52. (BoyxBoy)

Page 32.

Yay! Basingstoke!

_________________________________________________________

Chapter 27

Basingstoke's train station was well-sized. A few people buzzed around the place, as well as quite a lot of security. With a few ticket machines in the corner and overhead screens for train times, the process was made a lot easier.

"I've never been on a train before," Matt admitted.

"Really? I've never paid for a train before," Aiden chuckled. Matt didn't join in with the laughter.

"I'm going to the loo," Matt withdrew from the scene.

"I'll buy the tickets, then!" Aiden called after him, heading to the counter.

Armed with two train tickets, a mars bar, bag of salt and vinegar crisps and bottle of Mountain Dew, Aiden appeared from a crowd of German students that were taking up a large proportion of the station. Matt was already back and leaning against a wall.

"Hey," Aiden smiled a rare smile, handing Matt the food.

"Don't you want some?" Matt asked.

Aiden ignored him and passed him his train ticket instead. "You've got fifteen minutes till the train leaves," he said, formally.

"I've got fifteen minutes? Don't you mean we've?" Matt tittered slightly. But Aiden didn't look so amused.

His facial features deepened into a look of guilt and confusion. Quickly, he shook his head and stepped back. Matt laughed again, although looking slightly worried, "You're joking, right?"

"No."

Matt laughed again, but harshly this time. "Whatever." He shook his head. "We're going to London together, OK?" he hissed. It wasn't a question - it was a statement, and a threatening one.

“I’m leaving,” Aiden said suddenly.

“Where?”

“To see my dad.”

Matt was silent for a few moments, “I didn’t know you had one.” Aiden didn’t answer, prompting Matt to admit how little he knew “I don’t know anything about you.”

Aiden let out a long sigh, but nodded. “I’ve been in and out of social services as for the best part of my life. My mum didn’t want me. My dad was eighteen and my mum was just fourteen, I don’t know the background but it’s pretty obvious why he didn’t stay around. He didn’t know about me. I was brought up in various care homes and foster families for eleven years.” He smiled at the memory. “It wasn’t a great life, some of the people I hated, but it was the best time of my life. I was happy, sometimes. I had friends; I even had family at points.

“Anyway, then my mum wanted me back. I don’t know, I think she was low on money and found that she’d get more benefits if she had me,” he shrugged. “For the last few years, I’ve just been her slave. She started hitting me and stuff after I’d been there for a few months. She never stopped.”

Matt nodded, “So how have you found your father?”

“I tracked him down, well, David helped. My mum put him on my birth certificate, for some reason. Once I found out his name, he wasn’t too hard to trace. He’s some important businessman. He has a family: a wife and two daughters.” Aiden couldn’t suppress his smile any longer, “I have two sisters, how great is that?”

“That’s great,” Matt nodded. “But does he want you?”

“I talked to him on the phone last week. He’s told his wife – they weren’t together when I was born, so he’s just told her that he had a short-term relationship with my mother. Apparently, she understands. They’ve offered me their spare room. I’m going to go and live with them. I’ll take my A-Levels there, and then I can go on to university or something. It’s going to be great. It’s going to be my future: I can’t wait!” The smile across his face was wide and happy. He was practically grinning from ear to ear.

Matt felt an overwhelming sensation of warmth and hope, but he couldn’t help hearing that the invitation didn’t include him. “What about me?” he said finally.

Aiden broke out of his trance of happiness and shook his head, “Huh?”

“What about me? Are you just going to leave me here?”

Aiden opened his mouth guiltily, “I’m sorry. It’s not like . . . We can have a long-distance relationship for a while, right? Then we could go to the same uni or something, it’ll all work out great, just great.”

“Just great,” Matt agreed sourly.