Autumn

They met on accident.

But it was the best accident they've ever made.

——

One year later, the sky was a golden flame, the setting sun sinking just below the horizon, the rosy wisps of clouds streaked across the sky. The boys watched in awe, their hair picking up in the evenings cool autumn breeze. They didn't say a word, sitting there in content silence, their legs dangling from the tree they were sitting in. The yellow, red and brown hues of the leaves, glittering in the sunlight. Some were on the ground, resting gently there or dancing in the breeze. One of the boys, the younger, smiled, pointing out into the sky as the last bit of the sun had sunk, casting the world into a dusk haze. The two laughed, hugging each other goodbye, promising to see each other soon.

——

Four years passed, yet they still sat every first autumn night at the ancient gnarled tree, watching the sun falling from the sky. The younger, smiled, beckoning the older to join him on the tree, but the older only rolled his eyes at the younger's childishness, only viewing it as an annoyance. The younger was several years younger than him, so why is he still with the boy who was once his childhood best friend? He indulged the boy, sitting on the tree, and staring glumly at the setting sun.

——

Three years passed, and despite the heavy reluctance, the older still came to the tree to meet the boy. The older leaned with his back against the tree, vigorously typing an apology on his phone, not looking at the younger or the sunset. When the recipient of the text forgave him, he held his phone, his hands trembling with rage as he spun around to face the younger, the older's features contorted into a scowl. He shouted at the younger about how today, he was going to go out on a date with his crush, a pretty blonde from his high school class, about how he had to be here at this place with him and not her. He screamed and spat until the younger climbed down from the tree and took off running, away from the sunset, the gnarled tree, and the older boy, with warm tears spilling down his face and welling in his eyes, the ones the older did not see. The older only huffed one response to the younger's actions, pocketing his phone and heading home.

——

Two years passed and the two times they had both arrived it was in silence, and left in silence. But this year was different. The duo started talking again, catching up on what they had missed in each other's lives. They watched the sun disappearing past the horizon, arms around each other's shoulders, the old friendship blossoming once more.

——

This year, the younger waited by the tree, the leaves falling ethereally around him like a halo, a slip of paper under the crook of his arm, biting his lip. The older came up to him with a simple smile, the one that crinkled near his eyes. The younger gave a nervous grin back, holding the little slip of paper out in front of him. The older teased him, about the hopeful look dawning on the younger's face and the younger's frantic blubbering. The older shook his head fondly exasperated, unfolding the thin sheet. His smile fell, his eyes flicking up and down the paper, reading and rereading to make sure he saw it right. Six words written in ink, seeped into the paper glared right back at him.

Will you go out with me?

He looked back up to the younger's bright, questioning eyes, waiting impatiently for a response. The older opened his mouth, snapping it shut again, rereading the paper once more. The older chuckled nervously asking the younger if this was a joke or a prank of some sorts. The younger's excited expression immediately fell, hurt flashed in his eyes as he hurried to blink his tears away, shaking his head, almost defeated. The older knew it wasn't a joke, but he didn't know what else to say, reaching out to put a reassuring hand on the younger's shoulder but pulling away before he could touch. Promptly turning away, the older started to run, run away from the younger, run away from the paper, the sunset, and the gnarled tree. He couldn't. He couldn't say yes no matter how much he wanted to. He told himself he could just explain that to the younger tomorrow, he could clear this mess up and they could be friends again. Right?

He didn't seem to notice the dark, rumbling storm that was rolling in just behind him, swallowing the sunset whole.

——

The older walked up to a young tree, with its roots covered with the pretty leaves it once had on its thin branches. It had been planted recently, right next to the older one, their favorite gnarled tree. He watched the leaves skitter across the ground, floating away.

He gave a watery smile, pointing out to the sunset, but no one was there. The leaves surrounded a small plaque, golden and new. It was just placed there in honor of someone who died just a year ago, hit by a car as they walked home from the park. The older let one tear fall from his face as he watched the sun sink across the horizon, the wispy pink clouds, and golden flame. The plaque glowed under the sun's shining rays.

"In Memory of Casper K. Jones

Born April 25th, 2001

Died July 8th, 2019

He deserved to have lived a long life."