Saved [boyxboy]

Chapter 14: This Is The End

"JASON!"

My Mom's scream jarred me out of sleep. I shot out of bed, whipping Caleb's arm from around me. The swift movement woke him up as well. Or maybe it was my Mom's scream?

I flung my door open and bounded down the stairs, Caleb following behind me. "Mom?!" I called as I burst into the TV room. I found her with her back to me. "Mom?" She turned to me, two packages in each hand. I stopped in my tracks, Caleb bumping into me. "Is that..."

She nodded. "One's from North Western and the others from UTrin."

"When did..." I asked.

She cut me off. "Just now. The mailman literally just left."

I gulped as he held them out to me. I couldn't move.

This was it. My heart sped up and I felt myself falling. I felt skin as Caleb caught me. He lifted me up and I looked at him. 

Finding out whether you've been accepted to College is way scarier than I thought. I was happy to be back in Palmiste Grove. I had left and come back with a feeling of uncertainty and heavy-heartedness. But it had all changed in my year back. But this...this was different.

This wasn't running away. This was a chance to explore myself, to explore people, to explore to world. I'd be on my own, no rules or parental restrictions. I'd be alone, an adult. As excited as I was, I was scared shitless. I was also scared because College decided something I cared for deeply: my relationship.

Caleb and I had had "The Discussion" before. Nobody knows what the future holds so we'd decided to be big boys about it and actually have a discussion on our possible future or futures. We'd agreed to ride it out until we no longer could but convinced ourselves that if the time came when things got rough, we were not to try saving something that was doomed. For now, we were in love and we would remain that way. We promised that no matter what happened, we would always remain friends.

In applying to Colleges, we had decided to choose one College that we'd both apply to: TrinU. TrinU had a fantastic Pre-Med programme and a great Communications programme. TrinU was about two hours away from Palmiste Grove. Getting into to TrinU meant moving away but still being close to home. Getting into TrinU together meant that Caleb and I could have a real, fighting chance as a couple in the real world

I stepped forward and took the packages from my Mom. I looked at them both. Two large packages. Big packages mean good news right? I decided to open the one from TrinU first. I looked back at Caleb and he smiled at me and cradled my face. "Everything's gonna be okay. No matter what."

He kissed me briefly and I exhaled. I ripped the envelope open and pulled out the lone sheet of paper. "Dear Mr Wheeler," I read, "we are pleased to welcome you to the student body of the Trinidad University..." I couldn't even finish reciting the letter as my Mom's joyous scream filled the room and probable resounded up the length of our entire street. Caleb wrapped me up in his arms and spun me around.

"Congratulations, babe!" he said to me as he put me down. This moment was so surreal, I couldn't believe it. I was now about to be a College freshman! I looked into Caleb's eyes and felt the love pouring from his pores. I looked over at my Mom, eyes filled with happy tears. I left Caleb's embrace and went to my Mom's open arms and began bawling. 

 My Mom broke our embrace and cradled my face, looking directly at me. Tears stained her cheeks and for once, I was so happy that they weren't sad tears. "I am so unbelievably proud of you, son."

"Mom..." I said, sniffling.

"No, I'm serious," she said, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "You've been through so much in your short life so far. Losing your Dad, losing Declan, moving away, moving back...you've been so strong. And I know that you've been strong for you and for me. I couldn't ask for a better son. No matter how far you go, you will always hold that special place in my heart. No matter how old you get, you will always be the little boy whose diapers I changed, who I helped up when he took his first fall, the one I gave birth to. You will always be my baby."