9. BFF #3: The complement

"No matter what they say about you, me or us, you were always there making me laugh." 

-Thalia
 

August 15th, 2010

We are sitting at the breakfast table, at school, looking at the new kid; that by the way many run away because he is gay. I have nothing against him; besides, my girls and I have wanted such a boy for a long time.

"I am not homophobic." I said getting up and looking at everyone and then walking towards their table.

The boy looked at me curiously but smiled.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Thalia, we are together in biology."

"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Elliot and I'm gay." He smiled at me thinking that would bother me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"And that's all you will say to try to get me to leave?" I laughed.

"Everyone looks at me like a freak."

"Do you want to be my weirdo?" He looks at me curiously but when everyone approached the table, he was silent.

"We are waiting for your answer. Will you be our weirdo?" Says Charlotte.

"I'm Elli." We smile because that was his way of saying yes.

That was the first day of a super friendship that lasted until the end of my days.
 

April 24th, 2016

I'm angry, everyone forgot my birthday and to top it off they didn't answer their phones, I'm going to cry ... I got home, no one was there.

Where is everybody?

So, I went to Grandma's house, it's the worst birthday. Upon entering I saw that everything was dark, not again! I turned on the light and ...

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TALI!" They all shouted, among friends and my family, I could not believe it.

They sang Happy Birthday for me, with a big cake and gave me gifts. We danced and had a great time; it was a very special night.

"We would never have forgotten, Tali." Elli gave me a kiss on the forehead while we danced. "You are super important to us and if this is your last birthday, I want it to be the best of all."

I smiled at him and hugged him, he was a very important person in my life, he was my Elliot, my rare boy.
 

September 25th, 2016

Elliot Ferrati:

I know you will hate me when you read this because you hate people who make you remember them after leaving you pain. Forgive me, I knew it would hurt but I couldn't help it.

You are one of the best things that have happened to me in life, you were a complement to my friends and even my family. You have nice qualities and being gay is not a shame, you made it more than clear.

Thanks to you I learned a million things that I did not imagine, with you I went to many places related to your way of being and thanks to that I made friends who are worth gold like you.

Always be that beautiful person I know today, take risks and if you lose, I don't care.

Never stop fighting; many times, you told me forcing me to fight until I saw that it was the end.

You held my hand when, after chemotherapy, I was vomiting non-stop. You hugged me when I felt dizzy, you were my great support. You cried my tears and laughed my laughs. You are worth a lot to me and whoever cannot love you as you are, is not worthy of your affection.

I am very happy that you have finally found your other half and even if it is not in the long term, always stand up for what you love.

You once promised me that you would be a great fashion designer and that your first clothing line would be named after me. I give you full authorization to do so, in this same envelope you will find the document written and signed by me.

You also said that half of the proceeds would go to me, so I'd like you to split them into two: Toby's college fund and the leukemia clinic where I was treated.

Please take care of Maggie, make her come to her senses so that she opens up to love.

Homophobia is as bad as racism, it teaches Toby not to be closed minded, I want him to be a free and non-judgmental soul.

I love you with all my strange heart. Be free and fly! Big cities await your great ingenuity.

For my weird boy from his little crazy:

Thalia
 

I put the letter in its place and sigh, there are few left and every day I feel that I abandon more of myself.

Elli walks into my room and I immediately smile.

"I love that smile that is just for me." He says while kissing my forehead. "I brought you something."

I look at it curiously because I can't imagine what it is about, then he takes it out, marveling me at what I see: a beautiful white dress, it is simple but it looks like it is for a princess.

"That is for me?" I ask.

"It is for my little one, if in the end you leave, I want you to do it like a princess."

I burst into tears because he is the only person who accepts that I will die and talks about it; listening to it hurts like nobody imagines.

"Stop crying princess, didn't you like it?" He wipes my tears.

"I love it, I want to have it worn at my funeral."

He hugs me and lets me cry; he didn't do it often but these days were killing me.

After a while, he wipes my tears, kisses my forehead and combs my hair while he tells me about all the men he fantasizes about, whether they are from books, celebrity or those he has already achieved and I marvel at what he says. That is his life.

Life knew how to give me those little great things that I always wanted, for that today, I am very grateful.