Gusty wind whipped its cold arms agaist tarnished windows, desperately trying to sneak into warm

room’s of Welton students. Winter came exceptionaly moody this year, making it nearly impossible
to predict following weather. Because of that, sports been nearly impossible to practice outside, so
boys had few extra hours for their individual activities. Even the poets decided it’s better to stay
inside and catch up a meeting later, when the outside it’s so harsh. However there was one person
that was unstoppable on this day, even if it meant battling the slippery roads and minus
temperatures.

As he entered in their shared room, Todd looked over from his copy of Macbeth and gave him
investigative look. His hair was wet, melting snowflakes tangled in his hair shimmered under the dim
light of a desk lamp. His cheeks were pink from cold, and he was sniffling. His usual contentment
however, visible each time he arrives from a play, was overshadowed with a look that suggested that
he’s deep lost in thought, and that made Todd curious.

„How was the rehearsal?” he asked, watching the boy throw his coat on a chair and then himself on
his own bed. He imidiately comfortably buried himself under thick comforter.

„Good! We tried on our costumes today, it was fun” he answeared, sticking out his head and making
eye contact with Todd. „They told me I can take the crown with me after the show is over, too”.

Then he sniffled the second time. Todd wondered for a split second if the heater was on, and if so,
should he turn it up even more.

„You know, the girl I told you about…” Neil started after a few moments of silence, his gaze fleeing in
thoughts. „Ginny”

A rustle. A sting. This sentence awakened a sense of danger inside Todd, now pretending to read the
lines on a paper he held tightly in his hand. Neil did tell him about this girl. Neil liked to talk, he liked
to taste the words on his tounge, he talked about anything, especially to Todd, who contadictory,
liked to listen, especially Neil. But the one thing he didn’t like to listen about is the girl.

Neil and Ginny were close, they shared many interests and thought alike and Todd, even if he
desperately tried to deny it, was jealous. And knowing that made him even more frustrated, because
Neil is allowed to have other friends, hell, he could even date her if he wanted and Todd wouldn’t
dare to move, careful not to ruin Neil’s happiness. But it sting.

Another sniffle. This brought back Todd down to earth again, and he again looked over at Neil to
notice he’s also shaking now.

„Are you cold?”

„Huh?” Neil was now loooking at him too, „oh, yeah a bit, but it’s nothing”

Just a moment later, the boy was being thoroughly tucket under yet another bedsheet. That made
two, and Neil felt a little funny and he indeed looked silly, with his hair all over the place and reddish
nose that was almost buried under the cloth.

„I feel like a princess” he cackled.

„You look like you’re dying” Todd rolled his eyes, a smile wandering on his face. „And you better
don’t”
„I won’t, it’s too early. I’m planning to live up to my hunderds” Neil made himself more comfortable
and smiled proudly „So many years are ahead, and I can’t even think of wasting them away, not
anymore”

Todd hopes so too. That Neil was going to live a hundred of years, or two hundreds even, and that he
would love to be there too, all those years just by his side, supporting all of his choices, watching him
live his true self and cheering just loud enough to drown out the apodictic voice of his father.

Neil then put up the covers from his side, making just enough space for Todd to slide in. The heat
from under the bedsheets imidiately hit him and he let out a breath. Their shoulders were touching,
and he felt the warmth of Neil’s body that was cutting through his sleeve, skin down to his bones, like
a fire. But it was a nice fire, the fire that lights up a cold chimney, the one that have the power to
warm up an entire house. For a split second, he wanted to place his head on that shoulder, but
instead awkwardly rested it against the itchy wall.

„Wait, what I was talking about?”

„Ginny Danburry.”

Neil nodded in response.

„So, you know how she’s a friend of Chris? I didn’t even really notice at first how often she
mentioned her” he chuckled. „I guess it’s because I talk about you so often too.”

„Really?”

„Yeah, our conversations go a little like this,” he unburied his hands from under the quilt and
stretched them out in front of him. „She starts telling me about the things she’d done this week, and
it would made me think of you, and when I tell her, she would say a story about Chris. And we would
just talk like this all the time” he giggled.

Todd felt his heart ponding in his chest.

„And… the Chris she knows seems so different than the one Knox describes, you know?” He stopped,
eyebrows furrowed as he’s trying to find the right words.

„She seems so lively in her stories, like they really have a special connection. And I mean Knox is
obsessed, but he’s focused on very different aspects about Chris.”