Pride Story

I was just standing in the empty hallway, waiting for my best friend's Trigonometry class to finsh. I was quite nervous, thinking of how to say it, appropriately and straightforwardly. But how?

"What if he doesn't want to be my best friend anymore? I surely don't want that to happen, because he means a lot to me. I have to say it because I can't take all the pretending and the fooling anymore," I said to myself. I didn't know what to do and I could feel that my heart was somehow going to burst out from my chest if I didn't do anything.

I was banging my head on the locker next to me when the bell rang. A raven-haired guy, just a bit shorter than me, caught my attention with his pitch-black eyes and his angelic smile. It was Max. He smiled at me, but I knew that he noticed that visible anxiety etched on my face. "I can't do this," I thought to myself. I turned away and tried to avoid him but he put his hand over my shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

I didn't answer. My feet just felt like running, and the next thing I knew was that I was speeding up towards the exit. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, as the cold breeze of late winter blew on my face. I heard footsteps following me, and I assumed they were Max's, so I just ran towards the acacia tree beside the football field. The acacia tree, was where our friendship blossomed, and now, it's where it could possibly end.

"Chad!" Max called, and my knees gave up on me.

He ran over, saw me wipe off the tears on my cheeks with my sweater, and there we are, the beat of friends, under the acacia tree.

"What's wrong?" Max asked. "I don't want to see you like this, just tell me what's wrong and we'll work it out."

"Nothing's wrong," my words were as cold as the ambiance around us.

"Don't lie to me Chad, I've known you since we were kids. We are the best of friends why can't you tell me what's wrong?!"

"Because you wouldn't understand!"

"What would I NOT understand?"

"I don't know," then tears started to stream down Max's cheeks.

"Don't you trust me..."

"I do, Max, but..."

"Just tell it to me, please."

His face was near mine, and as a leaf fell down from the tree we were staying under, I drew his face closer to mine. I closed my eyes, and he wrapped his arms around me. We kissed.

Then I broke the kiss and said, "I love you Max. I have always loved you since we first met under this tree, and you will be the first and last man in my life that I would love."

There was the deafening silence. I felt that he couldn't return the loveI could give, so I looked away, but he touched my face.

"I know, and me too. I have always loved you."

"Really?" my face enlightened, and I opened my eyes. I wasn't dreaming. I could see him smile at me, and I jumped into his arms. I could feel his heart beating, and everything was fine.

"Why can't you tell me, Chad?"

"I was afraid that i am going to lose this friednship we built,"

"It's okay, don't worry. I'm here."

The moment he said that, I felt secure, and we laid down the damp grass with me in his arms. The winter air continued to surround Max and I, but it left a resounding joy. I didn't wish for anything more, and we slept there, nice and quiet.