"Jesus Christ Milo! What the hell!"
☆

After a quick shower and freshen up with their travel sized supplies, Milo and Jude head out of the motel room, with Jude locking the door behind them. 

They are caught by surprise by a long dark haired woman, draped forward over the metal rail of the second floor passageway, smoking a cigarette. She turns and looks at the two males, eyeing them up and down. "Which one of you two is Jude?"

Jude looks at Milo with confusion, before looking back at the woman. "Me...I'm Jude." He says a little apprehensivly, "Who wants to know?"

The lady just looks Jude up and down again smiling to herself. "You must one a hell of a lay!" She says before stubbing her cigarette on the rail and walking back into the room next door.

Jude looks a little stunned as the door closes behind her. He looks back at Milo who is trying his best to keep a straight face. "I think it's time we get out of here." Jude says almost too embarrassed to speak. He decides to wait in the car, after Milo settles their bill, too embarrassed to witness another soul in this place.

After much discussion, Milo is sat in the drivers seat, insisting he is more than capable of driving the rest of the way. With the music playing on the radio, they head on down the open road. 

****

The journey is going smoothly, with both males enjoying each other's company. The time was passing fast, they were getting to know eachother more and the conversation flowed well from work, to music, to sport, even to how Tashen and Jude had known eachother since attending daycare at the age of three, when Jude's family moved cities.

The car then goes quiet again. Jude looks at Milo quietly concentrating on the road ahead. "Hey!" He suddenly says. "I guess you've always known Hester."

Milo taps his thumbs on the steering wheel in thought as he sucks in his cheeks. "We grew up in the same neighbourhood. I guess he's always been there."  Milo sighs heavily. "Just before my 18th birthday, my family moved closer to the city, but his family stayed!" 

Milo then goes very quiet, staring out of the front window. Jude looks across to Milo in wonder. It's as if Milo wants to say more, but he can't find the words. Like he's trying to recollect. 

He seems to shake himself out of it, giving his body a shrug and looks to the in-car map. "Hey. We're only 20 minutes away now." 

Milo then looks back at the road and his heart stops. "Shit!" He grabs tightly onto the steering wheel, slamming on the breaks. The car waivers down the road a little before screeching to a stop. The car behind them beeps and just about manages to swerve around their vehicle, carrying on it's own journey.

Meanwhile, Jude has his arms spread out, palms splayed against the car door and the glove compartment. "Jesus Christ Milo! What the hell!" His heart in his throat, his breath shallow and rapid.

Milo just looks in the rear view mirror, his lip quivering. He too is breathing fast. He swallows down hard before he speaks. "Hester...I see Hester!"

"Wait...you what?" Jude now looks out of the back window, only to see the open road. He again looks at Milo, who is hurridly undoing his seat belt and opening the door. "Milo! Where are you going?" 

Milo starts to run back down the road they had just driven down. "Hester!" Milo shouts. Jude watches from the passengers seat as Milo's figure gets further away, as he continues to call his friend's name. 

"Jude now undoes his own belt, opens the passenger door and exits the car. He finds himself running after Milo, but stops just a few meters away when he sees Milo stop. 

"Jesus Hessy! I've been worried! Jude has even taken time out to help me find you!" 

"So I see you made your choice then." Hester bites back. "It seems you did choose him over me after all." He crosses his arms in a sulk. 

"Don't be like this, please Hessy. Why can't I have both of you in my life. Why do you insist I choose? You said you'd meet him, you said it would be ok!" Milo now raising his voice, not caring about the passers by in their cars looking on. 

"It has to be this way Milo. Jude is dangerous, he will end us." Hester then steps forward, adopting a more passive, caring tone. "Look, you've found me now. Leave Jude and we can go home, just you and me."

"Milo!" Jude calls, still stood a few feet away behind him. 

"Jude, it's okay! I'll talk to him okay?" Milo tries to reassure. 

"Milo, look at me!" Jude now says. 

"Don't listen to him Milo! He will split us up!" Hester warns.

Milo now doesn't know where to turn.

Jude doesn't know what to do. How can he make Milo see the truth? Then the idea comes to him. A way to make Milo see for himself, with his own eyes. "What is he wearing?" Jude suddenly says.

"What?" Milo now does turn to face Jude, his face confused. "What sort of question is that?"

"Don't answer him Milo." Hester says, now panic settling in his voice. 

Milo holds his hand to his head, he pulls at his hair, screwing his eyes closed, tears beginning to trail down his cheeks. "Please, will you both just stop!" 

Jude now takes a step closer to Milo, he takes his hands and places them over Milo's wrists, pulling his arms away from his face. Jude speaks as softly and as calmly as he can. "Milo, look at me and listen. You need to look at Hester right now and tell me what he is wearing."

Milo turns to his friend who is now also crying, he shakes his head. "No...please no." 

Milo wipes away the tears from his own eyes and looks at his friend up and down. "He...he uh is wearing yellow converse high tops, blue jeans and his favourite rainbow sweater."

"Please no! I beg you Milo. Don't do this!" Hester is now sobbing with tears. 

"Ok Milo, that's good." Jude now draws his attention back to him. "Right, so now, I need you to think real hard okay?" 

"Okay." Milo nods. 

"Okay...so Milo... what was Hester wearing when you saw him 8 years ago?" Jude swallows down hard as Milo face turns ashen. 

Milo looks again at Hester who was now slowly backing away from him. The penny finally dropping. "He...he was...he was wearing yellow converse high tops, blue jeans and...and his favourite rainbow sweater." 

"You remember." Hester says, in a calm voice. You finally remember."

Milo now walks towards Hester, still visible to him. "Yes...I remember and I'm so...
So sorry." 

Hester now approaches Milo, he can still feel his presence as Hester places two hands upon his cheeks cradling his face. "You know you don't need me to forgive you Milo. You just need to forgive yourself. It wasn't your fault." 

"I...I can't!" Milo sobs, placing his hands over his friend's as he caresses his face. 

"Yes you can. You need to let go Milo. "Let me go!" Hester says, now placing a gentle kiss on Milo's forehead. Hester looks over to Jude, silently stood behind. "He will take care of you now. He is what you have been waiting for." 

Milo looks Hester in the eyes. "I...I love you." 

"Hey, not in front of the new guy. He'll get jealous." Hester chuckles, causing Milo to laugh. Hester now pulls away. "Go now...make this right. Go live your life." 

Milo watches as Hester backs away from him, he turns and begins to walk down the road. Slowly fading away with each step he takes, until Milo sees Hester no more.

😭😭