A Million Miles Away •Maxian•

5

It's 1:30am (my time) but here's an update.

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Max and Ian had been talking for a few weeks and by now they were really getting to know each other. Whenever Max felt down, couldn't sleep, or just wanted someone to talk to, he would call Ian. Ian wasn't as open about his life as Max was, but neither minded that.

Ian was at work one day, it was around noon his time and three am Max's when Max started calling nonstop. Ian ignored it the first few times but Max just kept calling. He sent Max a text saying that he was busy but Max only replied asking Ian to pick up.

Ian groaned and went outside so he could talk to Max in somewhat of a private setting. "I'm trying to work, can't this wait?"

"Ian..." you could hear how upset Max was from how his voice shook. Ian could almost perfectly imagine the boy's quivering lip. "I did something stupid."

That caught Ian's attention. "Max what did you do?"

"I-I," Max could only cry, leaving Ian desperate to know what had happened.

"Maxie you gotta calm down and talk to me," Ian coaxed. "I need to know what's going on."

"I don't know what happened, Ian," Max cried. "The kids at school found my Instagram and they started calling me a tranny and a faggot. I can deal with the name calling b-but today..."

Max broke out into violent sobs. Ian wanted nothing more but to be there, holding the upset boy and making him feel better.

Ian started to speak but Max cut him off by continuing, "I was in the bathroom a-and these guys came in and they said they wanted to see what I really was a-and t-they made me take my clothes off and said if I didn't they'd beat me, I didn't believe them but then one punched me and gave me a black eye. There was three of them there, I don't even know who they are but they sure knew me. One took my clothes and threw them into the toilet a-and then the o-other h-held me while the l-last o-one... he... he-he touched me. Fuck, Ian, it was the worst this I've ever experienced and-and that's why Itriedtokillmyself."

Ian was enraged by the actions of the people at Max's school, but at the same time he was heartbroken at what Max had done.

"Did you tell anyone else about this?" Ian asked as calm as he could.

"I can't, Ian. He said if I told anyone he'd do more to me."

"What did you do to yourself?"

"I tried to take pills but my sister caught me taking the bottle to my room and thought I was trying to get high," Max confessed. "She took the bottle and hid it. When she went to bed, I tried to find it but I couldn't. So I went to the kitchen and got a knife-"

"Max please tell me you didn't," Ian chimed in. "Please, not that."

"I'm sorry," Max whispered.

"Don't be sorry, just don't ever do it again."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

"Next time you think of hurting yourself, call me instead. If I don't answer, text saying what it's about."

"Okay..."

"Get some sleep, Maxie boy," Ian said softly. "I know its late there."

"Can you tell me a story?" Max asked.

"Of course," Ian replied.

Ian talked until Max was asleep, when he knew the boy was asleep he ended the call and sat on the floor. It was heartbreaking to hear what happened to Max. He was such a sweet boy and never deserved something like that. Ian wanted to kill the guys responsible for it. He just wanted Max to be safe.