The Love That Dared Not Speak
Written by Miguel Santiago
In the small town of Peachwood, known for its cherry blossom trees, lived two teenage boys – Jack and Elliot. The small town was beautiful but carried old-world whims of narrowed preferences that stencilled everything in black and white; colours unseen were inconceivable. Jack, with his wild curly hair and vibrant green eyes, personified spring, while Elliot, with his dark hair and deep brown eyes, resonated with the tranquillity of late autumn.
Their personalities were indeed poles apart, but their hearts beat in unison. Playing together since childhood, they grew a bond stronger than the drizzle hitting the ground on a breezy evening. As they grew older, their friendship blossomed into a silent love that was hidden within the coded pages of their hearts.
One day, Jack decided to reveal his feelings to Elliot. In the hushed tones of the night under the glistening stars, he confessed,
- ”Elliot, I love you, not as a friend but more.”
Hearing this, Elliot’s face showed an array of emotions.
Finally, he whispered back,
- ”Jack, I love you too; I’ve loved you for a long time.”
After this reveal, their lives changed. The boys started to paint their lives with the hues of love that were vibrant yet unseen in Peachwood. They slipped secret letters to each other, held hands beneath the giant oak tree known only to them, and stole soft kisses when the world wasn’t watching.
This secret bond was discovered by Jack’s younger sister, Lucy, who felt confused at first. She was too young to comprehend the depth and societal consequences of their affair but decided to support her brother regardless, keeping their secret as if it was her own.
For two years, they basked in this love, as stifling as freeing, accentuating their lives amidst Peachwood’s silent prejudices. But as all small-town stories go, a secret can only remain for so long. As the whispers crept out from under the oak tree and reached the town folks, their world crumbled.
The town, accustomed to its ways, reacted harshly. Jack’s family disowned him. Elliot’s father, the town pastor, declared them sinners. They banished Elliot and Jack from Peachwood and asked to erase their existence from the town as mere sketch lines scrubbed out by strict societal norms.
Despite everything, the couple decided to stick together, hoping to build their world with their love for each other. They moved to the city, where they survived on menial jobs, living in a small, dilapidated apartment that was their haven.
However, the torment of their past haunted their present, the harsh words of the townsfolk ringing in their ears. The guilt, the pressure, and the echo of non-acceptance by their loved ones left deep scars. The free-spirited, spring-bloomed Jack turned quiet and lonely; in the tranquil autumn, Elliot became anxious and fearful.
One day, Elliot returned to an empty apartment; Jack was gone. The boy who embodied the joy of spring, the one whose laughter filled up even the dreariest of places, was now nowhere to be found. Elliot found a note written by Jack. In it were words that echoed the pain behind the bright green eyes.
The note read,
- ”Elliot, I’m sorry. I love you with every piece of my heart. But I can’t bear the burden of our sin, as they said. Someday, I hope the world will see that love holds no categories. Remember me as your Jack who loved you unconditionally.”
Jack had taken his own life, unable to cope with the rejection and humiliation by their once beloved town and families. The colours Jack and Elliot painted their love with were erased cruelly by their world, leaving them with only grey memories.
Elliot’s world turned mute. He held onto that note, the last remembrance of the man he loved. Jack’s absence was a void Elliot couldn’t fill. His heart ached with regret and sorrow. The story of their beautiful, unconceivable love ended on a tragic note, a devastating blow to the innocence of first love.
Moral
This story represents how societal norms and prejudices can break even the strongest bonds and taint the most beautiful love stories. Everyone should have the freedom to embrace their colours of love unashamedly. No love is a sin, and no world should rob someone of their beloved.
