Aaron's mood had not lightened at all that evening, if anything it had only got worse. It was since speaking to Holly that had it go downhill quicker. The teen had stormed upstairs to their bedroom, before Jackson had come back inside. The older man could hear the heavy thump of Aaron's music thundering through the floorboards and echoing off the walls. Usually he would have left the mechanic well alone until he'd calmed down or his spirits had lightened but there was a more pressing matter on his hands. He needed to get to the bottom of the mysterious pills he'd found in their room. Holly's words had done nothing to reassure him that his boyfriend hadn't involved himself in the illegal substance again, he wanted to believe that Aaron wouldn't. But for some reason he couldn't. He wouldn't blame the teen if was taking drugs as some sort of relief for what he was going through at the moment. But it didn't excuse the disappointment he would feel if the teen was not matter how much he didn't want to. It was no excuse.
He knocked once on their bedroom door as a warning before walking straight in, whether the teen heard him or not, he was pretending to ignore him as he laid on his back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as the extremely loud volume of his music was sure to be deafening him. Jackson marched straight up to the stereo switching it off first before doing anything else, he couldn't think that ratchet.
"I was listening to that!" Aaron shouted at him, pushing himself up on his elbows.
"You're right, you 'were'." Jackson told him. "I need to talk to you."
"If it's about the solicitors don't bother!" Aaron snapped as he glared at him. He'd had enough listening to his mum run on and on about going back there even though he'd told her straight he wasn't going back. Why wouldn't anybody listen to him?
"Funnily enough it's not." Jackson corrected him receiving no word from the teen. "It's about these." Jackson said pulling out the clear packet of pills he'd hidden away amongst his DVD collection that he knew Aaron wouldn't touch. They hated each other's taste in music.
Aaron just stared at the pills. How had Jackson found them?
"I want an honest answer Aaron, what are you doing with these?" Jackson asked seriously still holding the clear packet of pills out in front of him. He wanted to hear what Aaron had to say. Innocent till proven guilty, right?
What could he say? He'd hidden them from Jackson for a reason. He couldn't betray Holly and tell him they were hers could he? He was the only one in the village that knew about Holly's drug problem. Adam knew his sister had taken drugs once or twice and had had a right go at her for doing so and he'd stupidly taken her word when she said she wouldn't be so stupid again. He was wrong to believe her, because Aaron knew she was thick as anything for getting herself caught up in them and in doing so she'd somehow involved Aaron into her twisted situation. He had know idea how he was going to get out of this one. If he told Jackson, he would only want to tell Holly's parents because he would think that would be best. But it wouldn't be, she'd only deny it all and it would only be his word against hers. And who would believe him? He had a past that was dark unlike her. Plus Holly would be furious with him. He couldn't do that to her, that's not what mates do to each other.
"I'm waiting. . ." Jackson added when Aaron furiously thought of some excuse.
"They're not mine." Aaron told him, kicking himself mentally for such a stupid line.
"Well who's are they then?" Jackson asked him. "You're not drug dealing again are you? Because if you are . . ."
"I'm not drug dealing!" Aaron snapped, how could Jackson think he would go back to that. He was a stupid desperate boy when he'd gotten himself involved in that. His dad had just kicked him out and he needed a means to survive.
Jackson raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Well then, explain to me why I found these in our room?" Jackson pushed.
Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."
"That's not good enough." Jackson sighed getting frustrated, he wanted a straight answer.
"What do you want me to say?" Aaron growled. He was beginning to feel cornered.
"The truth Aaron! If you are dealing again or if you're taking these." He said shaking the pills in the packet. "Then we'll help you, we'll get you help. But until you admit-."
"Admit to what?" Aaron screamed at him. He had nothing to admit to. They were Holly's and he longed to tell Jackson the truth the complete truth but he couldn't trust him not to reveal it to those closest to Holly. It would only make matter's worse if he did.
"That you're taking drugs Aaron!" Jackson snapped back at him, instantly regretting losing his temper as soon as the words left his mouth. It wasn't going to help matters at all if he lost it with Aaron, he'd only retreat further.
Aaron took a deep breath in, delaying time to answer so he could think of a valid reason why the drugs were in their room. But nothing could come to mind.
Jackson let out a bitter laugh. "You can't even be honest with me." Jackson commented. "If you'd have been honest with me, I'd have helped you. I wouldn't have been angry. But like usual you don't help yourself do you, Aaron?"
"Jackson-." Aaron started.
"No, don't bother." Jackson snapped at him. "This isn't going to work."
"What do you mean this isn't going to work?" Aaron asked stunned. He couldn't be finishing with him could he? He needed him!
"We don't work together." Jackson told him. "We're not going to last."
"Jackson, you know that's not true." Aaron tried to fight.
Jackson shook his head. "It's stupid for us to even try."
"You don't mean that." Aaron gritted out, trying his hardest not to let the tears fall. But he couldn't help the gut wrenching feeling inside of him at the thought of Jackson leaving him. He needed him. He hadn't needed anybody so much in his life before him.
"I do." Jackson sighed heading towards the door. "It was fun while it lasted."
Fun? Was that some sort of joke? "Fun?" Aaron sneered. "All this was to you was fun?"
"I didn't- never mind." Jackson said looking back at Aaron before going downstairs.
A few minutes later Aaron heard the front door shut behind the older man as he laid in his room in silence. It was all too surreal for him to digest. Too much had just happened. One minute him and Jackson were a couple, the next the older man had finished it with him over a packet of stupid pills that weren't even his. Why couldn't he be honest with him? He was even angrier with Holly now. Just because he was staying loyal to her, he'd been dishonest to the one he really cared about resulting into him no longer being with him. He was so angry right now. Why did he always have to screw everything up! Without thinking Aaron swung himself to the edge of the bed and flew his arm out, connecting his fist into the hard concrete of the wall behind his bed.
Else where, Jackson was just as upset. He hadn't want to break up with the younger man. It had been a heat of the moment thing and he desperately wanted to take it back. But it was a logical reaction to what he'd been exposed to. Aaron had lied to him or if not, he hadn't told him the truth, he'd skipped round it and given him shaky answers. It had been the icing on the cake to kick everything off. Too much had happened. He knew breaking up with the teen would only make things worse for the younger man but it was all too much. He fought with him near enough everyday, trying to get him to open up more or to go to the solicitors. Not forgetting the constant worry that haunted him everyday. He was always worrying about Aaron, there was always something to worry about. It wasn't worth it, was it?
He had no idea where he was going. He knew he wouldn't be welcome in Smithy Cottage any more. So he needed to find somewhere new to live for the time being, until things cleared a little. They both needed head space, if anything. Even if there break up was just a break from each other for a short while and he hoped it was. He already wanted to go running back to the teen. He found himself wondering back to The Woolpack, no matter how old he was he was always going to go to his mum first. She would be sensible enough to give him good advice.
"You're back?" Hazel said when Jackson entered the bar. "Kiss and make up?"
Jackson shook his head. He was well aware that Paddy was sitting with them and would hear everything he told her, but the older man would find out sooner or later. "We're over. . . I think."
"What do you mean you two are over?" Hazel exclaimed shocked by the news. Aaron and Jackson had their fall outs but they always saw through them and forgot about them. Never had she thought that they'd break up over something so silly.
"We're over, me and Aaron no more." Jackson said clearly.
"But that's stupid." Paddy giggled. "You two are made for each other. You bring the best out in him." He hoped that it was nothing. That either one of them would go running back to the other and beg for other to take them back.
"Apparently not." Jackson said, digging in his pocket and pulling out the packet of pills. "Found these in our room."
"They're not his, are they?" Paddy asked shocked. He couldn't cope with anymore issues that involved Aaron. The teen seemed to attract trouble.
Jackson nodded his head. He wanted to say now, but Aaron hadn't exactly defended himself.
"You're having us on aren't you?" Paddy giggled, hoping they were. He knew Jackson was known for his wind ups and Aaron was just as bad. They all needed a good joke.
"I wish I were Paddy." Jackson sighed. "I just can't cope with much more. There's always one thing after the other when it comes to him."
"But that's Aaron, you knew that when you got with him." Paddy tried to reason. He hated to think what effect it would have Aaron.
"I care for him, I really do. But I can't cope." Jackson told him honestly. "At least now I can't. I need time to myself and I know that sounds selfish, but I'm no use to him."
"Don't be so hard on yourself." Hazel quickly assured him.
"At least think about things before you really do pull the plug on you two." Paddy pleaded.
Jackson nodded his head. "I will. We just need a break form each other."
"You're welcome to still stay at Smithy but I'm not sure how awkward that will be between the two of you." Paddy told him honestly. He doubted that Aaron would be pleased if he had to see Jackson everyday if the older man had put them on a break. Plus he wasn't sure how the break thing ended if you still lived together.
"Thanks Paddy, but I don't that will help if I stayed." Jackson admitted.
"You're not leaving the village though, are you?" Paddy quickly asked, he hated to see Jackson leave.
The builder shook his head. "No, I'll just find somewhere else to live around here."
"Like where?" Hazel asked. She couldn't think of anywhere for her son to go. She could go stay in the B&B but it wouldn't exactly be ideal for Jackson to.
"I'll find somewhere." Jackson assured her, giving his mum a smile. "You don't mind going back to check on Aaron do you, Paddy?" Jackson asked, he couldn't stop himself from fretting about the young mechanic.
"Why? He was okay when you left him didn't you?" Paddy asked, a little panic setting in.
"Yeah, he was okay you could say. But I. . . I'd feel a lot better if I knew he hadn't done anything stupid." Jackson admitted. The teen was so unpredictable sometimes.
Paddy finished the last of his nearly empty drink before grabbing his coat and nodding his head. "Sure."
"Thanks." Jackson said as Paddy left the pub.
A/N – Hope you enjoyed this update guys, I'm sorry for not updating daily like I have been doing, but it doesn't seem possible at the moment for me to do that. I'm so busy at the moment. But I will try to update as and when I can. So I hope you can forgive me