Eighteen year-old Aaron Pickard is dealing with a lot: he’s falling for his straight best friend, his mother has ended up in the hospital after a violent assault by his father, and he’s trying to decide when to come out. Tack on the stress of an upcoming prom and graduation, a part-time job, and the possibility he could lose his best friend, and he’s an emotional wreck.<br><br>Aaron’s best friend Jeff Leaton provides a soft place for him to fall when his life is thrown into chaos, literally holding him each night as they fall asleep. As Jeff helps Aaron navigate through the mess that has become his new normal, Aaron’s feelings for Jeff intensify.<br><br>Aaron’s pretty sure it’s all going to end badly, but he’s holding on to hope.

Holding On

“Your mom would want you to go to college,Aaron.”


He was correct,but it wasn’t about me anymore.I had to do what was right.“Can we table this until later,Jeff?”I was being a coward,but I didn’t care.It was too much to deal with right now.I didn’t want to argue with him when I needed all my energy to focus on getting through the day.


“Sure,”he said.We drove in awkward silence for a while before he spoke again.“Are you going back to school tomorrow?”


I shrugged.“I’m not sure.There’s so much to decide and honestly”—my voice hitched and I cleared my throat—”I’m just not sure of anything.”


“I get that.I’m going back tomorrow.And I have to work tomorrow night.”


Funny how other people’s lives continued even when your own is in tatters.My friends were attending school,thinking about graduation and prom,and I was getting ready to talk to detectives about the fact that my father killed my mom.Would my life ever return to some semblance of normal?


Chapter 39