my only one (COMPLETED)

chapter 71

Chapter 71:

Jack and I looked at each other briefly as Max’s sharp cry stopped us in our tracks. Jack instinctively scrambled frantically to unbuckle his seatbelt, as I took mine off and ran after Jack. Jack sprinted to the front door, and I followed him. “MAX” He yelled, tears of worry flooding his eyes.

--Max’s Point of view—

I heard my dad screaming my name and knew I that I should have answered him, but I couldn’t move my eyes away from the body that hung limply on the rope. I felt the cold tears sliding down my cheeks, and I fell to the ground with sorrow. As much as I loved Jack, I couldn’t ever deny the love I also had for Alex.

I looked to the ground below Alex’s corpse, and found two envelopes. One was for my mother, and the other was for me. I wondered why Alex had bothered to write me a letter, because there wasn’t any blood relation between us and I hadn’t seen him since the hospital trip. 

I heard crashing downstairs and heard my parents arguing. “Jack, just calm down, okay, we’ll find him” my mum sounded like she was scared, and she sounded like she had good reason too, as another crash of furniture struck. “How can you be calm!? Our son is missing and obviously that son-of-a-bitch has kidnapped him!” Dad roared, smashing what sounded like glass. “We don’t know that...” “Well, who else do you think it could be? He’s just jealous because Max is my son, not his.” 

“Whether that’s true or not, trashing Alex’s house isn’t going to find him! Calm the fuck down and let’s check upstairs!” Mum whined. “He won’t be there, I promise.” Jack sounded like he was crying. “MUM” I shouted, as I stuffed the letters in my pockets and closed the door. I stood on the landing as I heard them thudding up the stairs, panicking.

“Max!” both of my parents shouted with delight, and mum ran past and wrapped her arms around me. Dad stood behind her, and looked furious. ”Alex, you prick!” Mum covered my ears, she said something and smiled at him, but that just made him angrier. “Mum, Dad, I n-need to tell you something…” I murmured, pushing my mother’s hands away. Jack looked through me, and paused to hear the creaking sound from the bedroom. “One minute, son.” He turned and threw the door open, bursting into Alex’s bedroom.

My mum was still hugging me tightly, until Jack gasped and she looked up. I felt her arms drop to the floor, and she stood up slowly, pulling her hands to her face. “ALEX” She screamed, and fell to the ground beneath him in agony. Dad was speechless, and looked almost depressed. He turned his head to look at my mother, who was now weeping more than I’d ever seen before. ‘Now isn’t the right time to give her the envelope’ I thought, and I gripped it tightly in my pocket as tears dripped down my face more rapidly.

--Hanley’s Point of View—

I didn’t care what thoughts were running through Jack’s head right now, I couldn’t stop myself crying. Jack looked at me suspiciously but I decided I would deal with him later.

Alex was gone. That was a thought I’d never be able to comprehend. Officially gone. I was the reason he killed himself. That’s the main reason why I was so upset. Alex was fucking dead, and it was my entire fault.

Jack pulled out his phone, and called an ambulance. I stood up and ran to Alex’s body, pushing past Jack and Max. I held his cold, dead hand in mine and began begging for his forgiveness. Jack pulled me away as the ambulance arrived, but he was pronounced dead on the spot. I screamed loudly, and Jack sighed as he restrained me, as they began to pull his body away. He was so beautiful, alive or dead.

I was still crying silently on the way home, gripping onto Alex’s favourite shirt. It was the only thing I had left of him now. Eventually, we arrived home, and I only stopped crying one Jack put Max to bed. Jack came down the stairs, and there was an awkward silence between us.

--Max’s point of View—

I opened the letter I’d found earlier, and read it softly to myself:

‘Dear Max,

I’ll never forget the day you were born. That blind panic I had when I received the phone call in the early hours of the morning, and how I scrambled to the hospital. How beautiful you and your mother both looked. I love you Max. Even though we aren’t related, I still feel like you are part of me. 

I wrote this letter, to tell you, that none of this mess is your fault. Don’t blame yourself, ever. I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with such a bad family these past few years. I’m sorry that I was such a bad father to you. I’m sorry that I’ve had to lie to you. 

Everything will get better, I swear to you. Jack will be a great dad, I promise. Look after your mother please, and make sure she’s okay. Give her a hug and tell her things will be okay, and that I said I love her. I love you too, and I’m sending you a cuddle from heaven.

I love you Max, I always have, and I always will. ‘For infinity and beyond!’

All my love, Alex xxxx’

Alex had drawn a big smiley face on the bottom, and I felt myself crying. I stuck my head in my pillow, trying to mute the tears that were leaking out of my eyes, but apparently I didn’t keep quiet well enough as I heard my mum’s voice ring as she climbed the stairs to my room and tapped on the closed door. 

“Max? You okay, love?” she asked, and I stayed silent, quietly rolling over to face the wall. She entered the room, and I heard her sigh. I heard her pick up the letter that I’d dropped on the floor, and guessed that she’d began to read it.

--Hanley’s point of view—

I read the letter that was by Max’s bed, and leant against the wall with one hand over my mouth, almost bursting into tears again. I noticed the tear marks on the paper, still wet. I knew Max was still awake. I continued to read the letter, and manage to prevent any tears. I put the letter in a drawer in Max’s desk, and he sits up, tears still streaming down his face. 

“Max? It’s okay to be upset! You’ve had a traumatic experience!” I smiled in my softest voice. He immediately broke down in tears, and I sat on the end of his bed. He sat on my lap and put his head on my shoulder, crying his little eyes out. I stroked his hair and held him, repeating Alex’s phrase ‘Everything will get better’. Whether it would actually get better from here, I wasn’t sure.

I rocked back and forth, holding Max, until he fell asleep in my arms. I kissed his forehead, and tucked him back into bed. 

I made my way back to bed, where Jack is already asleep. I tried to sleep, but just couldn’t manage too. It was too difficult. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered that if I had left with him, I could have saved his life. However, I rolled over, and saw Jack’s face. If I had left with Alex, would Jack have done the same? I didn’t want to think about it. I must have woken him up with my tears, because his eyes fluttered open, and he stared straight back at me. 

He knew what I was upset over, obviously, but he just smiled slightly and opened his arms, and I threw myself towards his warm body, and he wrapped his arms around me. I fell asleep soon after that, my tears disappeared and I felt myself smile. I was still surrounded by grief, but at least I still had Jack.