The Accident

"I swear if you fall down here Marlon I'm leaving you."

Aaron groaned, as Marlon seemed to be getting heavier by the second as he stopped walking. Beside him Jackson was having even less fun as Paddy had the use of his legs and was trying to wander off in the opposite direction.

"I am never doing this again."

Jackson seethed as they hauled them into the back of his van, where they fell on top of each other giggling hysterically.

"Well once we get back you won't have to."

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Off with me. If anything I should be the one not talking to you."

"Why? Cos I couldn't say I love you?"

"No, because every time I try to talk to you, you run away. And what was that with Mickey? I gave you two chances to leave and that was just tonight."

"I don't mean to it's just I can't do this. And Mickey winds me up. You didn't sort things by paying him off because my dog's still dead."

"Why is this so difficult for you? Talking about feelings is not so easy for me either, but I try."

"'Cos I don't want to lose you."

"How will you lose me? Aaron instantly looked at the floor as it suddenly dawned on him. You can't say you love me."

"It's not that I don't. I just…"

"Get in the van. We'll get these two home."

Paddy had leant over the front seat and started beeping the horn to catch their attention.

"Jackson I am sorry."

"Just get in. We'll talk when we get back."

The drive home seemed a lot longer than the drive there. Jackson turned up the radio, so he didn't have to speak and Paddy and Marlon were singing along loudly and out of tune providing the perfect distraction.

"I do care about you. You know?"

All he really wanted to say was 'I do love you' but he was still uncomfortable saying exactly how he felt, although he'd got better with speaking to Paddy and his mum, so maybe what he needed was time.

"I thought we weren't going to do this."

"Jackson you have been the best thing in my life these last three months, what with everything that has happened."

"I sense a but."

"But I am only eighteen and you've been with other guy's before."

"So what? You want to play the field."

"It's not just that. I'm feeling stuff for you, me mam and Paddy I've never felt before and I don't know what it all is. I have nothing to compare this too. For most of my life no one has given a damn about me, so the truth is I don't know how to give one back. So I can't say I love you 'cos I don't know."

"You'd know if it was love."

"See so I've lost you."

"No. No you haven't because I never had you in the first place."

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

"No it isn't. I said I don't know, not no. I'm feeling new stuff for a lot of people it's just all mixed up in my head."

Both of them sat in silence, tears pouring down their faces, when suddenly Paddy leant over trying to adjust the radio, in shock Jackson lost control of the wheel, despite Aaron's attempt to keep it steady and almost in slow motion the car thundered into a tree trunk and Paddy seemed to fly over their shoulder, his head connected with the front windscreen.

"NOOOOOO."

Aaron covered his eyes, as the blood spatter ricocheted over them, he could taste it in his mouth and the smell was repugnant. From behind them Marlon screamed in terror.