Two Silver Doves and A Lone Rose

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         "Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition."
                             -Alexander Smith, Scottish poet
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         Infinite shadow, a complex darkness that was entirely simple. Nothingness, Peter assumed, you could call it, perhaps. Loneliness, sadness, depression. Then light, clarity, purity, a hand grasping his and pulling him up, up, up, into a better place of moonlit nights and peaceful lakes before falling back once more into the nothingness...

         Peter awoke from his endless dream. He sat up and rubbed his green eyes. He got out of bed and went to stand in front of his mirror. He examined his nude body and flexed his muscles. He got dressed in his typical outfit, a single-color T-shirt and khakis, brushed his red hair, and went downstairs into the kitchen. He poured a bowl of Cheerios and drank a glass of milk. When he finished, he grabbed his black skateboard and his leather sack of books and papers and went over to Clarkson Memorial High School for his first day of ninth grade. As he skated by the old oak tree planted near the arch entrance, he looked up to see a bright silver dove perched on a lone branch.
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         Jack sat up and brushed his blonde hair out of his light blue eyes. He looked up at the boy holding a tray of food. The boy had red hair and green eyes, and his outfit seemed to look really good on him. When the blurriness faded, he stared up in awe. This boy was gorgeous, and little did Jack know, this boy felt the same way about him.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Would you mind if I sat here?"

"Oh, um, n-not at all. My name's Jack. Jack Benter."

"I'm Peter Howell. Nice to meet you."

"You're a freshman, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"You're fidgeting, and you're looking around the cafeteria like you never seen it before. I'm a sophomore."

{indent{Minutes passed in silence. Jack pondered what to say, what to do. As he began to speak, the lunch bell rang. Peter stood up, said goodbye and walked off. Jack finished his lunch, then got up and went along to fourth hour, language arts. Outside a new silver dove joined the loner in the oak tree.
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         "A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous."
                             -Ingrid Bergman, Swedish actress
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         Few things matter when true love becomes involved. Numbers matter not, weakness becomes invincibility, and the heart grows stronger, bolder, better. As far as Peter was concerned, a train could not kill him out of the power, the passion he felt in his heart. Perhaps Jack felt the same way. If so, who knew what could result?

         Fourth hour, advanced physics, flew by. Fifth hour, ancient mythology, seemed to drag on forever. When sixth hour, P.E., came, Peter was worn out. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar face in the mass of faceless students, Jack. He smiled briefly, then vanished back into the mass. Peter shook himself out of the daze and continued running again.

         Eventually, the coach directed the sweaty and smelly students to the shower room. Numerous stalls stretched along the dimly lit wall. Peter weakly trudged to the back, where a particularly large stall caught his attention. He went inside, closed the curtain, took his towel off, and hung it on the peg outside. He turned on the cool water, let it flow its way down his glistening body. Suddenly, a pair of arms drifted under his and wrapped around his body. Peter gasped before the hand closed around his mouth.
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         Jack struggled to hold Peter, keep him from screaming and alerting the rest of them to this akward situation. He whispered to the struggling freshman.

         "Calm down, calm down. You wanna get the whole class in here? I didn't mean to scare you. Calm down, calm down."

         Peter slowly slowed down, became quieter, quit his thrashing. As Jack let go, Peter practically whipped around to face him. His face held both curiosity and happiness, his groin displayed only one. Jack realized that Peter must see the same upon him. As Jack listened, Peter spoke quietly.

         "Jack, what are you doing here? Why did you...? Does this mean you...? Why are you...?"

         "Yes, Peter, I'm gay, and I'm interested in you. I was wondering if the same was occuring with you, but no need to ask."  At this, Jack glanced down to below Peter's waist, then back up again. "My question is this: How would you like to come over to my house on Friday after school? I'll expect an answer tomorrow." Jack grabbed his towel from the peg outside and departed, leaving Peter to ponder the events of passing. Outside, the doves hopped closer together.
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         "Some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever."
                             -Unknown
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         Peter had once been swallowed by the nothingness, the darkness. That was both dream and reailty for him, which blended as various colors of paint did to create something unrecognizable, unknown, bewildering. Now, two years after coming to Clarkson Memorial High School, everything was pure, clear, beautiful, happy. For the first time in his life, Peter was truly and utterly content.

         Tonight was a big night. Prom night to be more precise. Peter fastened his tie and went to stand in front of the mirror. Perfect. His dad's old suit fit perfectly. Peter breathed a sigh of relief, patted the rose held firmly in the breast pocket, then walked downstairs. His family applauded at how he looked. They uttered phrases of encouragement. He grinned, bowed goodbye, and walked out to Jack and the waiting car.
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         Jack parked his dad's white convertible smoothly into the parking spot. He got out, went around, and opened the door up for Peter.

"You ready, Pete? Big night tonight, very big."

         Peter managed a false little laugh, then took Jack's outstretched arm. The two walked in, Jack showing the tickets to the musclebound gym teacher waiting at the door. Exclamations of shock awaited them inside. Many pairs of eyes followed the duo across the room to the buffet table. The exceptional pair was that of the class bully, Dirk Nardon, who was clearly very much drunk. He staggered his way out the gym door, hiccuping and tripping onto the street.

         Jack watched the odd departure, then poured some punch for himself and Peter. The DJ put on a romantic song. Around the room, couples got up and began dancing. Jack outstretched a hand to Peter, which was readily accepted. They blended in with the other duos. As certain couples danced by, they praised and greeted Jack and Peter.

         After a while, Jack led Peter back out to the car. He drove for a while, eventually reaching the intended destination. He led Peter through Rosebud Park to the lone stone bench overlooking the peaceful lake. The moon's reflection shimmered and glowed on the surface, and Peter awed at its beauty. It was the same scene from his dream many years ago. Peter turned to find Jack holding two glasses of champagne. He accepted one and the two sat down, outlined by the moon's bright and beautiful reflection. Jack raised his glass and Peter followed suit.

"A toast," said Jack, "to the years behind us and the years ahead. You are the gem of my treasure, the beauty of my rose. I don't know what I'd do without you, Peter. I love you."

"And I love you."

         The glasses chinked together, then the champagne was drunk. Then Jack bent down on one knee, opening a black box to reveal a ring made of silver with a rose-red ruby embedded in it.

"Peter, will you marry me? We would go to Canada to be married, then return here. Seperate, we are two men with an unknown purpose. Together, we are a match made in heaven and no force on Earth can stop us."

"I will."

         Jack slipped the ring onto Peter's finger, and kissed him passionately. The silver doves overhead cooed and rubbed against each other lovingly. For a moment everything was peaceful. Then a gunshot echoed through the night.
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         "Don't you get it? Evil is fun, you fool! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
                             -Unknown
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"Ah, what a peaceful *hic* evening for a proposal! Ha ha ha *hic* ha ha ha ha..." Dirk Nardon stumbled his way out of the shadows, carrying a half-empty beer bottle in one hand and a smoking pistol in the other.

He made his way towards Jack and Peter, grinning maniacally. Jack stood up and blocked Peter from the bully's path.

"Aw, what's the matter, Jack? Don't trust me?!?" At this, Dirk made a drunken swing and whacked Jack on the side of his head. "It's not like *hic* I'd hit you or something, heh heh *hic*."

Peter backed away from the drunken man, then took a running start and jumped past the bully, kicking him in the face as he passed by. Dirk fell to the ground hard. He got up and shot Peter's leg. Peter screamed in pain. Dirk drunkenly aimed at Peter's head and shot...
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...just as Jack leaped in front, taking the bullet right to his heart. Dick giggled drunkenly. He walked over, kicked Jack a few times, then punched the standing Peter again and again. He tore at him, ripping his clothes. Dick eventually stumbled off.

Peter limped over to Jack. He turned him over, examining his wound. He stood up, heaved Jack onto his back and began limping towards the hospital, gasping in pain every few steps.
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         "Die of a rose in aromatic pain."
                             -Alexander Pope
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Peter limped across the street into the alley, carrying Jack on his back. His eyes were filled with tears. He thought back two years ago. A boy dressed and skated to school. A romantic kiss in the showers. Dates of moonlit knights and bliss. Rose petals falling to the ground. He collapsed against a brick wall, sobbing, the falling Jack next to him.

Then, gathering his strength, he heaved Jack back up and continued on his way to the hospital a few blocks away.
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Jack regained consciousness. He felt Peter heaving under him and managed a faint smile. Then he thought back to the beginning. He remembered meeting in the lunch room, their secret kiss. Had he done the right thing? Was this what was meant to happen? Then he remembered Peter's warming smiles, the laughs they shared, the memories they cherished. Yes, he had.

"Peter?" Jack managed to say weakly.

"Yeah, Jack?"

"You were my favorite person. I'll always cherish you. If a Heaven exists, I'll see you there. I love you, Peter. I love y-...y-..." Jack's grip relaxed. Peter sobbed all the way into the hospital. He collapsed on the floor of the waiting room, blood spilling out his mouth. The nurse that ran over and bent down heard a faint whisper from the boy's lips before he died.

"I love you too, Jack..."

Outside, the roses were closing up. The moon gleamed in the night sky like a giant pearl. The two silver doves took flight, outlined by the moon. They would be in love for eternity.