Rekindled echoes

Chapter 1.

Victor walked through the Pride Parade alone.

The rainbow flags flew high, and the music boomed in his ears, but he felt nothing. He should have been happy. He should have felt free. But he didn't.

All he felt was the weight of his heartbreak even though it had been about 10 years ago.

The boy's name was Jayson. He had been happy and deeply in love with him. They had come to all the Pride Parade together,holding hands, and soaking up the joyfulness of the day.

But things had changed. Jayson had broken up with him, saying he needed to "explore his options" and "figure out who he really is."

"What a typical cliché thing to say" he thinks to himself as a couple passes in front of him, arms on each other's shoulders holding pride flags.

He knew what that really meant; Jayson wanted a chance to try being with a girl - something that he couldn't offer him.

So, there he was, walking through the Pride Parade all by himself, surrounded by happy couples and groups of friends laughing together. The sights and sounds of the day that had once filled him with such hope now made his heart hurt.

He missed Jayson more than anything. He missed the way their hands fit together, the sparkle in his eye when he looked at him, and the way he made him feel seen and appreciated in a way that he had never felt before.

As he walked, tears started running down his cheeks, knowing that this year's Pride Parade would forever be remembered as among the parades when he walked it entirely alone.

He knew that he needed to let go of Jayson and move on, but he just couldn't shake the sadness from his heart. After the break-up, Victor met Claire, a girl in his English class 10 years ago. They became friends and eventually started dating. At first, Victor was hesitant to date Claire because he had previously identified as gay and had a boyfriend, Jayson. However, he found himself drawn to Claire's kind heart and sense of humor. As they spent more time together, Victor realized that he was falling in love with her. They had a lot in common, including a love of literature and travel. Victor felt like he could be himself around Claire, and that she accepted him for who he was. After a few years of dating, Victor proposed to Claire, and she said yes.

Victor couldn't admit it but he knew in his heart that this is not what he wanted. True, his parents did fancy Claire as his future wife, but he wasn't all in in their relationship. His heart ached for Jayson but all he had were the bittersweet memories of the run up of their relationship.

As Victor is lost in thought, he is suddenly interrupted by the sound of a trumpet blaring in the distance. The loud, jarring noise startles him out of his reverie, and he looks around to see where the sound is coming from. He sees a marching band approaching, playing a jaunty tune that seems to fill the air with energy and excitement. Victor can't help but smile as he watches the band go by, feeling a sense of joy and camaraderie with the other parade-goers around him. The music seems to lift his spirits, and he is once again at peace, surrounded by happy couples on this bright and warm day.

"Bummer Ethan couldn't come" he thinks to himself as he sips from his lemonade cup.

As Victor watches the marching band go by, he suddenly feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns around to see Jayson standing there, looking at him with a mix of surprise and excitement. Victor's heart starts racing as he realizes who it is, and he wonders what Jayson could possibly want after all this time. They haven't spoken since the breakup, and Victor isn't sure if he's ready to face him yet. But before he can say anything, Jayson takes a step forward and says, "Hey, Vic. It's good to see you."

As Victor looks at Jayson, he feels a wave of emotions wash over him. It's been 10 years since they broke up, and so much has happened since then. Victor has become a successful lawyer, working long hours at a prestigious firm and building a life for himself in the city. Jayson, on the other hand, has pursued his passion for music, playing in various bands and touring around the country. They've both grown and changed in so many ways, and yet here they are, face to face, in the very place where it all began.

At first, Victor feels a sense of shock and disbelief. He can hardly believe that Jayson is really here, standing in front of him, in all his glory, after all these years. But as the initial shock wears off, he starts to feel a sense of nostalgia and longing. He remembers all the good times they shared together, the laughter and the joy and the love. He remembers how it felt to be young and carefree, with the whole world ahead of them.

But as he looks at Jayson, he also feels a sense of sadness and regret. He remembers all the fights and the arguments and the hurt feelings that led to their breakup. He remembers the pain of saying goodbye, the feeling of loss and emptiness that lingered long after Jayson was gone. And he wonders if they can ever really go back to the way things were before.

As they stand there, looking at each other, Jayson waiting for a certain type of response from him, Victor feels a sense of tension and uncertainty. He wonders what Jayson wants from him, why he's here after all these years. He wonders if it's possible to pick up where they left off, or if too much has changed in the intervening years. But despite all the doubts and fears, he also feels a sense of hope. He remembers how good it felt to be with Jayson, how much he loved him and cared for him.

As Victor and Jayson stand there, lost in thought, they suddenly hear a voice behind them. "Hey babe, I got you a drink," the voice says, and Jayson turns around to see Henry standing there, holding two cups of lemonade. Jayson's face lights up as he sees his boyfriend, and he takes one of the cups from him, smiling gratefully.

As Victor watches Jayson and Henry together, he suddenly remembers the real reason why they broke up all those years ago. It wasn't just that they had grown apart or that they had different goals and aspirations. No, it was something much deeper, something that had shaken Victor to his core.

He remembers the day that Jayson had told him he was leaving him for a girl. He remembers the shock and disbelief he had felt, the sense of betrayal and confusion. He had never suspected that Jayson was attracted to women, had never even considered the possibility. And yet there it was, staring him in the face, a truth he couldn't deny.

As he watches Jayson and Henry together, he can't help but wonder. Does Henry know that Jayson used to be with a man? Does he know that Jayson had left Victor for a woman? And if he does, does he care?

Victor realizes that he doesn't know the answers to these questions, and he probably never will. But as he looks at Jayson and Henry, he can see that they are happy together. They care for each other deeply, and that's all that really matters. And he knows that it's time for him to move on, to let go of the past and embrace the future, whatever it may hold. But could he? After all the wave of emotions that came flowing back to his brain? Does Jayson feel it too? Perhaps time will tell.