52. (BoyxBoy)

52. Page 24.

Chapter 19

Tuesday. Tuesdays are the third best day of the week. Simple and plain, but full of complications and excitement. A Tuesday is a paradox, an anomaly.

School came and went. It went quickly, like a fast wind blowing by. Aiden had a chemistry test last lesson. He was prepared. He had revised. He felt clever. He’d never known it before, but he was actually good at science. And that made him happy. And what made him more happy was the fact that when he reached his flat, he would walk past it and step into the next home.

David didn’t understand, he didn’t not understand either. He wasn’t a counsellor,  but he wasn’t an idiot either. He accepted Aiden, and gave him respect. Isn’t that what friendship’s all about?

It felt like they’d been talking forever, but it was still daylight Aiden’s phone started ringing and broke them from their broad conversation. “Please tell me that you don’t have Britney Spears as your ringtone?” David laughed.

Aiden blushed furiously, “It’s, err. OK, you got me,” he admitted ashamedly, staring at the phone.

David sniggered, “Are you just going to stare at it, or actually answer it?” Aiden shrugged and scratched his head. “Who is it?” David asked curiously.

“It’s . . . my . . . It’s my boyfriend?” Aiden stammered, accepting the call. He wasn’t sure what to call Matt, they weren’t officially ‘over’, but they certainly weren’t ‘together’. David opened his mouth in pretend shock and clasped his hand over it. “Hey,” Aiden said unevenly, sticking his tongue out at David who was making kissing faces.

“Hey, Aiden,” Matt replied down the line. Aiden didn’t reply. “Where are you?” Matt asked slowly. Aiden continued to not answer and started playing with a coaster on the side of the table, covered in tea stains. “I’m downstairs, below your flat. Can you let me in?” Matt said eventually.

“I’m busy, actually,” Aiden muttered.

“Aiden, I’m sorry. Toby told me what happened, OK? I believed you anyway, but I just pretended not to. It was easier that way. I should never have said that, you know, I wasn’t, you know. I am. I know it’s the 21st century and it shouldn’t matter, but . . . My dad . . . It’s difficult, you know?” Matt’s voice was worn and Aiden could clearly hear the sorrow in his voice. “I want to be with you,” he whispered so quietly, Aiden barely heard it.

“I’ll be there in five,” Aiden said, shutting his phone.

“What was that about?” David said immediately. Aiden motioned he’d be a few minutes and started to leave. He threw himself at the million flights of stairs and ran like the wind. His body shot through the block of council flats like a roaring bullet. His feet barely hit the ground and his breath was fast, but happy. As soon as he reached the ground floor, he saw Matt with his head hung low and feet dragging along the floor. Aiden threw open the doors of the building and within seconds, his hands were on Matt’s, along with his lips.

“I missed you,” one of them said. It didn’t really matter who, because he spoke for both of them. Their bodies were one.

“This is my friend, David,” Aiden smiled, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “And this is my boyfriend, Matt,” Aiden’s smile grew wider. “David, Matt. Matt, David.”

“Hey,” Matt said slowly, eyeing up his opponent.

David replied sweetly, and winked at Aiden, which was clearly intercepted by Matt. A flash of confusion and jealousy flashed across Matt’s face, but Aiden didn’t seem to notice. “Sit down,” David shrugged, smiling at the jealousy in Matt’s face. David and Aiden automatically slouched down onto the sofa, as Matt continued to stand gauchely.