Breakfast was strained. Aaron had eventually returned to bed the previous night but had kept as far away from Jackson as he could, balancing on the edge of the mattress. He'd gotten up before Jackson, disappearing into the bathroom and downstairs before he even woke. Aaron was downstairs sitting at the kitchen table buttering toast messily when he got in the kitchen. Paddy was pottering about by the sink as he made cups of tea. It was like a typical morning but with just a tense atmosphere, unnoticed by Paddy.
"You alright, you two?" Paddy asked them as set cups of tea in front of them both.
"Yeah, fine thanks Paddy." Jackson answered him giving him a small smile.
"Good, what about you Aaron?" Paddy asked him, still waiting for an answer.
"Yeah!" Aaron snapped, hissing as he dropped his knife on his plate noisily. His hands had still been shaking that morning when he woke; it was proving difficult to do the simplest of tasks.
"Aaron-." Paddy scolded. He was used to the teen's bad moods but it didn't mean he condoned them.
"I'm going to work." Aaron said abandoning his uneaten toast on his plate.
"Aren't you going to eat those?" Paddy called out after him. Not only had he wasted food but he hadn't seen Aaron eat anything.
The only answer he received was the slam of the front door.
At work Aaron received the expected from him. He continued to tease him through out the morning, cracking jokes about Darrel beating him up and letting him win. He even went as far as saying he should most probably expect him not to fight back, now that he was a 'puff' in his words. Ryan tried to get Cain to cool it on many occasions when he saw Aaron pulling at an engine to roughly or throwing his tools on the ground. He often worked as a referee for the both of them. He was a little upset though to find out that he'd missed what had gone on while he was away.
Lunch time couldn't have arrived any quicker for Aaron. He declined Cain and Ryan's offer to join them at the pub and headed back to Smithy Cottage for a quiet lunch break. He made himself a quick cheese and pickle sandwich using the last of the cheese and made room for himself at the kitchen table. Halfway through his sandwich Jackson walked through the front door.
"I was waiting for you at the woolpack." Jackson told Aaron. "Thought you might have gone with Ryan and Cain."
"Sorry, didn't feel like it." Aaron mumbled taking another bite of his food.
"Left any for me?" Jackson asked indicating to the sandwiches in front of Aaron.
"No cheese left." Aaron told him.
"Thanks." Jackson said sarcastically, sitting down nest to Aaron and snatching his other sandwich off of his plate.
"Hey!" Aaron exclaimed.
"But I'm hungry." Jackson protested pulling a puppy dog face at his boyfriend.
Aaron rolled his eyes.
Before he realized his phone had gone off to alert him he had received a text message, Jackson had swiped it off of the table and opened it.
"Who is it?" Aaron asked not that bothered that Jackson was reading his text. He had nothing to hide from him. He wasn't that interested in who had sent it, if it was wasn't Jackson.
"It's Darrel." Jackson ground out, sounding rather annoyed.
Aaron's stomach dropped. How had he gotten his number? He'd never given it to him. "Yeah. What does it say?" He asked.
"'Don't worry. I won't tell Jackson what we got up to. Darrel. Kiss kiss kiss.'" Jackson read out, anger obvious in his words. Was he angry at Darrel or him?
"What we got up to? We didn't get up to anything!" Aaron burst, angry at Darrel. He was making out as if they had actually done anything. Like he would voluntarily do anything with him! It made his skin crawl. He hoped Jackson didn't believe him.
"I hope he's lying Aaron." Jackson told him firmly as he slid the phone towards him.
"Yeah! I would never." Aaron told him a little too loudly.
"You were gone a long while on that call out . . ." Jackson commented as if he was contemplating that Aaron would ever cheat on him.
"Jackson, you don't believe him do you!" Aaron shot at him. He couldn't believe what he was saying. Why was Jackson doubting him? He had never shown any signs he would ever do something like that. He was devoted to Jackson.
A look from Jackson was all that was needed to send Aaron off on one. He couldn't believe that Jackson was actually doubting him. He would never! He was full of mixed emotions that seemed to be bubbling to the top, anger towards Darrel for causing so much trouble, for trying to stir things up. Disappointment and hurt because Jackson was contemplating that he would cheat on him, and sheer loathing towards Darrel. He couldn't cope with it all. "YOU ACCTAULLY THINK THAT I WOULD CHEAT ON YOU!" Aaron shouted as he pushed himself up. "I would never, ever do anything like that!"
"Aaron-." Jackson started, regretting that he handled things wrong.
"No! You thought I'd cheated on you. Just because that sleazy pervy old man hints that I have, doesn't mean it's true!" Aaron roared. He was livid.
"You've got to admit Aaron, it does seem a bit weird." Jackson told him. "You've been acting weird for days now and then you receive a text like that-."
"Jackson. . ." Aaron breathed all the fight leaving him. Why should he have to fight to be believed? "Forget it."
"What?" Jackson shot back.
"I said forget it." Aaron said quietly before leaving Jackson alone in the kitchen.
Aaron went back to work in an even fouler mood than that morning. He didn't say a word to either of the older men and carried on with his work hoping it would distract him. Now Jackson thought he was capable of cheating. And with Darrel! Why couldn't he have told Jackson as soon as he had gotten back? Things wouldn't have gotten like this. Jackson would have been able to sort things. But now it seemed everything was getting worse. Darrel was playing games, still! He seemed to be able to get into every ones minds and play them off with each other. Him and Jackson were on rocky grounds now, thanks to him. But how had he gotten his number? He'd never given it too him, so he must have done some searching to get hold of it and it scared him.
When he'd gotten back from work and was in the kitchen making everyone a cup of tea his phone had gone off again. All that could be heard from the kitchen was a cup smashing on the wooden floor and tea spilling everywhere.
Playing hard to get now are we? Its okay, I like a chase. See you around ;) Darrel xxxx.
When he read the text his heart began beating twice as fast, terrified and he'd dropped the cup. Surely Darrel was only trying to wind him up? He wouldn't see Darrel any more would he. His car had been fixed a few hours after it had been dropped off and he'd been able to drive it home that day. He had no reason to be in the village now and he had no intention of going to Bar west any time soon. He didn't want to bump into Darrel anymore.
He was snapped from his thoughts when Hazel strode into the kitchen from the living room, wanting to know what the noise was about. "What've you done now!" She exclaimed as she caught sight of the mess on the floor.
"Sorry." Aaron said quietly, already crouching down to pick up the broken pieces of cup.
"No don't do that. I'll get the brush and dustpan." Hazel told him. "You'll cut yourself if you aren't careful."
"Nah, don't worry. Nearly picked it all up." Aaron insisted, picking up the last few bits and popping them in the bin.
"What happened then? Butter fingers?" Hazel asked noticing the way Aaron looked. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
"Cup was too hot." Aaron lied. He wasn't going to tell Hazel the real reason. She'd go mad.
"Ah right." She sighed, wiping up the mess on the floor. "Why don't you go into the living room, I'll make a cup of tea this time. Then hopefully that way the floor won't end up drinking it all."
Aaron nodded his head and went through to the lounge. As soon as he was in there he took his phone from his pocket again and re-read the message that Darrel had sent him. 'see you around'