Hi, there.

Welcome to my new fic Six Degrees of Separation. I just have one message before you start: If you haven't heard the song by The Script, I strongly suggest you listen to it before you start this story.

Other than that, enjoy!


First you think the worst is a broken heart.


It was a rainy day. The clouds had darkened the sky and a heavy morning air hung over the school grounds of Dalton. With his foot pressing deep into the muddy ground, Jeff passed the grounds heading to the main entrance of Dalton Academy. The school's bright red bricks contrasted against the grey, almost black, sky.

The boy adjusted the collar of his black Burberry coat, trying to beat the cold before it reached his neck. He should've worn a scarf, he knows. Hunter would kill him when he'd lose his voice.

The rain dripped down his long blond locks. He needed a hair cut, quite fast. The locks had grown over his eyes, almost touching his cheek. It wasn't that he didn't liked the length, he loved it. He loved it when he could rock out on an All Time Low song, or when Nick would run his hands through his hair.

Subconsciously, the boy ran a hand through his soaked hair, smiling when he thought about his boyfriend. Nick.

With that smile Jeff continued over the school grounds, letting the rain do its thing and soak him and his Burberry coat, his once-light Diesel jeans and his warn-out, bright green, Converse.

Jeff loved the rain. Even if it portrait sadness, it also reassembled relaxation and peace, silence and calmness. It reminded him of the days he spend in the Rain Forest last summer, even though it had a completely different vibe here in Westerville.

The big wooden door of the school's main entrance came closer and Jeff was met by a familiar face, scolding at him, pointing at his ridiculous expensive coat.

"Hey br—"

"Where's your scarf, Jeffery?" The boy caught him off.

Jeff rolled his eyes, passing the boy as he entered the building. With the boy's hand on his back, between his shoulder blades, he moved through the hall, welcoming the warmth and feeling of home.

"What are you, Hunter? My mom?"

He heard the boy behind him growl and shouldn't have to look around to know Hunter was glaring at him.

When they entered the dinning hall Jeff felt the hand leave his back. This gave him the opportunity to move to the barista behind the counter and ask for a Vanilla Latte extra strong without sugar. As he waited, he undid the buttons of his coat and let the warmth of the dinning hall soak through his cold body.

"Jeff," Hunter began as he cued up behind Jeff, making the boy turn around. "you do know that when you lose your voice it's end of story for you, right? I can't have any of the Warblers being sick not when we're so close to Nationals."

Jeff flashed a polite smile to the barista and turned to Hunter with a raised eyebrow. "Hunt, it's Monday morning. Is there anything you can do other than complain about my health?"

With that the boy made an attempt to leave but stopped when he felt his phone vibrate in the inside of his coat. He held up his index finger, using the other four to hold the travel cup with coffee, signing for Hunter to wait for a moment. With his free hand he reached into the inside pocket of his coat and fished out his iPhone.

If it hadn't been within a second, it had been two but as soon as Jeff's eyes scanned the text a special kind of smile lit up his face. This to annoyance of Hunter, who was still waiting to continue his rant. Jeff unlocked his phone and typed out a reply with one hand before stocking his phone back in his coat. "Sorry, Hunt, gotta go." He was already at the doors before Hunter could say a word.

"Warbler practice at seven, be there!"

Something that sounded like: "Yeah, yeah..." echoed through the fairly empty halls which made Hunter shook his head. He turned around and ordered a cup of coffee.

Jeff nearly sprinted through the hallway, reaching the stairs. He took at least two flights a time, maybe even three. Being the sportsman he was (lacrosse, ice hockey, soccer, dancing) Jeff had enough stamina to make it two levels up without getting out of breath. The sucky thing being his destination was on the third floor. So when he finally reached the third floor he needed a few seconds to catch his breath and take a sip or two from his coffee. His crossed the hall, in normal speed this time, and stopped when he reached dorm number 103.

Jeff reminded himself that it was only 8:30 in the morning and most students were still asleep –Yes, it was Monday but all students had a day off because the teachers all had meetings about the students' learning processes. Who had good grades, who would fail, which students did they have to kick out because they couldn't keep up their 3.0 GPA, which students needed extra help or classes. Long story short, it was all about the students.-

He knocked softly on the door and waited patiently, sipping on his coffee. It didn't took long before the door opened but Jeff's smile went from huge to none, he frowned.

"Nicky? What's wrong?" He wrapped his arms tightly around his boyfriend when he saw the tears in his brown eyes.

The boy hugged back but it wasn't the usual hug he'd give Jeff. It felt forced and out of place. "We need to talk, Jeffery." And that's when Jeff let go. Nick never used his full name, ever.

He took a step back and inspected his boyfriend's features. His shoulders hanging slack, tears in his red eyes, nothing but sadness and confusion written on his face. "Nick..."

Nick shook his head, he straightened his blue Dalton hoodie and stepped outside his dorm, pulling the door close behind him. "Jeff, I love you." He began, shifting his gaze to the ground, or the wall, or anything to avoid Jeff's eyes. With his hands stuffed in his hoodie he took an unnecessarily deep breath. "But... but—"

"But what?" Jeff interrupted. He didn't needed Nick to say the words. He knew damn well which would follow. His stomach dropped and he was sure there were tears forming in his eyes. He could almost smell the next words. Five words.

I

"I-"

can't

"-can't-"

do

"-do-"

this

"-this-"

anymore.

"-anymore. I'm so sorry, Jeff."

Jeff had no idea what happened. It felt like his brain had shut down. He started crying, the cup of coffee slipped from his hand and dropped on the floor, his heart broke and he screamed. Not out loud, no, there was no sounds coming from his vocal chords, but from the inside he was screaming, screaming until his inner voice had no more strength to scream.

"Why?" He broke out, his vision couldn't focus anymore, there were too many tears. He felt two strong arms wrapping around him but they weren't his anymore. They belonged to Nick, and Nick wasn't his anymore.

Nick wasn't his anymore.

The boy broke out in sobs. With all the strength he had –which was far less than normal- he pulled out of Nick's grip and ran for it. He ran out of the hallway, down the stairs, past Hunter who yelled after him:

"Jeff! What's the matter, bro?"

He ran through the main entrance out in the open air, onto the Dalton grounds back to his safe place, behind the fountain, behind the trees in a corner that was his. The only thing that was still his...

Jeff collapsed on the ground and cried. His hands grabbed a tight hold of his chest, holding it as if it would stop the scattering sound of his heart breaking into a million pieces.

Jeff had never been heartbroken before, but now he knew exactly why.

Nick wasn't his anymore. Because he broke his heart.