Two years ago Aydan had been walking in the school yard, on his way to a math exam, when he heard two guys talking loudly about William.
The taller one had scoffed: ''Yeah well, it's not like he's going to say anything. William's such a sissy. A sissy fag. I bet he's fucking with —''
Aydan hadn't listened the rest of the story, when his fist was already on its way to that guy's face.
''What the fuck was that for?'' The guy's friend had asked angrily before recognising him as William's best friend. They were always together even at school back then, so everyone knew they were a team.
''Don't you ever say that again, are we clear? If you do, I'll break your fucking face.'' Aydan had snarled, meaning every word, and the two younger guys had apologised plentifully.
It was just a small incident, some might even say inane, but it was where all the drama started in the first place. It was Aydan who started it, and it wasn't because he fell in love with a pretty girl and unwittingly broke William's heart.
Well, the latter was unintentional, because Aydan didn't know about William's feelings. He had had a little hunch about William thinking about him more than a friend, but it wasn't anything he actually believed in.
The Claudia part then, that was intentional. It was because he was still not ready to face the real feelings lurking underneath, that made him to go out with her in the first place.
After hearing what the others had said about William, Aydan had thought he was protecting him when he brought in a pretty girl to put an end to the rumours, but in reality he was only protecting himself. He had been a coward and he knew that now.
He had met Claudia when he was at the mall with Brian, who happened to be Josh's friend. When the two other guys talked, Claudia started flirting with Aydan and as he was offered such an opportunity, of course he had to take it.
Their relationship was bogus for him at first, since he already had someone else he had feelings for, but at some point he did fall for her too. Maybe not falling for her like falling in love, yet it became real at some point.
However his feelings for Claudia weren't strong enough to keep him from thinking about William just a little bit more than a friend. Yes, Aydan had already liked William for some time before that small incident at school. Nor had he ever ceased to like him.
Aydan wasn't gay like William, but rather a bisexual. So, that been said, Aydan did like guys too and he knew that when he started dating Claudia.
It all had seemed like such a good idea back then. Aydan would get to date a girl so beautiful it made others envy him and no one would keep implying that William was gay and in love with him. Moreover, no one would know Aydan was bi, so it would be a win-win situation for everyone. Except it wasn't.
No matter how much Aydan tried to reassure himself he had feelings just for Claudia, it never lasted. When it didn't, and Aydan's feelings for William came forth, he needed to take distance from him again. Then the longing for his best friend would become too much and he needed to see him again.
It was unfair to William, who was visibly miserable because of his behaviour and it was unfair to Claudia, who only had half of Aydan's heart.
Aydan had seen the pain William was in: the dark circles under his eyes, the listless look on his face, all the things William thought he could hide from him.
If you didn't count the assault, that day when he said all those awful things to William and later found out he had fought with his mom too — that was what Aydan still couldn't forgive himself for. He probably never would.
All those things he had put William through, he could never overlook as something he did because he didn't know better. He did, and that was what made all those acts unforgivable.
Nevertheless, once Aydan had started, he couldn't bring himself to stop it. Until, of course, that evening at the clubhouse. It was the first time Aydan truly realised he could lose William, if he didn't stop acting the way he had been acting.
The worst part was that he could have lost William for good, as in have to go to his funeral and spending the rest of his life mourning and hating himself for enabling the assault to happen.
So, afterwards there wasn't really a choice to make. Aydan would always choose William, if he had to pick between Claudia or losing his best friend. His best friend that hadn't been just a friend for him for a long time.
Yet, Aydan had been scared and in denial. He had lied to others so many times, he almost believed those lies himself. He almost believed he had no feelings for William, until Claudia eventually dared him to try kissing William. Once he did, well, it was impossible to turn back anymore.
What a horrible farce Aydan had made just to make sure no one knew about his sexuality. At the end of the day, that was the only substantial reason behind his stupid plan. It had all gotten so horribly wrong, and now he had lost both Claudia and William for good.
***
''Okay, first of all, slow down.'' Brian put his hand on top of Aydan's glass, forcing him to take a break from the continuous drinking.
Despite hanging around in the rock music business and looking like a rockstar, Brian didn't drink or smoke. He said it was because he didn't need to: substances scarcely made him feel any different and he just didn't see a point to waste his health and youth with something that didn't even bring him any pleasure.
''So, you finally did it?'' Brian asked.
''Did what?'' Aydan muttered and snatched the glass from his friend's hand.
''Confessed your feelings to him. I thought you were never going to do it.'' Brian continued giving Aydan, who just gulped down the rest of the liquor, a disapproving look.
''Don't tell me you've known all this time?'' Aydan sighed and impatiently dashed his hair off his face.
''You might be slow-witted, but I'm not. So, how was it?'' Brian lectured.
''Fuck you. How was what? It was the best sex I've ever had, but I doubt that's what you're asking. Besides, this is totally off the point. William is angry at me and I have no idea why.'' Aydan muttered.
He was getting drunk, but he was still way too far from being wasted, which was what he came there to do.
It was still early, somewhere around 5 pm, so the bar was nearly empty. The music was also quiet enough for them to talk without having to yell.
Aydan had wanted to sit at the bar counter, but Brian had guided them to the table in a corner, probably to keep him further from the booze. Brian was quiet for some time, thinking through everything Aydan had told him about the things that led them to sit at that corner table.
''That's the thing actually. He doesn't sound angry to me.'' He said eventually.
''Then what was it all about?'' Aydan got interested.
''I think he might have been scared.'' Brian said.
''Scared? Of what?'' Aydan mistrusted the theory.
''I don't know. Maybe Claudia sent the other Wrights to bully him.'' Brian said.
''Yeah, like her mom and dad?'' Aydan laughed joylessly.
''Well, more like her brothers.'' Brian shrugged, indicating he wasn't being serious.
''Riiight, sure thing. I was together with her like a year and a half and I never saw any of them.'' Aydan thought out loud and staggered to the bar counter to get second helping for his drink.
''I remember the second oldest from the trio. What was his name.. Carson? Anyway, I heard they're in town.'' Brian also seemed to be thinking out loud, not really addressing his words to anyone.
''She has three brothers?'' Aydan asked. There was something familiar about that. Maybe he had asked Claudia about them sometimes or maybe she had shown him a picture of them.
''Yup.'' Brian answered and then they both seemed to get lost in their thoughts. Aydan picked up his phone and started browsing it, making Brian follow in his footsteps.
Aydan wasn't actually looking for anything, and he wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but somehow he ended up opening Instagram. It was an app he didn't use too often, just like many of his friends didn't, but it was something you could browse through mindlessly. Mindless was what Aydan needed right then. How he ended up stalking Claudia's profile, he had no idea, but he was glad he did.
Or not glad, not really.
Three brothers. Three brothers Claudia never talked about and who Aydan had never seen. There was a picture where all the four of them posed to the camera. The picture was taken about a year back, and it had nearly 500 likes.
Two of the brothers had brown hair and green eyes just like Claudia's, but one of them had bleached buzzcut. A bleached buzzcut.
''No way.'' Aydan breathed, nearly choking on his drink. ''No fucking way.''
What Aydan had just realised was nearly insane, and it was most likely not true. Still, it was too much of a coincidence to be nothing at all. He didn't actually believe Claudia had anything to do with it, not her Claudia who wouldn't hurt a fly..
''Do you have your car?'' Aydan asked then, already on his feet.
''Yeah, why?'' Brian got up too, not quite following what Aydan had in mind.
''This is totally crazy, but I need you to take me somewhere.'' Aydan said.
Aydan was in such a haste, Brian nearly had to run to keep up with him. Brian's car wasn't a Mercedes-Benz or a Porsche, it was an old Kia, with a dented bumper. When Brian switched on the engine, it wasn't whirring softly, it was making the sounds of a cat being tortured. None of that mattered, though, as long as it took Aydan where he needed to go.
''Can you tell me where we're going and what you're gonna do?'' Brian asked, when they were halfway to their destination.
He had the address of course, but that wasn't what he was asking. Aydan explained him as well as he could, but Brian didn't exactly sound convinced.
''How drunk are you? You know I was just kidding..'' He said.
''I know it's crazy, but I have to make sure.'' Aydan said, and by then he wasn't feeling drunk at all. He wasn't sure what he was going to say or do when he was there, but he would figure something out as soon as he saw her. He wasn't going to accuse her or anything like that, he just had to make sure. He just had to know.
Before Brian had even stopped the car, Aydan had already opened the door and jumped off. It wasn't like the car was moving full speed or anything, but Brian wasn't pleased with his behaviour.
''This won't take long!'' Aydan called out and flounced to the gate, ringing the door phone for the second time in such a short time.
''What?'' This time Claudia was wearing full makeup and she was dressed nicely. Not in a way she dressed when she went clubbing, more like a charity event or a fancy restaurant way.
She didn't look sad, she looked pissed of, like Aydan was the last person she wanted to see. Not that Aydan could have blamed her, after all he had broken up with her the night before.
''I don't love you anymore.'' sounded harsh now that Aydan had had to hear his own version of those words just some hours ago..
This is the last time you're going to see me, don't worry.
''You didn't have anything to do with William's assault, right?'' When the words came out from Aydan's mouth, they sounded both accusative and doubtful.
''Of course not. Why?'' She had an expression that was impossible to read on her face.
''I saw the attackers. There were three of them and one had short bleached hair.. and I just saw a picture of your brothers.'' Aydan explained, trying to sound as casual as possible. He had been drinking, but he wasn't there to make a scene. It was the last thing Claudia deserved.
''It worked the first time.'' Claudia said eventually.
''What?'' Aydan croaked.
What happened next was so inconceivable, Aydan had no other option than to keep staring at her.
One moment Claudia had her usual pure-in-heart facial expression, then it kind of dropped. One moment she was staring at Aydan, her face full of disbelief and vulnerability — then her face turned to stone. Claudia's face lost all its expressiveness and the warmth of her eyes turned calculating.
''He just wouldn't stay away, would he?'' She said, annoyed, and then repeated impatiently: ''I said it worked the first time.''
''What worked the first time?'' Aydan asked and he wasn't so sure, if he wanted to know the answer anymore.
''You didn't want to go to the quiz without him, but I and he didn't want him to come with, so all I needed to do was to slip a little something in his drink.'' Claudia said.
Everything from her expressions to the way she talked was so completely different, it would have been fascinating, if it hadn't been so terrifying.
''You — drugged him?'' Aydan stared at her, his eyes wide from shock.
''It worked. William got to go home, I got to go to the quiz with just you and you got to stay in the swimming club, so it was good for us all.'' She reasoned.
''You could have killed him.'' Aydan exclaimed.
''Well, I didn't.'' Claudia shrugged. Then it seemed like she got excited by hearing her voice, by saying what she really had in mind without the limitations of her role.
''They're all just a bunch of idiots, you know. Easy to coax. Aubree is so insecure because she's fat. Brooke is actually just a foul-mouthed hag in a fancy dress, hoping people would forget what she said if she looked pretty enough. Josh is an alcoholic junkie, who thinks he'd someday actually be someone — well maybe, if he could keep the cap on. And George, oh, George..'' She just kept on talking, every word spat out like poison.
''George is a whore. All he needed was a little persuasion, and he actually believed William liked it rough. A few words and he's already stuffing his hands under William's shirt. I mean, he's handsome, but he's such a fool.'' Claudia laughed. She was actually finding the words she said funny.
''If you hate them so much, why are you hanging out with them?'' Aydan was feeling nauseated and he was afraid the drinks were about to come up.
''They're useful. They do whatever I say, if I just say it really, really nicely.'' Claudia answered.
She's sick.. That's sick.
''What's wrong with you? You can't just play with other people's lives.'' Aydan cried out.
''What? You did it too.'' Claudia laughed, and then continued, imitating Aydan's voice: '''You think you're so much better than us, because you have money and a bright future, but really you're just an asocial brat.'''
Aydan winced like the words could physically hurt him: ''But it was you who made me believe those things.. I didn't mean any of it.''
''Maybe they were my words, but it was you who said them.'' Claudia answered.
Aydan remember the night they had been smoking at the balcony of his apartment and Claudia had held back tears asking why William didn't like her or the group ''no matter how much she tried to be nice to him''.
''And the assault?'' Aydan's voice sounded strangled and alien in his ears.
He had came there thinking he would just offend Claudia with his senseless ideas, but here he was, hearing things he wouldn't have even thought to hear in his nightmares. This was worse than any nightmare could ever be.
''All it took was a little cry and a little lie. I told Cole William had threatened me, because I was trying to steal you from him. It's surprising how little it takes to make them believe.. Especially Chase, he just loved to get his hands on 'a dirty faggot' — his words, not mine — who had hurt his innocent little sister.'' Claudia continued.
Aydan clenched his fists, pressing his nails in his palms. It was all he could do to not do something much worse.
''Maybe they went a little overboard, but they did give him a good lesson.'' Claudia wondered, casually like she was talking about what she was having for dinner instead of beating someone half-dead.
''But he just wouldn't stay away. He was still going to steal you from me, no matter what. I should have bashed his skull myself and finish the job.'' She continued just as lightly.
''We couldn't use real blood, but I think it did send a clear message.'' Claudia said then, amused and visibly proud of herself.
''What message?'' Aydan's throat felt dry like a sandpaper.
''Oh, I don't know. Didn't you see him today?'' Claudia laughed.
The image of William from earlier the day came to Aydan's mind: his ashen face, the tears on his cheeks. ''He might have been scared.''
''What did you do?'' Aydan was yelling now. He grabbed Claudia from the collar of her shirt, not caring if she was a girl or not: ''What did you do?!''
Then Brian was there, tearing him away from Claudia. It was probably for the best, because at that moment Aydan was so angry and so distraught, he could have done anything. Literally anything.
''It doesn't matter. You have no proof, and even if you did, we have money. I'm practically invincible.'' Claudia smirked, not troubling herself about Brian being able to hear what she said. She truly believed she was above the law.
You messed with the wrong guy..
''You might have money, but William has more.'' Aydan looked at her and a cold smirk spread on his lips, his blue eyes cold as ice: ''Do you know his last name?''
''No?'' Claudia asked, the smug look not faltering the least.
''It's Davies. Does the name Matthew Davies say anything to you?'' Aydan asked. For a moment it seemed to have no impact on her, but slowly the smile died from her lips and the colour drained from her cheeks.
***
A/N: Did you guess she was behind everything? I hope it wasn't too obvious..