MisterHB

Tora is a 19-year-old young adult who suffers from severe anxiety and agoraphobia. He is a pariah in his own house, consistently ignored by his family as if he were invisible. Having never had friends, he has spent most of his life alone. His story begins on his very first day of university, where he meets Zayn, the complete opposite of him : funny, handsome, extroverted, and so on. However, Zayn seems different from others, as if he carries a dark past on his shoulders.
Soon, the two protagonists become friends, and they face various tragedies together (and alone), including death, harassment, violence, and jealousy. But the worst battles are the ones they have to face within themselves every day. They must try to live with their traumas and mental illnesses while still suffering.
Yet, they are not the only ones suffering. There are others who silently struggle, each with their own emotional rollercoaster and arcs.
Enjoy !
Important tags (and warnings) : #Friendship #gl #bl #FamilyAbuse #Harassment #Violence # Suicide #Death #trauma #mental Illness

You 2 Me

One time, on her way home, Emilie found herself surrounded by a group of young adults.

— Hey there ! Are you new around here ?

— No, I'm just visiting my friend, excuse me.

She tried to push her way through, but one of them stopped her.

— Why are you in such a hurry ? We just want to get to know you. We can give you a ride, if you want.

— Hey, why are you ignoring us like that, huh ? With the way you're dressed, don't complain when you get noticed, right guys ?

They all laughed loudly while eyeing her up and down. Their gaze lingered on various parts of her body, from her chest to her hips, her butt, and her face.

— The way I'm dressed ? I'm literally in sweatpants, are you kidding me ?

— Wow, she's got some fire, I like her even more.

Though she tried to act tough, her heart was pounding so hard she felt like it might burst from her chest. Without wasting another second, she turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could, but she was quickly caught by three of them at once.

— Maddy !! Maddy !! Madd… hmm, hmm !!

She had tears in her eyes, one of the boys had shoved a handkerchief in her mouth, and one of them was already preparing to remove his belt.

Maddy and Stacy had also gone out, eager to properly welcome Emilie, but she still hadn't shown up. That's when a scream of terror echoed down the street. It was Emilie, desperately calling Maddy's name. Without hesitation, the two of them rushed toward the source of her voice and were stunned to see her being dragged into an alley in broad daylight.

That was all it took for Maddy to pull a Swiss army knife from her pocket without hesitation. It was a compact multi-tool, with several components like a blade, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, and scissors. It had been useful to her many times, but she never imagined having to use it this way. Unlike all the other times, she unsheathed the blade for this occasion.

She ran as fast as she could into the alley where she had seen her friend. There, face-to-face with the four attackers, she stabbed them, each in the leg, stomach, arm, and shoulder in a blink of an eye. Just one limb per person. They, caught off guard, still hadn't figured out what was happening. Without giving them any respite, she shoved the knife into the eye of the one still holding Emilie and kicked the one blocking their path in the crotch.

She grabbed Emilie's hand tightly, pulling her behind her as they ran down the street. But Emilie's legs, no longer obeying her, suddenly gave out without warning. The two girls were left immobilized in the middle of the street, completely panicked. The four boys, furious, were already returning, ready to fight. In one final effort, they both shouted :

At that moment, all the residents of the houses opened their doors in surprise. Stacy had been busy ringing all the doorbells, trying to gather any help she could. An elderly man came out of his house, ready to give those pedophiles a good beating. But three of them had already fled. The wife of this brave man approached the girls, ensuring they would be safely escorted home.

— You're brave girls, none of this should've happened. Oh, come here.

She hugged them both tightly and left.

— Are you okay, Emilie ? They didn't hurt you, I hope ! Maddy asked frantically.

Emilie jumped into her arms, tears in her eyes.

— Thank you, thank you so much. No, they didn't hurt me. You arrived just in time. Thank you.

— Thank you. You saved both of us earlier. I rushed in without thinking. I'm so glad we can always count on you.

— It's nothing, really. You did the hard part. You're very strong and brave. I envy you.

— From now on, we'll stick together as much as possible, okay ? Maddy declared.

Always together (Fragment 2) : Emilie