love of my life? I know that I'm young, and I still have my whole life to live. But I'm sure that Feliks and I were simply meant to be. I've never felt like this before. He is the most amazing, beautiful, wonderful person I know. I'm sure that my love for him will never fade. Okay, back to the events from that evening – or should I say night?. When I saw that Feliks was calling, I immediately picked up. I was especially happy, because lately he haven't talk to me at all. He said that he has some examines at music school, and at normal one too, so of course, I understood. But our contact was limited to just few texts per day. The last sms I got from him was from two hours ago and it just said "I love you". Of course, I responded I love you too, but this text was kinda out of nowhere. Well, I wasn't questioning it, Feliks sometimes had those weird moment of his.
"Isn't eleven a little too late to call, sweetheart?" I said, smiling to myself. I haven't heard him for such a long time! I have not heard an answer for a while, just, something that sounded like... sobbing? "Feliks?" I called his name.
"Um, Toris, honey.. " I recognized Feliks's mother. Her voice was shaky, she surely was crying.
"Mrs. Łukasiewicz? Is everything all right?" I asked, worrying a little. Why was she calling me? From Feliks's cell... that's weird.
"Yes sweetie, it's... I-it's just fine. Could you please pass the phone to your mom?" her voice cracked at the end of this question. Our parents didn't know each other. But, I know Feliks's mother, and he knows mine as well. We visit each other as often as it's possible, but our parents have never met each other.
"Sure. Give me a minute, please." I said, quickly leaving my room. Something was really wrong. I headed to the kitchen. I remember that my mom was there few minutes ago, when I was there.
"Motė?" I called her, walking to the kitchen. As I expected, she was there, doing the dishes.
"What is it, Toris?" she turned around to face me. I handed her my phone.
"Feliks's mom is calling. She wanted to speak to you." I said. She furrowed, taking my cell and bringing it up to her ear.
"Yes?" my mom used to don't know English at all. But when I told her that I have a boyfriend, who lives abroad, she suddenly started to take lessons. And well, she was learning really fast. Her English is really good. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear what Mrs. Łukasiewicz was saying. But look at my mother's face, told me that it was something horrifying.
"Geras Dievas, what happened?!" she asked, adding "good God" at the beginning of the sentence, in Lithuanian of course. I was worrying more than ever now. Feliks's mom called, crying. She wanted to talk with my mom. My mom looked scared, she started tearing. What the hell was going on?
"Don't tell me that he tried to …" she gasped after a short while, probably after hearing the answer.
"Is he … Is everything fine with him?! Don't tell me that he's …." and again, silence for few seconds.
"Thank God! But, why would he do something like that?! Did he have any problems? He and Toris didn't fight recently, at least I don't think they did. Perhaps it's school?" now I was sure that they were talking about Feliks. But what happened? This time Mrs. Łukasiewicz was replying much longer than before. It took her good five minutes to response.
"God, I had no idea... Why didn't any of the teachers at his school react? They should see something like that! It is their duty to help children in situations like this!" again, quite a long response. Every passing second seemed like forever to me. What was going on? What happened to Feliks?
"Of course! I'm …" my mom stopped talking for few seconds. Tears were running down her face. She looked at me for a short moment, then her gaze was at the kitchen window again. "Toris and I are going to be there soon. Don't worry, dear. He'll be fine." she let Feliks's mother talk for a minute, when she was just nodding to herself. Then, she said "Hold on, dear. Everything will be ok. I'll see you in few hours" and then she hung up. The silence in the room was killing me inside. I didn't know what was going on, but it wasn't good.
"Motė? What happened?" I asked. I slowly walked few steps further, and then I put my hand on hers.
"Toris... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, dear." She was crying harder than before. One of her hands was covering her mouth, while she was sobbing quietly. The second one, was holding mine, tightly. I didn't understand anything from what was going on right now. "Listen, honey." she said, after she calmed down. "I.. I'm really sorry to say this to you, and I'm sure you'll be mad, and sad, and most probably hurt, but don't worry, hopefully everything is going to be all right." she smiled sadly. Her both hands were on my shoulders now. I was higher than her, so she didn't have a problem with looking me in the eyes.
"Mom, please, just tell me what is wrong..."
"Toris... Did you know anything about that Feliks has been bullied?" my eyes opened much wider. What?!
"I-I... he didn't say a thing." I mumbled.
"Well, let's sit. I'll leave the worst for the end." that didn't help me at all. I sat by the table, next to her. "His mom just told me the whole story. And, since you're his boyfriend, you should know everything as well. All of that begun at the beginning of the school year. As you know, he went to the new school. New friends, new teachers, it all brought a lot of stress. He didn't know anybody, so he didn't know what they'd think about... your relationship. He told about this one girl. Just mentioned it, nothing particular. And the next they, all of his classmates knew. And the whole process started. They would call him gay, faggot, queer, they would make fun of him. He ignored them as much as he could. It lasted two months. Then the worse thing started... His mom said that he was acting weird, that she tried to talk to him, but he would always lock himself in his room. After the first day of school after New Year, when he came back from school, she saw blood on his shirt. He said that he scratched while PE, nothing to be worry about. The next week when he came back, he was limping. He fell of the stairs, at least that's what he said. Every single week, a new injury appeared. Broken rib, conquered eye, sprained wrist. He started to avoid the school. His grades suddenly lowered. He wasn't appearing at piano lessons any more. All he was doing when he was back from school, was eating with his family, with that fake smile of his, then close himself in his room. Even his little brother saw that something was wrong. A week ago... he came back home with split lip, conquered eye, his clothes were a complete mess, his bag was nowhere to be seen. He wouldn't talk to anyone since then. He closed himself in his room, completely avoiding the rest of his family. He didn't go to school. He just stayed there. And... today..." she stopped talking. Tears were running down her face again. Well, I was really close to crying too. I... just can't believe this. How could anyone do something like that to Feliks? He always tried to be nice to everyone, he always smiled, was always happy. How could anyone hurt my darling like that? How could anyone hurt anyone like that?! Since when love is the reason to hurt people? What is so wrong with the fact that we are in love? Why people think it's not normal?! You can't decide who you love, for Christ's sake! Your heart don't give a single fuck about the gender! It's the inside that matters right?! Why are people so blind? Why they treat us like different people? We're the same. Why can't they see this..?
"Mom..." I said, still holding back tears. "What happened today?" God, I was so scared of the answer. But I needed to know. Mom swallowed hardly, then sighed. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes, with sympathy.
"Feliks tried to commit suicide." suddenly, my whole world stopped. With just this sentence, I felt like my heart has stopped beating. I felt like it broke. There were so many emotions I felt at that moment. Sadness, fear, pain, anger, love. But mostly, it just hurt. My chest, my heart, it hurt so much. I couldn't think about anything. Such things like is he still alive or what should I do now. My brain didn't get enough attention from me right now. No. Heart was ruling the whole me in this moment. Immediately, tears started to running down my face. My mother pulled me into her arms. Her warmth made me cry even harder. I started sobbing loudly, desperately clinging to her. What am I going to do now?