Chapter Text
"Mario, what's wrong?" Marco asked as soon as Mario picked up the phone, the younger one didn't say anything for a while, but Marco can hear his sobbing at the other end of the line. "Mario?"
"They are going to kill me." Mario choked, furiously wiping away his tears that are streaming down his cheeks. Just the sound of Mario crying broke his heart.
"whose going to kill you baby?"
"Manuel said the people at school are going to beat me up, and Bastian says if I don't give him €30, he will post a video of me online."
"Hmm." Marco tapped his chin, an idea popping into his mind. "Then don't go to school tomorrow Mario."
"I have to go to tomorrow, it's not that I want to. It' just my social worker drops me off right at the school gates, and she won't let me take any more time off. My attendance is really low."
"That's it Mario." Marco spoke confidently. "Your social worker drops you off at school, you pretend to go. I wait for you outside of the school gates and we go to the seaside for the day."
"The seaside?" Mario's frown turned into a smile. "That sounds perfect, i've always wanted to go to the seaside with you."
"I love you Mario, I will be waiting for outside the school gates at 08:30." Marco blew kisses on the other end of the line, then quickly hung up. Leaving Mario with a smile on his face, for the first time in a while.
Mario took a quick bath, getting rid of the stench of blood from his nostrils, he even resisted the urge of his razor blade on the side of the bath. As soon as he got out and dried off, he went to bed, bringing the day with Marco closer.
"Mario, time for school." He groaned, hearing the voice coming from down stairs, Mario managed to pull himself out of bed and looked in the mirror, he had lost a lot weight. He could only shrug, at least he won't be the chubby chipmunk anymore.
He wanted to look his best to see Marco, but he'd have to convince his social worker he's going to school. In the end Mario ended up in his uniform which hung off, he looks pretty stupid.
"Good morning Mario." The social worker smiled over her cup of coffee. "It's nice to see you, we usually have to force you out of bed. Do you want any breakfast?"
Mario shook his head, and sunk his teeth into his bottom lip to stop himself from heaving. Just the thought of him putting cereal inside his body, made him want to vomit. "No thank you, sixth years can have some toast before classes."
"Well, do you want me to take you to school now then?" Mario checked up at the clock, if they set off now, he would be early which means he can pretend to walk into school, then walk back out again.
"Yes please." Mario nodded, and for the first time, he was dropped off at school without any complaint. The social worker waited until he had walked into the school gates, then drove off, and that's when Mario walked back out again and waited for Marco.
It's freezing this time of year, and Mario doesn't have a proper coat. Mario winced, his teeth chattering because of the bitter air, he really hoped Marco would arrived early, because ten minutes in the cold seems like a life time.
Just when Mario thought thing couldn't get any worse, it starts to rain. He shivers, and wraps his arm around himself, just trying to keep warm, while the winter rain batters down onto his already freezing cold skin.
Mario really did start to worry when eight thirty came and went, school starts in half an hour. Mario presses himself against the wall, to try and avoid the passes by. Most people just hurled abuse, and called him a fag, luckily he hadn't seen anyone for his class yet.
"Hey fag, did you bring my money?" Mario slowly lifted his head, and of course it's Bastian standing there, a cigarette in his hand, his dumb ass friends standing slightly behind.
"N- no." Mario swallowed, furiously blinking back his tears, if they saw him crying, it really would smell trouble. Why didn't he just get the €30 from someone? Instead of relying on Marco to pick him up once again.
"Why? How do you expected me to pay my dealer now?" Bastian stepped forward, and gripped Mario by the collar. Jerome and Franck gather round to stop anyone seeing, as the first punch is aimed for Mario's face.
Marco, where are you?