CHAPTER TEN

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they are owned by ITV

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, appreciated as usual x

" Well here's to your birthday, Aaron" said Tom raising his bottle of beer at him, in Ben's flat.

Aaron nodded from the dingy sofa " bit late for that mate, it was 2 days ago!"

Ben came in from the kitchette, with more beers, " yes, but it fell on a Wednesday, can't do much celebrating then...so we are properly celebrating yout 19th tonight!"

Tom was sat opposite Aaron and sighed " hey...to be 19 again" he took a swig of beer and asked " So what did you get for your birthday, anything nice...?"

Aaron pulled a face and pointed toward himself, " This shirts from him..." he nodded his head toward Ben, who was opening the beers, " it's not me colour...but I promised him I'd wear it tonight!

Ben frowned at him " I like blue on you, it matches your eyes..."

" Ohhhh, don't be soft!" huffed Aaron with a scowl, " not in front of Tom anyways..."

Tom laughed in amusement, and focused on Aaron, " So...what else did you get, apart from the lovely shirt..." he teased.

Aaron cracked a knowing smile, " Ben's told you ain't he...yeah, yeah, I got a car from Paddy, and, Ben' s been teasing me because I love me car...no more buses for me"

Ben grinned as he sat next to Aaron, and put his hand upon Aaron's knee, " It's a turboed up Fiesta...but he likes it" he said teasing him again.

Aaron laughed, " Hey you...don't dis me car...I've got spray jobs, paint jobs, and major plans for that little motor, I saw some really cool tyres I've got me eye on today, just need to save up, before I can get em" the told, face riddled with excitment of his car. He stood and finished his beer " just need the bog...then we'll all get off to Bar West, yeh ?"

Ben nodded and watched Aaron disappear into the bathroom, and closed the door.

Tom glanced toward Ben, and leaned forward trying to keep his voice low " So...have you sorted out the Lee business yet"

Ben needled him with a hush " " yeah...Lee's history...it's Aaron I want...I've really fallen for him..."

Tom laughed in disbelief " Now who'd thought it ah...Ben Green in love...!"

Ben scowled at him before Tom asked, " and what about that other business...?"

Ben finished his beer, " You mean Jackson's Mum...she's still ill in Hospital...Aaron's still going to visit, give his Ex support, like I said he could do...but I'm telling yah, when she's out and recovering, that's all finished...I'll see to that..."

Aaron was then out the bathroom, " well I'm ready, shall we head off...!"

Aaron pocketed the pool ball, and laughed out in sheer delight as he saw Ben's frown " I'm getting Sooo good at this" he said in glee.

" Well...I've taught you all my moves...what's the saying, the pupil should always out master the teacher" replied Ben smugly.

Aaron frowned, it had been Jackson who had taught him all the trick moves, not Ben, but he smiled and said, " Yeah, you did mate." he lied.

Tom was then upon them with a round of drinks, Ben turned holding his cuestick, and winked at Aaron, before saying, " So, where's this guy you've been seeing...?"

Tom hated it when Ben did this, he knew exactly what happened, " He dumped me...same old, same old"

Aaron pockets another ball, " Looks like i've won this...!" he laughs smugly.

Tom raised an eyebrowe, " That'll stop Ben's cockyness...well done Aaron!" he smiled before turning his attention to Ben, " Just been talking to Joe at the bar...he's over Sol and seeing another guy"

Ben stared at Aaron, as the lad pocketed yet another ball, " Oh yeah...fit is he?"

Tom grinned " Oh yes...well outta my league, but that's not hard, but he's at the bar if you wanna have a perv at him...they are waiting fot Jackson and Dan to show up..."

Aaron missed his shot as he heard Jackson's name, Ben had noticed and smiled " seems your lucky streak as come to an end my boy!" Ben starts to pot a few balls of his own.

Aaron dug out his wallet, " I'll get a round in...another beer , Tom?"

Tom nodded " Why not...cheers mate!" Ben justed nodded, and Aaron hurried off toward the bar. Tom turns to face his mate, " Sorry, just realised i've mentioned the J word..."

Ben nods with a thin smile, " it's okay, I'll let you off seeing you are brainless..as well as ugly."

Over at the bar, Aaron orders his drinks, he notices Joe and the fit guy Tom had mentioned drinking at a table close by.

Aaron paid the barman, and turned to see Jackson and his boyfriend approach the bar.

Jackson nodded toward Joe and his mate, " Go on, go and grab us some seats" he orders Dan.

Dan nodded and left Jackson at the bar, he notices Aaron, " Hey...didn't know you'd be here tonight...did you have a good birthday...did you get me card I sent yah?"

Aaron nodded " yeah cheers...how...how's your mum..."

Jackson beamed a smile at him " She is sooo much better, in fact shes at home driving me nuts...but after the last couple of weeks or so, I'm trying not to care anymore!"

Aaron stared at him, but quickly turned away, when Jackson looked at him, there was an arkward spark between them.

" Look, I can see Ben's waiting for yah...have a good birthday...I take it you are celebtrating it tonight!" said Jackson.

Aaron grabs his 3 bottles of beer from the bar, " yeah gotta get back...have...have a good night yourself yah..."

Jackson watched Aaron walk away, and his smile faded and he murmured, " I try..."

Aaron and Ben played more pool, both beating eachother, fighting who was better at it between them.

Tom then brought more beer's over, Aaron glanced aside to see Jackson head in to the toilets, he turned " What more beer...", I'm just gonna have to make room..." he joked,

and quickly moved into the toilets himself.

Tom watched him go then turned to Ben " Hey did you say that Jackson's mum was still in hospital"

Ben nodded " Yeah Aaron went to see her yesterday, she's still really poorly, like i care!"

Tom frowned, " ...but I've been talking to Joe just now, he says she's been out of hospital and on the mend with medication for days..."

Ben missed his shot and stood up, tight lipped, " has she now..."

Inside the toilets, Jackson washed his hands at the sink, as Aaron came in and went for a pee at the urinal.

Jackson smiled into the mirror, as Aaron zipped up his flys, and came to the sink.

"Sooo, you having a cracking game of pool...?" asked Jackson drying his hands with a paper towel.

Aaron nodded " yeah, I keep beating him at it...he thinks he's good, but he's not..." he looked up " He's not as good as you!"

Jackson raised his eyebrowes, as he tossed the paper towel into the bin "...are we still talking about pool...?"

Aaron went red in the cheeks as he looked up into Jackson's eyes..both their eyes locked into eachothers, something electric between them, that seemed to dissend over them each time they met.

Like always, the moment was interrupted...this time by Joe sticking his head around the toilet door " Hey Jackson...! we are off for that curry mate"

Jackson nodded as he turned from Aaron's gaze, he then made for the door, Aaron called out " Jackson!"

Jackson paused licking his lips, "Yeah..." he replied turning...

Aaron wanted him to stay but just weakly smiled, " have a good night...!

A little hint of dispointment flashed over Jackson's face " cheers Aaron...buy then..." and he was gone, leaving Aaron to stare into the mirror, trying to force down the lump down that had risen in his throat.

As he returned to the pool table, Aaron noticed Jackson, Dan, Joe and Joe's new boyfriend leave Bar West for that curry.

Ben handed over th cuerstick toward Aaron rather forcefully, " Wanna break" he barked.

Aaron nodded, " No...I've had enough, just want to go home..."

Ben chucked the cuestick on to the pool table " Home...it's your Birthday celebration...what about another drink!"

Aaron pulled his jacket on " No I said...I'm just want to go...!" he shot at him.

Ben folded his arms " Go on then, go, see if I care...!"

Aaron looked up " I don't want us to fight...Ben" Ben was ignoring him " Ben..."

" still here!" snapped Ben, face screwed up in annoyance at him.

Aaron backed off and hurried off feeling choked up, last thing he wanted was a fight with Ben...

At the pool table, Tom came back from the bar to see Ben sitting on a stool, face like thunder,

"Just seen Aaron, totally blanked me, what's his problem!"

Ben shot him a hard stare, "who do you think...!"

Aaron hurried up the street, it was damp and dark. He thought he could handle seeing Jackson with somebody else, with Dan...but he couldn't...it kept making him feel torn and broken inside...and Ben wasn't begining not to be enough to heal that hurt.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, as he approached the Taxi rank. He decided to pick up his car tomorrow, he couldn't face seeing Ben.

Ben was always getting it in the neck from him...and seeing anymore of Jackson and Dan together, was just gonna make it worse...maybe he should just come clean to him, how he felt...about Jackson...

Ben was seething with anger, after finishing his beer, Tom was worried that he was gonna do something stupid, but nothing could prepare him with what Ben had in mind.

Ben stormed back to the car lot behind his flat, where Aaron's car was parked, Tom was hot in persuit " Ben...Ben, what are doing mate..."

Ben turned to his mate, full of anger that needed venting " That boy lied, again he has lied to me again!, he said she was in that Hospital, but she's not...he's lying to me all the time, and I hate the way he makes me feel!" he cried

And then grabbing a long piece of metal rod from a builders skip nearby, he went over and smashed through the windscreen of Aaron's beloved car.

He then did the same with the back window, shards of glass scattered the lot, before he scratched the paint work continously, until finally finishing off with taking out the headlights.

Tom put his hands to his face in disbelief, " Ben!, what have you done mate!"

Ben glared at him , and threw the rod back into the skip, and approached Tom slowly,

"Me...?...I've done nothing...I've just found it like this" he said calmly, with a nasty grin.

He then just strolled towards the direction to his flat, Tom searched around the area making sure Ben hadn't been seen, he hadn't.

Ben had played some nasty tricks in is time...but this...

he was afraid things were going to get much, much worse...

TBC

Review all welcome! x