We Were Young

Goodbye

  Luke stared at the lifeless form inside the casket, tears welling up in his eyes. He clutched the ring tightly in his hand, trying not to cry. He gently placed a kiss against the metal and gently placed it on Calum's finger, taking a step back.
"I really do love you.." he whispered, turning to walk away. He walked over and stood with Michael silently. His eyes locked onto Mali Koa who was standing with her father. She looked over at the open casket and started sobbing for the third time since the funeral service ended. David wrapped his arms around his daughter, tears slipping down his own face. Joy walked over to Luke and took in a deep shaky breath.
"I-it's a shame really," she said sadly as she looked at the ground. "I was really looking forward to having you as a son in law..." she put her hand over her mouth as she started crying again. "Oh my sweet baby boy..." Luke pulled her into a hug and let her cry in his arms. "I miss him so much," she sobbed, as the funeral workers stepped up and closed the casket.
"I miss him too, Joy," he whispered, feeling a tear escape. They watched together as the men lifted the coffin and carried it out to the hearse.
"Y-you're coming to his b-burial, aren't you?"
"Of course," he responded. She smiled sadly as her lip quivered.
"W-we should go." Luke just nodded and looked over at Michael who followed them out.

  They stared at the fresh plot of dirt, hearts full of sadness. Mali walked over to Luke and hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise.
"Don't blame yourself," she whispered. "You did everything you could to save him..." flashes of Calum dying in his arms suddenly started flooding in. He shook his head and looked down at her.
"You weren't there..."
"I know I wasn't. But I knew my brother. He was so broken after he... cheated on you. He loved you so much... there was no way anyone could have stopped him from taking that bullet." She pulled away and looked at him as tears slipped down his cheeks.
"Maybe not..." she rubbed his arm before turning and walking over to her parents. The three of them turned and walked towards the car slowly, leaving Luke and Michael alone.
"Do you want to stay longer?" Michael asked, intertwining their fingers.
"Just a little longer," he replied, staring at the freshly placed dirt. Rain began trickling down from the sky, but it didn't stop them. Luke just couldn't pull himself away from his ex fiance's grave. "I wish we could go back in time... before that night when everything changed. When we were four best friends living together... when Calum and Ashton were not so secretly together. When I was too shy to tell you I was in love with you, even though knew the entire time..." Michael smiled at the memories.
"When I was just realizing my true feelings about you..."
"When things were just... perfect. We didn't have to worry about shitty adult lives. We didn't have to worry about who we were in love with. I want to go back to when we were young and naive, convinced we had or lives completely planned out."
"Maybe that's our problem... we're too busy planning out our lives to just live them," Michael said. Luke looked over at him as the rain soaked them both. "From now on, let's just stop planning every little detail and just live in the moment."
"That sounds like a plan..." Luke said, taking a final glance at Calum's grave before turning and leading Michael away. And that's exactly what they did.

~~~~~

"Okay, big day!" Joy said, straightening Luke's tie. She sighed happily as she stepped back and looked at him. "My goodness, you look so handsome." Luke turned and looked in the mirror, feeling a wave of uncertainty.
"It's not too soon?" He asked quietly.
"Darling, it's been 5 years... all Calum ever wanted was for you to be happy, and does Michael make you happy?"
"Of course he does..."
"Then my son is smiling down at you right now." Ever since Calum died and Luke's parents left him, Joy and David took Luke on as their son. A tear slipped down his cheek and he smiled, wiping it away.
Jack came in the room quickly.
"It's time," he said. Luke took a deep breath, looking down at his shaking hands.
"Oh gosh, I'm so nervous..." Joy grabbed his hands in her own and smiled up at him.
"You're going to do amazing." He nodded and followed his brother out of the room. He stepped into the room and peered outside, seeing Michael standing at the altar, talking to the wedding officiant.
"Good luck, son," David said, hugging Luke tightly.
"Oh Luke, I'm so happy to have you joining our family," Karen said, smiling at him as she hung onto her husband's arm.
"We'll see you out there," Daryl smiled. The music started and Daryl and Karen walked out together, heading down to their seats, David and Joy followed behind them and Ben led Mali Koa out after them.
"Ready?" Jack asked, straightening his brother's tie. Luke nodded his head in response and smiled.
"I'm so ready." Jack smiled and held his arm out to his baby brother. He walked him down the isle and gave him away, watching as he got married to the man of his dreams. Luke and Michael exchanged rings after saying their beautifully written vows and finally, the words they had been waiting for were spoken.
"By the powers vested in me by this eternal love, and the state of New York, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband." Michael quickly grabbed Luke's face and planted his lips on his husband's as everyone cheered loudly for the couple. It was official. Everything was perfect again.

End Book One.

I really loved writing this book, and it just might be my favorite so far. So there's a very important question I must ask.... Sequel? Let me know. :)