Chapter 1
Dangis’s skin was pale white, with only a few freckles scattered across his nose, though the sun hadn’t spared his shoulders — his back was covered in light specks, like kisses. A brunette with curls, both sides of his hair shaved short. A silver cross earring hung from his right ear. Dangis was tall, with lean arms and legs. His dark red shirt was too long on him, while his white fabric shorts rested low on his hips.
The brunette held his shirt up with his teeth, exposing his abs. His back arched slightly as he held his phone up. Snapchat was open on the screen, a black-and-white filter covering the image.
One mirror selfie and the caption:
Come if you want ;)
He pressed “Send” and selected the group calledKacai, which contained twelve carefully chosen guys.
Soon enough, his phone vibrated. Messages from his wonderful admirers.
I want you— 887Hot— Matt🔥 — Kubiškis
And Kubiškis added a picture showing off his size.
Did he really get excited that fast? Pathetic.
Dangis let his shirt fall back down and smirked. He would’ve gladly teased Kubiškis a little more, but it was only a picture, and the snapper himself was on the other side of town.
“Dangis, come eat!” his mother’s voice echoed from downstairs.
“Coming!” he shouted back irritably.
Dangis closed his eyes and touched his cheeks. Warm, but whatever — the heat would disappear soon enough. The important thing was that he wasn’t hard.
He pulled off the red shirt, quickly changed into an oversized black one, and went downstairs.
“Dear God, that earring… on a boy…” his mother shook her head.
Shit. He forgot to take it out. The silver cross swung with every step.
“It’s fashionable,” he smiled while his mother scooped mashed potatoes and chicken onto his plate.
“My son won’t turn into a faggot,” his father muttered.
“I won’t,” Dangis agreed.
“Your cousin Erikas said the same thing!”
“Our poor Staselė suffered so much… Her son’s gay, the whole village laughed at them, dear God…”
The brunette silently cut into his chicken. His heart beat painfully fast. Words likefaggotandgaystabbed metaphorical needles into his chest, and all he could do was wait for the subject to change.
Why had Erikas told the whole family he was gay? And on Facebook too, right before moving to England with his fiancé. If not for Erikas, he wouldn’t have to listen to this bullshit…
Now he had to endure his parents’ rambling every single time the news mentioned anything LGBTQ+, or whenever they saw an “overly suspicious” earring.
“Have you found a new girlfriend yet?” his mother asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
“Not looking. Everyone breaks up after twelfth grade anyway,” Dangis shrugged.
“And did Agnietė already find someone else?”
“She lives in Vilnius now.”
“So what? You’ll study in Vilnius too, right?”
“If I pass the math exam.”
