The price of freedom

The bank's workers cowered in fear at the semi-automatic rifle gun pointed at their heads. The funny thing was that the figure that was currently robbing their bank had no accomplices. He held the gun with steady, gloved hands and glared at the workers with steely eyes from behind his ski mask.

Never in all the years since that little town was founded, had there ever been a robbery of any sort in that bank. Though, the barrel of the gun he was holding was as real as can possibly be.

"Open the vault." He said, his voice cold, gruff, and dangerous.

A trembling worker rushed off to do his bidding, praying that her life and the lives of all with her would be spared. Once the door was open, he walked cooly and calmly to the vault, pushing the worker out of the way.

He opened the duffel he carried and proceeded to shove as much money as he could possibly grab into it. Once finished, he zipped up the duffel and walked calmly out of the doors, into a black honda civic with no license plates, and sped off with the money.

To say he did not expect Jacob on his doorstep that day would be an understatement to Louis. In fact, of all the people in that tiny, suffocating town, Jacob was the last person he expected to be at his doorstep that afternoon. Especially considering all that had happened recently. He thought back to the events that had led to this day.

###

Louis was one of the few people in that quaint town who had the guts to be openly gay. Granted, it felt great to be out of the closet, that came with its own slew of problems. For example, you are openly gay, in a town filled with homophobes. Thus the only outcome is that you are equally as openly despised by the whole town.

Parents look at you with evil eyes and don't let you associate with their children on the false belief that you will 'infect' their precious children and drag them off to hell with you. To be honest, that wasn't even the worst of it. People avoided you in the street and if they saw you heading in one direction, they would go the opposite way. It was like being gay was some sort of contagious disease that you were bound to get if you got too close to someone who was gay.

Despite all that, Jacob, his best friend, was one of the few people who dared approach him like a normal person. Naturally, this made Louis very happy, especially if you consider the fact that he had a crush on him. He also had a friend called Maddie, she was also very supportive and had set him up with other guys on multiple occasions.

Jacob was, quite frankly, Louis' lifeline for the time after he came out. Then, one day, the words Louis never expected but always dreamed of tumbled from Jacob's lips. It was the cause of the greatest joys and deepest sorrows Louis ever had to face.

It was fine for a few months, with secret rendezvous and stolen kisses.

Then, the town found out and turned on Jacob too. For them, Jacob had just affirmed their fears that gayness was contagious. Thus, naturally, they treated them both as outcasts more than ever. Maddie's parents wouldn't even let her speak to them. Finally, Louis made a decision, a terrible one, but a decision nonetheless. He had seen the anguish that Jacob tried so hard to conceal and knew that this was hurting him immensely.

He had made the decision to break things off. That day, he kissed Jacob for the last time before steeling his nerves for what was to come. He broke apart for air before speaking.

"Jacob? I have something I need to tell you" At these words, Jacob was immediately concerned.

"What is it, Louis?"

"I can't take it anymore. Seeing you trying to smile for my sake is eating me from the inside out. So, I-I" he choked "I-I've decided to end this. Go, find a girl to date, be happy-"

"How can I possibly be happy, Louis? THE ONE I LOVE IS YOU!"

Jacob screamed, storming away. That was the last time he saw Jacob until three months later when he randomly showed up on Louis's porch, confessing his love for him all over again.

###

"Let's run away together, Louis." Those words broke Louis out of his reverie and he stared at the man in front of him with shock.

Okay, maybe his ears were playing tricks on him and he was hearing things due to the amount of noise his little sister was making inside the house. Yeah, that must be it, right?

He stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind him before looking up at Jacob. His deep blue eyes were so open and earnest that it made Louis believe that Jacob was serious.

"What do you mean?" He asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Sure, they were both 18, and thus were able to make choices for themselves, but he wasn't ready to just up and leave. I mean, he did hate the town due to some obvious reasons, but his family was here, and he loved them to pieces, despite all that happened.

"Let's run away Louis. You said you hated this town right? We can go. Move to another state. It's been your biggest dream, right?"

Jacob was essentially right, but Louis still had his misgivings.

"Okay, I get what you're saying, but what will we even do once we leave? We can't get to the interstate unless we own cars, which we don't, and we don't even have the money to make it there!" Louis exclaimed. Jacob smiled.

"I know that that's why I have everything taken care of. You do trust me, right?" It was Louis' turn to smile. Of course, he did. There was no doubt in his mind that he would follow this man to the ends of the earth if Jacob said the word.

"How can I love a man I don't trust?" Louis asked frankly. Jacob laughed, giving him a peck on the lips.

"Of course you wouldn't. So, can I take that as a yes?" Jacob smirked. Louis playfully rolled his eyes and nodded, connecting their lips in a passionate embrace.

###

The only sounds that night were those of the crickets that were nestled in the grass, and some light grunting as Louis climbed out of his bedroom window and down the oak tree beside it, a small duffel containing his essentials on his shoulder.

He walked to the front of his home, the house he grew up in, seemingly saying goodbye before turning his back to it. He saw an electric blue dodge challenger demon with tinted black windows sitting in his driveway. He stared at it curiously and a window rolled down to reveal a smiling Jason in the driver's seat.

Louis grinned back, climbing into the passenger seat after tossing his duffel in the boot.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked. "You do know that there's no turning back after this, right?" Louis nodded in response and Jacob silently drove out of the town.

When they were safely past the outskirts, Louis had Jacob stop the car. He climbed out and screamed at the top of the lungs into the silent night, feeling the fresh air blow through his hair. He climbed back inside, and Jacob continued on without a word.

Louis felt really giddy. Was this what true freedom felt like? He smiled at the thought that he would finally be able to be with the one he loved, and he linked their hands together as Jacob drove down the interstate, towards their freedom and their future.