The Abandoned Wallflowers || BoyxBoy ✔️

20

The uber had arrived quickly and he rushed through the garden and towards the back gate. He opened it quietly and breathed a sigh of relief but then cringed when it pinged loudly when it slammed shut. He cursed under his breath and rushed off, walking awkwardly because of his lack of shoes. Aaron hopped into the car quickly. The ride home felt long but it gave Aaron a chance to collect his challenging thoughts.

As the car pulled up to his house, Aaron paid the fare and thanked the driver. He hurried into the building, his mind still racing with thoughts of the afternoons unexpected turn of events. The emotions he had been trying to suppress now bubbled to the surface and he needed a moment to process everything. Without pausing to engage in any small talk with his flatmates, Aaron rushed straight upstairs to his bedroom. The door slammed shut behind him and he leaned against it, letting out a heavy sigh. The room felt like a sanctuary where he could finally breathe and reflect.

Aaron had been on a rollercoaster of emotions from the moment he heard Josh's voice at Damon's door to the relief of escaping the house unseen. He had managed to evade a potentially awkward confrontation with Josh but the weight of his secrecy and the complex feelings he held for Damon were taking a toll on him. He gingerly sat down on his bed, the recent event replaying in his mind.

Suddenly, Aaron's eyes began to water. He didn't want to cry. He wanted to be strong. But hearing his ex boyfriends voice for the first time in a few very long and emotional months was too much to handle. He wondered what they were talking about right now. Were they catching up happily or was it awkward between them? Was Damon okay? Was Josh okay?

Aaron's moment of vulnerability was interrupted by a gentle knock on his bedroom door. Startled, he quickly wiped away his tears and tried to compose himself.

"Hey Aaron, you in there?" a familiar deep voice called out. It was Rex. "I heard you come in just now. You slammed the door pretty hard, mate. Scared me to death. Can I come in?"

Aaron hesitated for a few moments but then he just decided to give in. If anyone knew how to handle a situation like this, it was Rex. "Yeah," he called out, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. "Come in."

Rex opened the door and popped his head in. His eyes landed on Aaron. "Are you okay?" Rex asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Aaron sighed and shook his head. "Not really."

Rex stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He took a seat next to Aaron on the bed and gave him a reassuring pat on the back and a friendly smile on his face. "Is this about Leo?Want to talk about it? Sometimes sharing your thoughts can help."

"No it's not Leo," Aaron said quietly, looking down at his lap. He sniffled and felt his eyes water again. "Uh, Josh is here."

"What?" Rex asked in shock. "Where?"

"He showed up at Damon's."

"For real? When?" Rex asked quickly.

Aaron shrugged. "Just now. I kind of... escaped through the back so he wouldn't see me."

"Holy shit," Rex breathed out. He knew how much shock and pain his best friend was probably in right now and he really didn't expect this to be coming from Aaron's mouth today. Rex frowned deeply. "Wait, why is he back? I thought he was in New York?"

"So did I," Aaron muttered.

Rex's brow furrowed as he processed the information. "This is a pretty unexpected turn of events."

"You're telling me. Just when things were getting good," Aaron said in a low voice. He clenched his jaw as Josh's steely green eyes invaded his brain. He heaved a sigh and dropped his head into his hands. Rex watched him in worry. "I just left. Can you believe that? I hid in the kitchen and then I left. I didn't even wear any shoes."