"Going somewhere" said Nick staring at the bag in Howie's hand

"Yeah, I"m going away for a little while" said Howie.

"Thanks for the warning. You know it would have been nice if you had told me face to face that you were going to break up with me" said Nick sarcastically.

"I was going too but I..." said Howie.

"Liar."

"I thought we had something" said Nick.

"We did. I just...It's not as simple as that" said Howie.

"Why?"

"Because it isn't." said Howie fighting back the tears that threatened to come.

"I love you. We belong together. If I can do it you can do it" said Nick.

"I'm sorry but we can't be together."

"I know about the deal you made" said Nick.

"How do you..."

"What the hell were you thinking. Did you honestly think my parents were going to accept me if you left. I'm a disgrace to them and everything they stand for" said Nick angrily.

"I'm sorry. I saw how hurt you were. I thought."

"What, that I could live without you. Don't you get how much I love you" said Nick.

"I thought I was doing the right thing" said Howie.

"Howie, wait" said Nick catching up to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound angry. Look, I'm used to getting hurt by them. I remember when I was 13. Their was this boy who lived across the street. We we're best friends until the night we snuck out together. I told had told my mom I was at his house and his mom thought he was at mine. We just wanted to be alone. My parents found out that I had lied to them and forbid me to see him ever again" said Nick.

"Alone, you don't mean..."

"Yeah."

"Your saying I wasn't your..."

"First, no. Does that surprise you" said Nick.

"I just assumed...Did you love him?" asked Howie.

"He was my best friend. I guess that sounds stupid but when your 13 you don't exactly say your in love with the boy next door" said Nick.

"That's not stupid."

"I remember one Christmas I wanted the truck. I kept leaving little hints for my parents. I woke up on Christmas morning so excited to see that truck but it wasn't there. Do you think my parents cared. To them it was just a stupid truck. Later that day I snuck out to see David. He had this big tree house in his back yard where no one could see us. I get up to the tree house and David hands me the truck. He had saved a whole month's allowance to buy it for me. From that moment on I knew I couldn't count on my parents for anything. I don't care what they think, I don't care what anyone thinks. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you" said Nick.

"You might want to watch it their, I might think your serious" said Howie smiling.

"I have learned not to worry about love but to honor it's coming with all my heart. To know the rush of feeling swift and flowing as water. The source appears to be some in-exhaustible stream within our twin and triple selves. The new face I turn up to you no one else has ever seen" said Nick.

"Alice Walker" said Howie smiling.

So what if I was, serious" said Nick.

"What?"

"Marry me. Seriously make me the happiest man alive" said Nick.