I couldn't help but stare at my mother's picture, hung on the wall. It was one of the only remembrances of her in this house. I couldn't help but think. . . what would've happened if I was what she expected.

Maybe she wouldn't have been shot.

Last week, I heard from my relatives in social media that there was a shooting right here in D.C. and that it killed a couple of people. While I wanted to be sorry to those of the other victims who were injured and to the families that were affected. My relatives told me that my mother died even before she got into the hospital. I didn't want to believe them. . . I know my mother wouldn't give up on me like this.

Before this, she wanted me to change. She wanted me to recognize my gender as it was since my birth, which is a male. I always refused, telling her that there was nothing wrong with being gay. I only wanted her to accept that it's just a part of me that has been coexisting with me since childhood.

However, when she suddenly died and left me alone with my sister. . . I wasn't feeling better. I needed space. I never answered my phone call, never replied back to my texts, and never even talked to my friends nor touched my emails.

Mother always wanted me to change. . . If only I had realized how much faith she had entrusted to me before she got shot. She wanted me to change for the better, though I don't know what exactly did she mean by the word "better".

I know that there's nothing wrong with homosexuality. But the fact that she never gave up on me despite who I am bugs me. . .

I wish I would've realized this sooner.

Part of me wants to make it back to her for accepting me as a person, despite who I was. The back of my head yearns for change. It's not just any change.

It was a change that I knew my mother held during her last breath. To become a better person. To straighten my life out together.

To be straight, like she always wanted.

I looked around the bedroom, the only room I have familiarized with since her death. My bed was wet with tears, my alarm clock was shattered on the floor, left uncleaned. My phone was on the end table, battery sucked dry. The curtains were closed, isolating me from the sight of the US Capitol Hill. I would only leave the room for food. . . but even then, I don't feel hungry.

"Leo! Open the door, please!"

A voice echoed from outside. Though, I couldn't recognize whom did that voice belong to.

"Leo, I'm going to wait all night for this door to be opened. Just. . . open the door."

I suppose I don't really have a choice but to open the door. . .

Like a robot that was awakened, I rose from the bed that I stayed on for hours. Like a robot, I moved out of the bedroom door, trying to bury my emotions.

I opened the door, and a man with a gray hoodie and pants appeared on the doorway. Although I never saw him in a while, I know that those eyebags under his eyelids didn't exist until now.

"Hi, Leo. . . I just wanted to drop by to check on you."

"Oh. . . You can tell the others that I'm fine," I replied. I don't want anyone to visit me. . . especially in my current stage.

"I have," he answered. "But I know you aren't okay. We're not oblivious to everything, Leo."

I guess I didn't have an excuse for that. . .

"So, what made you drop by?"

"Like I said, to check on you. I just got back from work, and we're all worried, especially that you have been off the radar ever since your mother died. My sincerest condolences, by the way. . ."

"Glitch," I began. "I only needed some personal space. That's all."

"I know. Getting through her tragic death is hard. But trust me, I know you want to talk to someone---"

"Please," I interrupted, trying to hold back my tears for everytime he mentions my mother. "Personal space. Don't worry about it."

Glitch sighed. "I know, I know. But please remember that we're still here. Sure, Naomi and Andrew are in Montreal for their honeymoon while Ry is on a trip to Sweden, but you're not alone. We know that life is too tough. Yet, we know that every once in a while, someone has got to bring their life back together. Judging from your. . . recent behavior, I know that someone has to be there with you. If there was someone who is going to be on your side by this stage, it is going to be me." Then he added, "And it has to be me because I'm apparently the only one available. . ."

"Thanks, I guess. . ." Then I asked, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"First off, may I come in?"

"Sure, I guess. I hope you don't mind the dirtiness of the house, though. I never cleaned in ages."

He proceeded to step in, taking off his shoes and sitting in the couch.

"Leo, I gotta tell you something." He looked at me, eyes drooping down as if he's going to regret what he's going to say.

"What?"

"I won't be in DC any longer. . ."

My eyes widened. "Wait. . . what?"

"I tried to tell you, Leo. But you weren't answering my calls."

I suppose this is what I would get for isolating myself from the rest of the world. . .

"But why?"

"I have to move to Italy. . ." he muttered. "I really didn't want to, but I have to. The company asked me to. I had no other choice. Like I said, Leo---I tried to tell you."

I just stared at him. I could feel my tears swell up again. First off, my mother just died from a shooting, then Ry went to Sweden, and then Naomi and Andrew went to Canada, and now my best friend is going to Italy. I don't even know what to wonder myself. . . would I go to Amsterdam for something, or the fact that I won't be able to see Glitch again.

I reluctantly asked, "How long will you stay there in Italy?"

"Two years, Leo. And I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

I stayed silent, trying to hold back my tears, as I know I won't be able to see my best friend personally again. Well, I guess there's social media, but meeting personally is different than trying to deal with timezones just to talk via social media.

"I dropped by your place because I want to say goodbye. I wanted to talk to you personally for one last time. If you ever want to tell me something personally, tell me now. Or else you would have to wait for two years to get that opportunity again." Glitch looked like he was holding back tears, too.

"Glitch. . ." I began, "did you really have to go to Italy?"

"I really wish I didn't, Leo. They were too insistent."

"And you can't back out, now?"

He shook his head.

Leo sighed. "Can't you just stay in DC? Stay here with people you lived with? Does that mean I'll live alone?" Then he muttered the last part. "Can't you just stay here with me. . . ?"

"Sadly, I can't. And no, you won't be alone. Tomorrow is Ry's last day on Sweden. She'll keep you company while I'm not here, along with Naomi and Andrew when they get back here after their honeymoon. Plus, there's always online. . ."

I have no choice but to let go of Glitch, I guess. All good things must come to an end, indeed. . .

"Anything else?" he asked me this time around. Part of me wanted to open up to him. . . I wanted to tell him everything because I feel like he should know the truth. But at the same time, I'm just dragging another unnecessary person to worry about my problems, in which I know I shouldn't.

"Do you think I should become straight again?" I blurted out, before realizing what I have said. Goddammit. . .

"What do you mean?" He raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. Guess I have to tell him everything now. It's too late to say "nothing". Plus, I know he'd figure it out eventually, so I might as well tell him.

I told him that I wanted to become straight again. I told him that something inside me felt like I wanted to justify to my mom's wishes---one she held on when I was growing up. . . and also the one she held onto when the heart monitor flat-lined. Part of me wanted to fulfill her dying wish as a way of redeeming myself to her, for being such a crappy person who was afraid to experience what was it like to be straight. . . To not be bullied all the time. I was afraid to question my own sexuality. . . I wish everything doesn't have to be this complex. . . But I guess that's just how life works.

"Leo. . . I'm gonna be honest. . . I don't want you to change. I don't want to come back here two years later to know that you've already changed. After all, you as yourself is what I liked about you in the first place. This was why we became friends in the first place."

"It never hurts to change, doesn't it?" I defended.

"Yeah, it doesn't. Although the final decision is yours, I still wouldn't want you to change. I know that your mom respects and admires you for being so defensive, that being considered as a gender that you, biologically speaking, aren't. I know that your mom still loves you, no matter what. I don't think she'll like you changing just because of a certain circumstance. You are who you chose to be, and you chose to be gay. And I like it. I see no reason for you to change."

". . . I guess you're right."

"Yeah, I am." Then silence.

"So I guess this is it?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. . ." he muttered. "I guess this is goodbye." He then stood up.

". . . yeah." I started tearing up.

Then, on an unexpected moment, I ran to him and hugged him, as tight as I could. I started sobbing. "I'll miss you, Glitch."

I could feel him hug me back. "I'll miss you, too."

"Promise me you won't forget about us."

I thought I might have seen a single tear escape his eye as he said, "I won't."

When he went out, I muttered.

"I love you."

* * * * *

How's that for a Valentine's special?

Fun facts:

1. I decided to write a story about the LGBT. I wanted to be diverse and I wanted to get out of my comfort zone when it comes to characters. I figured that I want to write this story for variety.

2. This didn't turn out the first time I planned it to. Which is a good thing, probably.

3. I tried to tell a romantic story without using obvious hints such as "his heartbeat rose rapidly" or "he felt butterflies in his stomach" or "he knows he loved him". I wanted to tell a romantic story without directly saying that he loves him until the end because if you ask me, that's how I would write a romantic story now.

4. I actually made a poll for wherever this story takes place. CanadaNaomi suggested five cities: Edmonton and Calgary in Canada, Houston and Austin in Texas, and Washington DC. I asked people on Kik and from what I last checked, Washington DC has the most votes.

5. Speaking of Naomi, she and Andrew actually helped me with the plot and settings and everything. Thanks, Andomi!

6. And speaking of polls, remember the last part of Glitch's Perspective where I asked you what was your favorite ship and etcetera? I'll share some results here.

The question that actually determined what ship should I write was the question where I asked, "If I were to make a Valentine's one shot, what ship would it be?"

It was really close, but Litch/Gleo (Glitch x Leo) had the most votes, with two. Vennomi (Venn x Naomi) and Rytch (Ry x Glitch) were the other two ships.

I eventually decided that I'm going to write a Litch one shot because I wanted to write gay characters, and because it's the ship that most of you wanted to see in this one shot.

Rytch and Vennomi can wait lmao

Another result that I wanted to share was the result where I asked you what was your favorite ship that involved me.

Again, Gleo takes the top spot, but Rytch (again) and Gliomi (Glitch x Naomi) were also competitors.

But when I asked, "If you were to make one ship canon, what would it be?"

Gleo wasn't in the top spot. Because for some reason, most of you who had voted wanted Rytch to become a thing.

C'mon, make up your minds lmfao

And in the question where I asked, "What's your overall favorite ship?"

I think Gleo still takes this spot but I'm pretty sure it was split, most of the ships having just one vote.

"What's your least favorite ship?"

Most of you answered Todmas lmao. I agree

And most of you said "no" when I asked whether or not you're going to make a Valentine's short story like this.

So yeah.

2265 words.

That's it from me, everyone!

_Glitch