This can be read as a continuation of Unmistakable. But it doesn't need to be. Your choice.
The Ghost Of You - My Chemical Romance
Aaron wasn't expecting Sarah to call him. He didn't even realise she knew his number. "It's Reid," she says, her voice trembling as if she's about to cry. "He's... he's dead." Aaron is stunned. He can only parrot the final word back to her.
"Dead?"
"He committed suicide." Sarah explains. "Last night. He left you a note. That's... that's why I rang." She breaks off and Aaron can hear a suppressed sob. "D'you... d'you want me to bring it round?"
"Please." Aaron doesn't know what more to say. Neither does Sarah.
"I'll see you then." she says awkwardly.
"Yeah." he replies. After he hangs up, he has to sit down for a bit because, oh God, Reid is dead. Reid who always seems smugly happy whenever Aaron saw him, as if he'd just shagged Aaron's girl and wanted him to know it. This was an irrational assumption on Aaron's part because he doesn't have a girlfriend. But, just recently, Aaron realises, Reid has been avoiding him. The doorbell rings. It is Sarah. Wordlessly, she hands him a piece of folded paper, covered in Reid's scrawl. "How did he do it?" he asks.
"Overdose." Sarah replies, weakly. Aaron nods. "I should go." Sarah continues. Again, Aaron nods. "Y'know," Sarah says, before she leaves. "He really liked you." She smiles slightly and closes the door behind her. Aaron's heart is beating, wildly. Reid, womanising Reid, had liked him. Shakily, he unfolds the note.
'Aaron,' it reads, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you're having to read this in these circumstances. I wish I could have told you, spoke to you, about it. But I'm a fucking coward. I'll try explain it to you. But, please, I'm sorry.' Aaron pauses reading. There are tear splotches and ink smudges here and Aaron finds himself with tears running down his cheeks. 'I love you, Aaron. And I'm sorry that I'm too fucking cowardly to do anything about it. You see, I was ashamed, and disgusted, at what I've been doing to myself. I cut. And I was terrified that you'd reject me and hate me for it. I've been starving myself. I'm sorry.' Aaron is sobbing openly now. 'Neither of these things constitutes as a reason for why I've done this though. All I can say is: I'm sorry, I couldn't take it anymore. I should have told you; maybe it wouldn't have come to this. I'm sorry again. Goodbye. Reid.' Aaron slides down to sit against the wall and cries. If only he hadn't been so cowardly, so afraid, of rejection, he'd have told Reid that he loved him. And now it is too late. Too late. Now there are only what-ifs and if-onlys. He closes his eyes and can picture Reid. Reid as he last knew him. Happy, argumentative, perfect Reid. "Reid," he whispers to no one. "Reid..." His voice breaks. "Why? Why did you do this?" He is yelling. "Why have you left me only able to see your fucking ghost? The ghost of you..." He collapses, crying, sobbing. Finally, though, his tears dry and he can't cry anymore. He can't cry. And he lies there, alone.
