• My Best Friend's Brother • { Cameron Dallas }

f o r t y - f o u r

I stepped into Alex's bedroom, and stood quietly in the doorway. His room, once filled with posters on the walls, and pictures of his family and I on his dresser, and bedside tables, was no completely empty. All that remained were his bed, and the boxes that contained his things.

Alex stood on the other side of his bed, struggling to shove a jacket into one of the boxes. I chuckled at his failure to get it in. He eventually gave up and just threw it on, to wear.

"I see you're finished here." I said trying to start a conversation with him. He placed the box onto the floor with the rest of them.

"Yeah, I believe that was the last one." He stretched, and sighed. I couldn't help but keep my eyes on him. Alex was like my brother, and him leaving was very hard not only on Cameron, but me.

"I won't be too far Mack." He commented. He must've noticed the saddened look on my face, that I couldn't seem to get rid of.

"I know, I'll just miss you." My heart ached at the thought of Alex not being around. All at once our memories flooded through my brain, and I felt the urge to cry, but I held back.

"Come here." He said opening his arms. I gladly accepted the invitation and squeezed tight around him.

"I love you Alex, and I'm proud of you." I managed to get a sentence or two more out before breaking away from the hug. Alex gave me a nod, and I helped him grab the boxes and carry them downstairs to load into the car.

By now, Cameron had already began helping us as well. Box by box, the car was eventually packed, leaving only enough space for 3 people to ride in it.

"You ready?" Cameron asked spinning the keys around on his finger. Alex gave him a nervous smile, and we all hopped into the car. I allowed Alex to sit up front with Cameron, and took a seat in the back. 

No one spoke until about halfway there. Cameron spoke up long enough to say that he needed gas. After pulling off to a gas station, he went inside to pay, leaving Alex and I in the car alone.

"Mack, I know now may not be the time... But I just need you to know something." His sudden burst of words startled me. I eyed him trying to process what he was saying, but before I could finish he began again.
"I still love you Mack. I always will."

"Alex, I love you too.. But I'm with Cameron. You know that." My words came out as if someone had typed them for me. I felt as if I had no control over my mouth.
Alex nodded, and faced the front, not speaking for the rest of the way there.

"We're here." Cameron said after he'd finally found somewhere to park. We searched for Alex's dorm.
"Room 351", Cameron said reading the pamphlet out loud. "Ah right here." He pulled out the key, and unlocked the door.

Alex stepped inside setting boxes down, and eventually one after one was brought in, until Alex carried in the last box. He sat it down onto the desk.

"I have to go." I quickly hugged him, and walked out. I didn't want to say goodbye. I hated losing people. Although I wasn't losing him, I wasn't going to have him, and that upset me, more than anything.

I heard footsteps behind me, and realized it was Cameron. I didn't stop for him, I just kept walking.

"Mack." He called. I ignored his yell. I didn't want to see Alex go away. Even if this is what he wants.

"What." I said after getting highly annoyed with his cries. I stopped in my tracks and turned around.

"Stop being like this mack. You wanted him to go, and now you're pitching a fit for him being here!" His voice echoed through my brain. Had I really been that selfish for so long?

I looked up at the sky. Small droplets of cold rain, fell silently onto my skin. One landed onto my nose, causing me to close my eyes. Everything rushed through my head at once, and all I could think was "this isn't real."

"Mack." Cameron said bluntly. He repeated my name until I finally snapped, and began to hear what he was saying.

Words stopped coming out of his mouth. He cocked his head sideways staring at me, as if I had something in my teeth.

"Are you alright?" He asked his tone changing slightly. I shoved past him, back to Alex's dorm where he sat on his bed, looking at a framed picture of us.

"Did you come to say goodbye? Or leave again?" He asked. I could sense the hurt in his voice.

"I could never leave without telling my best friend goodbye Alex." I stared at my feet. Cameron had followed closely behind, and he now stood at the doorway behind me panting.

"Goodbye Alex." I said, smiling. He looked up at me sadly. He laid the picture back into the box, and nodded.

"Goodbye mack."

Without causing anymore emotional problems, I quietly turned on my foot, and headed towards the door. I turned back one last time, to say one last thing.

"I love you Alex, always." I waited for momentarily for a sentence back, but didn't hear a word.

As I stepped down the hallway I heard someone yell from behind. "I love you too mack."

I smiled, and kept continuously walking. I knew I didn't have to turn around, he knew I heard him. Somehow in my heart he just knew. I kept walking down the long hallway and to the car, not paying any attention to whether Cameron was behind me or not.

The carousel was spinning again, except this time, we were prepared for the ride.

As Cameron clambered behind me, I felt him wrap his arm around my waist.

The seatbelt was on for this carousel ride, and we were ready to take it on together.