Status: Moved.
Good Riddance
One.
Alex shoved the last cardboard box in his car, leaning into it in a failed attempt to get it to fit, but it still stuck out too far for his trunk door to close. He groaned loudly and harshly, injuring his throat in the process and started attacking the object.
When Jack had finally come back outside from getting his IPod, he saw Alex sitting in the dirt, rolls of film, action figures and books scattered around him, along with ripped up pieces of cardboard. He cautiously walked over, trying not to smile. The other man looked up, hearing his approaching footsteps and gave him a meek look.
“It’s fine, we can just throw the stuff in between everything,” he mumbled, getting on the ground with his boyfriend, wrapping an arm around him. Alex grumbled something under his breath, but took Jack’s hand, intertwining their fingers. They stayed there for a few minutes, the wind gently lapping at their backs, picking up dust as it swirled by. Alex shoved his face into his hands and sighed loudly, “I just can’t believe we’re doing this,” he yelled, muffled by his palms. Jack couldn’t help but smile, but he felt the same way. He was apprehensive and frankly, terrified to his core. He rubbed small clockwise circles on Alex’s back and looked back towards their houses. They had always lived here, the back road community in a farm county of Maryland, just two boys embarking on their dreams, heading towards Baltimore to work on a fucking album. From small ranch houses nestled between failing farms, to musicians working on music and touring. He inhaled sharply and turned back towards Alex, who was now dramatically heaving into his hands.
“I’ll play Fall Out Boy on the way,” he offered, pressing soft kisses along the side of Alex’s face. But the latter just grumbled and growled in response. Jack stood up, stumbling slightly and brushed the dirt off of his jeans. It was strange, he thought, how suddenly Alex was the child because he had always felt like he was childish himself. He sighed and starting picking up everything the other young man had thrown to the ground in frustration. He had finished the task, even putting the objects safely in the car, and Alex had still yet to move, being in the same exact position. The ridiculousness was starting to slightly annoy Jack.
“Will you at least get up and say goodbye to your parents?” he asked gently, trying to remain level-headed. Alex slowly nodded, letting his hands fall from his face. He took Alex’s hand, pulling him off the ground in one swift motion. He didn’t even bother to brush himself off, but instead trudged towards the house, feet dragging. He didn’t say a word as he hugged his mother, who looked over her son’s shoulder at Jack, rather confused at his emotional change. He kept the embrace, not wanting to let go, so the other man decided to say goodbye to his own parents and wait for Alex outside.
Dusk was starting to settle when Alex finally came back outside, grudgingly. The sunshine mixed with thin wisps of clouds, like watercolor reds, oranges and yellows spilled over into blue. Jack was leaning against the trunk watching the sky when he heard his boyfriend’s scuffing footsteps, but didn’t look away because he realized that at that moment, their clear country sky was probably not going to exist in Baltimore city. Alex stopped in front of him and quietly took one of his hands in his own, squeezing it gently. He smiled just slightly, his eyes pink and puffy, but he wore a look of contentment which Jack understood very well. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Alex’s, a short and simple kiss. He tasted just slightly of tears, which were still damp on his face, and the chocolate chip cookies his Mom had made earlier. When he leaned away, back against the car, Alex’s eyes was shut, his eyelids soft.
“I’m ready to go now,” he whispered, squeezing Jack’s hand again. He muttered an okay and pushed himself off the car, pulling Alex to the passenger’s side, opening the door. He got into the driver’s side, stopping to give one last look at their houses, their details now barely noticeable as night started to drape them with darkness. Their parents waved from their bay windows, silhouetted by the lights behind them, sending long shadows across the lawns. Jack sighed heavily and got into the car. Alex leaned his head against the window, as the car started down the road, trying to catch every detail in his memory before it was out of view. He craned his neck over the seats and boxes, trying to see his house from the rear window, desperately. Jack watched from the mirrors. Finally, their homes were out of view, swallowed by darkness and they both returned to the stretch of road in front of them. Jack reached across and took Alex’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly for a moment, before putting it back on the steering wheel. Silence filled the empty space in the car, but it wasn’t tense or uncomfortable. It was a spoken silence of content, of knowing. Alex finally broke it by clearing his throat, a sideways grin flashing on his features,
“You promised me Fall Out Boy,” he mumbled, voice a bit rough from his earlier crying. Jack laughed softly, nodding, “That I did,” he muttered, reaching for his iPod. He handed it to the other man. He squealed in delight, and it took him a moment to find the first song he wanted to play. Jack winced and groaned, it was ‘All-star’ by Smash mouth. He quickly glanced over to the beaming younger man, who was sarcastically belting the words.
“Why?” he groaned. Alex shrugged and laughed in between verses, “You love me!” he stated, sticking out his tongue at Jack. He nodded curtly, keeping his eyes on the road even though his boyfriend was just too damn cute. “That I do,” he muttered, “That I do.”
When Jack had finally come back outside from getting his IPod, he saw Alex sitting in the dirt, rolls of film, action figures and books scattered around him, along with ripped up pieces of cardboard. He cautiously walked over, trying not to smile. The other man looked up, hearing his approaching footsteps and gave him a meek look.
“It’s fine, we can just throw the stuff in between everything,” he mumbled, getting on the ground with his boyfriend, wrapping an arm around him. Alex grumbled something under his breath, but took Jack’s hand, intertwining their fingers. They stayed there for a few minutes, the wind gently lapping at their backs, picking up dust as it swirled by. Alex shoved his face into his hands and sighed loudly, “I just can’t believe we’re doing this,” he yelled, muffled by his palms. Jack couldn’t help but smile, but he felt the same way. He was apprehensive and frankly, terrified to his core. He rubbed small clockwise circles on Alex’s back and looked back towards their houses. They had always lived here, the back road community in a farm county of Maryland, just two boys embarking on their dreams, heading towards Baltimore to work on a fucking album. From small ranch houses nestled between failing farms, to musicians working on music and touring. He inhaled sharply and turned back towards Alex, who was now dramatically heaving into his hands.
“I’ll play Fall Out Boy on the way,” he offered, pressing soft kisses along the side of Alex’s face. But the latter just grumbled and growled in response. Jack stood up, stumbling slightly and brushed the dirt off of his jeans. It was strange, he thought, how suddenly Alex was the child because he had always felt like he was childish himself. He sighed and starting picking up everything the other young man had thrown to the ground in frustration. He had finished the task, even putting the objects safely in the car, and Alex had still yet to move, being in the same exact position. The ridiculousness was starting to slightly annoy Jack.
“Will you at least get up and say goodbye to your parents?” he asked gently, trying to remain level-headed. Alex slowly nodded, letting his hands fall from his face. He took Alex’s hand, pulling him off the ground in one swift motion. He didn’t even bother to brush himself off, but instead trudged towards the house, feet dragging. He didn’t say a word as he hugged his mother, who looked over her son’s shoulder at Jack, rather confused at his emotional change. He kept the embrace, not wanting to let go, so the other man decided to say goodbye to his own parents and wait for Alex outside.
Dusk was starting to settle when Alex finally came back outside, grudgingly. The sunshine mixed with thin wisps of clouds, like watercolor reds, oranges and yellows spilled over into blue. Jack was leaning against the trunk watching the sky when he heard his boyfriend’s scuffing footsteps, but didn’t look away because he realized that at that moment, their clear country sky was probably not going to exist in Baltimore city. Alex stopped in front of him and quietly took one of his hands in his own, squeezing it gently. He smiled just slightly, his eyes pink and puffy, but he wore a look of contentment which Jack understood very well. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Alex’s, a short and simple kiss. He tasted just slightly of tears, which were still damp on his face, and the chocolate chip cookies his Mom had made earlier. When he leaned away, back against the car, Alex’s eyes was shut, his eyelids soft.
“I’m ready to go now,” he whispered, squeezing Jack’s hand again. He muttered an okay and pushed himself off the car, pulling Alex to the passenger’s side, opening the door. He got into the driver’s side, stopping to give one last look at their houses, their details now barely noticeable as night started to drape them with darkness. Their parents waved from their bay windows, silhouetted by the lights behind them, sending long shadows across the lawns. Jack sighed heavily and got into the car. Alex leaned his head against the window, as the car started down the road, trying to catch every detail in his memory before it was out of view. He craned his neck over the seats and boxes, trying to see his house from the rear window, desperately. Jack watched from the mirrors. Finally, their homes were out of view, swallowed by darkness and they both returned to the stretch of road in front of them. Jack reached across and took Alex’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly for a moment, before putting it back on the steering wheel. Silence filled the empty space in the car, but it wasn’t tense or uncomfortable. It was a spoken silence of content, of knowing. Alex finally broke it by clearing his throat, a sideways grin flashing on his features,
“You promised me Fall Out Boy,” he mumbled, voice a bit rough from his earlier crying. Jack laughed softly, nodding, “That I did,” he muttered, reaching for his iPod. He handed it to the other man. He squealed in delight, and it took him a moment to find the first song he wanted to play. Jack winced and groaned, it was ‘All-star’ by Smash mouth. He quickly glanced over to the beaming younger man, who was sarcastically belting the words.
“Why?” he groaned. Alex shrugged and laughed in between verses, “You love me!” he stated, sticking out his tongue at Jack. He nodded curtly, keeping his eyes on the road even though his boyfriend was just too damn cute. “That I do,” he muttered, “That I do.”