38. Abandoned Jeff tensed and flattened himself against the wall when he heard footsteps coming around the corner. Turns out, it was only Nick. "Jeff? What happened; are you ok?" "Yeah, yeah," Jeff said, hastily going away from the wall and running his fingers through his hair. "No you're not. You only screw with your hair when you're scared; what happened?" "It's nothing, I swear. Just a reflex from my old school that I picked up." When Nick raised his eyebrows, Jeff explained, "When there are unknown footsteps coming you cling to the wall. They can't really shove you into a wall you're already leaning against, right?" Jeff let out a forced laugh, but Nick was horrified. "Jeff…that's horrible! Dude, you don't need to do that here." "I know," Jeff mumbled. "Like I said, it's just a reflex." Nick walked over to the wall and down it until he was sitting on the floor. He patted the spot next to him. "Come on, let's talk." "No, I'm fine," Jeff insisted. "No, you're not," Nick said. "Anyone who's natural instinct is to flatten themselves against a wall to keep from being shoved is not 'fine.' Sit. Now." Jeff began to protest, but Nick's piercing eyes eventually forced him to the ground, right next to Nick. "Talk to me." "There's nothing to talk about." "Don't give me that shit, Jeff. Talk, now." Jeff just continued to sit there in silence. From the connecting hallway, Kurt was just about to interrupt. But he stopped just in time upon viewing Nick and Jeff sitting in the middle of the highway-Nick looking caring and pushy-Jeff with tears in his eyes, threatening to overspill at any moment. He backed away slowly and stood by the door, completely out of ear shot, ready to redirect anyone who came down that hallway. In the hallway, Nick continued to push. "Spill." "Spill what, Nick?" Jeff finally spoke. "I came out-end of story." "Why? What happened?" "Everyone abandoned me," Jeff whispered. "My friends turned on me-even my own father." "Didn't you have anyone?" "No, and I don't want to talk about this!" "No, it'll make you feel better. You need to talk about it!" "Talk about what? That I was beat up on a weekly basis? That I was shoved into lockers and had sugary shards of ice thrown in my face? That I was locked in a fucking closet every Thursday, so often so that the janitor knew to come let me out? That I had to change in the woods before gym because everyone thought I was checking them out? That my family and friends didn't care?" Jeff was in tears by the end and buried his face in Nick's shoulder. "That might be a good place to start," Nick murmured in Jeff's ear, stroking his hair soothingly. Jeff looked up, eyes wide. "Instincts like that were basically welded into me. That was the only way to make it through school…especially when everyone completely and totally abandoned…right when I needed them the most." "Well, we'll have to do some un-welding, won't we? Cuz I promise Jeff, that no one here is that much of a douche bag. And sweetie?" Jeff met Nick's eyes. "I'll never abandon you, Jeff-y, I promise." Out in the connecting hallway, Kurt stopped a group of boys from entering the hallway. "Sorry, no one can go in there. An emotional break through is occurring, most likely having to do with fear and abandonment issues." The boys didn't need to be told twice. They turned around and went the long way, leaving Nick to help Jeff in a way nobody had ever even tried to before.