New Beginnings

Chapter 35 : Winter break

"I know... But those weren't night cuddles."

He had this sad look in his eyes.

"Alright, let me go talk to my uncle. I'll be right back. And you'll be fine right here, ok? Stay calm."

I went to my uncle's room, which was down the hall.

"We have a problem," I said, sitting down on the end of his bed.

"What?"

"Jeff can't sleep alone. He really can't. And he's going to cry if you make him."

"Alex-"

"We won't do anything, I swear! Jeff is the sweetest, most innocent boy ever. He just needs to cuddle. He gets so scared sometimes. We'll even leave the door open. He just needs someone beside him."

"Alright, fine. Leave the door open. But just know that I might pop in at any random moment."

"Thanks."

I went back, and got in bed with Jeff.

"Yay..."

"He said we're allowed to cuddle. We just need to keep the door open. He doesn't want us to do anything, you know?"

"I would never. I-I um... I-I don't k-know if I c-could ever do t-that. M-my d-dad..."

I sighed as Jeff started crying.

"Jeff, it's ok. One day far in the future, you can take things as slow as you need to."

"I-I'm j-just not c-comfortable w-with myself. I s-still f-feel so... n-not clean."

I wrapped my arms around him tightly. He cried into my shoulder. 

"It'll get better as time goes on. I promise, Jeffy."

"How d-do you k-know?"

"Because nothing stays bad forever. And I'm here to help you. And so is my uncle, Nick, and Sebastian too."

"W-what if I-I'm n-never comfortable w-with... you k-know..."

"Jeff, you don't even need to think about that right now. We're 15."

He sighed, and started calming down.

"Jeff, don't worry about it. Really. You're fine."

"B-but w-what if I c-can't-"

"Jeff. We'll worry about it when that day comes, ok?"

"Ok..."

"Try to go to sleep."

"Ok... Night, Alex."

"Night, Jeffy."

He cuddled into me even more, and I tightened my hold on him. I just want him to feel safe.

The next day...

Jeff POV

"Hey. Wake up. It's snowing."

My eyes shot open, and I sat up.

"Snow!?"

"Yeah, come look out the window," Alex said, leading me over.

"It's snowing!"

I started jumping up and down. There were like 5 inches outside!

"Can we play in it!?"

Alex laughed.

"Well... We have to eat breakfast first, and then I think we need to go buy some snow clothes so we don't get soaked. But after that, sure."

"Yay!"

We went down, and ate cereal for breakfast. After that, we got dressed, and Alex's uncle took us to a store to go get snow clothes. He gave us money, and let us go off on our own to get clothes. I was sticking close to Alex. We were holding hands.

We got our snow clothes, and paid. And then we went back to what I guess is now my home.

We put our snow clothes on, and went outside.

"I love it!" I said, starting to run.

"Jeff, be careful!"

I immediately slipped, and went flying into a snowbank head first. I got a face full of snow, and it was freezing!

"Cold!" I shouted, sitting up.

"Yeah, it's snow," Alex said, walking over.

"I love it!"

She laughed at me.

"Come on. How about we have a snowball fight?"

"Really!? I've never had one before!"

"Your dad never let you?"

"No... He always made me shovel the snow. Never play in it..."

"Well come on. I challenge you to a snowball fight."

"Ok. You're on!"