Chapter Twelve:
First (Happy) Ending

Michael's POV:

Gavin loves me. He just admitted he loves me.

So why am I so happy?

Shouldn't I be... I don't know, rejecting him? Telling him he couldn't feel that way about me. It wasn't right. I was engaged.

I took the long way home just because I needed to get my mind cleared before I faced Lindsay again. After the engagement she became quite a bitch. Telling me things I can and cannot do and taking away my xbox controller when I snapped at her. She was actually reminding me of my mom rather than my fiancé.

My mind eventually drifted to Gavin. I'd be lying if I said I never felt a connection between us. Once in a while I would subtly flirt with him, and he'd do it right back. The fans would get a kick out of it so really, everyone wins.

I leaned back into the seat and gripped the steering wheel a little more. I heard my phone vibrate and I had a feeling Lindsay was on my ass for not being home yet. She had always been jealous of Gavin and my's friendship. I always found it amusing how on camera she pretended to love our friendship and made jokes about it, yet off camera she did everything she could do to tear us apart.

I decided to head home when my phone continued to vibrate. I braced myself in the parking lot of my apartment. I really didn't want Lindsay to blow up on me like she tended to do. She literally took the title Mrs. Rage Quit to a whole new level.

I climbed out of my car and clutched my phone a little more. I made my way upstairs and into my apartment.

And there she was, standing in the middle of the apartment staring at me like I just committed a crime.

"Why didn't you answer me?" She began her normal interrogation with me.

"I was driving," I told her, beginning to rummage through the fridge for a beer.

"Never stopped you before," Lindsay growled, closing the fridge before I could grab a beer.

"Okay, the fuck is your problem?" I asked her.

"Michael, you haven't been home at all for the past couple weeks. Now I'm not accusing you of anything but I find it suspicious that you've been gone and you don't come home until l-," Lindsay started. I rolled my eyes and huffed out a sigh.

"I wouldn't cheat, Lindsay," I told her, stepping away and walking to our shared bedroom.

"I wouldn't put it past you," She muttered under her breath, thinking I hadn't caught it.

I stopped in my tracks and turned my head to her. I crossed my arms and slowly made my way over to her.

"Say that again, Linds? I didn't quite catch it," I growled, glaring at her.

"I wouldn't put it past you," Lindsay spat at me.

My breathing quickened and I instantly felt rage boil up inside me. I grabbed her hand and tore the ring that I had gotten her, off.

"Say good-bye to this. My mom was right, we weren't ready for marriage," I said in a deep voice.

Lindsay gave me a frightened look for a moment but I could care less. She tore her hand from my grasp and stormed away to our room. I watched her reappear with a suitcase of clothes and such.

"I'd think this over, Michael, before you make an actual decision," Lindsay growled at me.

"Lindsay, it was over the moment I walked in," I told her, walking over to the couch.

"Fine, wedding's off. So what?" Lindsay breathed out.

"Oh, that's not it. Wedding, engagement, relationship, that's all over. I'm not gonna date someone who thinks I'm a liar and a cheater," I told her.

I watched her expression change from anger to shock. She shook her head and dropped her suitcase.

"Michael, wait, you're not ser-," Lindsay started.

"I'm serious. Besides, I always had a feeling this wasn't gonna work out. We had too much in common. It would've gotten boring anyway," I told her.

For the next half hour, Lindsay tried to convince me to rethink my decision. Everything she said I denied with my own point of view.

I opened up to her about how I'd been feeling for the past few weeks. How she'd changed and how much I disliked it. She defended herself, saying she was who she was.

I then opened up to her about how Gavin told me he loved me.

And how I loved him back.

...

I knocked on the door to Geoff's house. Gavin had to know. It's been fifteen minutes and I already felt like I needed Gavin. The person that I truly loved.

Geoff opened the door and yawned, asking why I was there so late.

"Where's Gavin?" I asked him.

"Upstairs, like usual. Where else would he be?" Geoff told me. I pushed past him and ran up the stairs.

I burst through the door and I was shocked to see what I found.

Or what I didn't find.

Gavin was nowhere to be found. I looked in his closet and looked down the hall to the bathroom.

He was gone.

I noticed the window was opened and I swore under my breath. I looked out it and I looked around outside.

He was just gone, period.

My heartbeat quickened and I sat on his bed, feeling my breathing pick up.

Something crinkled and I looked down.

A letter.

My heart dropped and I slowly picked up the letter. It felt like it was a million pounds and I slowly unfolded it.

Tears came to my eyes when I recognized Gavin's messy, unique handwriting.

Dear pleb who found this,

So... I assume everyone knows I'm suicidal. You think you can walk in and save me at any moment but you can't. I was destined to die young. I know I was. My life just wasn't what I wanted it to be. Everyday, I lived a lie. Everyday, I got worse and it wouldn't be fair to you guys to have to deal with it.

So, now I leave you with this note. You can do what you want with it. Please don't make a huge fuss about my death, either. I'd rather the fans not know about it also. Just tell them I left Achievement Hunter to do something else.
Anyway, for each of the individual men that had the greatest impact on my life, I leave my final words for you in this letter.

Jack,
How are you so nice all the time? I don't understand how you do it. Also, after I'm gone, please don't change that. Just because I'm gone doesn't mean anything's changing, so please, don't change either.

Ryan,
Have you killed anyone? I've always wondered that. If you have, I'm quite interested on how you managed to keep the slight bit of sanity you have left. Also, please don't lose that last bit of sanity because I'm gone. It's not worth it, trust me.

Ray,
I wish you didn't leave Achievement Hunter. It wasn't the same after you left. Nothing is the same after you left. You're my X-ray, Ray. Don't ever forget that. I'm sorry X-ray and Vav will come to an end after I'm gone, but I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry.

Geoff,
Thank you for being like a father to me. Nobody understood me like you did. I always did look up to you as my father. As my real, father. You've taught me life lessons that I needed to survive, so thank you for always being there for me. And, also, try to give up the alcohol. Especially after I'm gone. And I also understand that you were done keeping me alive the day I woke up. I kinda wish you would've pulled the plug, ya know? Then I could've dreamed forever.

And Michael,
You've had the most impact on me. I didn't understand love until I met you. I didn't know what a crush felt like until I met you. I also didn't understand that having a crush literally was a crush. When you proposed to Lindsay, it literally pummeled me, and it hurt. But that isn't your fault. I understand you loved her more than the world and that you'd do anything for her. That's how I felt about you. Please don't do anything stupid after I'm gone. You may not understand but just trust me on this. Eventually you will, and if you don't listen, I will forever be angry with you. And you always said you never wanted to make me angry.

Thank you for impacting my life you guys. I will always love you all. But, we all knew it was a matter of time before this happened.

Sincerely, Gavin David Free

I stared at the signature at the end of the letter. I don't know how long I sat there but when I stood up again, I felt the blood rush back to my legs.

I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone. I pressed Gavin's contact as I raced to my car and started it up.

It rang three times.

And he answered.

"What do you want, Mi-cool," His voice was cracked and raspy.

"Gavin, where are you?" I demanded him.

"Doesn't matter. Or it won't in the next two minutes," Gavin said back.

"Gavin, please. Don't do this," I begged him. I began driving light speed down the street, not caring if I got pulled over.

"Why? I'm miserable. Nobody wants me. Nobody loves me-," He started.

"I love you, Gavin."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "No, you don't. You love Lindsay," Gavin breathed.

"We broke up," I told him.

There was silence and I took that as a bad sign. My heartbeat quickened and I somehow stepped down harder on the gas pedal.

"Gav, you still there?" I asked tentatively.

"I'm at Lamar Boulevard Bridge. You have ten minutes before I jump," Gavin told me.

I quickly did a u turn and started driving to the bridge. I felt tears of relief come to my eyes knowing he wasn't gonna jump.

Or... Wasn't gonna jump right now.

"Gav, stay on the phone with me, please," I told him.

"Okay," he said quietly and shakily.

I started making small talk with him. I had learned from a therapist that you could do this to get someone to calm down. Make them feel safe and secured in a different mental environment. Hopefully it was working for him.

I saw the bridge and noticed Gavin not standing on the ledge of it. I breathed out a sigh of relief and went over to him. I hung up and gently called out to him.

"Start talking, you have five minutes," Gavin said. Was he still thinking about jumping?

"Gavin, you're not jumping," I told him.

"I am if you don't give me a good enough reason," He told me. I walked over to him and sat next to him.

"Fine," I simply told him.

"What?" He asked, clearly confused.

"If you aren't gonna rethink this entire thing, then fine. Jump. But I'll be jumping with you," I told him.

"No, you aren't," Gavin protested.

"Yes, I am. A life without you is a life not worth living," I told him.

"Michael, you can't be serious," Gavin retorted, turning to face me.

"I am, Gav. A life is a sacred thing and you're just throwing it away. Literally. I'm not letting you do that. So if you die, I die," I told him.

Gavin stopped for a moment and stared at me. A million emotions were flowing through both our bodies and I knew it. Anger, fear, sadness, shock, and love.

Anger for me because it annoyed me that he was still gonna kill himself, even after the fact that he obviously was destined to live. Anger for Gavin because he didn't want to let me jump with him.

Fear for both of us because, if we were being honest, we were both scared shitless of death.

Sadness for me because my best friend wanted to die. Sadness for him because, well, it's kinda obvious.

Shock for me because I wasn't even sure what I was saying at this point. It just kinda came out. Shock for him because I was willing to kill myself for him.

Love for both of us because we truly and unconditionally loved each other.

"You love me?" He said randomly. I blushed and nodded, taking his hand gently.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've always flirted with you, Gav. Lindsay wasn't a cover up, but she's definitely helped out with that," I told him.

Gavin just looked down at our intertwined hands. It dawned on me how awkward this probably felt for him. He probably thought I despised him after I left him in his room after he told me he loved me.

"I love you too," He breathed.

The moment was so perfect. Well, perfect in a sick and fascinating way. I undid our hands and brought Gavin closer to me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I picked his hands up and placed them on my shoulders.

"And I promise, this is real," I told him, pinching him slightly for emphasis.

I leaned forward and locked our lips together. Gavin didn't move for a moment but I eventually felt his lips move back against mine. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around my neck and pulled me into him a little more.
I felt his heartbeat vibrate through his body and I knew my mine was just as strong as his. I parted his lips a little more and pulled back, instantly going back and deepening the kiss again.

We eventually ended in short yet sweet pecks before pulling away entirely and looking at each other.

"You really mean it?" He asked me.

"I wouldn't be making out with you on top of a bridge if I didn't, Gav," I told him.

"And this is real?" Gavin asked me.

"Yeah," I told him.

Gavin poked my cheek and I chuckled a little bit. Gavin smiled and wrapped his arms around me.

"I really, really love you," Gavin told me.

"And I really, really love you too."
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Author's Note:
After I wrote this, I was kinda like... I don't want to do alternate endings anymore. Because this is the happy ending. And we all know, there isn't always a happy ending.
I also had an idea for this but I decided not to use it. So I'm just gonna let you guys in on what it was.
Basically I was gonna do an epilogue and at the end say "But in reality, Gavin actually died after his first suicide attempt, and his mind never made the realization that he actually died." So basically, once again, the entire story was in Gavin's dead mind. Creepy, right?
Well, I decided not to do that because I liked the alternate ending idea a lot more
So, please let me know if this was a good 1st ending. Next chapter will be the last of this story! I'm probably gonna cry since this is the first story I've ever finished. So, yeah, please let me know I'm how doing!
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!