Claudia, who?
Aydan had entirely forgotten Claudia in the middle of his plan to get William back to his life. Well, not entirely, since they still texted and saw each other whenever Aydan wasn't busy with the practices.
Claudia had taken it surprisingly well, yet Aydan wasn't blind. He knew the way he was acting hurt his girlfriend. Even when they met he was distant. It was wrong and he knew it, but after the night at the clubhouse, Aydan just felt like there were oceans between them.
In his mind he had started to think about breaking up, but he wasn't sure, if it would hurt Claudia even more than staying with her but acting cold as hell.
Okay, the latter was probably worse, but Aydan just couldn't bring himself say those words to her. Instead, he tried to seem warmer, while cursing himself for not being able to let Claudia close like she had been before the assault.
On Saturday, when Aydan didn't have practices, he promised to go shopping with Claudia. That was something he really didn't enjoy doing, and it wasn't even because he would have to carry the shopping bags or because of all the numerous stores and clothes that all looked the same.
It was because Claudia had a habit of stealing. She had money, yet she got her kicks from taking something without paying from it.
Aydan had found that out when they were leaving from a jewellery store and the alarm had started ringing. Claudia had simply told Aydan to run, and he had done like she asked.
When they had been panting a few blocks from the store, Claudia had admitted she just couldn't help doing it. Aydan had rigidly told her never to do that again, at least not when he was with her. She had promised, yet Aydan couldn't shake the fear of her doing it again.
Although, to be honest, it was a little bit about carrying the shopping bags and having to go to those stores looking for clothes that all looked the same too.
Aydan would have much rather spent the day at Claudia's or, if they had to be at the mall, going to a movie. If it wasn't he way he had behaved lately, he would have said no to the shopping, but now he had no other options.
''Hi.'' Claudia greeted Aydan with a sunny smile and hugged him.
''Hi.'' Aydan said and quickly pecked her lips. Claudia had clearly made an effort for her looks that day: she had taken new eyelash extensions and the lipstick on her lips was new to him. All the clothes she was wearing were also new, Aydan noticed. Not to mention the new Chanel handbag that put a final touch to her outfit.
''You've been shopping.'' Aydan noted, just stating a fact.
''Yeah, a bit, and I'm not done yet.'' Claudia laughed heartily and took his hand as they continued to some luxurious brand store. So, it was identical clothes after identical clothes for a couple of hours that felt like a lifetime.
Claudia kept asking questions like ''what about this?'' and ''which one looks better?'', so Aydan tried to keep his mind on his company. Not that he actually had any idea which lipstick shade was the best one or if Claudia should choose a pink or white skirt.
Finally, as Aydan's feet ached with exhaustion and there was simply no more space for the shopping bags in his hands, Claudia asked if they should go to eat something.
''What kind of food you fancy?'' She continued.
''Thai cuisine!'' Aydan exclaimed happily now that he had something he actually had an opinion about.
''You know I don't like spicy food.'' Claudia frowned.
''Oh, I forgot. Then what did you have in mind?'' Aydan asked, and soon they were having salads with smoked salmon fillets.
He couldn't help feeling disappointed as he chewed his salad: William would have taken me to that Thai restaurant. Actually it was a restaurant they chose almost every time when they fancied eating out after the practices.
Oh god, I actually miss him. Even when I'm with Claudia.
''Where's your mind?'' She asked and brought Aydan's mind back to the brightly lighted fancy restaurant.
''Just here and there.'' Aydan beat around the bush, because there was no way he was going to admit what he had just realised.
Claudia moved her hand over the table and fondled Aydan's hand. Apparently he had zoned out for some time, since that hand was no longer holding the fork he had been eating with.
''Are you sure you're okay? Are we okay?'' Claudia asked quietly.
''Don't think too much.'' Aydan answered, although he knew more than well that he should just tell her how he really felt.
''Okay.'' Claudia smiled, a sad look in her hazel eyes.
***
''Oh, hi, Aydan. Didn't you get my text?'' It was the first time he saw William's mom, Sophia, after that night at the hospital.
''What text?'' Aydan asked and started digging his phone from the pocket of his leather jacket.
''William is feeling poorly, so he can't practice with you today.'' Sophia explained, not waiting for him to read the text.
''What's wrong?'' Aydan immediately got alarmed. William always came to practices - even if he had the kind of head ache they couldn't actually practice - just to sit and talk with Aydan.
So that must mean something is really wrong this time..
''Nothing serious, just a flu, but he needs to rest.'' Sophia reassured Aydan, after seeing the panic in his eyes. She was wearing simple jeans and a black pullover and she was barefoot, which was not a look Aydan was used to see on her.
''Are you staying with him then?'' He asked, meaning that Sophia didn't look like she was going to leave for work anytime soon.
''I'm working from home today.'' She said.
''Can I see him anyway?'' Aydan asked then, and once he assured Sophia he wasn't afraid of getting sick as well, she let him in.
Aydan knocked on William's door, but once there was no answer, he walked straight in. William was sleeping, just like Aydan had assumed.
He sat on the office chair near William's bed and stole glances from his sleeping friend, not quite knowing if he should try to wake him up or not.
William stirred under the thick blanket. His brown hair was all mixed up and damp against his skin, but Aydan thought William looked even better with longer hair. He let his eyes wander on the lips that were slightly parted and the long dark lashes that rimmed the closed eyes, that looked a little bit ruddy against the pale skin.
Then Aydan's gaze strayed on the scars on William's forehead. The scars he often found himself looking at, but at the same time couldn't quite bear looking at.
Not because they would be ugly, but because they reminded him from all the horrible things William had had to go through. They reminded him of the head aches and the seizures. They reminded him of the blood on the mirror and at the edge of the washbasin. More than that, though, they were a living reminder of how Aydan had failed him.
Aydan wasn't clueless about the pain he had put William through, and if he could have taken back even a third of the hurtful words and actions, he would have. Even now he couldn't understand why he had acted the way he had acted, or why he had said all those awful things to his best friend.
But if there was any way he could somehow make up for those, he was going to do his everything. Absolutely every single possible thing there was to do. After all, Aydan had always -
''What are you doing here?'' William had opened his eyes tardily and was now staring right back at Aydan.
''Your mom said you can't come to practice today, so I wanted to see if you're okay.'' Aydan said casually.
''It's just a flu.'' William said, his voice hoarse and weak.
Aydan got up from the office chair and slumped on the bed next to William.
''What are you doing?'' William yelped, staring at his friend with wide eyes. Aydan shrugged and grinned mischievously.
''You'll get sick too.'' William wavered and sniffled. From this range Aydan could see his nose was ruddy as well.
''I ain't afraid of a little flu.'' He smiled and turned his head, so he could look at the ceiling instead. William did the same and so they just laid there in silence.
When they had been there for a good while, William turned to look at Aydan: ''Shouldn't you be at school?''
''Are you serious?'' Aydan laughed and turned his head so he could look at William as well.
''Why?'' William seemed baffled by his reaction.
''I graduated nearly a year ago.'' Aydan said, and it took a while before William put the pieces together.
''Oh shit, you did. Of course you did.'' He muttered and added even more quietly: ''And I wasn't there.''
''Yeah, that sucked.'' Aydan said half joking, a grin still on his lips.
''When are you going back to school?'' He asked after a pause. William was home schooled, but sooner or later he would have to return to the real college. William sighed and looked away.
''I don't know. Honestly, it scares the hell out of me.'' He sighed.
''Why?'' It was Aydan's turn to be surprised. Not because he didn't know about William's social anxiety or that he barely saw anyone these days, but because he wasn't expecting William to open up about it.
''No one there liked me in the first place, and now everyone just sees me as some traumatized and broken wreck.'' William mumbled.
Apparently it was easier to get him speak his mind when he was either sick or in pain. Not the ideal circumstances, but it was better than nothing.
''I'm sure they don't.'' Aydan said and added softly: ''You're not broken.''
William's eyes studied Aydan's face curiously, like he was trying to solve a puzzle. Then a smile broke on his face.
''Well, I kinda am.'' He laughed and then sniffled again. Somehow he seemed like he didn't mind about it. He was simply pointing it out.
Aydan smiled back and he didn't pressure William about the going-back-to-school matter.
''I've been thinking about breaking up with Claudia.'' He confessed instead, quietly and shocked about the fact he had actually said it out loud. William's eyes darkened for a moment and Aydan couldn't quite tell what was going on in his mind.
''I just don't want to hurt her any more than I already have.'' Aydan continued, since William clearly wasn't going to utter a word.
''Mm.'' William hummed, letting out a breath he had been holding.
''What do you think I should do?'' Aydan asked, but when he glanced at William, he realised his friend was already fast asleep.
Huh? I guess I just have to figure it out by myself then.
***
It was the time of the year, when you could never really say what you should be wearing when you left the house. Wearing a jacket was definitely too much, but wearing a t-shirt was often too little. So, usually you just ended up being either cold or sweating your ass off.
That afternoon Aydan was sweating in his dark grey pullover and black jeans. Still, he was all smiles. The smile on his lips had become more or less permanent now that William was letting him a little closer day by day.
The practices were Aydan's favourite times during the day. Right after the morning practice was over, he was already impatiently waiting to see William again later the day.
He had started working as a part-timer worker at the ice cream shop, the same one where the story began, and it was a great way to spend time in between the practices.
It was also a good excuse to not see Claudia as often. Although Aydan wasn't sure, if he actually wanted to break up with her, he wasn't too keen to make time for her either.
Maybe it was cruel of him, but if there was something to grant for him, it was that Claudia was also busy working. She was currently working at her dad's company and would probably stay there in the future as well.
Her parents still hadn't decided if the company would go to her or her brothers or to some third party, once her dad retired. It seemed that Claudia was more than willing to be the one to continue as a boss after her dad. Not that it was a current issue, since Jaxon Wright was still young.
Aydan didn't work at the ice cream shop for money, since he still had a steady flow of money from his parents, but it was nice to be able to actually do something for his living.
If he was after money, though, there would probably be a position for him in Matthew Davie's company. The aforesaid had cut out his hostility towards Aydan now that he could see the positive impact he had on William.
Working was still just a secondary thing to Aydan at that time, since he wanted to invest on swimming and coaching. William was probably the best possible person to train, because he gave his all to the sport and was more than eager to follow what Aydan had to say.
They were still following Coach's plan and they would keep doing that at least for a couple of months, until William could go back to train with the others.
Aydan was actually a bit sad knowing they wouldn't keep practicing with just them two for that much longer, but he was also really proud and happy for William.
The seizures had been gone entirely for nearly a month, which was a good sign. William didn't even have head aches as often and his records kept getting better and better. He would soon be ready to go back to the real pools.
The reason Aydan was sad was that those moments they spent at the pool meant the world to him. They would continue swimming together at the club, but it wasn't quite the same.
Anyway, Aydan didn't trouble himself by thinking about that now that he was on his way to the evening practices. He couldn't wait to see William smiling and he couldn't wait to tell about his day to him.
Aydan didn't have to disappoint, because this time William was waiting for him by the pool and he was in a good mood. Actually, he started smiling as soon as he saw Aydan. Words couldn't even begin to describe how happy it made Aydan to see William like that.
His mood had been better in general for some time now. Although he had worse days as well and some days he still seemed weary and melancholic, not really wanting to talk with Aydan.
''Ready to break records?'' Aydan hollaed as soon as he was near enough for William to hear him.
''You bet.'' William grinned.
Oh, he's definitely in a good mood.
Actually William was in such a good mood, they could barely concentrate on swimming and they definitely didn't make new records. What they did was play around in the water: William splashed water on Aydan and Aydan returned the favour by splashing even more water on William.
''Okay, okay, I surrender!'' William exclaimed and dried to swim away.
''Oh, no you don't!'' Aydan laughed and followed after him.
He reached William with two swift kicks and without thinking wrapped his hands around William to make sure he couldn't get away. At first he stiffened, almost like the touch was hurting him, but then he relaxed.
''What are you doing?'' William laughed and tried to turn to look at Aydan. Instead Aydan pressed their bodies together and hugged William firmly.
''You're not going anywhere.'' He laughed and grinned widely. Aydan's heart was beating like crazy, but it was probably just because of the physical exertion.
He lifted his arm on top of William's left chest, not really thinking about what he was doing - and if possible, William's heart was beating even faster.
''Hey..'' William breathed surprisedly.
That's when Aydan realised he was actually hugging his friend, pressing William's back against his chest and holding his hand on top of William's heart. Aydan laughed awkwardly and loosened his arms, so that William could turn to look at him.
William's face was flushed, and Aydan had no doubt his was at least as red, and for a while they just looked at each other. Then William broke the spell by laughing, heartily, and they continued their water fight like nothing had happened.
They did get some practice in, but it was after they had laughed and fooled around for a good while. No new records were made, but it was the best practice Aydan had ever had in his life.