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It was Vito's 13 birthday. He only got 10 bucks from his parents, but he was really grateful for that. He knew his family tried their best to make his birthday perfect, however it was pretty difficult to do with his father being alcoholic and his mother not even having enough time to take care of the whole family. In the afternoon Vito got a phone call from Joe. They were supposed to meet up at their hangout near the dam. Their hangout was a place almost no one knew about. The only way someone could get there was by a little road surrounded by trees. Vito got there easily with his bike (that he got for his birthday last year) and then he waited for Joe. Joe was a bit late, but it didn't really matter. "I've got a surprise for you" said Joe. Vito got quite exited, he didn't really know what to expect. "Here, this is for you" Joe handed Vito a little rectangular box clumsily wrapped in a wrapping paper. Vito quicky got rid of the paper and opened the box which contained a little pocket knife. "I thought it would be a perfect present for you, since it comes pretty handy and you can hide it easily even in your pockets and you can also protect yourself with it" said Joe. "Thank you so much Joey, I love it" responded Vito very happily and then he hugged Joe. He liked hugging Joe, he always felt some kind of comfort in his arms, that he couldn't get from anything or anyone else. Joe happily huged Vito back. When they broke up the hug, Joe looked at Vito's face and said "You're blushing Vito" "No I'm not" Vito tried to hide the fact that he was really blushing, even though it was quite pointless, since it was pretty obvious. "Yes, you are" replied Joe. "Alright, I am blushing a bit" admitted Vito. He didn't get any response for that, so it was quiet between them for a while. "It's probably going to sound crazy, but I have to leave already, since my sister is having some kind of performance with the school choir and my mom forced me to come to see it" said Joe. Vito was really surprised because it's usually him who leaves first. "Okay, bye then" said Vito. "Bye" responded Joe while he was getting on his own bike. Vito laid on the grass, put his hands under his head and looked at the clear blue sky for a while. He was thinking about today especially about the situation earlier. He knew he had some kind of feelings for Joe. He just didn't know how to describe them. He was also quite unsure of them, maybe it's just a phase and he'll grow out of it soon. It made no sense for him to tell about it to anyone. Joe would probably refuse him and unfriend him and his religious family would be really disappointed in him and he didn't want that. He looked at the knife he got from Joe and then he looked at the closest tree. It was a young tree with very smooth stem. He got an idea, that he would carve something into it and eternalize the memory of his thirteenth birthday. He stood up and walked to the tree and started carving. He was done about a half an hour later. He proudly looked at his carving. It was a little heart with V + J inside of it. "I wonder, if I'm going to look at it in few years and think it was a stupid mistake or not" Vito thought to himself.
Another thirteen years later, Vito and Joe went there to celebrate Vito's twenty sixth birthday. As soon as they arrived to the place, Vito went to look at the tree. The carving was still there and it grew together with the tree and Vito's love for Joe. "Hey Joe, come take a look at something" shouted Vito. Joe came and Vito said: "I carved this thing exactly thirteen years ago" "You did a good job" replied Joe jokingly and then he kissed Vito. They were kissing till both of them ran out of their breaths and then they spent a nice evening together.