Truth Be Told

Chapter 2: Graduation Day

*4 Years pass*

Steven wakes up with such a smile on his face knowing he had made it this far in school. Thinking about how it was completely worth all the college courses and all the homework he had to turn in.

Steven feels a vibration on his leg and takes out his phone. He then looks at the phone and smiles and answers it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!!!" Jared yells.

Steven giggles, "Thanks Jared."

"No problem. Hey, I know it's your birthday, but we also have graduation today. So when are you going?" asked Jared.

"Well, I have something to do first right now, but how about umm.. 10 o'clock. By then people would already be at the stadium and we won't be the only bunch who got there early," Steven replies.

Steven hangs up and goes straight to the church to see Father Martin. Father Martin see's Steven and greets him, "Hello my son. How are you in this beautiful glorious day?"

"I'm good father. I just came here to thank the lord on how much he's helped through life, high school, and how he made me get to this point," Steven replied.

"Good. That's very good my son. I'm so happy you've already moved on and found closure between you and the heavenly father. Well boy, I also know it's your birthday, so I have a gift for you," Father Martin gets up and grabs a gift and a letter. He then holds the letter and gift close to his heart," Here you go my son."

"Father you really don't have too.... Kidding what is it?" Steven asks.

"Well the letter is from someone dear to you, as for the present you'll just have to open it and find out." Father Martin answers.

Steven smirks and cheerfully opens the gift. He looks at it in shock and gasps, "Father I... I can't accept this.

"It's nothing Steven. You my son earned it, with respect towards your heavenly father and faith towards the lord," Father Martin responds.

"Thank you father. Honestly, this means so much to me," Steven tells Father Martin. He then hugs him and looks at the time. "Oh gosh, it 9:51. Father I have to go. I'll catch up with you later."

Steven quickly walks outside and sees Jared outside the church. "Hey!" Jared calls out.

Steven walks up to Jared smiling really big, "look Jared, it's a check for $20,000"

"Oh gosh," Jared replies," Do you know what it's going towards?"

"It's for college bro." Steve replies, "Hey it's getting really late the practice starts at 10 o'clock we don't have enough time."

"Don't worry I know a backroad that is hardly driven on due to construction and all that, but it'll take us straight to the stadium," Steven answers.

Steven gets in the car with Jared and they drive their way to the stadium through the back road. They both look at each other and giggle. Steven looks out the window and slowly sees Jared's hand getting close to his leg. Steven slowly gets flashbacks from before. When pedophiles would touch him in a sexual way. Steven takes in a deep breath, but Jared touches his thigh and continues to drive.

"Wha...What are you doing?" Asked Steven.

Jared removes his hand from Stevens's leg," I'm so sorry."

"I thought..."Steven replies.

"No... I'm just curious," replied Jared.

Steven looks down wanting to tell Jared about the secret he's been holding in. He then looks up and opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Not a single word. He sits there and feels ashamed for not telling him.

"Jared," Steven says.

"Yeah Steven," Jared replies looking at Steven.

Steven then looks at Jared in the eyes, "I love y... WATCH OUT!!!"

Steven wakes up with a ringing noise and sees that Jared is not in the car. Steven falls into shock and looks around him. "Jared! Jared!" Steven yells. He tries to move, but he's stuck with the headboard as his knees are trapped. He places his hand on his head and finds blood, "Jared where are you?"

Steven continues to look around and sees Jared laying on the street 20 feet away from him lying in the street near the construction sign. He then looks at the windshield and see's that it's broken, and covered in blood as well as the tree trunk that was the cause of the accident. Steven tries to pick up the headboard, but fails. He then takes a breath and moves the headboard again and breaks it and removes it off his legs.

Steven is weak and gets out of the car. Unable to use his legs, he crawls towards Jared and calls out his name.

"Jared... Jared are you okay?" Steven asks.

Steven puts his hand on Jared's side and struggles to sits and moves Jared to wake him up. Jared doesn't move. Steven then turns Jared around and sees his face distorted.

"Oh...Oh my..."Steven cries

Steven looks around and sees tissue and blood from where Jared was sliding on the pavement. He looks around and see's nothing but construction signs saying, "CAUTION" or "CONTRUCTION ON SITE"

"Someone please help!" Steven yells.

Steven grabs Jared and puts him on his legs and holds him tight as he cries for help. "Jared please. Please wake up!" Steven cries holding Jared's hand and kissing it to see if it'll magically bring him to life.

Steven begins to rock Jared and wants to tell the three words he's been meaning to tell him ever since they met in high school.

Hours pass and Steven is laying in the street holding Jared, slowly rocking him and still holding him tight. Steven sees a vehicle with high xenon lights, basically blinding him. The car pulls over and stops to see the broken tree.

"UGH! I told the freaking rookies to remove the tree branch!" the man says to himself.

Steven looks up as he knows he had recognized that voice. He takes time to think. "Conner! Conner!"

Conner runs to Steven. Conner just looks and breaks down and grabs Jared and holds him. "Jared!!!" Conner yells.

Steven looks and cries as well and whispers to himself, "Jared, I love you."