So Long Soldier
Chapter Three - Stars
Alex’s POV
I ran as fast as I could through the trees, tripping up a few times into the leaves below my feet. I couldn’t find Jack anywhere. He obviously knew his way around this place more than I did. “In the first day I’ve been here its shit already. I’ve lost my only friend and tore a girls heart. Nice going Alex. Yet again!” I sat down on the edge of the cliff overlooking the river. I watched it swoosh and the small waves crash into each other. “Alex?” A small voice I knew spoke up from the bushes behind me. “Jack?” I turned around to see Jack peering over a stonewall in the bushes. “Jack I didn’t mean to leave you at school she just-“
“I get it Alex. Nobody ever likes me. It’s fine.” I sighed and stood up. “I didn’t mean it like that Jack.” I wandered over and sat on the wall and patted the spot next to me. He hopped over the wall and sat down, fidgeting. “Your different to anyone I’ve ever been a friend with. I like you.” He looked across to me, showing a small smile and then looking out to the river opposite us. “I always sit here when I feel alone or I’m just upset.”
“You must like this place then.” He nodded, sniffling and wiping his nose on his jacket sleeve. “How long have you been coming here?” Jack looked across to me and straight into my eyes. “Since I was 2 years old.” I felt sorry for Jack. He’d obviously had a rough start to life. “My parents don’t like me that much to be honest. I don’t really have the best bond with them. They normally talk to my older brother and sister more than they do to me, but when they do its normally shouting.” I shifted closer to Jack and nudged him. “Well I’m here for you now hey?” He giggled. I shifted my feet awkwardly together and took out my phone, sending a message to Lisa to tell her we were over. “Your over already? Don’t give her up just because of what she said about me Alex. I get it all the time.” I sent the message and looked over at Jack. “I’d do anything to see you happy. I know I’ve only known you for a day but I would seriously do anything.” He smiled at me and looked up at the stars. I sat staring at him for a while. I don’t think I realized I was staring at him. There was something about Jack and I just; I really couldn’t see what it was. The way his eyes just lit up when he looked at the stars or me. He was literally amazing.
Jack’s POV
I was looking at the stars like I always did. The first time I came here I was 2 years old. I had ran away because my parents had been shouting at me enough that I couldn’t take it anymore…
I ran as fast as I could away from the house. I ran through the park down to the forest. I paused at the entrance to it but continued running. I ran and I ran until I found a wall overlooking a river and I slumped down against it, forcing my tears into the palms of my hands. I looked up at the stars and smiled, knowing I wasn’t alone and that things in time would get better for me.
“Jack? Jack?”
“Huh?” I looked across to Alex who was looking at me. “You were staring at the stars for ages man.” I smiled at him. “You were obviously looking at me if you knew that then.” I saw Alex look away, flustered and his cheeks turning red. “No I wasn’t looking at you at all.”
“Okay.” I shuffled a bit closer to him. “I was only looking at the stars because when I was two years old and I first came here, I began to name the stars different names. I recognize each star by each name. It’s quite weird really.” Alex looked up into the sky. “Are there any you haven’t named yet?”
“There’s one, but I can’t find a name for it.” For some reason, being with Alex in this spot made me feel a lot safer. I felt warm sitting with him. “What about Jalex?”
“Where’s the name Jalex come from?” He looked across to me and smirked. “It’s Alex and Jack put together.” He wanted to name a star after us. “Sure. I like that. Jalex.” We both smiled at each other and I put my arm around Alex and rested my head on his shoulder. I wanted to tell him I loved him but I didn’t know what way he’d take it. “You’re the most amazing kid I’ve ever met you know Jack.” It’s like he took the words out of my mouth. “Same here.” I fell back a bit further into Alex’s shoulder and looked up at the star we named Jalex.
Alex’s POV
I looked up at the star named Jalex like Jack was and for once in my life; I felt something I’d never felt before. I felt love.
I ran as fast as I could through the trees, tripping up a few times into the leaves below my feet. I couldn’t find Jack anywhere. He obviously knew his way around this place more than I did. “In the first day I’ve been here its shit already. I’ve lost my only friend and tore a girls heart. Nice going Alex. Yet again!” I sat down on the edge of the cliff overlooking the river. I watched it swoosh and the small waves crash into each other. “Alex?” A small voice I knew spoke up from the bushes behind me. “Jack?” I turned around to see Jack peering over a stonewall in the bushes. “Jack I didn’t mean to leave you at school she just-“
“I get it Alex. Nobody ever likes me. It’s fine.” I sighed and stood up. “I didn’t mean it like that Jack.” I wandered over and sat on the wall and patted the spot next to me. He hopped over the wall and sat down, fidgeting. “Your different to anyone I’ve ever been a friend with. I like you.” He looked across to me, showing a small smile and then looking out to the river opposite us. “I always sit here when I feel alone or I’m just upset.”
“You must like this place then.” He nodded, sniffling and wiping his nose on his jacket sleeve. “How long have you been coming here?” Jack looked across to me and straight into my eyes. “Since I was 2 years old.” I felt sorry for Jack. He’d obviously had a rough start to life. “My parents don’t like me that much to be honest. I don’t really have the best bond with them. They normally talk to my older brother and sister more than they do to me, but when they do its normally shouting.” I shifted closer to Jack and nudged him. “Well I’m here for you now hey?” He giggled. I shifted my feet awkwardly together and took out my phone, sending a message to Lisa to tell her we were over. “Your over already? Don’t give her up just because of what she said about me Alex. I get it all the time.” I sent the message and looked over at Jack. “I’d do anything to see you happy. I know I’ve only known you for a day but I would seriously do anything.” He smiled at me and looked up at the stars. I sat staring at him for a while. I don’t think I realized I was staring at him. There was something about Jack and I just; I really couldn’t see what it was. The way his eyes just lit up when he looked at the stars or me. He was literally amazing.
Jack’s POV
I was looking at the stars like I always did. The first time I came here I was 2 years old. I had ran away because my parents had been shouting at me enough that I couldn’t take it anymore…
I ran as fast as I could away from the house. I ran through the park down to the forest. I paused at the entrance to it but continued running. I ran and I ran until I found a wall overlooking a river and I slumped down against it, forcing my tears into the palms of my hands. I looked up at the stars and smiled, knowing I wasn’t alone and that things in time would get better for me.
“Jack? Jack?”
“Huh?” I looked across to Alex who was looking at me. “You were staring at the stars for ages man.” I smiled at him. “You were obviously looking at me if you knew that then.” I saw Alex look away, flustered and his cheeks turning red. “No I wasn’t looking at you at all.”
“Okay.” I shuffled a bit closer to him. “I was only looking at the stars because when I was two years old and I first came here, I began to name the stars different names. I recognize each star by each name. It’s quite weird really.” Alex looked up into the sky. “Are there any you haven’t named yet?”
“There’s one, but I can’t find a name for it.” For some reason, being with Alex in this spot made me feel a lot safer. I felt warm sitting with him. “What about Jalex?”
“Where’s the name Jalex come from?” He looked across to me and smirked. “It’s Alex and Jack put together.” He wanted to name a star after us. “Sure. I like that. Jalex.” We both smiled at each other and I put my arm around Alex and rested my head on his shoulder. I wanted to tell him I loved him but I didn’t know what way he’d take it. “You’re the most amazing kid I’ve ever met you know Jack.” It’s like he took the words out of my mouth. “Same here.” I fell back a bit further into Alex’s shoulder and looked up at the star we named Jalex.
Alex’s POV
I looked up at the star named Jalex like Jack was and for once in my life; I felt something I’d never felt before. I felt love.
12/14/12