4 "Happy Late Birthday, Alec"

May 25th, Thursday 2027.

I quietly sat at my table, looking back and between people.

I glanced at my current best friend, Hayes, and we both chuckled, as we could not hold eye contact for even a second.

"Jesus.. The lunchbreak is the worst." Hayes layed his face flat onto the table, and I chuckled by that action.

"True." I said, as I was playing around with the paper straw of my boba tea.

The weather was nice, it was May and the weather got warmer and warmer with each day. I had a blue jean jacket on, my newly- dyed black hair shined against the sunlight, that broke through the windows.

"You look good today, hm? Finally got something nice to wear?" He chuckled, as I gently pushed him, with my fist. I chuckled too, afterwards.

"I'm confused whenever that is supposed to be a compliment or an insult." I said.

"Uh.. Compliment?" He shrugged, as we both started laughing.

A few people started to make a lot of noise a few tables away from ours, and me and Hayes decided to look into what was going on. We got up, walking towards the noise.

There was everyone, standing around in a circle, as two people were in the middle, doing something that sounded like a cat fight.

I walked towards them, and looked through the people to try and spot who it was.

Wait.

Annette Johnson?

I got myself through the crowd, and stood in the middle between the two.

"Alexander, move out of the way.-" Annette said.

"Stop. You two aren't children. Forget him. He sucked anyways." I turned to Annette, as she was frowning whilst looking at me.

She'd roll her eyes, walking away from the crowd. She'd slam the entrance door, as I patted Carey Blake on the shoulder.

"You can have him. Annette was better than you anyways." I whispered into her ear. I smiled, walking away.

Hayes caught up to me, and both of us walked out of the cafeteria.

Me and Hayes looked at each other and walked towards Annette.

"Well, you surely do dislike Carey." I said, chuckling.

"Can we please not talk about her?" She'd say, and me and Hayes just gave her a simple nod, sitting down.

"Well, you going to the game tonight?"

"Well, Lewis is going to play tonight so yep. How about you, Hayes?" Annette turned to Hayes and he just shrugged.

"Well, I don't have plans, anyways. And I wouldn't miss your lovely boyfriend playing. If I did, you'd kill me." He chuckled, as she frowned.

"You two need to stop it! I'm not that bad-" She said, a little bit of frustration heard in her voice.

"But it's true!"

"Nope! Now, let's go get something to eat? I'm starving." She yawned, and I looked at the time. Meh. Today isn't anything worth staying the full day in school for. I was supposed to have PE next and English, but I'm good in both either way. It's not like one missing day would make my grades lower.

We sat down, as I looked at the time. Oh right, we finish earlier. I waited in the car, and I noticed two familiar faces in the distance.

It was Lewis James and Aaron Miles. Two other best friends of Hayes. The three of us were good friends too. But Hayes was the one I grew up with.

Hayes got out, walking over to them, greeting them. The three came back, as Annette smiled.

"Finally. Let's go? It is for sure a good weather today. We should go to the beach after the game, hm?" She said, and we all nodded.

She started the car, and we drove away from the school.

It was windy today, but the wind was soft and warm, so I stuck my head out of the window, as the wind gently brushed my hair. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warm wind hitting my face, and the sun.

Annette looked at the left wind mirror, as she raised her eyebrow.

"Who are they?" She asked, and I stuck my head back into the car, and I turned behind me to look.

"Freshmens?" Hayes asked, I shrugged.

"I don't think so. Haven't seen em' before." Aaron said, and I shrugged. I haven't seen them around either.

"Well, whatever. Alec, got any plans this weekend?" Hayes asked, and I yawned.

"Uh.. No not really, besides my grandmother's birthday on sunday." I shrugged, and he nodded.

"Why do you ask?" I asked him.

"I want to hangout with you, that's all." He smiled, and I chuckled.

"Okay." I chuckled, and he just chuckled too. I liked us being like this. Being so comfortable. I guess it's not that bad even if I do say what I feel like.

We pulled at the football field, as Annette parked the car. We all got out of the car, and I stretched out.

"Well, you go and not waste any more time. I'll see you soon." She smiled, hugging Lewis.

Me and Hayes felt a bit like third-wheeling, but we just chuckled, as Annette raised an eyebrow as soon as Lewis walked away.

"Oh come on. It's not like you'd not ever want to date yourselves. Besides, what do you know, perhaps you two will date each other in the future, what do you know." She'd start walking away.

Date?

"Me and Hayes? Pftt, never. I'd rather kiss a wall." I chuckled, and Hayes pushed me jokingly to the side.

We both walked behind her, chuckling and laughing.

We sat in the front row, these were the best seats out of the whole stadium.

"Lewis can be a dick, but I gotta say we got us the best seats out here." I said as Annette hit me in the back of my head, softly. I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to numb the pain a bit.

"Lewis is not a dick- What are you even talking about?" She'd raise an eyebrow.

The game was done pretty quickly, with our school scoring a win, yet again.

"Well, didn't we win yet again. Ah, it's getting a bit boring seeing our school always win." I yawned.

"True." Hayes said, and chuckled.

All of us went out of the stadium, everyone was cheering, and Annette proudly hugged her boyfriend, Lewis.

"Now why won't we get some food and do something at mine?" Aaron said, and Lewis nodded along with me and others.

"God, this tastes so great. You're a great cook, Aaron!" I said, taking a bite of my sandwich.

"It's just sandwich, but with my special recipe." He chuckled.

We were chatting, laughing, and we watched some movies. It was time for some of us to head home, which included me.

"I'll see you all tomorrow!" I smiled, waving, and walked downstairs. I walked to the front door, turning the door knob, as Hayes rushed down.

"Wait!"

I turned to face him, as he was standing, his hands behind his back.

"Yeah?"

He'd pull out a small box. He'd put it in my palms.

"Happy late - Birthday, Alec." He smiled, and I looked down onto it.

"Oh- I thought you forgot.." I said, as he just gave me a simple head pat.

"Of course not. I'll never forget your birthday. It just took a bit to get this." He'd rub the back of his neck, awkwardly.

"Hey- I don't mind at all. Thank you so much, Hayes." I smiled.

I took out a small bracelet, which wrote "Forever and always."

"It's so beautiful. Thank you again, Hayes." I smiled, as he'd smile too.

"Would you like me to put it on your wrist?" He asked, and I nodded. He'd gently unclasp the bracelet, as he put it onto my wrist. He'd clasp it together, and I looked at it, smiling.

"Thank you, again. It's really nice."

I looked at the time.

"I have to go! I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yep!" He waved at me, as I ran to the bus station.

I woke up, as there was no one in the hospital room. I sat up, and looked out of the window, whilst the sunlight shined right into my eyes.

I smiled, as I took a small peek at my bracelet Hayes gave me.

The writing "Forever and Ever" was a bit scratched away, almost invisible but I pressed it against my chest. I wish he was here.

"Can we talk, Alec?" Carter said, as he looked around, and shut the door, behind him.

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