The next morning Aaron had slipped back into bed next to Jackson and forged sleep so the builder was none the wiser. He didn't want to cause the builder or anyone else for that matter anymore stress than he already had done. He knew they were all waiting by, ready for when he was going to blow up and lose it, do something stupid and so Aaron-like. All last night, as he fought the strong urge to sleep, Aaron thought everything over, the court case, the outcome, each attack, Darrel and his life, those around him. He had to put it all behind him, if not for him, for them, his mum, Paddy, Jackson. They deserved to move on. He couldn't allow Darrel to ruin their lives. He'd affected everyone enough already.
"I'm gonna call in sick today." Jackson announced to Aaron as he got dressed.
"Why?" Aaron asked surprised.
"Because. . . ." Jackson answered, tugging on a thin jumper.
Aaron raised his eyebrows.
"Coffee?" Jackson asked, still not having answered Aaron properly.
"You don't have to take the day off." Aaron called after him as he went downstairs. – I can take care of myself – he thought in his head.
"I want to." Jackson carried back up the stairs before he entered the kitchen.
Rhona was by the washing machine, searching through the laundry basket of folded clothes looking for something in particular when Jackson entered. "You're going to get sacked before long." Rhona said as she continued to search.
"I'll be careful." Jackson laughed before asking. "Lost something?"
"Yeah, my cream blouse." Rhona answered giving up as she stood in the kitchen in her thin grey pajama trousers and a pink fitted t-shirt.
Jackson pulled a face. "Have you looked in Clyde's bed?" He could have sworn he'd seen the Alsatian snagging it from the washing machine the previous day. At the time he'd assumed it was on of Aaron's t-shirts, hence why he hadn't bothered retrieving it. It was about time Aaron got some new clothes.
"What!" Rhona exclaimed rushing into the lounge where Clyde's bed was currently kept.
"Oops." Jackson breathed in Rhona's wake before continuing to make coffee.
"Look at it!" Rhona cried as she held out the blouse at arms length, shredded and torn in places. Jackson had to admit that Clyde did have some teeth on him, that's what frightened him sometimes.
"I'll get Aaron to buy you a new one." Jackson offered hoping it would be some comfort towards her.
"I was hoping to wear this today for when I meet with the potentially new clients in robblesfield today!" Rhona sighed.
"I'm sure you'll look great in one of your other tops." Jackson told her.
"My son giving fashion advice again!" Hazel's voice boomed from the stairs before they saw her. "Should have known he were gay long before I figured it out."
Jackson rolled his eyes, picking up the two mugs of coffee. "That's my cue to leave."
"Suit yourself." Hazel muttered as he squeezed past her.
Aaron was just pulling on his t-shirt over his head when Jackson came back with Coffee, and a smirk on his face. He'd taken the opportunity of Jackson making drinks downstairs to get changed into his typical t-shirt, trackies and hoodie.
"You're in trouble- or rather he is." Jackson teased nodding his head in the direction of Clyde at Aaron's feet before sitting on the bed.
"What- why?" Aaron asked a little panicked. What had he gotten himself into now?
"Hey don't worry." Jackson quickly mended when he saw the fright flick across Aaron's dace. "Clyde's eaten on of Rhona's favorite blouses- that's all."
"I'll buy her a new one." Aaron quickly told Jackson. "Which one was it?"
"The cream one." Jackson answered. "But I wouldn't worry about that now. It's just a blouse, she's got plenty more."
"She must be-."
"Aaron! Leave it. She's got others." Jackson stopped him. It was unlike Aaron to fret over a shirt that wasn't his. The old Aaron would have shrugged his shoulders and said it was her own fault for leaving it lying around.
Aaron lulled into silence, sipping his coffee twice, setting it down on the beside draws and then picking it up again to sip one more time before finally leaving it on the side.
"What you going to do today?" Aaron asked Jackson after a few minutes.
"Spend the day at home with you, if it's okay by you?" Jackson answered.
"You'll get bored." Aaron told him.
"No, I won't." Jackson argued. "We can watch a few movies I brought a few days back or play on the Xbox, plenty to do before we get bored."
"You've got work." Aaron continued. He didn't want Jackson acting any different. They needed to continue with their life normally and that meant Jackson going to work when he was meant to be, not taking sick days off.
"Only this morning and I'll call in sick in a bit." Jackson counted. "Any more excuses?" He asked the teen. He was getting the feeling that his boyfriend didn't want him around.
Aaron shook his head.
"Good."
Jackson and Aaron were downstairs playing n the Xbox when Chas decided to come running into Smithy Cottage with her black cloud. She slapped the local Newspaper down on the kitchen table in front of them all. Aaron's face plastered upon the front page and not for the first time, as well as Darrel's cocky smirk, just hours after being given the verdict. "BOY WHO CRIED WOLF!" were written in black block capitals across the bottom of the page. Aaron was the first to snatch it off the table to get a closer look.
"I can't believe this!" Chas fumed her eyes wild. "They're making it out he's the one lying." She said pointing towards her son who's temple was twitching.
" 'Local troubled hoodies, who bared all in court a few months back, was found to be telling sick tales against Darrel Kendall. . .' " Aaron read out loud for Jackson's benefit, assuming his mother had already read the article. He skipped a few lines until he found a quote from the monster himself. " 'I just hope that Aaron can get the help he needs. I'm thankful that the jury were able to see the truth and how troubled the lad is.'."
"He's the 'troubled' one!" Chas spat, her blood boiling.
"How many have seen this?" Aaron asked, thrusting the paper towards his mother. "HOW MANY!"
"A few." Chas answered. She didn't want to lie to her son but she knew it could only make things worse. "Bob was the one who gave me the paper."
"Great, the whole Village knows!" Aaron roared. "They're gonna think I'm sick enough to make this up! That I'm the one lying!"
"No they won't." Jackson told him.
"Not if I have anything to do with it." Chas promised. "They dare say anything they'll have me or Cain to answer to!"
"Has Cain seen this?" Jackson asked Chas quickly remembering Cain's threats in the court room.
"Most probably." Chas answered. "Why?"
"Why? Haven't you been listening to him lately." Jackson sighed. He hadn't known cain long, but he'd heard all about his past off of Aaron who praised his uncles actions or other people who shyed away from it all. "He wants to take Darren down. If he sees that he'd go mad."
"He deserves what he's going coming to him." Chas commented.
"Mum-." Aaron started.
"No Aaron, justice needs to be served and if that means Cain kicking his head in then so be it!" Chas justified to her son, she wasn't saying anything wrong in her eyes.
"Chas you don't want Cain going to prison for that Sick-" Jackson began to explain.
"Cain and mum are right." Aaron said as he continued to stare at the front page of the newspaper, Darren's cocky smirk fueling his hatred towards the man.
"Aaron. . ." Jackson didn't like where Aaron was going. Violence didn't solve anything. Justice needed be served in the right way.
"No, Darren deserves what's coming to him." Aaron said chucking the paper on the table. "I hope Cain does see this, so he knows exactly what he's dealing with when he finds him."
"Aaron! That's not going to solve anything. It's only going to make things worse." Jackson groaned. "Violence-."
"Don't start Jackson." Aaron snarled, still angry.
Jackson shook his head, stopping himself from responding to the teens angered words. There was no way he was going to be able to talk sense into either of them on his own. He'd have to wait till either Paddy or Hazel got back before he tried to make them understand.
"Like I said earlier, whatever that lad's got coming his way isn't anything he doesn't deserve." Chas said threateningly. "If I ever see him again. . ."
Jackson sighed. "Chas do you want to stay for a drink?" Jackson asked, they were still stood around the kitchen glaring at the paper and he was just waiting for Aaron's arms to give out on his crutches.
"No. I've got to get back to the pub." Chas quickly told him realizing she'd left Alisha on her own to cover the bar. "I only came by to let Aaron know about . . ." She said pointing vaguely to the table where the newspaper layed crumpled on the wooden surface. "Anyway I better get back, Diane will kill me if she knew I were gone. Could you let Paddy know about . . ."
"Sure." Jackson assured her, walking Chas to the front door before she left for The Woolpack.
When the builder turned back to the kitchen, Aaron was no where in sight but a second later he heard something smash in the next room.
"Aaron!" Jackson called through before rushing into the lounge to investigate.
The teen had thrown one of Paddy's vase against the fireplace, shattering it instantly where it now lied scattered in pieces across the carpeted floor. The vet wasn't going too pleased when he came home to one vase less than he had that morning before he left, especially if it wasn't just one. Aaron had picked up another Vase from the side, hurling it towards the fireplace once more.
"Aaron!" Jackson shouted, disbelieving.
Aaron stopped before he went to pick up another valuable possession of Paddy's or Rhona's that decorated the side, his breathing heavy as he tried to control his temper. "How could he?" Aaron said ever so quietly, leaving Jackson struggling to hear. "How could he lie?"
"I don't know." Jackson answered truthfully.
"Everyone is gonna think I'm SICK!" Aaron growled.
"No they're not." Jackson assured him. "They know you."
"But do they!" Aaron yelled. "If I wasn't me and I read that article, I would believe every word! Shit Jackson! They nearly had me believing them in court!"
"Aaron." Jackson breathed, stepping closer to his boyfriend. "You have no reason to doubt yourself, at all." He told him firmly. "You're the victim in all of this. You have nothing to be ashamed off."
Aaron snorted, disbelieving.
"It's him that should be questioned." Jackson continued. "And it will be him that will have to pay soon, it will have a way of coming back round to get pay back."
"You're right about that." Aaron growled threateningly as he thought of the threats of violence he and his family had against Darrel.
Jackson rolled his eyes. He didn't mean it like that at all. "So don't you ever think you have a reason to be ashamed. It's him that should be. And nobody will believe a word of the stupid article, okay?"
Aaron nodded his head.
A/N – Another update! Trying to keep on top of them now, putting time aside to tackle them. Looking forward to hearing what you think! Corrected the error! Thanks for letting me know.