Load. Aim. Fire. || A Short Story

Instructions

Luka was lying on his bed, lost in a sea of emotions. He hadn't been able to get over Alex since they broke up six months ago. They had been together for two years, and Luka thought they were going to be together forever. But things had started to change, and eventually, they just weren't right for each other anymore. His heart still ached for the boy who he had loved so deeply. He was constantly going through his social media profiles, stalking his every move, and wondering what his life would be like if they were still together. Tonight, as he swiped through Alex's Instagram, his heart sank. He saw a picture of Alex with someone new. The caption read "I love you. Always and forever." Luka couldn't stop staring at the photo on his screen. Alex had moved on and seeing him happy with someone new sent a pang straight through Luka's chest. He couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous, but more than anything, he just felt sad. He couldn't believe that Alex had moved on so quickly. As he continued to scroll through the pictures, he couldn't help but compare himself to Alex's new boyfriend. Now, though, seeing Alex with someone new made Luka feel like he had made a mistake. Maybe they weren't meant to be apart after all. Maybe Luka should have fought harder to keep Alex by his side. He knew it was stupid to feel this way. He knew that he needed to move on, but he just couldn't seem to let go. Luka scrolled through more of Alex's photos, feeling a mix of emotions. He couldn't help but compare himself to the new boyfriend. They did look a lot alike, and Luka couldn't help but feel like he had been replaced with someone almost identical. So, with a lump in his throat, Luka decided to send Alex a message. It was a little bit desperate, a little bit sad, but he felt like he had to say something. "When you look in his eyes, do you think of mine?" he typed. "When you kiss his lips, do you remember that summer night? Where you held me close and whispered that you'd never leave me? It was you and me, Alec. Always. What happened to us?" He hesitated before hitting send. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he was just making things worse for himself. But he clicked send anyway. He laid down on his side and DM'ed Alex's new boyfriend. "Hey. Its Alex's ex. Just warning you. Alex is a pretty boy, yes. But he lied to me over and over. He told me that I was the only one he was seeing, but he lied. He cheated on me with some random girl at a party and didn't even apologize. I dunno why I'm saying this. But just be careful around him. Hold his hand, but in the other one, hold a loaded gun." He couldn't stop himself from feeling a twinge of satisfaction as he imagined the new boyfriend's reaction to his warning. Would he take it seriously? Would he think Luka was just some jealous ex? It didn't matter really. Luka knew that he had to move on, and this was just another step. He closed Instagram and rolled over, burying his face in his pillow and trying not to think about Alex anymore.