DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN EMMERDALE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF ITV.

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AUGUST

Aaron was at the bar grabbing a pint glass from the chest freezer behind him, and pouring in the ice cold beer for the customer. The customer paid and as Aaron threw the euros in the till, he could see Jackson coming over to him. He had a packed holdall with him.

"What's going on? Why have you all packed your stuff"

Jackson pulled a face at him, like the lad was stupid, "Why do you think? I'm leaving you Aaron...I've packed up me stuff and I'm gonna get away as far enough as possible from yah!"

Aaron could see others up at the bar wanting to be served. It was hot. The mercury had hit 95 degrees by the pool.

"Where are you going? You cant just GO"

Jackson raised his eyebrowes and gave him a nasty little smile, " Watch me"

"Oi! Is it likely that you are gonna be serving us anytime soon mate...we're dry as a nuns cunt here!"

Aaron threw a glare to the bald man with the tight speedos and fat belly, "Just wait, wil' yah"

Aaron ran after Jackson towards the gate that lead towards the beech, " JACKSON...JACKSON WAIT!"

Jackson sighed as he turned around and stuck his sunshades up on his head, "What now? I've JUST SAID I'm off...I just thought it best to tell yah, because when you go back to the flat after your shift you'll be finding somebody else sitting on the belcony"

Aaron screwed his face up, " You've let the flat go? Where am I gonna sleep? Jackson I've got no where to go"

Jackson looked like he didn't give a toss, "does this face look like that I give a flying stuff about you? As I said to yah the other day...it's OVER...there is NO you and me no more...I'm going home, mate"

Aaron was choked up, " But what about me? Where am I gonna go...Jackson I'm on me own"

Jackson nodded around him, " kip on the beach...find yourself a nice little backally...or maybe...you can hoare yourself down that cruizy bit down that beach and maybe make a few quid, eh?"

Aaron swallowed, " I'm not like that...what do you take me for"

Jackson breezed out a chuckle, " Do you REALLY want me to answer that? Bye Aaron, have a nice life..."

And Jackson turned his back on him and carried on up the beach. Sunshades back on his face, holdall over his sholder and wearing nothing abut a pair of combat shorts.

Aaron was pretty stressed. Why had he done it? Why had he shagged Chris for? He was nothing special...but Jackson was working all hours...he never saw him much...and when he did he was always hot and tired.

This was still all new to him. The gay scene and that. He had only practically came out when he and Jackson had first met.

What was he gonna do now? Go back to England. Go back to that village. Go back to cruising the parks and truck stops and laybys. Go back to living with Paddy.

Maybe it was just TOO soon. He wasn't ready for a long term relationship. Sticking with one guy, who was never there.

He turned around to head back to the bar. That's if he still had a job of course, because he was already on a warning as it was...

XXX

That evening, Aaron sat at a bar in town. Chris was with him. Their beers getting warm in the late sun.

"Come on Aaron...you said you were getting bored. This was always gonna come out...you and him are just NOT to be..."

Aaron glared at him, " And you and me are? I don't want a relationship with you...we were just..."

"Sex I know...I've always known that Aaron, and that's what it is with me...I like abit of fun me...and YOU do too, or you wouldn't have gone along with it"

"I hate meself"

"Did you love him?"

Aaron didn't respond. He stared about at the other punters around him, then looked at him, "It's shit here...do you wanna go clubbing it?"

Chris downed his pint, and picked up his phone, wallet and shades, "Nah...not tonight Aaron...anyways you've gotta find yourself some digs to kip at, haven't yah"

Aaron's eyes snapped up, " But I thought that..."

"You could kip at mine?...I don't think so...I've gotta few straight mates staying with me, and the last thing they want to see around there is you in your boxers"

Aaron swallowed and turned on the stool, " So where an I gonna go then...?"

Chris shrugged, " You MUST have mates? You and Jackson must've hung around with folk"

"They were all HIS mates...and they've all shunned me"

Chris had a call and took it, he then turned and pocketed the phone, " I've gotta go...see you...and errrr, good luck"

And he was off.

Aaron was on his own. Why did he do it? What a total knobhead he had been. He picked up his phone and called Jackson.

It rang and rang and went over to voicemail.

"It's me...Jackson please call me...please...please...I NEED you...I'm a total dick and I know that...but...", he choked up and ended the call.

XXX

Jackson sat at the airport and listened to the call. He swallowed and pocketed his phone. He was heading back to England. There was no way he was gonna stay here with Aaron.

But was Aaron sorry? He sounded like it...but then again, he was loney...shunned by folk, no where to sleep...COURSE he was gonna be putting on the crocodile tears.

There was a flight call.

And Jackson stood up and headed over towards the gate. He pulled out his phone again and dithered in the que. He was torn. Could he just LEAVE him here on his own.

The lad was 18 and he was still new to all this...yes he did what he did and he acted all hard and tough, but deep down, Aaron was not good at looking after himself, that much he had learned.

He was aware that the people behind him were getting annoyed, because it looked like he had stalled on the spot, blocking the gangway.

Fuck Aaron...this six months had been make or break for them. And now he knew what it was.

It just wasn't ment to be.

XXX

The sun was getting low as Aaron sat on the beach. This was it. This was his bed for the night. The sand had cooled, but it felt all itchy on his skin and he just knew he wasn't gonna get much sleep, or any at all.

XXX

"...please I know you think i'm a mug, and I know I am, and I'll pay you back...but...please just do it will yah, Steve...look I have to go, I have to board the plane...i've got a responsibility...whatever he's done...thank you...and you, gotta go, bye mate keep in touch"

And with that Jackson turned his phone off and went to board his plane.

XXX

Aaron laid on his side on the sand. He was in his vest, it was too hot for anything else. Sometimes...on a hot night like this, he and Jackson used to go skinny dipping. He started to sob.

Why was he just a dick!

XXX

The hours had dragged, but now he was stood outside his mothers flat in Hotten. Hazel opened the door, " Ohhhh my little darling...", she wailed cupping his cheeks with her hands. She was expecting him, because he had phoned ahead, for her to stay up for him.

Jackson stepped over the freshhold and dumped his holdal, and sobbed in his mothers arms, "Mum I've just gone and left him over there...he's all alone Mum...I'm such a dick, where's he gonna go"

Hazel was stern and held him by the arms, Jackson's face was screwed up in emotional turmoil, " look...I dunno what's'appened, but you are HERE now...and if I know YOU, it's for a good reason"

Jackson wiped his eyes, " I'm tired and don't wanna talk about it just now...please I just want to get some shuteye"

Hazel understood, but pointed her finger at him, " YOU stick to your guns love...as I said, I don't know what's gone on, but the last thing we need is another Nathan in your life sweetheart...now you go get yourself comfy in the spare room, you now where it is..."

Jackson nodded and let go of her hands and went through. Hazel watched him go and stuck a tongue to the inside of her cheek.

Whatever it was, whatever reason why he had come home... she just KNEW it was yet another bloke letting her precious son down AGAIN.

XXXX