Know by Heart (boyXboy)

Chapter 18 - The Dock

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Zack vomited until he can no longer puke. He spat a couple of times before he straighten hisbody, his right arm leaning against the fence for support. His head was pulsing in pain with the every beat of the bass of the music. Zack needs to find a more settle, quieter place.  

He walked pass the fence, following a pathway surrounded by pine trees. It was dark, but the light from the house helps illuminate some areas. The farther he strolls away from the house the less he hears the music, decreasing the pain in his head. The moon lights up the rest of the dark path, he can now see what’s beyond the trees, and it was the lake. The dark water reflects the light of the moon and the moon itself perfectly.

He is now out of the shade of the trees and in the open. Zack surveyed the area and a flicker of bright yellow to orange light caught his attention. At the far left appears to be a bonfire, he can make out the silhouette of about six people around it. His curiosity wants him to go over and see what they are up to, but he’d rather have a quiet moment for himself for now, so he walked towards right instead. There he sees a small boat dock.

He slowly walks on the old woodedn floor. It creaksa with every step until he reached the end where he decided to sit with his feet dangling on the edge.

Zack starts to relax. There is an audible  faint party music, which actually sounds calming combined with the noise the wind creates when it blows against the leaves of the trees and soft splashes of water from the lake. He lets his body rest flat on the wood surface as his eyes wander up at the starry night sky. His eyes become heavy, closing them for a moment and in less than a minute he fell asleep.

The creaking noise woke him up, he doesn’t know how long he was asleep but he’s sure someone is approaching. He can feel the old wood slightly tremble with the weight of the person with each step and the creaking noise louder.

“never thought that I'll find you here?” It was Travis said as he sits beside him.

“What time is it?”

Travis checked his phone for the time “its half pass two, more than half of the people went home already. Only the drunk and the people who insist to continue with the party are left.”

He slept for a good hour, his head feels better now. “Oh god!” his eyes widen with realization. “Gab and Kyla!” his head made a sharp turn to look back at the house. He tries to stand but Travis stopped him.

“They’re still there, Gab told me he saw you bolt away from the dance floor to puke, but after about fifteen minutes, they got worried because you never came back. We were all looking for you in and out the house.”

“Then we should go back and tell them I’m fine”

“I already did that, the moment I saw, I called them to say I found you, that you are sleeping and to not worry.” Travis smiled.

Zack sighed “Ok”

“Ok” and then there was silence.

“why are you here anyway?” Travis asked

“I wanted to get away from there I guess.” He shrugs “away from the noise and clear my head for a bit”

“and sleep” Travis chuckled

“my head ache made me” Zack muttered

“well you shouldn’t have drank the whole jug of screwdriver Kyla mixed”

“the what?” Zack suddenly thought of the actual screwdriver tool placed inside a pitcher with ice.

“Screwdriver, it’s what the drink is called. It tastes like orange juice but it kicks a punch” Travis explained. “You were drinking it like water”

Zack can’t recall any memory of drinking that much, all he remembers is Clarice and how she was acting around Travis. “So you and Clarice huh?”

Travis can sense something weird in the way Zack asked him. He knows that Zack probably already knew that he dated Clarice before. “We dated before but we are not together anymore, sometimes she just acts that way she sees me, like it wasn’t over at all. Especially when she’s a bit intoxicated or trying to impress.”

Kyla told him Travis broke up with her because he doesn’t feel the same way as how she feels about him. But he wanted to know Travis’ reason “Why’d you break up?”

Travis leans back, he arms supporting his upper body weight. “It doesn’t feel right being with her” he started “she became so clingy and needy. She wants to be seen beside me all the time, and demands things from me I don’t even want to do.” He paused for a while to reposition his body, now lying against the flat wood.

“She thinks we are perfect for each other, and I thought the same way too, until I began dating her. I don’t feel any connection, you know, like one of those one way relationships. There are times when I feel the connection with someone. With all the sparks, slow motion effects, a sense of bliss and whatnot.  You get all this feelings and emotions towards that person, but you can’t act on it because they are already with somebody or because people think you don’t belong together, that it isn’t right because of their beliefs and status in life.”

Zack knows exactly what Travis is trying to say.

“Did you feel that way about someone too?” Travis asked

“yeah, don’t we all?”

“I guess your right with that” both boys fell silent as they enclose themselves with their own thoughts.

They are lying side by side looking up the stars.

Travis sat and faced boy beside him. “Hey Zack?”

“Yeah?” he responded still lying flat on the wooden surface.

“Can I try out something?” his voice a bit shaky.

Zack repositioned himself to sit with his leg crossed then turns to face Travis. “sure what is it?”

“I’ll just do something and you can punch me if you want after”

“will it hurt?”

“I promise you it won’t hurt” he nervously smiled

“Ok, but if it hurts I’m gonna punch you real hard” Zack chuckled.

Travis manages to force a broken laugh. “ok”. Travis scooted closer to Zack “here goes” with a mindset that Travis is probably going to hurt him, Zack closes his eyes shut.

Travis leaned forward and swiftly planted a kiss on Zack’s lips. Zack’s immediate reaction was to back away, pushing himself backwards with eyes wide open and mouth slightly parted in shock. Zack was expecting for a trick but instead he got something totally unexpected. He should be feeling upset and uneasy, but instead he is actually glad Travis kissed him and now he wants more.

Travis remained unmoving. His eyes were still glued to him, waiting for Zack’s response. A pang of hurt and worry hits him, “I’m sor..” he began but before he can finish his words, Zack grab a hold of his shirt and pulled him closer, again connecting him lips with his.

Travis’ hands cups Zack’s face as their kiss deepens. They can both feel the longing and passion as their lips connects and the tongues dance with grace.

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