Nico took one last long look at the oak before throwing his duffel bag into the truck bed. He traced his fingers over the carved RHN, memories flooding back. Monster battles. Superhero antics. Youthful optimism untainted by the future's question marks.
He exhaled deeply, his wandering mind interrupted by Holt's bear hug.
"We'll be rooting hard for you, soldier," Holt said, clapping Nico's back.
Nico chuckled despite the lump forming in his throat. "Don't go soft on me now, bro."
Remy pulled him close. "Stay safe out there. But know you'll always have a sanctuary here." He gestured to the oak, its leaves glinting under the rising sun.
Nico nodded, words failing him. He could almost envision their 10-year-old selves waving eagerly from below its branches. If only to return to that simple joy for just a moment instead of facing this crossroads alone.
"Group hug!" Holt shouted, lightening the mood as the three crashed into an embrace - a tangle of laughter, sniffles and memories fused together.
As Nico pulled away towards his duty-bound future, part of him remained under the oak, standing sentinel over their hallowed promise. He pressed forward without looking back, down the lonely road unraveling ahead...toward the unknown fettered only by an enduring brotherhood rooted in the past.
He would carry that relic inside him - a talisman to shield his spirit when the path darkened and branches obscured the light. Until he completed his journey and found sanctuary once more with Remy and Holt back where friendship first bloomed.
YOU ARE READING
Crossroads
Teen FictionOnce inseparable friends bonded by shared dreams, life pulls Remy, Holt, and Nico in different directions until their crossed paths may never again meet.
