Jude' POV
"Jude!" Someone is screaming my name from the stairs. "Jude." It's Connor and he's stepping into my room.
I'm facing the wall, laying on my bed.
"Jude?" he repeats. "Are you okay?"
"Is he dead?" I ask, without turning around.
Connor doesn't answer. I sit up and he joins me.
"I'm really sorry." he says.
I nod and start crying. More than ever. "I never got a chance to visit him!"
"Hey that's not your fault. You had so many thinks to do and it happened so fast."
"He can't be dead. He can't be!" I throw my head in my hands and cry even more.
Connor wraps an arm around me.
"Shh it's gonna be okay."
"It's not." I say, sobbing.
"Yes it is."
"No. It's the second time I lose someone. The first time, it was my mom, and I barely got through it. And now, my brother. I've lived the past few months sleeping in the same room as him. He teased me everyday after school, and I'll miss that more than anything."
"I don't know what to say that will make you feel better. But remember that Jesus loved you like anyone else here. He was a great brother and there's not two like him."
I nod. Connor kisses my forehead and my cheek. Then he pulls me into a hug and I accept it, but I push him away quickly.
"I'm sorry, but I need to be alone right now. I can't do this at the moment."
"Do what?"
"This. Talking. I can't. It's too hard."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"Don't take it the wrong way, but I'd like to be by myself, yes."
"Okay. I understand. I'm here if you need to talk."
"Thank you. I love you."
"I love you too." Connor kisses my cheek and leaves the room.
I wipe my tears away just so some more can roll down. I walk to Jesus's side of the room and look at his stuff. I then look at his skateboard, the one he gave me recently.
"I love you Jesus." I say, looking up. "Thank you for being such an amazing brother. I couldn't have asked for a better one. Just don't say that to Brandon." I let out a little laugh. "Anyways, I will miss you a lot. I will be very wierd sleeping, knowing that you're not in the room. Also, I'm sorry I never visited. I was so busy and there was a shooting at school. I just couldn't and I regret it a lot right now. Maybe I'll take out that Ouija board again hoping that you'll be here to talk. Love you."
My face is dry now so I walk back downstairs. Everyone is comforting one another. I keep the tears from falling again.
"Hey Jude, are you okay?" ask Connor, taking my hand.
"Um, what is that?" ask Stef, laughing through her tears.
I look down at our hands and up at Connor.
"Um..." I say.
"Nothing. It can wait." Connor says letting go my hand.
"Guys, I think we could use good news, don't you think?" says Lena.
I look down.
"Well, we wanted to wait that Mariana and... Jesus... came back home. But now, that wont happen. So here it goes. We... I'm..."
"A few months ago, at the beggining of the school year, Jude met this boy named Connor. They became friends very quickly and did almost everything together. Then one weekend, at a 7th grade camping trip, something happened in the tent, making things more awkward between them. It took a few weeks for both of them to realize what kind of feelings they had for eachother. But when they knew, they became more confident. The feelings were confusing, but they knew that they had fell for eachother."
Everyone starts to cry, tears of joy and saddnest at the same time. They all got up and we shared a long, warm, family hug.
"Aw Jude. I love you." says Stef.
"We all do. And we love you too, Connor." says Lena.
Callie kisses my hair.
"That was adorable, Connor. The little story you told." says Callie.
"I just thought it be an original way to come out." he says.
"You remind me of myself when I was your age. Smart and full of imagination." says Brandon.
We all hug again for I don't know how long.
"Stef, can you come at the hospital with me? We still have to get Mariana." asks Lena.
"Sure."
"I'll come too." says Callie.
"Me too." says Brandon. "Jude?"
"Um..."
"Jude honey, this is hard enough on you. You don't have to come." says Stef.
"I'll stay here with Connor." I finally say.
"Okay, we'll be back soon." says Lena.
When they close the door behide them, I wrap my arms around Connor and hug him tight. I start to cry, more than earlier. The tears I've been holding in can't seem to stop coming out. I squeeze my eyes shut and Connor pulls me even tighter.
"Let it out. Sometimes it's better to let everything out." he says.
I sob and sob and sob. I eventually run out of tears and let go of Connor.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to see me like this."
"Hey don't apologize. I'm your shoulder to cry on and your friend to rely on."
"Correction. You're my boyfriend."
"I'm your boyfriend." he repeats as a confirmation. "Your shoulder to cry on and your boyfriend to rely on."
