Fixing Broken Hearts

56 (The End)

Warnings:
-Mentions everything that happened

Elliot's POV

~ A Year Later ~

I was still shouting from excitement as I looked at the ring around Cecilia's finger, Clay standing next to her with the proudest smile on his face.

'I asked her to marry me, I know it's early and we are only eighteen, but after years of being in unstable relationships, unsafe households and severe attachment issues, I didn't want to wait any longer. We are going to get an apartment together so I can finally have a place with her and stop going from her to Tristan to Elliot all the time.'

I gave him another tight hug and nodded. 'I understand, Clay, and fully support it. I'm so happy for you.'

'And just saying, you, my little brother, are going to be my best man. If you want to, because you're still young, but I really would love you to at least have part in my wedding.'

Tears filled my eyes and I pushed him. 'Can you stop making me cry all the time? And yes, I would love to.'

'I love you,' Clay said, pressing a kiss on my cheek. 'So much.'

'I love you way more,' I replied as I turned to Tristan to hide myself in his shirt. He pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head.

'Hi, love. I'm so proud of you, even extra today because my beautiful boy is clean for so long!' he exclaimed, which made me groan.

'Guess I'll sob for the upcoming five hours,' I scoffed with a jokingly face. 'But, if we are going to be cliche, you are doing amazing as well, love. You beat your anorexia and fought against your traumas and depression, I'm really proud of you.'

He smiled and gave me a peck on my lips as I looked at Cassie. They were sitting down on the couch, curled up a bit because she was still afraid of showing their dress.

'Cassie,' I exclaimed as I ran up to her. 'What's wrong?'

'I just... Is it actually okay with you that I... identify as a girl and use they/she?' she asked. 'Because I can go by Casper and he/him if you prefer.'

'Why would I prefer you not being the person you truly are?' I questioned as I laid my hand on their shoulder. 'You're my favourite girl.'

'Hey!' Cecilia yelled out. 'I know she's hot as hell, but give me some credits!'

Cassie laughed softly and grabbed my hand. 'Elliot, I wanted to tell you something.'

'What's up?' I questioned, looking at their eyes.

'I uh- I met someone,' she whimpered. 'A guy, and he knows I'm transgender and still loves me. He wants to go on a date with me. I was a bit hesitant because he identified as gay, but he even told me he thinks he's probably bisexual because he loves me and I'm a girl to him.'

'Oh my goodness, name,' I demanded. 'Who is this amazing guy?'

'Marcus,' they replied quietly. 'I really love him, I think it's the first time I fell in love. I've always identified as gay as well, but I didn't feel a connection to my own gender together with a boy. It still feels a bit weird, but I don't want to transition. I think I'm okay with my body.'

'A trans girl doesn't have to transition to be a girl,' Tristan spoke. 'And it's okay to feel comfortable with your body and prefer sexual contact this way.'

'I just... feel beautiful with makeup and a dress,' she whispered. 'Really beautiful.'

'Because you are!' I yelled out. 'Stand up and show me your dress.'

Cassie showed her dress as I looked at Tristan, who was only smiling. I walked up to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him to a quiet place. 'Are you sure you're not uncomfortable with Cassie and me?'

He shook his head. 'I was a bit afraid when I heard about your past, but I trust you. I'm not uncomfortable, I promise. Can you come with me? I wanted to surprise you. I know you don't like surprises, love, but it's not something big.'

I walked after him to the garden of my home, my mother sitting on a bench next to her boyfriend she met a few months ago. 'Oh, sweetheart, I'll go inside!'

She immediately stood up and walked off with her boyfriend, leaving Tristan and me alone in the garden. He sat down on the grass and grabbed a small book, he made himself.

'So... it may be cheesy, but I wanted to remind you of all your progress. I have a picture of every month in here for the past two years...'

I hugged him right away and opened the book, looking at the first picture, which was a soccer picture. I continued and then stared at myself when I was severely addicted, awfully thin and mentally ill.

'Does it make you sad? I can take it out,' Tristan exclaimed as he was about to grab it, but I shook my head.

'I'm so glad to see this... That was me, not even one and a half years ago. I made so much progress. I haven't touched drugs, alcohol nor cigarettes, I haven't had any sexual contact, I stopped watching porn, no more psychosis and I beat bulimia.'

'And you're on a streak without masturbation!' he yelled out excitedly, but I shrugged.

'But I relapsed a few weeks ago. I keep relapsing, Tristan...'

'And that's okay,' he said, kissing me on the cheek. 'You told me you used to touch yourself before you got addicted as well. I don't think you're actually still addicted to it, I think you just sometimes crave it a lot and that's okay.'

'But... when I do it, I never watch porn,' I mumbled. 'I noticed I often do it when I have a bad day with my mental health.'

'But sweetheart, that's okay. You've been really lost and went through a lot, your mental health isn't fixed in a day and you'll have difficult days. You have complex PTSD, Elliot. That isn't just over. You beat every other illness.'

'I didn't beat autism and selective mutism...' I sighed with a disappointed look in my eyes, but he shook his head.

'Autism is a lifelong disability,' he said. 'And the selective mutism episodes are caused due to PTSD and that's okay. I love you with all of that.'

'Also with autism? I'm a bit different than others, but-.'

'And the sweetest and greatest guy I know. I love you, and I'm really proud of you and everyone else. Clay dealt amazingly with his trauma and Cecilia really made him whole.'

'And Sapnap and George went to college!' I exclaimed. 'I'm also very glad to be friends with Cassie again. Brandon went to jail, I'm honestly glad I never have to see my birth mother again and even have the most amazing boyfriend, who did so amazingly in therapy.'

'Patrick was treated as an adult,' Tristan replied with a smile. 'I feel really free without him near. Clay also went to the police, right?'

'Yeah, and they arrested the man who raped him as well. But I do want to say, you look so gorgeous. I'm so happy you admitted that you struggled with anorexia, but you've done so well.'

'And you with bulimia,' he said, kissing my lips. 'I'll forever be here with you, Elliot. There will be hard days, but I'm going to be there for you. It's okay to cry, it's okay to have flashbacks and I would never get mad if you relapse, I'll forever be with you.'

'Is it normal to still be a bit nervous going to soccer?' I asked. 'We started for months, but it's still a bit scary to me to be out to everyone and talk to them without acting differently.'

'That's okay, love,' he answered, kissing my forehead. 'But you came out and told everyone your story, which I'm so proud of. I'll always be proud.'

'Fixing broken hearts really is possible, isn't it?' I questioned with a soft giggle. 'I guess my heart has been fixed again, thanks to you and regaining my strong relationship with God.'

'Our loving church loves us and so does your mother.'

'She's the best, I'm so glad she invited us to the church. They caused my heart to be healed again...'

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