Secret
Disclaimer - Emmerdale & its characters do not belong to me, they belong to ITV
Some would say it was a classic love story, the same love story that happened in each generation from the beginning of time. One popular and one a not so popular bad boy who most people tried to avoid at all costs, who just happen to meet and fall in love with one another and maybe in that sense it could be seen as a classic love story but for them, it was anything but simple and anything but easy. They had a number of obstacles to get over before they could be together, before they would admit their feelings to one another. It didn't come easy, their love for each other or maybe it did but admitting that they were in fact in love with one another didn't come easy for them. It all started one cold, rainy night in October.
Jackson Walsh is a seventeen year old senior; he plays football and is one of the most popular guys at Hotten High School. The thing about Jackson is that he's not a horrible guy; in fact he's the opposite. He's a nice, easy going guy that gets on with everyone, or at least he tries to but with his popularity some people think otherwise and there's always rumours going around about him but he ignores them. He knows who he is, what he is and he doesn't care what anyone else thinks. He's gay, he knows he's gay by the fact that no girl has ever really turned him on, guys have though but never girls, he knows he's gay but he hasn't done anything about it, not yet. He'd never really been attracted to another guy all that much, he'd found them good looking but nothing worth pursuing. Once, a couple of months ago he had attempted visiting a gay bar but he had been sixteen at the time and had lasted less than an hour inside before he was thrown out. He decided there and then that he probably wouldn't go back to another gay bar before he was eighteen. He didn't want the embarrassment of being thrown out and then there was the fact that he still had to come out, to his Mum, his Dad and his friends. That was the one thing he wasn't looking forward to, the coming out part.
Aaron Livesy on the other hand was a seventeen year old teenage tearaway who would show up at school if and when he felt like it which wasn't really all that often. He didn't like school. He didn't much see the point in it but for reason unknown to him he was still there, barely. He was leaving at Christmas though, he was going to be a mechanic. His Mother had managed to swing getting him a job at his cousins garage, it would be much better than school but until then he would make as much trouble in school as possible. It's what he found to pass his time, better than sitting in stupid lessons that didn't interest him. He didn't have many friends in school; in fact he didn't have many friends in general. Just one, a farmer called Adam Barton, he was his best friend but he wasn't at school, he left at sixteen, something Aaron had wanted to do but Paddy, the guy he lives with, had said that he would have to stay on until he was closer to eighteen because it was the right thing to do. He still doesn't know why he listened to the older man, maybe it was because Paddy seemed to actually care about his well being, unlike his Mother who ran off with the 'love of her life' and left her living with his ex. He preferred it but it still didn't stop it from being annoying, he hated Carl, his Mother's boyfriend and therefore he hated his Mother too. Aaron knew why he acted the way he did and he didn't like it. In fact he would barely even admit it to himself but somewhere, deep down inside himself he knew he was gay but would he admit it? Hell no, he was never going to go there with a guy, he was sure of it. He just didn't bank on meeting the one guy that was going to throw his world into a spin and change his life and it all happened because of him and his tendency to take cars that didn't belong to him for a joy ride.
Xxx
It was a dark, cold and rainy October night, almost Halloween when they first met. Jackson had been at school late, he was preparing for a football game the following Saturday and it was almost ten when he headed towards the car park, saying goodbye to his coach who was parked in the staff car parked. The closer he got to his car the more he could hear noises coming from somewhere in the car park, he wasn't sure where though. It was a few minutes later, when he could clearly see his car that he realised where the noise had in fact been coming from. There was someone trying to break into his car.
"Hey!" he yelled out as he jogged towards the car. If whoever it was had heard him he or she didn't show it, they carried on with what they were doing and a few minutes later he watched as his car door was open.
"Are you deaf!" he called out just as whoever it was turned around. He froze, he actually couldn't move and he felt as if someone had just punched him in the stomach winding him. The guy stood in front of him, the guy currently stealing his car was gorgeous, at least with the street lamp and the dark he seemed flippin' gorgeous.
"What do you want?" a gruff voice barked at him after a few minutes of silence and the two of them staring at each other, whoever this was clearly wasn't bothered by being caught.
Snapping himself out of his daydream and finding his voice Jackson says "What the hell are you doing?"
The lad merely grins and says "what's it look like?" he slips into the car and starts fiddling about, Jackson can only stand and stare in shock. He's shocked that whoever this kid is, he's so obvious about stealing his car and not caring that he has been caught.
"Looks like you're stealing my car"
The lad jumps back out and grins "you catch on quick" he rolls his eyes "You've got insurance right?"
Jackson nods "Well?" the lad says "What are you worried about"
"You can't be stealing my car" Jackson says moving closer, grabbing hold of the door only for this lad to laugh and nod "I am" he states clearly "and there's not a lot you can do about it, now excuse me" with that the lad pulls the door from Jackson's grasp and pulls it closed, a couple of seconds later he pulls out the car park leaving Jackson stood in the middle of it wondering what the hell had just happened.
Jackson watches as his car pulls out of the car park, he's stunned. He's stunned by what just happened but more than that he's stunned by the way his stomach is churning. Quickly though he puts it down to shock and nervousness. It couldn't be anything else because this lad, whoever he was, had just stolen his car and he was unlikely ever to see him again.
The rain is coming down heavy as he starts his walk home, he doesn't live that far, about a fifteen minute walk and he knows he should call the police, tell them his car has been stolen and give a description of the guy that had stolen it but for some reason he can't. He doesn't want the lad getting caught; he was giving him a head start. As soon as he got home though he would have to report it, his Mum and Dad would make him, maybe that's why instead of the fifteen minutes it usually took for him to get home, it took thirty.
Xxx
It was just after ten when he had gotten home and managed to explain to his Mother and Father how his car hadn't been there when he had left school. He missed out the part about seeing someone steal it or rather, talking to the person that had stolen it. They would have asked why he hadn't stopped them and what was he to say? 'Because I kinda thought he was hot and was too busy staring at him to care what he was doing to my car?' he was pretty sure that wouldn't have gone down too well, especially since neither one of his parents knew he was gay.
They'd called the police and given them all the details they could once they had arrived at the house, the policemen had been sympathetic and when asked by his Mother whether or not they thought they would get the car back in once piece the policeman had merely shrugged and said "I hope so" but by his tone Jackson could tell that he meant 'probably not' but for some reason Jackson didn't think his car was going to be a wreck once found. The lad that had stolen it didn't look like he was about to torch it but whatever happened there was nothing Jackson could do about it now. He'd have to wait and see how his car came back to him, if it came back to him.
To say he was surprised that a police car had pulled up outside of his house the next again morning would be an understatement, he thought it would be a while before he heard from them again, at least a couple of days but not less than twenty four hours. They'd found the car, it was the same way Jackson had left it they guessed because nothing had happened to it. It had just been abandoned on stretch of road between two villages. They guessed that whoever had stolen it must have been picked up in another car and no longer had need for his. They didn't torch it but they had wiped it off fingerprints.
They informed Jackson that he could pick it up later that day but his Dad had said he would pick it up and that Jackson should go to school, the car would be there when he got back. So that's exactly what he did. He headed to school, walking. Whilst walking though he couldn't get the lad out of his mind. Yeah, he'd stolen his car, he should hate him or something but he just wanted to see him again. In the day light so he could see if he was as good looking as the street lamp and the night lighting had made him out to be but Jackson knew it was unlikely that he would see him again. He was more than likely just passing through.
At school he told his mates all about how his car had been stolen which is why he would be walking to school he also left out telling them about the fact that he had seen who had taken it but as he hadn't told the police he wasn't about to tell them. They were shocked; at least a couple of them were whilst a couple of other's said "It was probably that Livesy, I hear he steals cars"
"Livesy?" Jackson asks, he'd never heard of that name before "Yeah" his friend says "You know that kid that barely ever turns out, he causes most of the trouble around here"
No, Jackson didn't know. He had no clue who his friends were talking about, how could he not know? He caught himself just before asking 'What does he look like' because why would he want to know that? He'd just have to find out for himself what this Livesy looked like, one way or another. His head told him it wasn't going to be the same guy because what would he have been doing hanging around the school at that time of night anyway?
Xxx
Lunchtime and Jackson had put thoughts of his car, the guy that had stolen it and whoever this Livesy person was to the back of his mind, or at least he was trying hard to do exactly that. He had been managing it that was until his friend nudged him and said "that's him"
"Him who?" Jackson asks, looking around but having no clue who it is he's meant to be looking at exactly.
"Aaron Livesy" his mate points out; he points at a shaven head lad around his age standing over the far side of the field "the kid that probably stole your car"
"Oh...right" Jackson answers, he can't take his eyes off of the lad his mate had pointed out. It was dark last night and he couldn't really see much but he was sure that this was him. It was him. He knew it was. There was no two way about it. This Aaron Livesy had been the one to steal his car. How come he had never noticed him before? How was it possible? He wasn't sure but clearly it had been possible because Jackson had never seen this lad before except for the current two times, last night and right now.
"Coming?"
"Uh..." Jackson says, distracted "In a bit, I need to do something"
"Alright" his friend nods before walking away, leaving Jackson on his own. With his friend gone Jackson can once again focus on Aaron, but he's no longer where he had been a few seconds previously.
He spots him though; he's walking across the field in the opposite direction to the school. Without really thinking it through he's sprinting towards him as fast as he possibly can, throwing his backpack over his shoulder as he goes. As he's running he's wondering just what the hell he's going to say, he has no idea how this Aaron is going to react to him catching him, to him talking to him. He suddenly thinks this is the worst idea he's ever had but he's closer to him now and he's calling out "Aaron" before he can even think about stopping himself. Aaron hears him though, he can tell by the way the other lad freezes as soon as his name is called. He swallows the lump in his throat as Aaron turns around, if he wasn't sure Aaron was the lad from last night, he was now.
Xxx
Aaron's eyes widen when he turns around. He had heard someone calling out his name, he didn't recognised the voice and he wasn't going to stop but eventually he stops, his body tensing before he turns around. He's prepared for a fight, an argument because who else would be shouting on him? He doesn't expect to find the lad from last night when he turns around though, how did he know his name? And how on earth did he know it was him? Maybe he didn't? Aaron didn't know but he was going to play it cool, not stick himself in it.
When he turns around and sees it's the lad from last night, whose name he does not know he watches as this lad swallows hard. What was wrong with him? In the daylight Aaron could get a better look at him. Last night he had seen him but it had been dark so he hadn't managed to get a good look but the lad was fit. He was about six foot, dirty blonde hair, brown eyes and if Aaron was anywhere near to admitting he was in fact gay he would admit he was attracted to him but he wasn't and he wouldn't.
"What do you want?" he barks at the lad "and how do you know my name"
"Do you remember me?"
His head says Yes but his mouth said "Should I?"
"You stole my car last night"
"Nah, not me sorry" he says turning on his heel and taking a step only to find himself being pulled back "Yeah you did, I'm not stupid I know it was you"
With a sigh Aaron relented, the kid obviously recognised him but it was only his word against his, he had wiped the car of prints. They couldn't prove it was him. "So what if I did? You got it back didn't you?"
Jackson couldn't believe the lad was actually admitting it, was he nuts "how do you know my name?" Aaron barks, still waiting for an answer to that particular question.
"You can't just go about stealing peoples cars"
"You got it back!"
"Why'd you steal it?"
"It was raining"
Jackson's eyes widened 'It was raining?' What kind of excuse was that for stealing someone's car? "And?"
"I didn't want to get wet" Aaron explains with a smirk "Now was there anything else? I have somewhere to be"
"You stole my car because you didn't want to get wet?"
Aaron nods
"If you'd asked for a ride I would have given you one"
"I don't know you mate, why would I ask you for a ride?"
"Beats stealing a car"
"But I'm so good at it"
"Obviously not, I caught you"
"You still let me take it" Aaron points out with a self satisfied smirk on his face "Now, I was bailing if you don't stop going on at me someone is likely to catch me, you don't want to get me into trouble, do you?"
Jackson couldn't believe the audacity of this lad, he obviously couldn't give a crap "What's to stop me telling them about you bailing and about the car?"
"You would have done it already" Aaron points out "Now, I'm bailing, are you?"
Jackson shook his head
"Well excuse me, I have better places to be" with that Aaron walks away and this time Jackson doesn't try to stop him.
Xxx
Walking away from the lad Aaron couldn't help but look back and he was still staring at him. He smiled to himself. The lad was fit and he had no idea what his name was or how he knew his name. He hadn't known it last night. How had he managed to find it out so quickly? And track him down? He wanted to know but he'd have to leave it for some other time because he was done with school for one day. He was heading home.
Back home, on his bed he found that the six foot, dirty blonde, brown eyed guy wouldn't get off of his mind. He hated it. He'd been attracted to one guy before and that was years ago, he wasn't gay. He wasn't about to be gay. He was unlikely to see that kid again anyway, he obviously wasn't going to tell anybody about him stealing the car and that was unlikely to be the same reason as he had left the car in one piece. He just couldn't torch it, he had planned to but he kept seeing that guy's face and ended up just wiping it for prints and walking away. What the hell?
Xxx
The next morning and Aaron made it to his first lesson of the day and for once he wasn't late. He was telling himself it was because he got his times wrong. No other reason. He was sat at the back of the class. The chair next to him was empty, it was always empty, not many people were brave enough to sit beside him. He had a reputation.
As usual he stuck in his head phones and lost himself in his music, which is why he failed to notice anyone walking towards him until someone else dropped down into the seat beside him, nudging him in the process. He quickly turned his attention, it was the lad from yesterday, the lad whose car he had stolen, who knew his name but he had no clue of his. He was smiling at him
"Alright?"
Aaron continued to stare blankly at him.
"I'm Jackson by the way, Jackson Walsh, incase you were wondering"
"I wasn't" he was
"And my car is out in the car park, I'm guessing it's going to be safe?"
Aaron rolls his eyes "Unless it starts to rain and I can't find another one that I want"
Jackson shakes his head and laughs, why hadn't he noticed this guy before? How was it possible? He was pretty sure he was exactly his type, alright he wasn't gay but... They could be friends right? It would make a change from the usual crowd he hung around with.
"Don't you have somewhere else to be?"
Jackson pulls a face, not understanding the question and Aaron continues "Why you sitting beside me? I sit alone"
"I want to sit here" Jackson states "No law against it, is there?"
"Suit yourself" Aaron says as he leans forward, crossing his arms on the desk and laying his head down.
Jackson looked around, his best friend was looking at him, clearly wondering what he was doing but he just ignored him and turned back towards the teacher. He didn't know why, well he did but he was sure it was more than just a physical attraction but he wanted to get to know this guy better, much better.
Xxx
One month later and Aaron and Jackson had spent some more time together. Mostly because one or both of them sought the other out, the day that Jackson had sat beside him in class had sort of been the start of their unlikely friendship. Who would have thought that a friendship would come out of someone trying to steal your car? Not Jackson but he was glad it had.
The more he got to know Aaron the more he liked him really. Yeah, he had a temper and could fly off the handle over any little thing but when it was just them, when he felt like he didn't have to put on the hard man routine he was a genuinely lovely guy, who was funny and caring. Jackson liked that side of him, he liked the bad boy side too because well, who doesn't like a bad boy?
The time they had been spending together happened mostly outside of school but now, now they were starting to spend time together inside of school and people were surprised.
It was lunch time and Jackson was sat outside on the grass with Aaron when his mate, Tim came by "What you sitting with that psycho for?" he demanded to know, throwing a disgusted look in Aaron's direction. Aaron tried hard not to rise to it, not to give the idiot what he was looking for and that was for him to kick off. He'd had run-ins with Tim before.
Jackson quickly got to his feet "Just having a chat" he says "Was waiting for you lot" with that he grabs his bag and follows Tim leaving Aaron alone and extremely pissed off. So pissed off in fact that he didn't make it to his next class or the one after that, he was sure that if he had gone to class he would end up decking someone, probably Jackson. Jackson who was clearly ashamed to admit he was friends with him and had literally dumped him when one of his friends came along.
For the next two days Aaron avoided him. Jackson tried to contact him, by phone, email over facebook but Aaron wasn't having it. How could he have been stupid enough to be friends with someone who couldn't even admit to being his friend?
It was Friday and school was finished for the week. Usually Aaron would be out doing something stupid but he wasn't, he was lying on his bed with his ear phones in which is exactly why he didn't hear Paddy calling up the stairs to warn him that someone was coming up. He only realised there was someone else in his room when it was too late, someone he had been trying to avoid.
Xxx
Jackson was annoyed at himself. He has no idea why he had denied hanging around with Aaron. He was ashamed of their friendship or him but when Tim had asked he had just said the first thing that had come into his head which in turn had basically ended his friendship with Aaron. He didn't want that. He didn't want to not be friends with Aaron, he thought about the other lad constantly, maybe in more way than being just a friend but he knows Aaron isn't gay so they could only ever be friends. He's also pretty certain that if Aaron were to find out he was gay they wouldn't be friends anymore but until that time he wanted to friends with him.
He found out where he lived, it was a hard process, not many people know but he'd found a girl in School who he had seen Aaron talk to before and it turned out they lived in the same village, for a ride she had given him his address.
He knocked on the door, hoping that Aaron would answer only for it to be answered be an older man with glasses "Can I help you?"
"I'm uh...Looking for Aaron?"
"Oh, he's upstairs" he man had says before calling out "Aaron, someone to see you" A few seconds later and there's no reply. The older man rolls his eyes "must have his ear phones in, I'm going out but go on up. His room is the first as you go upstairs"
"Thanks" he says smiling gratefully at him before climbing the stairs that he guessed led to the bedroom.
He found the bedroom; it was exactly where the man had said it was. He knocked but received no answer, taking a deep breath he turned the handle and walked in. He had no idea how Aaron would react to seeing him.
He was on his bed, eyes closed and ear phones in and apparently he hadn't noticed that someone else was in the room with him. He reached out and gently shook his shoulder, moments later Aaron's eyes snapped in surprise, staring straight at him.
Xxx
He felt a hand on his shoulder, it was unexpected seen as how he had thought himself alone and his body tensed and his eyes shot open. Opening his eyes he found Jackson sitting in front of him, staring at him. He looked a little nervous, well so he should! Aaron hadn't been the one to deny that he was hanging out with him or walk away from him.
"What do you want" he barks
"I'm sorry" are the first words out of Jackson's mouth because he was, really truly sorry.
"What for?"
"The thing with Tim. I just... You're rude to everyone Aaron"
"Not to you" he points out "Cause I thought you were my mate"
"I am"
"Some mate" Aaron scoffs "Mates don't deny that they're mates with someone"
"I'm sorry alright? Can we just forget about it?"
Aaron pulls a face and turns away from him, Jackson frowns, this isn't how he wanted this to go but he knew he would be stubborn, not that he could blame him really.
"How did you find out where I lived anyway?" Aaron asks because in the month that they had been spending together Jackson had never been to his home, the closest he had gotten was dropping him off at the bus stop.
"Some girl told me"
Aaron knows exactly who that some girl is, there's only one person that would give out that information about him "Victoria?"
"That could have been her name" Jackson responds, not wanting to get the girl into Aaron's bad books. It was bad enough that he was currently in them.
"Right you can go now" Aaron tells him, sticking his earphones back into his ears. Jackson sighs but he wasn't about to give up that easily. He got up and moved around the other side of the bed, sitting beside Aaron, fully aware of Aaron's eyes on him the entire time "I'm not going anywhere"
Aaron sits up, pushing Jackson into a standing position, anger flaring behind his blue eyes "Yes you are" he tells him in no uncertain terms "before I have to make you and trust me, you won't like that"
"Aaron!" Jackson cries desperately, he didn't want to lose him "Just go Jackson, go back to those mates that you're not ashamed to be seen with"
"I'm not..." he's about to tell him he's not ashamed but he knows that his cries will fall on deaf ears. Aaron won't believe him. He clearly hurt him when he pretended he hadn't been sitting with him. Slowly, quietly, he made his way out of Aaron's bedroom and down the stairs before closing the front door of the cottage completely.
Xxx
He has no idea why but as soon as he hears the front door close he breaks down. Tears fall from his eyes as he silently sobs. What the hell? He keeps asking himself, why is he crying like a girl? Could it be because for the first time in a long time he felt like he has someone who understood him? Who got him in a way no one else ever did? Because really, he'd tried to steal Jackson's car and Jackson just wanted to be his mate, why had he fucked that up by saying he hadn't been sitting with him? Why did he have to prove to him that he was ashamed of his reputation, so much so that he wouldn't admit to being around him. Aaron wasn't ashamed of his reputation though, he liked it. It meant no one would dare try anything with him.
He didn't know what he was going to do. He wanted his friend back, he wanted Jackson back but he had just practically thrown him out, whilst threatening him. What are the chances Jackson would want anything to do with him now?
Xxx
The next night, Saturday night and Aaron had found out about a party. Not just any party, it was a party thrown by one of the football players. Jackson was a football player, which meant he would more than likely be there. Aaron didn't know the kid who was throwing the party but that wasn't going to stop him going. He wanted to talk to Jackson; he needed to talk to Jackson. He'd been ignoring his calls and texts; he'd been trying to get hold of him to tell him he was sorry. No such luck, which meant he would have to go to this stupid party and try not to hit anyone.
He arrived at the house around ten; the door was wide open so he just walked in. Pushing his way through the mass of bodies he was only looking for one person. A few people gave him a strange look, more than likely wondering what he was doing there but he ignored him. He had to find Jackson and he just hoped he was in fact at the party and he hadn't wasted his time.
After fifteen minutes he had just about given up hope until he saw him. He was out in the garden and thankfully for Aaron, he was on his own.
"What you standing out here on your own for like an idiot?" he asks, an ice breaker if you will.
Jackson turns, his eyes going wide. Clearly he's shocked to see him and quickly his face hardens "What do you want?" he barks
Aaron shrugs, acting casual "Heard there was a party, thought I'd get laid"
Those words hurt more than they should and Jackson bites the inside of his mouth before saying "Don't let me keep you from that" before disappearing further down the garden. With a groan Aaron follows
"Will you stop following me?"
"Nope" Aaron says with a smile "not till you talk to me"
"Thought you were here to get laid?"
Aaron shrugs, even although Jackson has his back to him and says "There's time for that"
"Like I said, don't let me stop you"
Aaron stops him though. He grabs his arm and spins him around, facing him.
"Stop being a dick, eh?"
"Me?" Jackson snaps, anger getting the better of him "I came to apologise to you but you didn't want to know, I think you even threatened me?"
"I wouldn't have done anything to you" Aaron mumbles, looking at the ground and kicking the grass with his foot. He wouldn't have done anything, not to him, not to Jackson. "I'm sorry"
"Tell it to someone who cares" he says before walking away. An angry and pissed off Aaron follows him. Eventually Jackson has to stop though, they come to the end of the garden and he turns. His back pressed up against the fence. He's staring at the ground "I didn't mean what I said the other day. I don't even know why I said it"
When he looks up it's to find Aaron standing extremely close "I didn't mean what I said earlier. I was just pissed off at you"
"I've liked getting to know you" Jackson admits "You're not as much of a nutter as they try to make out"
Aaron laughs out loud at that and for a split second, his gaze flicks from Jackson's eyes to his mouth. He's thought about Jackson's mouth before, more than once. Thought about parts of his body he'd really like to feel it on, thought about what it would feel like to kiss him but never, not once had he been this close to him, or in a situation where Jackson could clearly see him staring at his mouth.
It was long enough for Jackson to notice though and when he looks back up it's to find Jackson staring at him. Their eyes lock and that's it. Their lost in each other, neither one moving, neither of them saying anything, too busy looking, too lost in the moment.
Just like that and their lips have met. Their kissing, Aaron backing Jackson's against the fence even more if it were possible, pressing his body into him. Jackson has one hand cupping his head the only on his bicep, Aaron's hands are both flat out against the fence, caging Jackson in almost. As their tongues meet the kiss intensifies. Both of them lost in the feel of the other, the pent up want, confusion, hurt, and anger, both of them had a hundred different thoughts, emotions and feelings that they were pouring into that kiss and right at that moment, they couldn't have cared who saw them.
When they pull apart there's a moment when neither of them say anything. They stand there, foreheads touching as they try to regain control of their breathing. Neither of them knows what to say and suddenly before anything can be said Aaron is taking a step back, his eyes wide "Aaron..." Jackson squeaks out but it's useless because Aaron turns on his heel and runs away, leaving behind a confused and slightly embarrassed Jackson.
Xxx
Jackson didn't see him for the next four days. He tried calling, no answer. He tried texting, no reply. He thought about going to his house again but thought better of it before actually going through with it. He was sure Aaron wouldn't be best pleased if he were to turn up there.
Jackson couldn't get him out of his mind though, him or that kiss. That kiss that he continually repeated in his mind, over and over again. It was so good, he longed for a second one although he was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. Although, the more he thought about the kiss the more he couldn't decide who kissed who. Had he kissed Aaron or had Aaron kissed him? Nothing about Aaron said 'gay' though but then, he was pretty sure nothing about him said 'gay' either. He was beyond confused.
It was Wednesday before he saw Aaron, Wednesday before Aaron turned up at school. As much as he tried to deny it, his heart beat a little faster upon seeing him, he felt somewhat happier. Aaron just had that effect on him. He saw him but what he saw next was far from making him happy. It was outside the school gates, he was still inside his car but Aaron was standing at the bus stop with some girl. Slowly he got out of the car, he couldn't take his eyes off of them and two seconds later they were kissing, in fact they were quite literally all over each other. His heart sank into his chest and he turned away, he hoped by turning away the pain that he felt would subside but it didn't.
The first class on Wednesday was a class that Jackson shared with Aaron. For the past month he loved that class but today, today he didn't want to turn up, but he did because he kinda liked that class. For the past month Aaron had been sitting next to him to, another thing he enjoyed, he hoped there was someone he could sit beside today though, he didn't want to have to sit beside him.
Unfortunately for him though, there was only one table free by the time he got to class, having been held up by one of his friends, Aaron hadn't arrived yet, his only hope now was that Aaron would skip it but even he knew he wasn't that lucky. Just as he thought, ten minutes later, late as usual Aaron stumbled throw the door giving the teacher some excuse about the bus being late. He stops short when he realises that the only spare seat is right next to Jackson though. Jackson watches as his eyes widen and he takes a deep breath before slipping into the vacant chair without so much as a look towards him.
They sit next to each other and it's tense. Extremely, Aaron is clearly trying to make sure not one part of his body brushes against that of Jackson's and he sits rigid the whole way through the class. Jackson wants to talk to him, really he does but he has no clue what to say to him. When the bell rings for end of class Aaron jumps up and runs out the door. Leaving Jackson even more confused that he had been.
It's lunchtime before Jackson sets eyes on him again and this time he has to drag him bodily off of another student and pull him away.
"What the hell was that?" Jackson asks as he drags a reluctant Aaron away "get off of me" Aaron snaps, pulling away from him. Jackson lets go, not wanting to be on the receiving end of whatever Aaron was about to dish out.
"You're just going around starting fights? What the hell?"
"I can do what I want" Aaron says as he paces, clearly wanting to be anywhere rather than in the presence of Jackson.
"Yeah, right" Jackson scoffs, rolling his eyes "Should have just left you"
"Don't know why you didn't"
"Because you're my mate" Jackson points out and it's Aaron's turn to scoff "You're not my mate" he points out "Mates don't go around kissing each other" he throws out, pulling what he hopes to be a disgusted face.
Jackson could have let it slide, let him walk away but he wasn't taking the blame for the kiss, it takes two to tango, so to speak. Before Aaron could move away Jackson grabbed his arm, spinning him around "I didn't kiss you" he states
"Are you saying I kissed you?"
"You didn't pull away!" Jackson points out "until we were both breathless if I remember"
Aaron glares at him, he couldn't deny it. It was the truth but he had to act revolted right? Jackson probably was.
"And as far as I can remember I was the only one drinking, you hadn't had anything to drink had you?"
No, he hadn't but Aaron stayed silent. He was about to admit to it "So if that's why your acting like a prized Pratt and all over that girl at the bus stop this morning you have nothing to worry about!"
"What?"
"I'm not about to tell anyone Aaron, why would I?"
Aaron shrugs, he hadn't thought about it. All he had thought about though was Jackson. In the four days that he hadn't seen him that he'd ignored him; he had missed him like mad. Thought about him every second. He'd latched on to Holly, his best friend's sister hoping that she could make him forget about him but it didn't happen. He only thought about him more. When he kissed Holly he wished it was Jackson he was kissing but it wasn't and he'd have to get used to that.
They were standing closer, closer than they should have been. So close that their chests were almost touching. For the second time within a week, their eyes locked and they both knew what was coming, it was obvious, it was clear. Their heads moved closer, their lips moved even closer still, eyes were still locked on each other. Both of them knew it was coming and if they had wanted to stop it, they could have but neither of them did and the next thing they knew their lips had met and that was it.
The thin line between friendship and pent up lust had snapped it was gone. Aaron stepped in closer, aching to feel Jackson's body against his own, running his tongue across Jackson's bottom lip, begging entrance, it didn't take long for Jackson to realise what he wanted and give it to him.
This time it was Jackson who pulled away, coming to his senses first. He wasn't about to let Aaron play with him. Placing both hands on the other boy's chest Jackson pushed him back, receiving a groan in disappointment from Aaron. Jackson stood there staring "What the hell was that?"
Aaron faced him, he thought about running away but what was the point? The next time he saw him they would probably end up kissing again anyway.
"I think we just kissed" Aaron says. Surprising even himself at how calm he sounds. He should be freaking out but it was Jackson and there was no one around.
"Are you going to class?" Jackson asks upon hearing the bell
"Wasn't planning on it, you?"
"Probably not" Jackson informs him "I think we have stuff to talk about"
"Like what?"
"Like the fact we keep kissing each other, I mean, why's that?"
Aaron shrugs "Don't know" he says before adding "Are you gay?"
"Are you?" Jackson counters.
Aaron shrugs and looks away, not admitting anything and suddenly Jackson is stepping closer to him again and Aaron's gaze drops to his lips, Jackson laughs out loud at the gesture.
"Yeah, you're not gay"
Aaron scowls at him but before he could get angry Jackson says "It's a good thing I am too, huh?"
"You're gay?" Aaron asks, in a tone that says he's clearly not believing the other lad "I am"
"You don't look gay" he says, pulling a face and Jackson can't help but laugh "and you do?"
Aaron shrugs and he wants to say 'I'm not' but he can't quite bring himself to, so he shrugs instead. It's his default answer usually anyway to questions he doesn't want to answer.
"You're stupid" Jackson states
"You're thick" Aaron retorts and they both grin at each other. "So if we're not going back to class what we going to do?"
Aaron shrugs again "anyone in at yours?"
Looking at his watching, Jackson answers "Probably not, wanna go there and talk?"
Aaron nods and together they head towards Jackson's house.
Xxx
They spoke until Jackson's parents came home, Hazel was the first. Being a teacher herself she'd fixed them with a stern glare and said "You two better not have been skiving off school"
"We haven't" Jackson answered her quickly but being his Mother she didn't believe him one little bit "just don't do it here yeah? I have a reputation as a teacher you know"
Jackson rolled his eyes and grabbed Aaron's arm before telling his Mum they were going to his room, she just mumbled something about whether or not his friend would be staying for dinner and let them go.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Jackson asked him and Aaron shrugged, leaving Jackson to make up his own mind whether or not that was a yes and he called out to his Mother "he's staying"
Inside his room, there were alone but both were still aware of the woman downstairs. Aaron dropped himself down onto the bed and watched as Jackson placed his IPod into the speakers and turned on the music.
The time they had had alone in the house had allowed them to get a lot of talking done. About what they were feeling, what they were going through and Aaron finally admitted to being gay but not being happy about it. He wasn't happy about it but he wanted Jackson, he also admitted that.
"I don't want anyone to know" Aaron blurts out "not yet"
Jackson turns, a soft smile on his face "I know" he says "I don't either. I'm not ready to tell my Dad yet. My mum, she'd be fine but my dad, I'm not too sure about him"
"I couldn't care less what my Dad thinks" Aaron tells him "Haven't seen him in years, don't talk to me Mam all that much, there's only Paddy really and my mates"
Jackson didn't really want to talk about who would and who wouldn't like the fact that they were gay, it was too depressing. He stepped closer towards Aaron, standing himself between his legs and Aaron looks up at him. His blue eyes sparking up at him and a small smile on his face "What?" he asks with a shrug.
"Just looking" Jackson answers honestly because he was, just looking. Aaron, when he wasn't being the bad boy with a constant scowl on his face, he was actually really hot. He couldn't actually believe that he was gay and that if he wanted him he could have him.
"You're mental"
"Maybe" Jackson agrees because it could be true and a couple of seconds later he kisses him, within seconds Aaron is responding, kissing him back eagerly, his hands moving to Jackson's hips, pulling him closer.
Xxx
Their affair, or relationship whatever you wanna call it continued in secret, it was far from easy, far both of them, little did they know that sooner or later they were going to be tested beyond belief.
Xxx
A/N - REVIEWS PLEASE! :) LIKE IT? LOVE IT? HATE IT? LET ME KNOW