1987 [BoyxBoy]

Epilogue - Goodbye

The 80's were coming to an end and so was the school year. The graduating class of '89 was getting ready to wave goodbye to all their teachers and administrators and move on to the next phase of their life. There were a select few who didn't know where the future was going to take them, but there were also those who did. Billy was one of them. The last year and a half was filled with studying and working. He had gotten himself an after school job so he could try and visit Peter at some point. That plan failed when the job ate up all the free time he had.

Billy was still happy. He knew his situation was temporary and that he'd soon be in Malibu with his boyfriend for the next four years. It was all he thought about. Just a perfect image of Peter and him on the beach. If they got lucky, they'd be able to share a dorm. It was his dream life. It was so close.

"Young man! Are you okay? You've been wiping that table down in the same spot for five minutes. It's distracting," the customer said, very rudely.

Billy got so caught up in his daydream that he zoned out in the middle of clearing a table. This wasn't the first time he got caught up in his Peter fantasies. During his SATs, he missed the first 15 minutes of the exam thinking about their future life together.

"Sorry, sir." Billy picked up the remaining cups off the table and went back to the kitchen.

The school year was ending in just two weeks. Billy had been anxiously awaiting his acceptance letter from Pepperdine. He figured he was a shoo-in for a spot there. He wrote about his relationship with Bradley and the loss of Bradley for his essay, he had one of the highest SAT scores in his class, and he managed to bring his GPA up to a 3.5. There was no way he wouldn't get it in.

Billy was finally going to get his answer when he walked up to his house after work. Sitting on the front porch was a big yellow envelope. It was reminiscent of the envelope Dominic had left on his porch last year which gave him flashbacks and slight anxiety. Billy walked up and picked it up, reading the return address.

PEPPERDINE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS

His heart dropped a little. It was a big packet so he assumed it was good news before he opened it. He waited until he got in so he could open in it with his mom.

"William?" his mom shouted from the kitchen.

"Mom! It came!"

His mom came rushing over. The biggest smile was plastered on her face. She had been so proud of her son and his recovery in the last year. She watched him suffer loss after loss and to finally be on the other end, alive and healthy, she couldn't have asked for anything more.

"William, sweetie, I want you to know that what ever it says, you're still a hardworking young man with a bright future. A rejection won't define you."

Billy gave her an acknowledging nod. He proceeded to open up the envelope. He subconsciously held his breath as he pulled out the stapled together papers. He exhaled and a smile crept up on his face.

"I got in," he whispered, his eyes welling.

"You got in?!" his mom yelled.

"I got in!"

Linda engulfed her son in the biggest hug. Another thing for her to be proud of.

"I can't believe this. I did it." Billy shed some tears. There were moments in the last year where he didn't feel like he was going to make it out on the other side. But he did it. He gets to go be with Peter for four years.

"I have to tell Sarah and Denise," Billy said, wiping the tears off of his face.

"And Peter, too," his mom added.