Between The Lines

The Weekend Away

It had been a while since I'd allowed myself to take a real break. Alex and I had been hanging out regularly, but it was usually confined to quick meetups after work or lunch squeezed into his busy schedule. So when he suggested a weekend away-a break from the city, from the pressure of work, from everything-I hesitated.

"Are you sure? I mean, don't you have, like, meetings and deadlines and stuff?" I asked, frowning as he casually tossed the idea out during one of our usual late-night text marathons.

Alex: Deadlines can wait. It's just a weekend. You need to relax, and honestly, I could use the break too.

I stared at the message for a long moment, my mind racing with excuses. My manuscript was still a disaster, and my editor was expecting updates. But the truth was, the thought of getting out of my head-and the city-for a couple of days sounded... nice. More than nice.

Me: Where are we going, then?

Alex: Leave that to me. You'll like it, I promise.

I should have known then that he wouldn't give me much more information. By the time Saturday rolled around, I still didn't know exactly where we were going. All Alex told me was to pack light and be ready by 10 a.m. I'd been trying not to read too much into it-this wasn't some grand romantic gesture, I reminded myself. Just two friends escaping for a bit. That's all it was.

But there was a part of me, a quiet part, that was starting to hope for something more.

When Alex pulled up to my apartment in his beat-up car, he looked way too excited for someone who hadn't shared any details.

"Morning," he greeted me, sliding his sunglasses down his nose with a playful grin. "Ready for some mystery?"

"Am I going to regret this?" I asked, trying to hide the smile tugging at my lips.

He shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

We hit the road, the city fading behind us as we drove. The landscape shifted from crowded streets and towering buildings to open fields and winding roads, and I found myself relaxing more than I had in weeks. I hadn't realized how much I needed this-just to get away, to not think about work or writing or anything else.

Alex was surprisingly quiet for most of the drive, though every now and then, he'd glance over at me with a knowing smirk, as if he could tell I was itching to ask where we were going.

"Are you going to tell me yet?" I finally asked after what felt like an eternity.

"Nope," he said, eyes fixed on the road. "Patience, Ethan."

I huffed but let it go. It was strange, the way being around Alex always made me feel lighter, less stressed. Like I didn't have to carry everything on my own when he was there.

After what felt like hours, Alex finally slowed the car as we pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road. Trees lined the path, their branches swaying in the breeze, and up ahead, I could see a cabin nestled between the woods and a shimmering lake.

"This is it," Alex said, pulling into the driveway with a satisfied grin.

I blinked, surprised. "You rented a cabin?"

"Yep. Figured it'd be the perfect place to clear your head. No distractions. Just peace and quiet."

As we stepped out of the car, the fresh air hit me, and I realized how tightly I'd been wound up. The sound of the lake lapping gently against the shore, the rustling leaves-it was all a far cry from the noise and chaos of the city. It was perfect.

Inside, the cabin was cozy but simple. A small kitchen, a fireplace, and two bedrooms. Alex wasted no time settling in, tossing his bag onto one of the beds and wandering out onto the deck with a satisfied sigh.

"Not bad, right?" he said, leaning against the railing.

"Not bad at all," I agreed, joining him. The view of the lake was breathtaking, the water sparkling under the midday sun. It felt like we were in a completely different world, miles away from the deadlines and stress waiting for us back home.

For the rest of the day, we didn't do much of anything. We spent most of the afternoon sitting out by the lake, talking about everything and nothing. It was easy, being around Alex, and as the hours passed, I felt myself letting go of the tension that had been building up over the last few weeks.

At one point, we found ourselves sitting on the dock, our feet dangling over the edge, watching the sun start to dip lower in the sky.

"You're right," I said after a long silence, glancing over at Alex. "I needed this."

"Told you," he said with a smug smile. "Sometimes you've just got to get out of your own head."

He was right. I'd been so focused on my work, on the constant pressure to write, that I hadn't taken a step back to breathe in a long time. Being here, with him, away from everything-it was exactly what I needed.

As the sun set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, Alex nudged me with his elbow.

"Come on," he said, standing up. "I've got something else planned."

I raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

"Maybe," he teased, offering me his hand. "But I promise it'll be worth it."

He led me back to the cabin, where he pulled out a couple of beers from the fridge and a bag of marshmallows from his duffel bag.

"Campfire?" I asked, grinning.

"Campfire," he confirmed.

We spent the rest of the night sitting by the fire, roasting marshmallows, drinking, and talking about everything that had been weighing on my mind. It was easy to open up to Alex, to tell him about my frustrations with my writing, my fears about not being good enough, and even the doubts I'd been having about where my career was headed.

And through it all, Alex just listened. He didn't offer advice or tell me I was overthinking it-he just let me talk, let me get it all out, and somehow, that made all the difference.

At some point, the conversation shifted to lighter topics-old embarrassing stories, random jokes, and teasing each other about our quirks. By the time the fire had burned down to embers, I couldn't stop smiling, the heaviness in my chest replaced with something warm and light.

As we sat there, the fire crackling softly between us, I realized something. This-being here with Alex, feeling completely at ease for the first time in what felt like forever-was starting to feel like more than just a friendship.

And that thought, as terrifying as it was, didn't scare me as much as it used to.

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I know it's been a while...don't come for me. Been really busy with school, butttt, good news is, I'm going on holiday next week, so there won't be delayed uploads...hopefully.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments, trust me, I read every single one. And thanks for all the positive feedback!

See you soon!