SECRETS - A CALEB MCLAUGHLIN AU STORY

CHAPTER 10 - THE FINAL CHAPTER - I JUST WANT SOMETHING I CAN NEVER HAVE

CHAPTER 10 - THE FINAL CHAPTER

I JUST WANT SOMETHING I CAN NEVER HAVE

July 4, 2024.

A year ago today, Jacob was on the beach, earbuds in his ear, walking to the cliff at the edge of the beach to jump off it and into his death.

And then he met Caleb.

And his entire life changed.

He fell in love.

And then, a couple weeks later, Caleb met Sarah.

Jacob went into a catatonic state for two months. That was in September 2023, and it's now July 2024, 10 months later, and 12 months since Caleb and Jacob met. A LOT has changed.

Jacob is now a published, best-selling author.

With the work and encouragement of Caleb, and his influence helping to market it, Jacob sat down and wrote a novel, one that became an instant hit, and is already in talks to be turned into a movie... With Caleb set to star.

Caleb bought Jacob a house on the same beachline as his, only a few minutes walking distance. Anytime Caleb was home, Jacob would visit.

Not long after Jacob got out of the hospital, he met Gaten, and started a close friendship with him.

Eventually, Jacob made the reluctant decision to sit Gaten down and tell him how he felt about Jacob.

Gaten believed, even with Sarah, that Jacob should tell Caleb how he feels. But, Jacob didn't.

The show that Caleb kept meeting up with Netflix to be in, he did end up getting, alongside Gaten.

The show was called Stranger Things, a series taking place in the 1980's with Caleb playing a young high school basketball star named Lucas Sinclair and Gaten playing a D&D tournament champion named Dustin Henderson, who eventually encountered an alternate dimension called The Upside Down.

Caleb was SUPER excited about the show, promising everyone it was his best role yet.

Caleb and Jacob actually hadn't spent too much time together over the past 3 - 4 months, with Caleb filming Stranger Things and Jacob touring his book. Caleb had wrapped on ST a month ago but went right back to his fashion touring schedule.

But now, on the Fourth of July 2024, Caleb, his friends and family had all gathered at his home for a large-scale party...

It was for Caleb's wedding with Sarah.

Jacob was in Chicago doing a book signing, when his publicist showed up at his hotel room saying, "Letter for you, sir."

Jacob opened the envelope and saw it was an announcement that Caleb and Sarah were getting married alongside an invitation to the wedding and party on July 4, 2023.

Jacob always knew this day would come.

But even so, opening the letter and seeing it...

He went into the hotel room bathroom, sat in the shower, and cried his eyes out.

Jacob had met Sarah a few times.

They didn't say much to each other... She was a nice young woman, very friendly overall, and she was kind to Jacob. She told him she understood why he was so important to Caleb.

Jacob understood why Caleb loved Sarah, he saw how happy he was with her.

And yet...

Regardless, Jacob still made the decision to go to the wedding.