In Too Deep

As soon as the final bell rung Kellin grabbed Kevin and pulled him to the Fuentes household. He didn't have time to lose. He ran up to the door knocking frantically. Kevin watched the pale boy pace back and forth impatiently. Mike swung the door open. He gave Kellin a death glare before stepping onto the porch shutting the door behind him. He took a deep breath.
"What do you want?"
"I need to speak to Vic." Mike punch Kellin square in the face.
"Hell no! You're not hurting my brother again." Kellin was crouching on the ground, holding his probably broken nose. "He's on suicide watch. Again! I'm so afraid that he's going to kill himself. I took all the pills and sharp objects out of his room. He's under constant watch by Tony and Jaime right now." Mike grabbed Kellin by the collar and pulled him to the window. Kellin saw Vic on the couch in between his friends. Vic looked blankly at the show playing on the tv. It seemed as if all that was left was a shell. "Look what you did to him!" Mike shoved him up against the the house, away from the window.
"Mike, the video was cut off."
"Bullshit!" Kellin felt like cowering a way. Mike may be younger than him but he was still convinced that the sophomore could kill him with ease. Kevin placed a hand on Mike's shoulder.
"He's being honest."
"You better be careful Edwards. I'll end you just as quickly." Mike used Kevin's last name to intimidate him.
"Think about your brother before you make any decisions." Mike's grip started to weaken on Kellin's neck. "Kellin tell your side of the story." Kellin wiped the blood from his nose with his sleeve.
"I let Amy in because she said she wanted to help. You saw what happened after that." Mike clenched his fists. "But you didn't see what happened after it was cut off though. I pushed her away. I told her how I was with Vic. I told her I loved him. She said she was happy for me. That's when I got a call from Austin saying Jake harassed Vic and we left. That. Was. It. Nothing more, nothing less."
"What about that shit in the hall? Looked pretty cozy with her then." Kellin shook his head.
"I was talking about Vic then too. I was saying Jake and Austin wouldn't come between us. Mike," Mike looked at Kellin. "I'm in love with your brother. If I have the chance, I want to spend the rest of my life with him."
"You hurt him. How do I know you won't do it again?"
"Without him, I'm nothing. I nee-" Kellin was cut off by the door opening.
"Mike. What ar-" Vic stopped as he saw Kellin standing there with a bloody nose. He resisted the urge to pull the other boy into a hug. Kellin let his eyes wander over Vic. The tan boy was wearing a dark blue hoodie. He was tugging on the sleeves as he ran his hands up his thighs. Kellin felt like he was going to cry. Vic's eyes were so dull. They were just.....brown. There was no gold specks, no spark, just dead.
"Vic." Kellin took a step forward and Vic took a step back. The tan boy was being cautious. Mike watched his brother. Vic had stopped crying as soon as they got home. He didn't show anymore emotions. He didn't smile, he didn't laugh, and he stopped talking unless he needed to. There was still a good 3 feet distance between the couple.
"Vic please listen to him." Kevin cut into the silence. Vic shook his head, hugging his own body closely. Kellin walked forward grabbing Vic's arm before he could leave.
"Ow! Stop! Let go of me!" Vic returned to hugging his body and cradled the arm Kellin grabbed. The pale boy covered his mouth. No. Vic was clean. He would never do that again. Kellin looked at Mike who was looking at the porch.
"He did it before I could stop him. They weren't that deep but they are still there." Mike looked like he was going to cry. He hadn't meant to let Vic do this.
"Let me see." Kellin held out his hand. Vic glared at him.
"Why? You don't care."
"I do care! Vic that was a lie. I did-"
"I don't want to hear your excuses. I want you away from my house. We are over! For good!"
"I-"
"No! Don't talk to me, don't look at me. Stay the fuck away from me. I don't love you and you don't love me."
"But I love you!"
"Well, I never loved you!" Kellin's breathing stopped. Vic wasn't crying. In fact, he was barely showing any emotion besides anger. "I used you okay? I used you because I was lonely. I wanted to have fun and have sex with the most popular boy in school. I lied. I had kissed someone before. I had sex before you. I was playing with you." Mike watched his brother lie his way through this. Vic was using his best defense. He was pushing Kellin away.
"Why?"
"Why not?" Vic threw his hands up in the air. "It was so easy too. You actually believed that I loved you. That I didn't do anything with Austin and Jake. What you saw on that screen, I enjoyed every second of that." Vic watch as tears escaped Kellin's eyes. His heart felt heavy. He was being a dick but it was the only way he could get Kellin to leave him alone. "I want you to leave. Now."
"I know you're lying Vic."
"Get use to hearing the truth. I. Don't. Care. About. You. Get over it already. I'm not that special." Vic turned around getting ready to open the door. Kellin pecked him on the cheek. Vic spun around slapping him as hard as possible. "Don't touch me." Kellin felt the sting start to subside. He searched the other boy's face. Then he spotted the thing that let him now that this hurt Vic as much as it hurt him, tears were building on his waterline. Vic's whole plan was to yell at Kellin, go inside, and cry his eyes out. Kellin pulled Vic forward, kissing him softly. Vic responded bring the other boy closer.
"I love you." Kellin brushed away the one tear that fell down Vic's soft cheek. "Please don't leave me." Vic pushed against Kellims chest, moving him back lightly. He turned and grabbed the door knob.
"It's been fun." Vic tried to keep his voice from shaking. He made his way in the house, glancing back. "Goodbye Kellin."
"Bye." Kellin whispered as the door shut.
"Kellin?" Mike questioned. Kellin just kept staring at the door. "He was lying."
"I know."
"Come on." Kevin tugged on the pale boy's arm.
"I'll found out why he lied. Kellin." Kellin looked back at Mike. "I'm on your side but I have to support him. He's my brother." He stood in front of the taller boy.
"Please watch him for me. Carefully. Even if I'm not with him he can't lose out on life." Mike smiled.
"I'm way ahead of you hermano." Kellin nodded feeling a little warmth come to his heart. Mike had called him brother. Then he left. Mike opened his front door and stormed into the living room. Jaime and Tony gave him confused looks while Vic was blankly looking at the tv again. He grabbed the remote, turning off the show.
"What the fuck?" Vic glared at his brother. Tony and Jaime excused themselves to the kitchen.
"I could ask you the same thing. Why the hell did you lie to Kellin?"
"It's easier that way." Vic murmured.
"Easier to what?"
"Easier to keep on living." Mike sat next to Vic on the couch. "I want to go back to what I use to do. I want to go back to cooking and taking pictures. I want to be left alone."
"But why give up something you love? You do love him right?" Vic stared at the ground, trying to keep tears from pouring down his face.
"Of course I do!" He shut his eyes tightly. "I-I j-just...." Vic looked up at Mike. "I can't keep living like I'm in a fairy tale." Mike motioned torwards the photo of their parents' wedding day.
"They're living in a fairy tale, still, to this day."
"Yeah that's why their older son is fucked up in the head. If I stay with him eventually I'm going to get too attached and then boom! Just like that, I'm dead."
"You're not fucked up." Mike pulled his brother into a strong hug. "You have to learn to take the good with the bad."
"So much wisdom for a guy that spends one night with a girl then leaves." He tightened his grip.
"Stop it. You would never say that. I-" Mike saw a tear land on Vic's head which was under his chin. "I can't lose you again. I can't watch you die while you're still alive. You were just starting to return to my brother. Like in Mexico before abuela and abuelo died. Please. I don't want to see more marks on your body. I don't want to stay up at night hearing you cry. I don't want to be afraid that you'll kill yourself." Vic pulled out of his brother's arms. He didn't want to hear this.
"You won't have to worry about that." He gave his younger brother a small, sad smile. "I'm going to go lay down." Mike grabbed his arm. Vic yelped in pain.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine." He started heading torwards the stairs. "I love you Mikey." He said it quietly so Mike couldn't hear. Then he made his way into his room to the bathroom. Vic opened up the cabinet that was connected to his sink. He reached under, grabbing the little match box that was hidden above the pipes. He set the box down, bracing himself against the platform.
Vic took a deep breath. It should be easy. Like when he first got home, it wasn't suppose to hurt that much. It was suppose to feel good. He felt the guilt slowly making its way into his heart. He pulled off his hoodie, looking down at his arms. The bumps were red and raised against his smooth skin. Tears were making their way down his cheeks. He felt....bad. He betrayed Kellin. His family. He had just started to smile. He gabbed the box, shutting the bathroom door, and sliding down against it. He flicked the lock.
"I'm sorry." He opened the box where three silver razors were waiting for him. He picked one up feelin the cool metal against his skin. "I'm so so sorry. I didn't want it to end this way." He ran the razor up the length of his arm, letting out a little whimper. The blood immediately start gushing out of the wound as he switch hands, doing the same on his other arm. He felt the pain flood through his body. He made a mistake. There was a knock at the door.
"Vic?" Mike's voice came on the other side of the door. Vic tried to respond but it just came out as a weak little whine. Mike started banging on the door more frantically. "Vic open the door! Right now!" He kicked the doorknob, breaking it off, and slowly pushe the door open. He heard something slump against the ground as he wiggled his way through the door. His pulsed stopped when he found his brother in a pool of his own blood, barely conscious. He kneeled down, pulling Vic into his arms.
"Mikey...."
"Shh.... It's okay. Jaime! Tony! Please get help!"
"I..love you.. M-mike. I'm s-sorry..."
"You can't die on me Vic." Jaime and Tony ran into the room. Tony hid his face in Jaime's chest as soon a he saw the scene. "I can't lose my brother. Please..." Jaime started dialing for an ambulance. Vic grabbed his brother's hand. Mike watched Vic shut his eyes and his body go limp. "Nonononono." He check for Vic's pulse, only to find it very faint.
"They should be here any minute now." Jaime trie to keep his voice from cracking. He held on tightly to Tony who was sobbing into his shoulder. Mike rested his forehead against Vic's chest as he cried.
"Son, we need you to let go of him." Mike jumped as a paramedic pulled Vic away and onto a gurney.
"Please save my brother." He pleaded as they started to haul Vic away. A paramedic pat him on the shoulder.
"We'll try. Have someone drive you to the hospital." Mike stared helplessly as his brother was taken away. He ran over to Jaime and grabbed the phone from his hands. He search the contacts finding the right number as he pushed the call button.
"Hello?" Kellin's voice came on the other end of the phone.
"It's Mike." Mike heard a shuffling like Kellin was quickly gettin up.
"Mike, why are you calling me?" Panic was evident in the pale boy's voice. Mike let out a sob.
"Vic. He's in the hospital and I-" He choked on his words. "I don't know if he'll make it."
"I'm coming to get you."
"No!" Mike was being drag by Jaime to his car with Tony already in the passenger seat. "Just get there. He may not seem like it but he needs you. So drop everything and get your ass to the hospital. I have to call our parents." Mike ended the call. He dialed his dad's number. When Mr. Fuentes answered, Mike ha to keep himself from breaking down.
"Dad, it's Vic."