The Missing Boy

Chapter 18 - Lifetime

Axel will get to live a thousand lifetimes. Miles knows this. But in this moment, with just the two of them, Miles gets a taste of what forever might feel like.

With every chance he gets, and there will be many chances, Axel will become someone new. That's the luxury of living limitlessly. He could move away, he could change, and there would be no one to stop him.

Axel will get to experience other relationships, preferably with men but Axel has countless years and perhaps his preferences might change (and they are allowed to). Axel will belong to people. Many people. But the Axel present in this moment right now is the Axel that belongs to Miles.

There will be many versions of Axel. But Miles gets version 1. The raw, unedited version. The version of Axel that hasn't been changed through time. Miles gets the trial run. The first attempt. Where Axel lives and tries to figure out what he wants to change in his next lifetime. Miles gets the boy before and after the crash. The Missing Boy.

This isn't Miles' first relationship. With a boy, maybe, but there's something different here. There's potential for more. More, more, more.

There's always more with Miles and Axel.

For Axel, on the other hand, it is his first relationship. There are many firsts with Miles. First friend. First crush. First boyfriend. The only bad thing is that people always remember their firsts. And Axel doesn't have the best memory. But he just knows that this will stay with him forever. That what he feels now is a once in a lifetime feeling.

But Axel will get to live a thousand lifetimes.

"You should get going." Axel says as he begins to pull on a pair of black sweatpants.

"I should?" Miles doesn't want to leave right now, and if he had the choice, he wouldn't want to leave at all.

"Your mom. I know you and her aren't on good terms right now. I don't want to mess things up even more between the two of you."

"Hey, me and my mom not being on good terms isn't your fault."

"It kind of is."

"My mom is convinced she's doing what's best for me. But she isn't. She doesn't know what I need...Or what I want." Miles can't help the way his eyes roam Axel's body, his upper half still exposed much to Miles' delight. Maybe it's best that he does go, just in case one of them can't control them self. Miles can already feel himself slipping. He leaves for his house just as Axel is about to lose it.

••••••••••••

Miles prepares himself for his mother's ambush. He had stayed with Axel against her will. Again. And now he will face the repercussions. Miles is bound to be grounded again. He doubts his parents could come up with a harsher punishment. Opening the door to his house ever so quietly, Miles creeps in, the morning sunlight seeping in behind him and into the dark woodwork of his family home. His mother, Cassie, greets him immediately, casually stirring her mug of hot coffee.

"Good morning Miles, how was the party?" She takes a sip.

Party? Miles thinks. And then it hits him. "Ohhhh the party! It was great! Amazing! Super fun!"

"Glad to hear it. Who's house did you stay over at? I was a little surprised you didn't call." She takes another sip, somehow finding a way to never let her eyes off of Miles.

"I stayed over at Max's. You remember Max, right? He was my biology partner. It was getting really late so I crashed at his and my phone died." Miles waves his phone which he switched off hours ago, the percentage only down by 25 percent. "We're very good friends Max and I."

They were biology partners 2 years ago. They haven't spoken since.

"I assume those clothes that you're wearing are his too?"

That's when Miles remembers the red hoodie hanging loosely on his body and the equally loose pair of sweatpants on his hips, his own clothes folded in his arms and cleaned by courtesy of Axel's mother, Grace.

"Oh yeah. Some drunk girl spilled her drink on me so Max let me borrow his clothes. His mom even washed them for me."

"That's nice of her."

Cassie gives her son a look, one Miles immediately interprets and answers "I obviously wasn't drinking." But the bitter taste of cheap beer comes to haunt him then and images of him heaving his guts out on the side of the Stupidly Tall Building.

"I sure hope you weren't."

Satisfied at her son's response, Cassie sighs and smiles. "Well I'm glad you're making new friends." She ruffles Miles' curly bronze hair before handing him the mug of coffee with half its contents still in it. "Friends that are actually good for you." She says before heading off to work.

"Yeah..." Miles chugs the rest of the coffee.

•••••••••••

Miles doesn't like to lie. Before Axel, he never really had to. But he hates lying to his parents, especially his mother because he knows that when they find out about Axel they'll ....he doesn't know what they'll do.

So Miles takes a shower, brushes his teeth twice and then lies in bed. He thinks of all the ways his parents might react to the news that he and Axel are dating. This is probably a bad idea. And Miles realises just how bad this idea is when he notices that barely of the outcomes are positive.

Fuck.

Now Miles has two very big secrets to hide.