Somewhere Only We Know

“Let’s go somewhere only we know”

Although vague, Alex understood the text, and he was soon racing from his bedroom. After throwing a quick “be back later” to his mother he was out the front door, his feet jumping from the curb and running onto the well beaten path. The boy had taken this trail more times than he could count, so much that he could safely reach his destination blind-folded if need be.

When Alex finally slowed his feet, his breath was coming out in short pants and his chest was heaving. Taking a seat on a fallen tree, he admired their hideaway. It was a clearing, of sorts, with a small river running through the middle and surrounded by a forest, the only light coming from the beams of sun making their way through the foliage. He and Jack used to spend entire days here, sitting barefoot in the grass and just talking; about nothing, about everything. In fact, this was where they first met, so obviously they took it upon themselves to claim the area as theirs.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing here?”

Alex jumped, turning around and facing where he had thought he heard a voice. A boy, not much taller than him, with a thin face and messy brown hair was emerging from the trees. He didn’t look to be much older than Alex, or younger for that matter.

“What am I doing here? What are you doing here? “Alex replied, crossing his arms over his chest, his brown eyes throwing daggers at the lanky boy in front of him. He wasn’t really angry of course, but he was curious as to why the raven-haired boy knew of this clearing. As far as Alex knew, he was the only one who came to this part of the woods.

Instead of being angry, the boy opposite Alex simply smiled, a look of realization painted on his face. “Hey, don’t you go to school with me? Yeah, you just transferred right?” The boy quickly sputtered out raising his arm for a hand shake. “I’m Jack”

“Alex”

Alex smiled at the memory, this clearing held a lot of “firsts” for the two boys. Not only had they met here, but they also shared their first promise together, to be best friends forever no matter what. And their first kiss, a quick peck on the lips the brought out giggles and red cheeks from the both of them. Naturally, the two teenage boys began to fall for each other. It was Jack who had asked, and Alex quickly accepted the offer to be the now-skunk-haired boy’s boyfriend. That was another first for the both of them.

And throughout all those years, no one else had ever showed up in that clearing. Alex and Jack hadn’t even been suspicious that someone else knew how to get to the area. It was like it was made for them, for Jack and Alex.

However, the two boys hadn’t come here as often as they used to. Way back in the ninth grade when they started dating, Alex and Jack would camp out in the clearing as often as possible, not coming home until the school week started up again. But now their senior year was coming to a close, one more week and they would both be done. Between schoolwork and jobs, the two best friends were no longer able to journey out into their childhood hideaway.

“Hey Lex”

Alex whipped his head around, the sound of Jacks voice causing his lips to turn up into a grin. “Hey Jay” was his reply, as he rose from his seat and crossed the grassy area. Alex embraced Jack in a hug, his nose rubbing against Jack’s neck.

Jack was the first to pull away, and although Alex was a smiling mess, Jack did not look as excited as his partner. “Um, I kinda wanted to talk about some stuff, Lex. About us.”

At this Alex frowned, those words were never good, and he had always thought that Jack was happy with their relationship. “Alright, so um, what did you wanna talk about?” Alex asked, the two sitting down on the grass in a patch of sunlight.

Jacks head was bowed and his hands were stuffed inside his hoodie pockets. “Well, ya know, college is coming up, and well…” was his muttered response. Jack chewed on his bottom lip, obviously nervous and trying to pick out the right words to say and put them together in his head. “I think we should stop” he finished quietly.

Alex didn’t know what to say. His heart was beating faster and he could feel his eyes watering. He swallowed hard and held his head in his hands. “Jack, no. We shouldn’t stop and we won’t stop, why would you even think that? Aren’t you happy with this? With us? Cause I sure as hell know I am and I thought you were too!” His answer was spoken fast, and his voice cracked while trying to hold back the tears. After everything he and Jack had been through, and he just wanted to call it off.

“That’s just it Alex, I’m not happy with us! I don’t know when it changed, or why it changed, but I just don’t feel it anymore. When we kiss, there isn’t the spark, I don’t feel the warmth rushing through me and filling my body like I did when we first started off. Lex, I just… I fell out of love with you”

Jacks head was still lowered, but Alex could see a slow line of tears rolling down his face. Alex stood up, running his fingers through his hair in anger. “So that’s just it? We’re done? You promised me Jack, you promised me that we would be forever and that you would be there for me and that whenever I fall you’d be there to pick me up and you’re just gonna forget about all that?”

Jack copied Alex, standing up and turning to face the distraught boy. “Well some promises were made to be broken, Lex. I’m sorry.” And with that, the skinny boy turned around, and walked back out into the trees, leaving Alex crying and alone in the clearing.