The park they’re going to is different from the previous one. The other one is new and is located in the center of the town and is meant for small children to play on. This park is older and meant just for walking and stuff. There are a few benches and grills hanging around, but more abundant are the trees and walking trails that wind their way in-between the trees. The couple meander their way to their favorite trail, the one that ends on a steep hill overlooking the vast forests that surround the town.

“Hmm, so did you hear about the fighting in the North?” Whit breaks their silence once they reach the end of the trail.

“No, what about it?” Benny sweeps away some of the dead leaves and pine needles on the ground with the sleeve of his nylon jacket to clear a spot for them to sit.

“While I was stuck at the hospital I overheard on one of the televisions that the war has mysteriously stopped.”

“Mysteriously?” Benny and Whit sit down together on the cold, hard ground.

“Yep, that’s what the news said, they showed videos of a bunch of empty battlefields. I think they all just died. That’s got to happen eventually right?” Whit looks up at Benny and snatches his glasses off much to Benny’s dismay. “They ran out of soldiers to fight?”

“I guess. I know a lot of people from my graduating class who joined the army to fight up there.”

“And are any of them still alive?”

“Um, I know Robert is, he came back home a few months ago with a missing leg.”

“How’d he return with it if it’s missing?”

Benny stares at him hard, “You know why your mom hates you is because of that.”

Whit frowns, “Nuh-uh, she hates me because I’m a reminder of her infidelity.”

Benny laughs, “Okay.”

“You hear anything from Laurel?”

Benny lets out a heavy sigh and watches as his breath turns into little clouds in the cold air. “I know she got into trouble with her father.”

“Which means her mom is going to end up black and blue.” Whit says bitterly. He looks over at Benny, “We really need to do something about him one of these days.”

“Yeah, but you know what Laurel would say to something like that?”

Whit sighs again, “‘Don’t you dare do anything, I belong with you not to you, my problems are mine not yours, blah, blah, blah.’”

“Yep. She’s real independent like that.”

“One of the many reasons why we love her.” Whit inhales the cold air slowly, “You should go with her when she graduates.”

Benny blinks, “What? Why would I do that? We all agreed that-”

“I know what we agreed on, but it’ll be cheaper if you just go with her that way you’re not paying for that shitty apartment still and you and her can be happy together.”

“But what about you? You’d be stuck here all alone.”

“Maybe or maybe my parents are going to send me to a military school.”

“What?” Benny turns to look at him dead on. “Are you sure?”

“I mean, I found a bunch of pamphlets so… yeah I guess they’re considering it.”

“Shit.” he mutters to himself. The dark forest suddenly seems darker with that news hanging around them. Benny squeezes Whit’s hand tight, “Listen, you know me and Laurel, if things ever got to that, we’d do something. Right?”

“No, no, don’t do anything. If you guys got into trouble because of me… just don’t, okay? And besides,” Whit smiles a little, “I told you that I’m gonna be a flower so everything will work out in the end.”

Benny leans down and kisses Whit softly before resting his forehead against his, “Just don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

Whit smiles and kisses him back, “When do I regret anything?”