Niff Week: Day Four: Separation

I Miss You

Jeff awoke on Christmas morning and looked around. He looked at the walls of his bedroom in at home, wishing desperately to be back at Dalton, his real home. He missed his room there, he missed his friends, but mostly he missed his boyfriend, Nick. Christmas break was only two weeks and he could've stayed at school, but none of his friends were staying and he didn't want to be alone. However, he wished he had done that because those two weeks were turning into the longest two weeks of Jeff's life.

He sighed and got out of bed, figuring that maybe if he went downstairs early enough to make his brother and sister happy, his parents might leave him alone. Jeff made his way downstairs where he could hear his brother and sister laughing.

"Jeff!" his father boomed, "Good of you to finally join us."

"I was tired," Jeff defended himself.

"Well, maybe if you didn't spend all night talking to that boy," his father spat, "Then you wouldn't be so tired." Jeff flinched, but said nothing. He immediately felt guilty for not defending Nick, but at the same time he was too scared to say anything to his father. Jeff sat on the couch and watched his brother and sister open their many gifts. When his brother Jeremy handed his a small box and card from him and their sister Jessie, Jeff finally smiled.

"Thanks little bro," he said, ruffling the eleven year olds hair and smiling at him. He opened the box and found a hat inside. On the hay he saw the word 'Niff', the nickname the Warblers had given him and Nick.

"Me and Jess asked Trent what we could give you that time we saw you guys at the mall," Jeremy explained, "Him and the other Warblers helped us get it."

"Do you like it?" six year old Jessie asked.

"I love it," Jeff said, hugging them both tightly, "Thank you." That was then only gift Jeff got at home that day. He wasn't surprised; ever since he'd come out his parents ignored him on Christmas and they made sure to forget his birthday every year. He just wanted the day to be over so he could call Nick.

"Jeff!" Jeff looked around and saw his parents and his siblings staring at him, apparently they had been talking to him.

"What was that?" he asked politely, though he felt like screaming.

"You need to pay attention," his father said, "Stop daydreaming about that f**." Jeff froze. His father had just called Nick that word.

"Don't call him that," Jeff said quietly and his father looked at him.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I said don't call him that," Jeff repeated louder, "His name is Nick and he's an amazing guy."

"Stop this talking;" his father said immediately, "I will not have you talk like this under my roof!" But Jeff couldn't stop, not now. Not now that he'd finally started saying everything he had wanted to for years.

"- he's a gentleman, he gets good grades, he really cares about me, and I love him!" Jeff was breathing heavily by the time he'd finished. He waited for his father to start shouting, but it never came. Instead, he felt a cold, stinging slap across his right cheek and blinked in surprise at his mother. She stared at him, her eyes cold and uncaring. He blinked, feeling tears burning behind his eyes. Jeff stood and ran out of the room. He ran up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door shut, falling onto his bed as he started sobbing. Jeff picked up his phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Nick's voice said from the other end. Jeff didn't say anything; he had just realized that Nick was in the middle of his own Christmas.

"Hello?" Nick said again, "Jeff? Baby, are you there?"

"Hey," Jeff said finally, trying to sound happy.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked, immediately hearing Jeff's tone.

"Nothing, I just… I miss you." Jeff choked out, unable to hold back his tears any longer.

"Oh baby, shhh, its okay," Nick said softly, "Shhh, don't cry. I miss you too, so much. But we'll see each other soon, only one more week."
"I can't wait another week Nick! I can't!" Jeff cried.

"Sweetheart tell me what happened," Nick said calmly, knowing there was more than just what Jeff was saying.

"My mom hit me," Jeff said.

"What?" Nick gasped, "Why?"

"My dad called you a – a – that word, and I told him not to. I told him you're amazing, and that you're a gentleman, and that I love you and she hit me."

"Oh sweetheart," Nick sighed, "Why did you say all that?"

"I just couldn't take it anymore Nick! I couldn't just sit back and let them say that stuff about the guy I love!"

"You really mean that?" Nick asked, "You love me?"

"Yeah," Jeff said quietly, "I love you Nick."

"I love you too Jeff," Nick said, "I'll pick you up in half an hour and we'll head back to Dalton early. Then next year, we'll stay there for Christmas, you and me."

Alright, so I know Niff Week was a long time ago, but it's taken me ages to get these written and I still have 2 more to write. I skipped day 1 and day 7, but I still have day 5 and 6 to type.

Also, I won't use homophobic language in my stories. I may use a word that, while still offensive, is a bit tamer than others, but there are some (like the 'f' word) that I will not use. I myself and many of my friends have been called this word so as I personal choice I won't use it.

Thanks for reading!