Status: One-shot. Done.

Where Dreams Come True

Where Dreams Come True

Matt was twelve the first time his parents took him to Disney World. He was more excited than a child on Christmas, because it was Disney, and he’s been obsessed with Disney forever. He’s been begging his parents to take him since he can remember. They finally agreed to take him for his twelfth birthday. Finally. They couldn’t promise Matt the world, but they knew going to Disney was all the same to him.

They flew from Baltimore to Orlando the day after Christmas, so really the trip was more of a Christmas present than a birthday present. Matt couldn’t sit still, constantly asking how much longer; especially every time the flight attendants asked him if he was excited or okay. He was more than furious with his parents that he couldn’t take a friend with him, because, hello, he’s twelve now, and hanging out with your parents, is not cool. But, he was going to be able to meet Mickey Mouse in person; and maybe it’s not the real Mickey, but still, it’s Mickey.

On the flight, he noticed another boy, who he couldn’t tell his age, but he seemed to be fidgeting just as much; so Matt could only assume he was going to Disney, too. Matt only hoped he was staying at the same hotel because, then maybe, if the hotel had an indoor pool, or arcade, or something they could hang out. As the flight descended, Matt just got more anxious. He was so excited. They landed around four in the evening though, so Matt’s parents said they couldn’t go to the park until the morning.

Once they were standing in front of the baggage claim, Matt was jumping up and down, and he saw Disney related stuff throughout the airport, and holy crap, Matt thought, that was seriously the best moment as of that point and time, because he knew meeting Mickey tomorrow would be even better. He spotted the boy who was anxious on the flight as well, and noticed that he didn’t seem as anxious anymore. He wandered away from his parents, and sat beside the boy on the ground.

“Hi!” Matt exclaimed, overly cheerful. The other boy gave him a weird look and then looked back down at his hands and started picking at the skin around his fingers. Matt nudged him, and the boy looked back up. “I’m Matt!”
“Okay.” The boy scooted to the left to try and get away from Matt, but Matt would not have any of it, because, he wanted to know what was wrong with this boy.
“Well, what’s your name?”
“I’m not suppose to talk to strangers,” the boy whispered.
“But!” Matt said over-dramatically and loud, “You know my name! We’re practically friends now.”
“My parents will be mad at me.” The other boy kept his voice low.
“Oh. Well sorry.” Matt said going to stand up and rejoin his parents, but the other boy pulled on his hand. Matt turned around and gave the boy a questioning look.
“I’m Alex.” Matt sent him a huge smile, and sat back down beside him.
“It’s nice to meet you Alex.”
“You too, why are you here?”
“I’m going to Disney for my brithday!” Matt said, rather excited.
“First time?”
“Yes! I’m so excited! Can’t you tell?”
Alex laughed, “Yeah, I can tell.”
“Are you going, too?”
“Yeah, my parents bring me here every year.”
“Aw, shucks, you’re lucky! I want to come here every year!”
“This is the first year my cousins didn’t come with us. But I just found out they weren’t coming. So I’m kind of sad.”
“But, you’re going to the greatest place on earth!”
“With no friends.”
“Maybe we’ll see each other!”
“I doubt it,” Alex said laughing. Matt’s parents came over to the two, and told Matt it was time to go to their hotel. Alex’s parents came over moments later and told him the same thing. When the two families got on the same bus, going to the same hotel, Matt couldn’t help but smile. He and Alex sat on the bus beside each other, for the thirty minute drive, and talked about anything Matt wanted too. He noticed that Alex seemed rather shy, but he didn’t mind, because Alex kept smiling at him, and nodded when Matt asked questions.

That night when Matt was sitting in the hotel room with his parents, he saw that Alex was swimming in the swimming pool (that was indoors, with glass surrounding it so the sunlight came in). He begged, and pleaded with his parents to let him go down to swim, and finally they gave in. He quickly had changed into his swimming trunks and ran down the four flights of stairs, to the swimming pool. When he got to the bottom, he didn’t even care that he couldn’t breathe, he just wanted to talk to Alex some more. The door that separated Matt from the pool wasn't the easiest to open, and he couldn't exactly get it open. When Alex saw him, he smiled and hopped out of the pool, he got to the door as soon as Matt finally worked it open.

“Hi!” Matt said to Alex, noting how big of a smile was on the other boy’s face.
“I was hoping your parents would let you come swim!”
“How’d you know I would see you swimming?”
“I didn’t. I was just hopin’. My parents always let me swim in the evening, so you should ask your parents to let you, too.”
“I will!”

In between playing stupid games in the pool, the the two learn some about each other. Like Alex found out that Matt is slightly obsessed with Mickey Mouse, and Matt found out that if it were up to Alex, he would go to LEGOLAND instead. Matt also discovered Alex is slightly younger than him, because he talked about how he can’t wait to be in the middle school next year. Matt learned that while both of them were from near Baltimore, they went to different schools. Alex’s mom came down about an hour after Matt got to the pool, and told Alex it was time for dinner. Matt was sadden that he and Alex couldn’t spend more time together, but he said bye to Alex, and promised they’d swim the next night too.

The next night when Matt and Alex met up at the swimming pool (only with Matt’s mother joining them) Matt told Alex about meeting three different Mickeys, including the Mickey. Alex smiled at him, and told him it was awesome that he got to meet the Mickey. The two met up every night to swim, except one because it was raining. On the last night Matt was there (he found out Alex got to stay one extra night, lucky), the two exchanged addresses, to keep in touch. Their parents also exchanged addresses, because the two the boys wrote down were not neatly written, and Alex’s could barely be read.

As the two grew up, they kept in touch. The letters quickly became emails, and eventually, they coordinated a time to be online every night; telling the other what happened that day. Soon they also swapped cell phone numbers so they could talk on the phone (because it was long distance to call from a land line), and once texting became huge, they did that too. The two would meet up if their parents allowed them, and occasionally they would have a sleepover (until that became the uncool thing to do in a teenage boys life).

When Alex was sixteen (therefore, Matt was seventeen), he told Matt he was pretty sure he was gay; but, possibly it was just a phase. Matt laughed, because to him, it was obvious Alex was gay, so he confessed that he was bisexual, hoping to make Alex a little more comfortable with the secret he just divulged to Matt. The rest of their conversation avoided the subjected of being gay, and both were fine with that.

When Matt was a senior, he finally told his parents and a few of his friends that he in fact did like guys, and shortly after making that confession, he started dating a boy who was slightly older than him. His conversations with Alex decreased to only once a week (with a few text here and there) and Alex felt like he was losing Matt for good.

But, two months afterwards, Matt found out the guy was cheating on him, and he drove to Alex’s (a good two hour drive) and sat on Alex’s trampoline with Alex for hours just crying. He was so heartbroken, but Alex didn’t understand why, it wasn’t like they were in love or something. Matt ended up staying the night. He was content with crying himself to sleep on Alex’s floor, but after Alex listened to him cry for a half hour, Alex got out of his bed and laid down with Matt. Matt was laying on his stomach, and the minute he felt Alex’s hand on his back, rubbing small circles, he looked over at him, and cuddled into his right side, laying his head on Alex’s chest, and soaking his shirt with tears. Eventually he fell asleep and Alex got to sleep, too.
At Matt’s graduation party, later that year, Alex got stupidly drunk, because Matt was pretty much ignoring him; but, it worked to his advantage, because Matt ended up taking care of him the rest of the night. Matt started college three weeks after he graduated, so he could get a jump-start on his course work. He went to college in Tennessee, and again his friendship with Alex took a hit. Matt didn’t go back home for Alex’s graduation party. Alex didn’t tell Matt where he was going to school that fall, because he was so mad at him for missing his graduation party. He was only further infuriated when Matt didn’t even care to ask. Once he moved to school, in Florida, he and Matt didn’t talk, at all.

Alex thought about Matt all the time. And when Matt’s birthday rolled around he contemplated texting Matt to wish him a happy birthday. He opted against it, but slept poorly because he felt like such a terrible friend. Only to be enhanced when Matt text him the next day saying “:( u forgot.” He didn’t answer that text message though, because Matt forgot he existed for the past year. Later that night he received another text message from Matt saying, “ALEX! y wont u talk to me.” Alex responded, “you forgot about me.” Matt didn’t say anything back.

A month and a half later, Alex was typing his first paper of the spring semester on his laptop, when his computer dinged letting him know he had a new contact request on Skype. He accepted the request, noting that Matt was not very creative with a Skype screen name (mattyfly). Immediately after accepting the request, Matt was calling him. Alex reluctantly accepted the phone call with video, seeing Matt for the first time in over a year.

Matt quickly saw how nervous Alex was. Alex was biting at his pointer finger fingernail.

“Hi,” Matt said quietly, to which Alex just nodded. “How are you?”
“I’m okay, kind of busy. You?”
“Oh. I’ll let you go then, you could’ve ignored my call, ya know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“But you didn’t,” Matt said, stating the obvious.
“Yeah, I clearly know that as well.” Alex rolled his eyes, which made Matt laugh. Suddenly there was someone in frame kissing Alex’s cheek, “Babe! Where have you been?!”

Matt listened to Alex having a side conversation, and then heard someone calling for Alex, calling him Grieco, which was so strange to Matt. Alex told whoever called him ‘babe’ and was calling him, that he was really busy, so he’d talk to them later. Matt saw the screen go black, only assuming that Alex had shut his laptop so no one saw he was on Skype. About two minutes went by of Matt drumming his fingers on his desk, feeling like a creep because he could still hear Alex’s conversation, with who he assumed was his boyfriend. There was some arguing, but eventually Alex came back on the screen.

“Sorry,” Alex said, wiping at his left eye. He sounded rather deflated;not that he was upbeat to begin with but he definitely sounded more upset.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine.”
“So, you have a boyfriend?”
“I guess. He’s kind of more of a fuck-buddy now,” Alex said laughing.
“I miss your laugh,” Matt blurted out, instantly putting his hand over his mouth. Alex smiled at Matt.
“I miss everything about home, including you.”
“Wait? Where are you?”
“Florida.”
“Oh, I just transferred to Maryland.”
“Why?”
“I missed it here.”
“I understand.”
“So, not that I want to pry, but why are you so upset?”
“I don’t know, it’s stupid.”
“I know we haven’t talked for a while, but you can still tell me things.”
“I know. We just argued about the fact that I didn’t want to go out and drink tonight. Kyle is really into partying, which is why I broke up with him in the first place.”
“So now, you’re just fuck buddies?”
“Yup,” Alex said, shooting Matt another smile. “You should come visit me. We could revisit the Holiday Inn in Orlando.”
“If only I could.”
“Why couldn’t you?” Matt held up his hand rubbing his pointer and middle fingers against his thumb. “I could help you out.”
“I would not accept money from you, Alex.”
“That’s so weird!” Alex exclaimed.
“That I won’t accept money from you?”
“No that you call me Alex. You’re about the only friend that calls me Alex.”
“Oh, well, I’m still not accepting money from you.”
“Okay.” The two continued to talk for another two hours, catching up on what they had missed from the other’s life.

A week later, Matt’s mom called him, and told him he had a letter from someone in Florida. Matt drove to his parent’s house immediately after his last class of the day. He knew it was from Alex, but he couldn’t think of any reason he would send him a letter. When he got the letter in his hands, he ripped the envelope open, and unfolded a piece of notebook paper. Inside the folded paper was a receipt for an airline ticket from Baltimore to Orlando. On the notebook paper it said: Now you have no excuse to not come visit me. I’ll be at the airport to get you. XO, Alex.

Once Matt got back to his room on campus, he sat at his computer and waited for Alex to sign on to Skype. He knew Alex was always on Skype, always. After sitting in front of his computer for what seemed like hours, a notification popped up in the right hand corner of his laptop screen. He waited a few minutes before calling him. Alex’s face showed up on his screen, and he couldn’t help the smile that adorned his face.

“Hiya,” Alex greeted Matt.
“Hey, Grieco,” Matt said back, making air-quotes with his hands, when saying Grieco.
“Shut up,” Alex said laughing.
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“You know what for.” Matt held up the airline ticket in front of his web cam.
“Oh, that silly little belated birthday present? No big deal.”
“Alex, it is a big deal, and I will pay you back.”
“It’s a belated birthday present, almost Valentine’s day gift.” Alex winked at Matt.
“Are you drunk?”
“What? No!”
“You just winked at me. So you’re either drunk, horny, or drunk and horny.”
“Maybe the second one.” Alex winked again, bursting out in a fit of giggles, and Matt couldn’t help but laugh, too. “You could help me out with that when you get down here, ya know?”
Matt coughs, and his eyes go wide, “What?!”
“I’m kidding, just trying to make you laugh some more.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Unless you wanna.” Alex winked at Matt again.
“We’ll see, but I have to, um, go right now. Bye” Matt bit his lip, and hurriedly signed off of Skype.

Matt laid down on his bed, when his phone started to ring. He looked at it, and noticed it was a text message from Alex. He groaned because he knew that he was rude to Alex, but he wasn’t in the mood for Alex to yell at him.

But once he read it, it was a pleasant surprise when it said, “matthew. you didnt need to sign off. i was just kidding. plz text me so we can talk.
Matt responded, “i did need to sign off. sorry.
but why??
lots of homework
oh ok. ill leave ya alone

Matt didn’t respond. He didn’t want to keep talking to Alex, because he knew it would lead to awkward things between the two friends.

Matt did nothing but look forward to Friday, February 13. That was the day he was flying to Orlando. Thankful for him his mother never asked where he got the money, because she would’ve screamed at him for taking money from Alex and his family. He remembered making this flight almost eight years ago, and remembered how excited he was. This time, he was nervous as hell. He landed, and slowly made his way to the baggage claim. He knew Alex would be waiting for him there, but he was just so nervous.

Instead of going over to where he saw Alex standing against a wall, he went to the baggage claim belt, and turned his back so he wasn’t looking at Alex. However, he should’ve known that Alex would spot him, because soon, he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned around, to see Alex standing there, smiling. Matt returned the smile, and was immediately pulled into a hug. Alex kissed his cheek too, which made Matt blush. After Alex released Matt from the embrace, the two stood side-by-side not talking. Finally Matt got his luggage and the two left the airport.

In the car, there was small talk, mostly Alex going on and on about how he couldn’t wait to spend an entire weekend with Matt. Matt wouldn’t lie though, he was happy to see Alex so happy. When they got to the hotel, they checked in, and walked up to their room. Matt opened the door, and noticed there was only one bed.

“Uh, Alex?”
“Hmm?” Alex looked at Matt and then followed his eyes to the bed. “Oh, I swear I asked for a room with two double beds. Huh, oh well.”
“Then you’re sleeping on the floor.”
“What? No. I’m sleeping right here,” Alex stated matter-of-factly, jumping on the bed, and laying across it. Matt grabbed his ankles and pulled him off the bed, causing Alex to fall to the floor.
“Doubt it.” Matt laid down on the bed, only to feel Alex’s entire weight on him, which wasn’t much but his presence was definitely known.
“That hurt.” Alex stuck his bottom lip out, a pretended to sniffle.
“Dude, you’re heavy. Get off me!”
“That hurt even more. I am not fat!” Alex playfully hit Matt’s left shoulder. The only way Matt knew to get Alex to move, was to start tickling him. He did just that, and Alex started to squirm, Matt quickly stopped when he realized where exactly Alex’s thigh was, and how it was rubbing against him. He looked at anything his eyes would focus on that wasn’t Alex.
“I’m kind of tired, so if your fat ass wouldn’t mind, I’d like to sleep,” Matt said smiling, but still not looking at Alex.
“Again, I am not fat. Matter of fact, since your graduation party, you know the last time you actually saw me, I’ve lost weight.” Alex was trying to take a stab at Matt, but then kind of felt bad.
“There is no possible way you had any weight to lose.”
“Well I have. I’ve lost at least fifteen pounds.”
“I hope you’re not still losing weight.”
“Why?”
“Cause you’re skinny enough.”
“You just called me fat! Yeah, I was fat when you last saw me, but I’m not now, am I?” Matt could hear that Alex was being serious, and suddenly he felt terrible.
“You weren’t fat then and you’re not fat now, Alex. You’re perfect.” Matt could’ve smacked himself repeatedly for saying that because, that was embarrassing.
“Go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”
“What are we doing?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Oh, fine.”
In the morning, Matt woke up to Alex not being on the bed. He got up and went straight for the bathroom, because he really had to piss. When he pushed the door open, he saw Alex standing there, poking at his stomach.

“What the hell are you doing?”
Alex jumped and turned toward Matt, “Nothing.”
“Alex, you’re not fat.”
“But you said I was!”
“I was kidding. You’re like a twig. If I knew it was such a sore subject, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“You’d know if you didn’t ignore me for a year,” Alex stated, pushing past Matt. Matt used the bathroom as quickly as possible, because he knew this conversation with Alex was going to come up, but he wasn’t sure when. When he walked back into the room Alex was sitting on the bed, Indian-style, picking at his finger nails.
“I’m sorry, Alex.”
“You don’t even know what you’re apologizing for,” Alex snapped at Matt.
“For everything. For leaving, for not coming home for your graduation, for ignoring you, for last night. I know what the fuck I’m apologizing for.”
“Then why did you do it in the first place?”
“I don’t know. Cause I’m a shitty friend? But you made no attempt to get me to come back.”
“You’re not a shitty friend. And I left you alone, because I figured if you wanted to talk, you’d come to me. You were off with all your friends in college, why would you want a silly high school friend?”
“I thought,” Matt started but stopped.
“What?” Alex asked after Matt didn’t continue.
“Nothing. What should I wear today? Where are we going?”
“I’m not telling you, until you finish what you were going to say.”
“I don’t know, I just. I guess, I’m, God, why is so fucking hard to tell you.”
“I don’t know. Just tell me.”
“I thought if I left, and didn’t come back, I could forget everything.”
“What?” Alex questioned, face contorting, because he just wasn’t sure what Matt was trying to say.
“I thought I could forget about you,” Matt said, looking down at the carpet, because he felt like such a terrible friend.
Alex, oblivious as ever, asked Matt, “Why would you want to forget me?”
“I wanted to forget you be-because, because I was falling for you.” Alex’s eyes went wide, and he sort of forgot how to breathe.
Once Alex remembered to breathe, he asked Matt,“You’re saying, you left me, because yo-you couldn’t face the fact that you were falling for me?”
“How could I face that fact, if you didn’t feel the same about me?”
“You know, for being top what, ten percent of your graduating class, you’re pretty stupid.” Alex walked over to Matt, “Cause, I’ve liked you for a really long time now. So if you don’t mind, I’m going to kiss you now, and then we’re going to have our first date at Disney.”
“We’re going to Disney?” Matt asked, rather excitedly, eyes going wide.
“Really?”
“I mean, I’m excited you basically asked me out, but how are you ever going to top a first date at Disney?”
“Well, at the end of May, our second date is going to be you flying down here, packing my room up for me, so I can transfer back home.”
“I have to wait until May for a second date? Some boyfriend you are.”
“Shut up, and kiss me.” Matt pressed his lips to Alex’s in a soft kiss that didn’t last long.
Matt pulled away first and asked, “I’d love to stay in the room and kiss you, but you said something about Disney, and I think we should go there, now.”
“I’ve never seen an adult so excited to go to Disney.”
“But, I can meet Mickey again!”
“Are you going to leave me for Mickey Mouse?”
“Mm, maybe?”
“Then maybe I’ll keep your ticket to myself.” Matt stuck out his bottom lip. “You should know better, pouting doesn’t work on me.”
“Fine. I promise to not leave you for Mickey.”
“Good.” Alex leaned up and kissed Matt.

As the two were walking out of their hotel room, Alex said to Matt, “Remember that time we talked on Skype, and you said you’d help me out if I was horny while you were here, well, I think you’ll be busy tonight.”
“I don’t think I agreed to that, but,” Matt pushed Alex against the wall in the elevator, kissing him rough, “I also don’t think I’ll have an issue with that.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Thank you for reading
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