Chapter 13

Aaron felt water splashing down onto his face. He opened his eyes groggily and sat up when he realised he was still in the graveyard. Empty beer cans surrounded him and several mud patches coated his suit. There were smears of mud on his tear stained face from where he rested his head onto Adam's grave. He sat up and shivered, folding his arms round himself, desperate to keep warm. He stood up and stared down at the pile of earth under which his best friend lay, fresh tears making thier way down his face. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to face Jackson.

"Aaron! There you are."

"Yeah. Here I am." Aaron muttered

"Your Mum's got half the village out looking for you!"

"Well you can go back and tell her you found me." Aaron sniffed, wrapping his arms tighter around his body.

"Have you been out here all night?"

"No. I just thought I'd have a dance in the rain and cover myself in mud! I didn't want to leave him, ok?"

"Aaron you're going to make yourself ill! Come on, Come back to the pub."

"I'm not going back there. I just want to be left alone!" Aaron yelled

"Well that's not going to happen. I'm not leaving you here on your own."

"Where were you yesterday anyway?"

"I was there. I was sat at the back. You just didn't notice me."

"Got some never turning up at the funeral haven't you after what you did?" Aaron spat, shivering as more chills took over his body.

"I didn't do anything! You've got to stop blaming me for his death! He was my mate too you know. I came to say goodbye to him and I'm not leaving you out here. Your wet through, you're freezing, you've probably got hypothermia...You're coming back to the pub with me. Even If I have to drag you kicking and screaming!"

Aaron shook his head, his eyes firmly fixed on Adam's grave.

"Fine. You know what Aaron? Stay out here. Make yourself ill, put yourself in that ground next to Adam if that's what you really want. I'm done. You know you always blab on about how much Adam meant to you. What about the people who care a lot about you? Put them through this same hell Aaron. Like we didn't have enough of that when you were hooked up to god knows how many machines unable to breath on your own! Think about yourself like you always do!" Jackson threw up his hands and turned and walked away from Aaron.

"Jackson...Don't go." Aaron begged, the tears starting again.

Jackson sighed and turned back around to face Aaron. "What?"

"Don't go. Look I'm sorry that I blamed you for Adam's death. It's just...losing him on the same day that you lied to me about Ed...I was so angry. I couldn't deal with it..."

"I know. and I'll never forgive myself for lying to you."

"I mean...It is possible it was just a horrible coincidence? I know Ed hated Adam..."

"Why?"

"Ed was convinced something was going on. I won't lie to you Jackson, I wish something was. I wish Adam was gay and you'll never know how much I wished he was with me. I loved him, but that doesn't mean that I regret what we had...What we still can have."

Jackson nodded "I always kind of knew deep down that it was more the friendship. To you anyway, I know you wanted more."

"I just tried to forget about it, wake up and realise that it was never going to happen. I didn't want to push things and freak him out and risk losing him completely. Everytime we fell out it killed me. That's why I was always the one to make things right. Adam was so stubborn and he didn't want to be the first to apologise. Even when he was in the wrong."

Aaron turned back to the grave and smiled slightly when he felt Jackson's arm snake around his waist. "Well, there you go, Adam..We made it up."

Jackson frowned and shook his head "Hey where's Cain?"

"Don't know, and don't care. He sent me a text a few days ago saying he had to go away for a while. Didn't tell me where, left it to me to tell Debbie, and left me in charge of the garage."

"I thought he would have at least stuck around to support you today"

"Yeah. So did I. But that's Cain for you. Selfish, self-centered..."

"We should head back." Jackson sighed as the rain pelted down heavier. "You're going to be so ill in a few hours, I hope you realise that."

"Yeah whatever. You better be nice to me or I swear i'll pass it on." Aaron smirked, allowing himself to be led away from the grave.

"Oh trust me, you'll be lying in that bed on your own."

"That's good enough for me as long as you plan to look after me."

"I wouldn't be a very good boyfriend if I didn't, would I?"

"Who said I've taken you back?" Aaron asked, his expression serious

Jackson nodded and looked at the ground, cursing himself silently. He smiled when he felt Aaron's shoulder bump against his.

"Muppet. You're so easy to wind up!"

Jackson laughed and shook his head, wrapping his arms around Aaron again. "I'll get you through this Aaron. If you'll let me."

Aaron nodded and pulled away from Jackson's embrace, instead he took Jackson's hand in his own and smiled at him. Jackson smiled back and leaned in and captured Aaron's lips in a soft kiss.

As Aaron and Jackson turned the corner and were out of sight he approached the grave, a smile forming on his lips. "Better save some room down there, Adam. I've got a feeling someone is going to be joining you soon."

He walked away from the grave again, another plan firmly in place. He'd get him, In time. He just needed to have a little fun first.