New Beginnings

Chapter 40 : Running away

A/N : I have a bunch more ideas for this story that are coming soon, starting with this chapter... And I'm also thinking of ending this book soon because it's getting long, but I'm thinking of making a third book. I really like this story line, and I really want to continue this story for even longer... And I wanted to give a shoutout to @rikkerrr for all the comments on this story.

Chapter 40

Middle of the night...

Jeff POV

I woke up. But I didn't have a nightmare. I was just randomly awake, which I was quite surprised about.

I tried to fall back asleep, but I couldn't. I just didn't feel tired anymore.

It was about 4:30 in the morning.

I tried adjusting my position a few times, but all that did was wake up Alex.

"Jeffy, you ok?"

"I can't sleep."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"No... I just randomly woke up."

"Oh... Well that's good. Not the waking up part, but the no nightmare part."

"But now I can't sleep."

"Just try, Jeff."

She wrapped her arms around me tight.

Later...

Alex POV

I was sitting in science with Jeff, and he seemed a little off. He seemed way more alert than he should be, and he kept looking around, probably for danger.

We were supposed to be doing a lab, and we're lab partners, so I took this moment to talk to him.

"Jeff."

He looked up at me. His eyes were pretty wide.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. I want to get out of here."

"Ok, Jeff, just try to stay calm. I don't want you to run out. Just take deep breaths. And let's work on the lab. Maybe it'll distract you."

He nodded.

We were supposed to be identifying rocks. I was telling Jeff things to write down. His hand was beginning to shake really bad, and it was hard to read what he was writing.

"Alex, I need to leave," he whispered.

"Jeff, please try to let it pass. I'm right here, ok? You're fine. Just breathe slowly."

"I c-can't."

"Jeff, come on. Please try. The period is almost over. We have 5 minutes left."

I could see his chest rising and falling quickly. He was nervously playing with his hands now. I knew he really wanted to run out.

Somehow, he made it until the end of the period. But as soon as the bell rang, he bolted.

I didn't know where he went. He was too fast. It was a good thing we had lunch right now so he wouldn't be late to his next class.

I told Nick and Sebastian to go check the boys' bathrooms. I went to go check our dorm room.

I didn't find him, and went back downstairs to see if Nick or Sebastian had found him.

No luck.

"We couldn't find him. Where do you think he could be?" Sebastian asked.

"I have no idea. I don't know where else he'd go. Are you sure you checked all the bathrooms?" I asked.

"Yeah, we checked the ones in the hallways, and the one by the cafeteria. He wasn't there."

I sighed. This isn't good. I don't know where he went, and I know he's scared.

Jeff POV

I just kept running and running, but I was so cold! I was near the football field now, and I was running through 6 inches of snow. The bottom of my pants and my shoes were completely soaked now. But I kept running.

The panicky feeling inside me just kept getting worse, and I kept having flashbacks of being chased by my dad. I didn't want to get hit!

I suddenly tripped, and went flying forwards towards the bleachers. I hit my head really hard, and then everything blurred together in a big black mess.

Later...

Alex POV

Jeff wasn't in any afternoon classes, and I was really scared now. Where was he!?

After class, Nick and Sebastian came with me to my uncle's office. We needed to do something because Jeff still hadn't shown up.

Luckily, my uncle wasn't in any meetings.

"Hey, we need to talk to you," I said, walking in.

"What's up?"

"Jeff is missing. He had a panic attack before lunch, and he hasn't come to any of his afternoon classes. We looked everywhere, and we still can't find him. He's scared, and I don't know what he'd do or where else he'd go."

"Ok. I'm going to alert some of the teachers, and we'll find him, ok?"

"Ok."

"I'll let you know if we find anything."

Nick, Sebastian, and I went looking for Jeff again. We were running around the school, looking in places we hadn't, even if there was like no chance Jeff would be there.

But we couldn't find him. We went back to our dorm room, and checked everywhere in there too. We checked under the beds, in the closet, in the bathroom...

No luck.

"Oh my god, where can he be!?" I asked, flopping down on the bed.

"I'm sure he's fine," Nick said, sitting down next to me.

"Yeah, he's probably just... curled up somewhere safe," Sebastian said, sitting down on my other side.

"What if he's hurt!? What if he's terrified, and gets lost!?"

I started crying. Nick and Sebastian both hugged me.

"He's going to be fine, Alex. I know he seems weak, but sometimes he can be strong," Nick said.

I sighed.

"I just want him back here, safe in my arms."

"I'm sure he wants that too."

My phone buzzed, and I jumped. I took it out of my pocket. It was my uncle. I answered it.

"Hello!?"

"They found Jeff. He's being taken to the hospital."