1 year ago
Minneapolis, Minnesota
"I'm home!" Carter called out as he closed the door behind him. He dropped his school bag to the ground and stretched his arms a little. The final day of school had finally come to an end, and this marked the start of summer vacation once again. He was going to be a senior when summer would end, and he was both excited and a little scared.
"Mom? Dad?" Usually, his mother would've greeted him back but there was no word in response now.
They could have gone out, he wondered. He had gone to get some ice cream with his friends after school, so he was later than usual, but it hadn't been much longer than an hour or two. The sun was still high up in the air, with no sign of going under just yet.
Carter thought he heard something coming from the kitchen and walked down the hall.
Upon entering the kitchen, he saw his parents talking to each other at the table. Whatever they were discussing seemed rather serious.
When Carter walked in, his parents looked up and they both fell silent.
"Hey," he said, a little confused at their expressions. "I'm home. School's finally over." he leaned on the table a bit with his hands. "What's going on?"
"Welcome home, sweetheart," his mother said before she exchanged a quick glance with her husband. "There... is something we need to discuss with you."
Carter's eyebrows a bit and he looked at his father, hoping he'd provide with some sort of explanation. "Alright, what is it?" he asked. "This seems rather serious." He took a seat at the table, across his parents.
"Carter, you see, each year on the last day at the office, the company announces the changes made which will become official after summer. This often includes the switching of offices for a few of the employees," Mr. Raymore said. "Just like me, five years ago, which was the reason why we moved here."
Carter nodded his head slowly, still not understanding what his parents were on about.
"You see, I am one of those employees. Again," his father continued, making eye contact with his son. "In other words, I'll be transfered to another office again."
As his father finished talking, Carter began to realize what this meant.
They most likely had to move again.
A strange feeling started to bubble up in his stomach again, the exact same feeling he felt when his father told him they had to move for the first time.
"...Where will your new office be?" he asked slowly, carefully looking up at his father.
Mr. Raymore gave a brief glance at his wife before turning back to Carter again. His hands were folded as they laid on the wood of the table.
"Hayland," he said.
Carter's eyes grew a little wider as his father told him the location. "Hayland?" he repeated after him. "Does that mean we're moving back? To Port Hayland?"
"That's what your mother and I have been discussing just now, actually. We were looking for available houses and it turns out... our old house has been put up for sale again since May. We're still looking at other options as well, but there is a big chance that we'll be moving back into our old house in Port Hayland."
Carter was lost for words for a moment. His eyes lowered to his father's hands as he let what he had just heard sink in. This meant that he'd be with his friends there again. His old town, his old house, his old friends.
And most of all, he'd be with Josh again.
Joshua Marson. Even after all these years, it seemed that he still couldn't get him out of his head. He'd been chatting, calling and e-mailing with his friends there over the past few years, but he hadn't actually seen them ever since he had left. Only through photos had he seen their faces.
"So... We're moving back," he said softly, feeling almost overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions.
The more he thought about it, the happier it actually made him. Minnesota was great, and the friends he had made here were also great. But he had always felt like such an outcast here. He would never be a big city boy, he had realized this a long time ago.
Moving back, meant he could be rekindling all his bonds with his friends again, and especially Josh.
Somehow, a smile found it's way on Carter's face and he looked outside the window. Moving back to Port Hayland would most certainly be a very big event for him, and even though he was a little nervous to see how everything had changed over there, he was also eager to see what had become of Josh and his friends, and how his return would change the current events.
Now.
It was still early in the morning as Carter walked outside with his parents. The car had already been parked right in front of the porch, the sunlight shining down on it in golden reflections.
The weather was pleasantly warm and soft since it was still so early. The morning sky was baby blue, merging with the the lightest yellow of the sun and only a few clouds were drifting high up.
After he had thrown his suitcase into the trunk, Carter gave one last glance at the house and the street. He wasn't sure when the next time would be that he would see it, but he did know that he wouldn't see it for quite some time anymore. So much history and so much memories were stored away in that house, and in this street. This entire town was filled with so many precious memories, and he was eternally grateful that he'd always be able to keep them with him.
Carter stepped into the car and as his parents got seated as well, the car took off and Carter looked through the back window. As the house became more distant and smaller, he almost felt the urge to cry a little, but held it back.
Of course he was emotional; this was going to be the beginning of an entire new chapter in his life, and as much as he was prepared to face it, it was still a little scary sometimes.
As they drove downhill, Carter looked out of the front window and watched as they came closer to the shore. The sea reflected the sunlight with countless of sparkles that decorated the navy blue, and he thought that the sight was, as always, absolutely beautiful.
"Be sure to call us everyday," Carter's mother said, pulling him out of his daze.
"Of course," Carter responded. "I'll keep you guys updated, and I'll let you know as soon as the plans may somehow change."
Carter could tell that his father was driving the car a bit slower than usual, and he didn't blame him for doing so. This would also be the last time he'd see them for a long time.
As they reached the docks, and the car came to a stop, there was a moment of silence and nobody moved from their seats.
"Alright, we're here," Mr. Raymore said, letting out a deep breath.
"Yeah..." Carter said, looking at the boats attached to the docks, and also seeing Josh's sailing boat. The canvas had been lifted up and he could also see Alyssa, Paxton, Chris and Melanie already standing at the docks.
Carter's face lit up as he saw his friends standing there already. He quickly got out of the car, getting his suitcase from the trunk, and making his way over to them.
"Hey, thanks for coming," he smiled at them.
"Carter!" Alyssa immediately went to hug him tightly, longer than usual.
"Of course we came," she said as she still embraced him. "We won't be seeing you guys for months." She let go of Carter and looked at him with a soft expression. "We'll really miss you guys."
Carter gave her a smile and gripped the handle of his suitcase. If this kept up, he'd be in tears before he even left.
"Ah you're here!" Josh's voice was heard. He climbed out of the hatch before also jumping off the boat onto the wooden surface of the dock. The blond gave Carter a quick kiss on his lips before looking up at his parents.
"Good morning," he smiled at them.
Mrs. Raymore walked up to him and placed a hand on Josh's cheek. "Please take good care of him, Josh." She then pulled him in for a hug and Josh returned it.
"I will," he said. "I promise."
Mrs. Raymore let go of him and gave him a final, gentle smile.
Carter climbed onto the boat, dragging his suitcase behind him and let it drop into the hatch opening. He wiped a little bit of sweat from his forehead as he turned around again and saw Josh hugging his father as well.
It was such a nice sight, and Carter took a moment to watch the two. Alyssa, Paxton, Chris and Melanie hugged Josh as well, giving him their goodbyes and he could see that Alyssa had started crying.
"We'll see you soon, man," Paxton told him. "But until then, take care of yourselves."
Josh gave him a final hug before also climbing onto the boat. He gave Carter a kiss on his cheek and he knew that it was now his turn to say his goodbyes.
He walked off the boat and stood before his parents and his friends. There was so much he wanted to say, but he did not know where to start.
"You know, I really thought deeply about what Melanie had said yesterday," Carter began speaking. "That love is timeless. At first, I wondered if that was really true. But now, as I'm looking at all of you, I realize that it's true. Time's just an illusion, created by men to make life a little more organized. Time is an illusion, but love isn't. An illusion cannot overpower something that is real. My love for all of you will always remain, just like your love for me has remained for all these years," he said, also giving a quick glance over his shoulder at Josh. "This year, even though it came with hurt, complications, confusion and frustration, has been, without a doubt, the best one of my life. And that is thanks to all of you. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. . I love all of you so much. Thank you. For everything."
His friends went over and all hugged the brunet. Carter wiped away a tear that had rolled down his cheek and hugged his friends back with a grin.
Alyssa was crying rather hard now, but not even Paxton was complaining about it now.
"We'll miss you so much," she said, looking at Carter and smiled through her tears.
"I'll miss you too," Carter said, looking at his friends for one more time before he turned to his parents.
"Mom, dad... I'll miss you too. So much," he said.
"Oh, baby." Mrs. Raymore hugged her son tightly and her hand settled in his hair. Carter closed his eyes as he held his mother close to him. The warm, trustful hug only a mother and her child could share were always special, and Carter could feel all her love and emotions radiating from her.
He let go of her, seeing her also wiping away a tear before he looked at his father, who was giving him a proud smile.
"I'm so proud of you, Carty," he said. "Take care of yourself out there. We'll be waiting for you right here to return one day."
Carter nodded and hugged his father as well. He didn't hug his father that often, but when he did, it was always special.
As he stepped away, he gave a final look at his parents and his friends, wiping away some more tears that were escaping from his lips and he turned around to climb back on the boat.
Josh removed the plank that connected his boat to the dock, undid the rope that attached the boat to one of the poles, and started the engine of the boat.
As the boat slowly started to move away from the docks, Carter kept looking at his friends and parents, making sure to have the sight of them like that engraved into his memory.
A warm presence walked up besides him and their hands got intertwined. Carter looked up at Josh, meeting with his playful, blue eyes. As he looked inside of them, he could see the reflection of the sea water and the silhouette of himself. Josh had never been so beautiful before, and Carter knew right then and now, that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Delving into the unknown, with Josh by his side.
Josh leaned in and their lips were pressed together. Carter's lids fell down and he felt the warm sunrays warming up his skin, and Josh's warmth and scent right next to him.
As he pulled away, he saw the most beautiful butterfly butterfly he had ever seen in his life. Wings in the brightest blue with black outlinings, flying off into the sky right above them. And that was when Carter knew, that no matter where he'd be going to, and no matter what was happening in his life, as long as the two of them had each other, he could take on the world.
~ Fin ~