Aurelio's Dilemma

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

As Aurelio crossed the street and hurried home, he fought the urge to turn back, find his uncle, and start profusely apologizing. He didn't even know why. Maybe for shouting. Maybe for lying. Maybe for the attitude. Whatever the reason, guilt swamped Aurelio's chest, a little overwhelmingly compared to the situation.

He hung his coat and trudged up the staircase to his room. He'd used up whatever remaining energy he had racing home. So when he sat down on the edge of his bed, his body slouched on its own, and he could hardly maintain himself upright with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

You can't avoid the nightmares forever.

Sighing, Aurelio let himself drop onto his side, and he lifted his legs up to the mattress. His eyelids closed on their own. A part of his brain screamed in protest, reminded him of the nightmares he'd have to go through. He told it to shut up. His subconscious mind already betrayed him; when it couldn't manifest as nightmares, it had seeped into reality.

Better nightmares than hallucinations, he thought, and he fell asleep.

In his dream, he was somewhere and nowhere. Someplace bordered by black walls, but underfoot, there was a normal path. Ahead of him stood Leslie's boyfriend, facing away, and Leslie there with one arm hooked around him, in the middle of a halfhearted hug. Except Leslie was staring straight at Aurelio over her boyfriend's shoulder.

Her lips moved. She spoke. Aurelio heard nothing. Cautiously, he strode a tiny step closer. Then he shook his head, telling her he didn't understand. Urging her to repeat.

"You're Elio."

At first, Aurelio thought it was an accusation. As if being Elio was a terrible, terrible thing. He still nodded. "I'm Elio, yeah."

"No."

Aurelio frowned. "No?"

Her fingertips didn't touch her boyfriend, Aurelio realized. She held them up off his shoulder. "You're my Elio," she said.

It didn't sound affectionate. If anything, it sounded like she was trying to identity him, and her shaky, lost voice made Aurelio shudder.

"Your Elio?" he repeated, puzzled and chilled to the bone. "What do you mean?"

She glanced at her boyfriend, then back at Aurelio, and repeated desperately, "You're my Elio."

Her eyes watered, then tears trickled down her cheeks and the sight was too painful for Aurelio to bear, so he found himself saying, "Okay, I'm your Elio," just to end Leslie's misery. And it worked; the moment he confirmed her statement, she unhooked her arm from around her boyfriend, then pointed a finger at Aurelio, gesturing him closer. Come, she mouthed.

When Aurelio tried reaching for her, he was tugged back. For a moment he thought he was tied to his spot, but instead he found his hand locked in Blair's while she was looking elsewhere, unaware of his presence, unaware they were holding hands.

Shaking his hand, Aurelio tried to free it from Blair's grip. She wouldn't let go, entranced. He followed her line of sight and found Matt, in the distance, holding her gaze with longing in his eyes. He looked small and defenseless and hopeless, and so, so sad.