Pastel Boy

Not-So-Nice Relatives

(Mark's POV) 

I was nervous now, since one of my aunts and uncles didn't approve of me being gay or dressing like I do. That was my Aunt Carol and Uncle Dawn. The only people I was happy to see were my younger cousins and my brother. 

"Mark!" Thomas smiled. 
"Tom!" 

I hugged him, attracting my Aunt Carol's attention. 

"Uh, hi, Mark," she sighed. 

Tom and I went to my room, where he met Jack. But, he told me something I didn't expect. 

"Carol's gotten worse," he began. "She's gotten more bitchy over the year. So, be careful. If she doesn't like Jack, not even a little? You're fucked." 
"I know that... Do you know how nervous I am for him to meet everyone," I asked. 
"Yeah, I know. But this Christmas, I'll help you with her." 

Jack was confused about the entire ordeal. I filled him in, and he understood after that. 

"Well, better do it now than never," Jack sighed. 

I took his hand and led him downstairs. My family turned to look at us both. My Aunt Carol and Uncle Dawn just scoffed. The rest of my family was happy to meet him, and I think my cousins drove him nuts...
But, I started to hear my Aunt Carol talking about me. I hid behind the wall so I could hear. 

"Jennifer," she began, calling my mother. "Why haven't you done anything about that?" 
"About what," my mom snapped back. "Carol, he's finally happy for once. And, of course, that's the one thing you complain about." 
"I meant that he's gay." 
"You can't change that. Besides, I wouldn't change that, even if given the chance. I wouldn't have the same Mark if I did." 

I smiled. At least my mom was taking my side in this one... 

"I always knew you were hopeless, Jennifer," Carol scoffed. 
"And I always knew you acted like a bitch, get over it," my mom growled. 

Carol got offended, but just went to join the rest of the family. I already knew she was talking shit about me to the rest of my relatives. It's what she did every year.
Some years, it doesn't get to me, but I'm thinking this year it will. I just went to my room and began to listen to some of my music. I just needed to calm myself and get out of this depressive mood... 

"But how do you expect me," I began to sing with it. "To live alone with just me? 'Cause my world revolves around you. It's so hard for me to breathe..." 

After a while, Jack noticed I wasn't doing well. He asked if I wanted to go ice skating with him. I accepted, as long as we left here for a while... He understood and said we could stay out late, since my mom understood my standing with Aunt Carol. 
We went to an outside rink, since it was no longer snowing. It took a minute for me to get used to skating, but I got the hang of it. Jack was a really good skater. He could do all kinds of tricks: figure eights, spin, do jumping tricks, etc. I could only go forward.
He kept laughing since I kept falling on my ass. I laughed too. But suddenly, I felt the ice start to break. Jack did too. Everyone was told to get off the ice, that it was breaking. I couldn't move or I'd fall in. 

"Mark, stay where you are," Jack instructed. "Do not move until they're able tuh' get ya out safely." 
"J-Jack," I began. "I-I'm scared." 
"I know you are, just stay still." 

I slightly moved my hand, since broken ice had been cutting it. It was bleeding, so I wanted to get it off. Unfortunately, that little movement caused me to fall into the bone-chilling water. The last thing I heard before being submerged in the water was Jack yelling my name. 
I was quickly becoming waterlogged, making it impossible to swim upwards. I was sinking. I saw a man with green hair jump in and swim towards me. I lost my breath and slowly blacked out. 

(Jack's POV) 

Tha' cold water was like needles tuh' my eyes, but I had tuh' save Mark. He was sinkin', and quickly. I dove in and swam down, catching his hand before he could sink any further. He was unconscious, so I had to get him out in a matter of seconds, or he'd die. 
I swam up, pullin' him above tha' ice before tryin' tuh' get up meself. Two people got him up and another two helped me out. I ran tuh' him after gettin' out. 

"M-Mark?!" I gasped, cold. "M-M-Mark, s-speak t-t-tuh' m-me, b-babe!" 

He was unresponsive. I got next tuh' him and started CPR. I wasn't gonna allow him to die on me. I couldn't. 
Suddenly, Mark spat up cold water, coughin' his brains out. He was alive! Thank God... 

"Jack," he gasped. "You saved me." 
"Of course," I panted. "I wasn't gonna allow ya tuh' die on me. Never..." 

He smiled, and I did tha' same. That was until I felt an excruciating pain in my side. I moved my hand tuh' see blood. I looked at the broken ice and saw two spots of blood.
One was from Mark's hand, I knew. But there was a big piece with fresh blood on it. I cut myself on it gettin' out. I started tuh' feel dizzy, alertin' Mark and the paramedics that just arrived. 

"JACK!!" Mark cried. 

He rushed tuh' my side and tried to keep me awake. The loss of blood and swimmin' like that made me tired. I couldn't stay awake any longer... 

"JACK!!!!"