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Meant For Each Other

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Copyright © 2010 D.H. Starr

Edited by Allison Jacobson

Photography and cover art by Les Byerley

Electronic book Publication Meant For Each Other November 2010

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ai Press, 10435 Green Trail Drive N, Boynton Beach, FL 33436

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/)

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Meant

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D.

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tarr

To Ally Blue. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my emails and for encouraging me to keep writing and never give up. You are an inspiration. To my readers, if you want a great read, you should buy her books. I’ve recommended several on my website.

I would like to thank Sedonia Guillone for seeing the promise in this book, Les Byerley for capturing the essence of this book in such a tender, compelling cover, and my friends and family for having patience with me as I worked around the clock revising this book to make it as strong as I could.

I’d also like to thank all of my cyber friends, fellow authors, aspiring artists, and genuinely cool people who have encouraged me and shared their own work as well.

Trademark Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Acqua Di Gio: GIORGIO ARMANI S.P.A., Milan, Swiss Branch Mendrisio Better Homes and Gardens: Meredith Corporation

Blackberry: Research in Motion Limited

BMW: Bayerische Motoren Werke

Budweiser Light: Anheuser-Bush, Incorporated

Captain Morgan: Diageo North America, Inc.

Coke: Coca-Cola Company, The

Dewar’s: Bacardi & Company Limited

DOW: (DowJones): DowJones Trademark Holdins LLC

DSW: DSW Shoe Warehouse, Inc.

Fidelity Investments: FMR LLC

Goldman Sachs: Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Grey Goose Vodka: Bacardi & Company Limited

Lemon Grass: World of Good Tastes, Inc.

Levi Strauss: Levi Strauss & Co.

Marlboro Lights: Phipps Morris Inc.

NASDAQ: Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., The

New York Sports Clubs: TSI Holdings (IP), Inc.

Newbury Comics: Newbury Comics, Inc.

Palm Pilot: Interactive Toy Concepts, Ltd.

Pomme Frites: Pomme Frite, Inc.

Rosemount: Foster Brands Limited

Skype: Skype Limited

Spandex: Macpo Enterprises Corp

Squeeze: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

Starbucks: Starbucks USA Brands

Stolichnaya Vodka: Spirits International B.V.

Third Eye Blind: Stephan Jenkins Productions, Inc.

University of New Hampshire (UNH): University of New Hampshire Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones Company, Inc.

World Poker: World Poker Association, Inc.

Yellow Pages: Telcom Directories, Inc.

Author Note

To learn more about D. H. Starr and his books, visiting his website at www.dhstarr.com or follow his blog at www.dhstarr.blogspot.com.

D.H. Starr

Meant For Each Other

June, 1995

Craig Harper dashed out of his final class. It was the last day of his freshman year in high school. He rushed to his locker, emptied all of his things into his book bag, and ran to the front entrance of the school. Not stopping to say goodbye to any of his friends, Craig had one thing in mind—get outside and to Jeremy.

Jeremy Finn was waiting for him by the bike rack. Craig skipped out of the school, tripping over his feet and nearly cracking his head on the cement steps. A few students around him chuckled as they stepped aside to avoid being taken down along with him.

He grabbed the railing just in time, avoiding a nasty fall. Righting himself, Craig glanced over at Jeremy who shook his head in amusement.

“Shut up.” Craig scowled.

“What? I didn’t say anything.” Jeremy walked over to Craig and they headed to their homes which were about ten minutes away. Best friends since two, they had been in every class together, all the way back to being enrolled in the same daycare.

The last day of school had always been a high point for the two of them, but Jeremy was moving across country to Arizona the next day. The summer, which had always been the best times of their lives, now threatened to be long and lonely. Neither of them spoke about Jeremy’s move as they headed up the hill to their affluent neighborhood homes in Newton, just west of Boston.

Reaching Craig’s home, they dumped their bags on his front porch and ran to the small oval park which separated their houses. They could see each other’s front doors from across the park and had once devised a makeshift phone with cans and yarn. It was one thing to link neighboring homes, but to steal about two hundred yards of string and wind it through trees and across streets had stretched their parents’ patience beyond the normal limits. Each of them had been grounded for a week when a neighbor complained the string got caught in their car wheels.

Running into the park, they grabbed at each other’s arms, trying to win their race to the biggest tree in the park, the tree they had climbed ever since they could reach the lowest branch—The Love Tree, hearts with initials inside and arrows piercing them adorned just about every inch of visible bark.

Jeremy grabbed Craig’s arm and yanked with all of his might, causing Craig to lose his footing and to fall to the ground with a crash and a grunt. Lithely grabbing the low hanging branch with one hand, Jeremy swung his legs into the air and pulled himself into a standing position.

Craig stood up and brushed himself off. “You’re such an asshole.”

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Jeremy laughed at him, his wide smile lighting up his face. “C’mon princess. This tree isn’t getting any younger.”

Craig grimaced and hooked his hands around the branch, hoisting himself up so he stood next to Jeremy. Although Craig had a penchant for being a klutz, The Love Tree had lots of thick, sturdy branches and made falling rather difficult. A plush blanket of leaves covered each branch, quickly making them invisible to anyone who walked below them in the park or on the sidewalk.

After they had climbed about fifty feet, Jeremy stopped and waited for Craig to catch up. “You want to stop here or keep climbing?”

Craig could tell Jeremy wanted to keep climbing so he simply passed him, working his way further up the tree. After they climbed about seventy feet, Craig suggested they were high enough. He sat back, straddling a thick branch and leaning against the trunk.

Jeremy followed closely, straddling the same branch and grabbing a smaller branch above his head for balance. A wave of sadness passed through Craig as he gazed at Jeremy. I don’t want him to move. He couldn’t recall one memory without Jeremy by his side. He was like a brother, but without any of the rivalry or aggravation so many of his friends complained about. Their friendship was one adventure after another, kind of like Jess and Leslie from his favorite book, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

Except instead of the woods, The Love Tree was their secret place where magic and dreams became real. That and neither of them had died.

Jeremy kicked him lightly on the shin, as if he could sense his sour mood. “What’s on your mind?”

“It just sucks that you’re moving away. Really, really far away. It’s not like you’re moving a few towns over or even one state over. You are moving thousands of miles away.

Jeremy remained silent, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It sucks big time.

We’ll always be best friends though, right?”

Craig tried to smile. Of course we’ll always be friends. He shrugged, his resentment at the situation still raw and painful.

Regarding Craig, Jeremy’s finally smiled. He always managed to brighten a dark moment. “So instead of pouting, let’s make the best of this day.” Before speaking again, he stood and glanced around, peeking through the spaces in the leaves, seeing but not being seen. “Hey Craig, you ever give any thought to what you want to be when you grow up?”

Craig stared at Jeremy as if he had lost his mind. “Why in the hell would I think about that? That’s like seven hundred years from now.”

Jeremy laughed. “Yeah. But you’ve never given any thought at all to what you would like to be when you grow up?”

Realizing Jeremy wasn’t playing some game and he was actually curious, Craig contemplated the question. “No. I haven’t picked out a job or anything, but I want to do something with computers and something creative; where I’ll be able to use my mind.

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I’d be bored to death if I did something brainless or repetitive.” He lifted his gaze to Jeremy who simply nodded.

“That makes sense. You’ve always been creative and experimental. You wouldn’t last long at a desk job or doing other people’s taxes.” Jeremy remained silent after his comment.

Craig decided to break the silence. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Jeremy sat down on the branch once again. “That’s easy. I want to be a teacher. I want to teach elementary school kids.”

The answer surprised Craig. “Really? Why would you want to continue with school once you finish? I can’t wait until I don’t have to go to school anymore.”

Jeremy laughed. “I like school, Craig. I’ve always gotten good grades, made lots of friends…” Craig nodded. He already knew all of this. “But,” Jeremy went on, “when I think of school, mostly I think of you. We met the first day my mom dropped me off at daycare. That’s not really school, but it’s kind of the same thing. We have gone through everything together. I guess I associate school with my best friend and being happy.”

Craig took in a deep breath as a lump formed in his throat. His heart thrashed inside his chest and the hum of blood rushing behind his ears momentarily drowned out all other senses. Jeremy had always been better at expressing feelings and emotions, but never something like this; so heartfelt and revealing. The fact he opened himself up, shared such an intimate thought, forced his sadness to the surface once again. Why does he have to move?