Year Of Goodbyes

I

March 15th, 1972

Dear Journal,

We've been going out a lot lately. Chloe just shows up at my house at 2:00 A.M. and expects me to sneak up to the hill. It's not like my parents don't know that I sneak out, I'm sure they do, but I would like them to think I'm still a good child. At least Chloe makes it worthwhile. She usually meets me up there with pot and a bottle of whiskey. my three favorite things. She's been kind of distant during the day though, too busy with her new surfer man. He's not my favorite guy, but if he makes her happy, then I could deal with it for the time being. I just miss us together. She's the only one I have. I'll write later, journal.

Sincerely,

Alex

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The soft rumble of the train nearby was the only sound that Alex could hear. That and the complaining of his best friend Chloe.

"I'm so done with school, thank God we're seniors. I don't think I could deal with it anymore." She paced back and forth between two trees while frantically reading the second act of Romeo and Juliet.

"Chloe, you're making me nervous, just sit down." Alex pulled her arm so she would fall onto the couch. Chloe threw her book onto the rug and curled into Alex's side.

"I'd rather just quit everything and stay like this forever." Alex stayed quiet for a moment and rested his head against the back of the couch, relishing in the comfort it brought him.

The two of them took that couch up to their little hideout two years ago. Alex's parents were getting rid of an old loveseat, and at two in the morning Chloe and Alex snuck out and carried the couch half a mile up Honey Hill. The days following, they brought all kinds of decorations and furniture to make their hideout the perfect escape from the world.

"I know, me too, but we have responsibilities now. We're grown-ups," Alex pouted at Chloe, effectively mocking her relatable wishes. She stuck her tongue out, standing up and throwing a pillow at Alex.

"Come on, Chloe, how immature are you?" Alex playfully questioned.

"Incredibly." She picks up two more pillows and throws one. It strikes Alex directly in the face.

"Ow, Chloe! Jesus." Alex held his face in his hands, feigning pain.

"Oh, my god, Alex. I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Chloe dropped the other pillow on the couch and went to comfort him. She grabbed his face and looked at him examining for any injury. He looked her directly in the eyes as she poked and prodded at his face. Alex slowly crept his hand to the forgotten pillow, making sure not to disturb Chloe. He slowly brought the pillow up, and once he was sure Chloe had no suspicion, he smacked her directly over the head.

Chloe stumbled, and when she got her balance back, she had a glare pointed directly at Alex. She paused for a moment before grabbing one pillow that had fallen on the ground and hit Alex with it repeatedly. He had no choice but to take the abuse as she kept hitting him.

she yelled between every whack, "You! Suck! Alex! Don't! Do! That! Again!"

"Okay, okay, I surrender; white flag is waved."

Chloe slowly stopped her swings, breathing heavily from the strenuous exercise. She fluttered to the ground and rested her back against one of the strongest trees that secluded them further from society. She grabbed her copy of Romeo and Juliet off the ground where she dropped it and started reading it again. Alex took advantage of the moment of silence to admire her.

Her hair was almost glistening in the moonlight, and the dark brown curls she possessed danced happily as she moved. The freckles on her face were like little stars surrounding the Milky-Way that is her eyes. Her mother gave her the bronzed skin that she had long since come to love. Chloe flipped the pages of her book, grimacing at the opaque phrasing of the thirteenth-century writing. The little lines on her forehead, and her scrunched nose made Alex's heart warm with love for the girl. Maybe the love was a little more than what Chloe felt towards him, but he couldn't care less. Seeing her was enough to brighten up his day.

Chloe sighed and closed the book, laying down entirely on the carpet.

"Okay, I'm tired, I don't want to read anymore." Alex chuckled, watching Chloe grab a pillow and get comfortable on the ground.

"What are you looking at?" Alex then realized how much he'd been staring and shook his head. He looked at his hands, almost trying to cover up the fact that he was watching her.

"Nothing, you're just being dumb as always."

"Hey! I'm not always dumb." Alex gave her a knowing look.

"Okay maybe I am always dumb, but we're basically the same person so that would make you always dumb too." She ripped Alex's blanket off of his lap and draped it over herself, snuggling into the makeshift bed she had just made.

"Are you going to make me carry you home?"

Chloe only stuck a thumbs up and closed her eyes. Alex shook his head with rolled eyes. He turned off the few flashlights that were hanging from the trees, and put all the pillows, except the one Chloe was using, back on the couch. Alex picked up the discarded Romeo and Juliet and placed it on the end table. By then, Chloe was asleep. It never took her long to fall asleep. One time, she fell asleep under Alex's bed when they were playing hide and seek as kids. He found her after an hour and a half clutching a teddy bear that had found its way onto the floor. Alex didn't even bother waking her up. He let her sleep for around two hours until her mother came to pick her up. He even carefully lifted her onto his bed so that she'd be more comfortable.

Alex made sure the area was spotless before scooping Chloe up in his arms and carrying her to bed, resembling the way he had done it years before. He brought her into a "carry over the threshold" type of grip. Her legs were dangling over the side of his arms and her face sunk against his chest. She was so peaceful. Not a care in the world besides sleep.

"You've gotten heavier since the last time I did this," Alex whispered aloud. All Chloe did was flutter her eyelashes and squirm until she was snug, gripping onto Alex's Led Zeppelin t-shirt.

He carried her down the Hill for at most five minutes before she started to move around.

"Alex?" She was groggy, and her eyes were barely open.

"What's up?" He strained out as he adjusted his grip around her back.

"I'm tired." Alex chuckled at the obviousness.

"Really, I couldn't tell?" He remarked sarcastically. "We're almost there anyway."

Chloe said nothing and only fell back to sleep. The entire way back, Alex was careful not to jostle her.

When they arrived at her door, he reached into an empty cookie jar shaped like a pig. He pulled out the spare key, and quietly opened the door. He stepped into the living room, Chloe in hand.

Alex crept up the stairs, careful not to make a sound. His footsteps were heavy with the added weight. He opened the first door on the left, seeing the familiar baby pink colored room.

All of the furniture was white except for a black easel in the corner. She had paintings hung up from her own collection, in varying bright colors. The window was open from when she left and the sheer curtains were blowing slightly. Chloe's room had been exactly the same since she was a toddler. Her tastes have changed massively, but there was never enough money in the budget to redecorate.

Alex set Chloe on her bed, pulling up the sheets and tucking her in. Her face scrunched from the lack of warmth hugging her. Alex grabbed a teddy bear from the small rocking chair in the corner of the room and put it under her arm. He had stars in his eyes as he looked at her. He would give anything if he could be with her in the way he wanted.