Never Say Forever (LAMS READERS CHOICE)

Prologue

"I swear, John Laurens, sometimes it feels as if there's no one else in the entire world." My dear friend, Alexander Hamilton proclaims as we stroll by the river.

I chuckle gently at him, shaking my head. "You get poetic when you're drunk, you know that?"

He hummed in response, before stopping and sitting right next to the bank.

I sit down next to him, leaning back as I sipped my beer carefully. I got tipsy, yes, but not drunk. Someone had to watch over the tiny man.

I look over at him, his hair blowing in his face as he stared at the river. He seemed to be thinking of everything in the world, so I put my hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we should get back-"

"We should go swimming." He says, standing up suddenly.

I grab his hand so he doesn't run to the water. "Alex, don't be crazy. The river is running too fast, the second you get in it'll drag you away."

He shrugs and tries running towards it, but I pull him back, him landing in my lap. He giggles quite a bit and turns to face me, brushing some hair out of my face.

"You know, you're very beautiful, John Laurens." He says, smiling drunkenly at me.

I give him a stern look. "Alexander, you're married and you have two kids." I warn.

He groans dramatically. "Yes, I suppose I do have a lifelong attachment to that woman and those pesky little kids."

I chuckle gently. "Well, tell me how you really feel." I tease.

"Oh, I would, but I'd run out of words before I could finish expressing how I felt." I roll my eyes at his comment.

To say I wasn't in love with my best friend would be one complete lie. I had loved him since we were in high school. Of course back then, it was simply a little school boy crush. It didn't mean anything.

But now, at twenty eight years old, the crush has grown into something more. I almost yearned for the man. It was a strange feeling, if I'm to be completely honest, but I loved it nonetheless.

But in college, Alex met a fine young woman named Elizabeth Schuyler. Things happened between them and he ended up having to marry her so their child wasn't born out of wedlock. Her father would have been furious with her if that were the case. 

And here they are, six years later with another kid. They lived a nice life, had a beautiful little family, and were happy.

But God how I wished that was me. I wish I was the one Alex fell in love with. I wish that I was the one raising two wonderful kids with Alex.

But no, that's not how the world thought my life should be. That would be too... Easy. Too happy.

I stare at the younger man in front of me, shaking my head. "You need to stop drinking." I state. "It makes you all loopy, and you're not thinking straight."

"Ah, but my dear Laurens, I feel as though it is the alcohol that makes me think as clear as the sky on a beautiful day." He says, swaying as he wraps his arms around my neck.

I chuckle. "Oh my, you've completely lost it." I smile. "Tell me, what is it of your life with Elizabeth do you not enjoy? You have a lovely marriage, amazing kids, perfect lives. What's not to like?"

"Elizabeth is wonderful, yes, but she's not you." He brings himself closer to me, leaning his forehead against mine. "I love you, dear Laurens."

I push him away a bit and shake my head. "You're crazy, Alex. And drunk. Let's get you home, back to your family." I stand up, pulling him with me and he sighs.

"I wish you could see that what I say is true. I wish you believed that if I were to die in your arms, I would die content and happy with life, no matter what I did before."

I shake my head and go to reply, but am interrupted by another man shouting at us. We turn and stumble back a little bit, staring at the man at the top of the hill. He appeared to be holding a weapon of some sorts, maybe a large stick?

"Hey, you, get off my property!" He warns, pointing the large stick at us.

Alex giggled and grabbed my hand, trying to drag me towards the river. "John, come on, let's get in the river and swim away, he'll never catch us!"

"Alexander, you're much too small and that current is much too strong for us to safely swim in there. You'll drown before you can even make it passed that tree over there."

"Nonsense, John! You just have to-"

The Caribbean man froze in his tracks as a loud bang was heard, followed by a ringing. At least I think there was a ringing, I'm not sure.

I look to the source of the noise to see the man from earlier, holding the stick and smirking smugly at us. It becomes painfully obvious that that stick was not a stick, but a gun instead. I panic and turn back to Alex to see he was struck in the shoulder. He stared at it for a little bit before tumbling backwards. 

My eyes widen and I try to reach out for him, but it was too late. He had fallen back into the river, which had swept him away just as I predicted. I run after him, but the current is just too strong as it drags him away. I fall to my knees and stare at the river. He was long gone. I don't know where, but he was gone. 

Gone forever. 

So there is no choice for this chapter because it's just setting up the story. Next chapter, there will be a choice. How it will work is there will be two options, and you'll type either one or two in the space below. I.E:

Option 1

or

Option 2

Place your votes here ☞☞

The next chapter will be up as soon as it's done. See you then!