I'm Going Slightly Mad

Chapter Nine

Aaron didn’t put too much stock in Lucas’s teasing. Lucas mocked him all the time, for any little thing he could think of, and it so rarely meant anything that Aaron had learned to just brush it off. It was nonsense, anyway. Aaron knew better than to fall in love with one of his friends. In his whole, pathetic, romantic history, this was one of the few mistakes he’d managed to avoid. He wasn’t going to break that record now, twenty years in. He’d have to be even dumber than Lucas thought he was to do that.

He wasn’t even ready for another relationship. It had only been a few months since Jenna, and he wanted more time to figure himself out before he got involved with anyone new. Miles was a great guy, and Aaron could definitely see him becoming one of his closest friends, but nothing more than that. He was probably straight, in any case. Even if he wasn’t, he must be too smart to get involved with a trainwreck like Aaron.

In short, Lucas was the crazy one, and Aaron knew exactly what he was doing for once. Not the way things normally were with them, he’d admit, but sometimes a change of pace was nice.

While he gave Lucas some time to remember that he was supposed to be the sane one, Aaron found himself rapidly growing closer to Miles. They didn’t get to spend much time together, thanks to conflicting schedules, but whenever they got to talk, in person or over the phone, they talked for hours, and they could talk about anything. Aaron had even told him about the problems with Jenna, and then about Coby and the personal crisis he’d triggered. Miles had listened, rapt.

“It’s kind of odd,” Miles remarked. “Most people I know realized they were gay or bisexual or whatever else when they were teenagers. I’ve known I was bisexual since I was twelve.”

Aaron’s eyes widened. “You’re bi, too?”

Miles shrugged. “Well, I prefer men, but every now and again I meet a woman who I really like.”

“You can prefer one or the other and still be considered bisexual?”

“Sure. I don’t know very many bi people, but all the ones I do know have at least a slight preference.”

Aaron frowned. “Damn. If I’d known that a few months ago I would’ve been a lot less confused.”

Miles laughed. “Sorry. Wish I could’ve been there for you.”

Aaron wished he could’ve, too, but he didn’t say so.

***

He had to admit: he couldn’t wait to introduce Miles to Lucas. As annoying and ridiculous as Lucas could be, he was still his best friend, and Miles was well on his way to achieving the same rank. The best possible thing Aaron could think of was for his best friend and his future second best friend to get along as well as possible.

This hadn’t worked out well in the past. Lucas tended to be extremely protective of Aaron, often judging his other friends too harshly. If someone Aaron was hanging out with wasn’t quite up to snuff, Lucas would try to ‘protect’ Aaron from them. That never ended well. Aaron was afraid he might actually end up arresting someone someday, simply because they accidentally hurt Aaron’s feelings. He wasn’t sure he could imagine anything more embarrassing.

In this case, however, he could not be more eager for them to meet. Lucas understood how attached Aaron was already getting to Miles, and knew that terrorizing him would only piss Aaron off and drive him to hang out with Miles even more. This alone should keep Miles safe, but Aaron would be watching closely, just in case.

“He’s a great guy, really,” Aaron assured Miles as they pulled up outside of the racetrack. “Can be a little odd at times, but still a great guy.”