A/N – I'm so pleased to hear all the positive responses about my last update. As I said I was very unsure about it all. Thank you for all the kind reviews and such like, they're a great help. I use them as a guide to where I should/can take the story, so thank you! I hope you enjoy this update. All I can say is that it will be a long journey for the both them, this is only the start!
So disappointed with Emmerdale tonight. No Aaron, bad times. But double episode tomorrow night!
So yes, thank you. Please read and review.
He was shaking. He couldn't get his breathing back to normal as he took quick shaky breaths. He was surprised he was able to drive and hadn't driven the truck into a ditch already. His vision was blurred as tears pooled at the bottom of his eyes threatening to fall. He was a mess, a pathetic mess. He swiped his eyes dry, swerving the pick-up truck. Nearly crashing into a low stone wall, he decided it was best if he pulled over. Cain would kill him if he crashed the garage's truck. He was in no state to drive. He needed to calm himself down.
Aaron switched the engine off and took slow deep breaths, attempting to block out the feel of Darrel's hands all over him. His hands trembled as he rubbed them over his skull, trying to knead the images out of his head, anything to make him forget. He stared down at his clothes. They were ripped and torn, red marks adorned his torso and blood stained his knuckles and t-shirt. He looked up to see himself in the rear view mirror, expecting worse. His lips were swollen and split, his cheek swelled and blood was trickling down his forehead from a gash in his hair line. Darrel had really done a number on him.
Anger suddenly consuming him, Aaron lashed out at the steering wheel, smacking his fists into it before breaking down and sobbing. He felt sick. A huge knot twisted in his stomach and made him feel ashamed, dirty.
No! He wasn't going to let Darrel get to him like this. So what, he'd been a little forceful in his approach? Aaron was a tough guy he could look after himself. Darrel hadn't really done anything. He hadn't actually raped him. So why was he letting it get to him so much. He shouldn't let it. He needed to get a grip on himself. Aaron switched the radio off and started the engine again. He couldn't stand the sound of it any longer. All the way back he tried to form a plan in his head.
He was going to go back to Smithy and he hoped and prayed that nobody would be in. Then he was going to grab a shower, change his clothes, bin them, and burn them for all he cared and, then go back to work. He needed a lie to cover up for his face and why he'd taken more than needed for a job like that. He hadn't realized he'd been out so long, well over two hours. He'd had to find the bloody car and then Darrel . . . No, he wasn't going to think about it. He would tell Cain that he got into a fight. Yeah, that would do. Everyone would expect that of him, it wasn't as if he was completely lying. He'd had to fight to get him off of him. But Jackson, Jackson didn't stand for violence. He didn't want to lose him, but he couldn't exactly tell him what had happened. Darrel had said that he'd been giving him the come on- He hadn't though! Still, he couldn't tell Jackson. He'd caused enough drama between them in the short time he'd known him. But he couldn't hide it from him either. His head was a mess as he argued with himself.
He was thankful to see Paddy's car not in the drive when he pulled up outside the front lawn. He didn't look to see who was around as he quickly jumped out and ran in. He climbed the stairs two at a time and slammed the bathroom door closed behind him, locking it. He hadn't seen or heard anyone at home so he presumed Jackson was still at work and Hazel must have been out with bob or something. He didn't care. He only wanted to get clean. He ditched his clothes on the floor and jumped in the shower, scrubbing ferociously at his skin until he was red raw. He could still feel him. He still felt dirty. His skin still crawled at the thought of Darrel running his hands along his body.
Aaron jumped out of his skin when he heard the front door slam shut downstairs. It was Jackson. He always slammed doors close. Paddy and Hazel both knew how to close a door properly; they'd been on to the two of them for not being able to not shake the house when they left a room.
"Aaron?" Jackson called up the stairs. He'd seen Aaron park the truck and run inside from Dale head while he was collecting something from his van. He hadn't seen the mechanic all morning and thought it odd when Cain and Ryan had told him he'd been gone for ages. "Aaron?"
"Yeah?" Aaron answered freezing.
"What are you doing?" Jackson asked, now on the other side of the bathroom door. He could hear the shower running. What was Aaron doing having a shower in the middle of the day?
Aaron could feel his heart speed up as he began to panic. Why was he panicking? "Having a shower."
Puzzled Jackson said, "In the middle of the day? It's a bit odd."
"Yeah well. . ." Aaron called back. "I- I. . . Jackson-."
"Can I come in?" Jackson interrupted, noticing the shake in his boyfriend's voice. Something wasn't right.
"No." Aaron answered quickly, bottling it. He was then going to tell Jackson. He kicked himself mentally for not being able to.
"Why not?" Jackson sulked.
"I'm now getting out and you need to go back to work." Aaron told him.
"Alright. I'll see you tonight then." Jackson whined, seeing Aaron's point. "Oh and Cain said he's going to kill you when you get back."
When Aaron was certain he could hear the front door close behind Jackson, he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel securely round his waist. He dragged his forearm across one of the bathroom cabinet windows, clearing the steam. The shower had dealt with the blood, but it hadn't helped the bruising now forming on his left cheek and his split lip. Seeing his clothes strewn across the floor he quickly scooped them up and shoved them into the bottom of the laundry basket. He would get rid of them later. He needed to get himself sorted and back to work soon, before anyone else thought something was up. He'd bottled it when he was about to tell Jackson exactly why he was in the shower scrubbing his skin sore in the middle of the day when he should be at work. He was going to tell him. But he couldn't. For some reason he couldn't let the words past his lips.
He'd managed to find some clothes that covered up the red marks on his neck and arms. The young mechanic had found a pull over hoodie in his wardrobe. He'd never seen it before; it might have been Jackson's. He only chose it because he could pull the neck up a bit higher to cover his throat where red marks tainted his pale skin. As usual he put on a pair of clean trackies and left for work. He hadn't even had lunch yet, but the thought of it only turned his stomach at the moment. His heart was thundering as he drove the pick-up truck back down to the garage. He could see Cain standing inside, glaring at him, ready to lecture him as soon as he stepped foot onto the gravel. Ryan wasn't there, most probably gone for his lunch.
"What took you so long?" Cain started marching up to him.
He kept his head bowed.
"Look at me." Cain snapped. Nothing got past his Uncle. Slowly he looked up at him, revealing his injuries. "What happened?" He asked surprised. "Please don't tell me you got into a fight with a customer. . ."
Aaron didn't say anything. What could he say?
"Aaron. . ." Cain threatened.
He shrugged.
"You're an idiot you know that!" Cain shouted taking Aaron's silence as a yes. "That's the last call out you're going on. I'm not letting you any where near the customers from now. I bet you didn't get paid either!"
Aaron shook his head.
"Great! You've been gone well over two hours and you come back with no money." Cain scolded. "You're making this up. Everyday this week, you're doing over time."
"Whatever." Aaron mumbled before side stepping him and going inside the garage.
"I take twinkle toes hasn't see you yet then?" Cain called after him with a smirk. He liked to cause trouble. "Doesn't like violence does he?"
Aaron glared at Cain, waiting to hear what else he had to say. He wouldn't cause trouble between them would he? He could see Adam walking down the gravel forecourt.
"Don't worry, I won't say nout. I'll tell him you and Adam got in scruff if that helps." Cain offered as he too saw Adam walk past.
"Eh?" Adam asked, confused.
"Just saying to Aaron here." Cain said gesturing to the state of Aaron. "I could tell Jackson that you and him got in a scruff if Jackson's asks."
"What? Why? What's happened?" Adam asked them both, looking from Cain to Aaron. He noticed the bruising on his friends face.
"Aaron decided to get on the wrong side of one our customers." Cain enlightened him.
"Leave it Cain." Aaron said as he sort through a box of parts.
"Aaron?" Adam questioned.
"Just got into a fight, that's all." Aaron told him, hoping he'd leave it at that.
"Are you stupid? You've just finished community pay back, you could end up inside." Adam scolded.
Aaron shrugged. Right now he didn't give a toss.
"I'm not covering for you Aaron." Adam told him. He hated lying.
"Good, I never asked ya to." Aaron snapped.
Both boys were interrupted by the garage phone ringing. Seeing as he was the closest to it. Aaron picked it up.
"Hello, Dingle Automotives." Aaron answered.
"Aaron, you left me stranded." Darrel's voice sounded. He felt sick. The older man had a nerve to call the garage, where he worked. He didn't think as he hung up the phone and fought the urge to throw up. His hands were trembling. He needed to gain some self control before sparking concerns in his friend.
"Aaron, what was that about?" Adam asked his friend looking at him concerned.
"Wrong number." Aaron said as he stormed out the garage towards a car he'd been working on earlier.
The garage phone started ring again. Please don't let it be him, please, Aaron thought as he held his breath.
"I'll get that shall I?" Cain announced sarcastically as he looked over at Aaron. He wasn't picking it up. What if it was Darrel again?
When his nephew didn't move, Cain sighed and marched inside. "Hello, Dingle automotives."
Aaron could only here Cain's side of the conversation; he strained his ears even to hear him.
"Yeah. . . Okay, sorry about that. I'll come over now." Cain apologized down the phone before hanging up and marching over to Aaron. "Keys!" He demanded with his hand held out. "Keys Aarons!"
"What?" Aaron stuttered. Since when did he stutter? It was usually Paddy who done that when someone was frightening him.
"Pick up truck. I need the keys." Cain told him. "That customer you got in a fight with, he needs picking up."
His stomach hit the floor. Darrel wasn't coming back here was he? He reached into his pockets and pulled out the keys, shakily holding them out to Cain who snatched them from his hands.
"Now, can I trust you look after this place while I'm gone?" Cain asked him dryly.
Aaron nodded his head. If he could he wouldn't be back here when Cain came back with Darrel and his car. But he couldn't. He'd just have to keep it together and deal with it. Like he told himself before he could. He wasn't a girl. So Darrel had punched him round a bit, he'd gotten worse before.
"Aaron?. . . Aaron!" Adam shouted in his face. He'd been calling his name a few times now, since Cain had driven off. The young mechanic had gone off into a gaze staring at the stone wall in front of him.
"What?" Aaron snapped angrily, embarrassed to be caught staring off into thin air.
"You alright mate?" Adam asked him reaching out to touch his arm.
Aaron flinched back before regaining his composure. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He growled.
"No reason." Adam said quietly. "I'll see you later then."
"Yeah." Aaron snapped before ducking his head under the car bonnet.
Realizing Aaron wasn't in the best of moods to talk to Adam left him to it. He'd learnt before now not to irritate a moody Aaron. But the teen's behavior had knocked him slightly. He was on edge. He made note to come back later and see if Aaron was okay, if he wanted to talk about anything. He just hoped that when Jackson saw the state of Aaron and learnt how he come about to look like that, there wouldn't be eruptions. He knew how much the older man cared for Aaron, but he also knew that he didn't stand for violence. He just hoped Aaron wouldn't get hurt, he'd been put through enough the past few months.