Continuation
425 Words
The following week, Alex found himself at the edge of Sam’s favorite spot in town—a small clearing near the lake. It was peaceful here, the kind of place where time seemed to stand still. Sam had once told him it was where they came to think, to breathe, to feel like themselves.
And Alex needed that now.
He hadn’t expected Sam to invite him here, but when the message came through, simple and unassuming—“Meet me at the lake after work.”—he couldn’t say no.
As he approached, he saw Sam sitting on an old wooden bench by the water, their head tilted back as they watched the clouds drift lazily across the sky. For a moment, Alex hesitated. This was the Sam he remembered, but it was also someone different—stronger, more sure of themselves. And that made him realize just how much he wanted to be worthy of standing by their side again.
“You made it,” Sam said without looking away from the sky, their voice calm and even.
“I’d never miss this,” Alex replied, moving to sit beside them. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable—it was the kind of quiet that felt like home.
“I used to come here to clear my head,” Sam admitted after a while, their voice soft. “After you left, this place was the only thing that kept me grounded.”
Alex’s chest tightened. “I’m sorry, Sam. I should’ve told you why I left. I thought I was protecting you, but all I did was hurt you.”
Sam turned to him, their expression unreadable. “Why now, Alex? Why come back after all this time?”
He took a deep breath, the weight of his decision to return finally settling on him. “Because I realized running away didn’t solve anything. All it did was make me miss you more. And I want to make things right… if you’ll let me.”
Sam looked back at the lake, the reflection of the fading sunlight dancing on the water. “I don’t know if we can ever go back to what we were,” they said honestly. “But maybe we don’t need to. Maybe we can figure out something new.”
Alex smiled softly, a flicker of hope lighting up his chest. “I’d like that.”
For the first time in years, it felt like they were on the same page, even if the story was still being written.
- Writer
