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AU where Cole and Jay were childhood best friends
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"Hiya!"
Cole startled, nearly falling from where he was sitting on the balcony of the treehouse. He turned to see Jay's freckled face inches from his own.
"Jay!" He exclaimed, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. "Where did you come from? I didn't even hear you come up the ladder."
"That's thanks to my ninja-like skills!" Jay said, striking a fighting pose.
Cole snorted, "Yeah right." They both knew Jay couldn't be stealthy to save his life.
"It's true!" Jay protested, "And I'll have you know, that's not all I'm good at! I do a little inventing, I dabble in model-building, touch of cooking, a little poetry..."
"But you're real talent is talking." Cole finished, smiling, then his face fell.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Jay asked, concerned, touching Cole on the shoulder. "What is it?"
Cole sighed and looked away from his best friend's face. Seeing Jay's reaction would make this all the more painful. "I'm gonna miss you Jay. I wish it could be like this forever."
"What are you talking about Cole? Where are you going?" He sounded frightened now, shaking Cole's shoulder. "Cole?"
Cole sighed again, "You know how my father wants me to follow in his footsteps." He started.
Jay nodded mutely, his eyes still wide with worry.
"Well, he's sending me away. To the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts - a boarding school, Jay."
Jay gaped, speechless with sheer shock horror. "A- a boarding school?" He repeated. "No. No! No, he can't do this!"
"He already has." Cole replied glumly.
"I'll- I'll talk to him, change his mind-" Jay began frantically.
"You know nothing can change my father's mind."
"Then- then I'll go with you! I-"
"Jay." Cole's voice was final, stopping Jay in his tracks. "There's nothing you can do."
Jay grew irritated then, his bright blue eyes sparking with anger. "How can you be so calm? How could you let this happen? Do you- do you want to go?"
"What? Of course not!" Cole sputtered. "Do you think I haven't already pleaded and screamed at my father to reconsider? I would never want to leave you Jay. And I'll miss you everyday, with all my heart."
It was at Cole's words that Jay finally burst into tears. Cole held his best friend as he sobbed into his shoulder. A lone tear slid down Cole's face, splashing into Jay's hair where his head was buried into Cole's neck.
Eventually, Jay's sobs subsided and he sat up, still holding onto Cole. The two sat in silence, staring out to where the sun was slowly setting.
It cast a warm orange glow, lighting up the whole treehouse, reflecting on the black and auburn heads of the two boys sitting quietly, their joy dampened with grief. The cheerful atmosphere the light created, was in cruel irony to the harsh reality and unfair future Jay and Cole faced. Best friends, inevitably split apart, unsure of how their shared story would end.
It was on these thoughts that Cole pondered upon before hearing Jay speak up again, his voice dull, void of the happiness it had contained at the beginning of their conversation.
"I wish you didn't have to go away. I wish I could always be by your side, without the fear of looking up and finding you gone."
Cole saw Jay turn to face him, his piercing electric blue eyes sorrowful.
"You just have to be brave." Cole answered softly.
