CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Aurelio was following his mom home, but then he stopped and turned back. Uncle Ian had just been closing the door when Aurelio placed a palm on it, gently keeping it open.

"Hey," Aurelio said. "Um, I'm sorry about this entire thing." His uncle shook his head, dismissing Aurelio's concerns, then gestured him in. "Oh, thanks but I can't stay. I just wanna ask you a quick question."

So Aurelio asked him what he knew about his dad and whether he smoked, and Uncle Ian told him no, he didn't smoke. He never did. Which just added to the confusion. Could Aurelio's dad have kept smoking a secret? And if so, why would he just naturally tell Aurelio about it, and why would it be the exact same story as Matt's?

"You sure you don't wanna come in?" Uncle Ian asked. "Going back to see Leslie?"

Aurelio nodded at the first question, and then the second made his eyes widen. Shit. Leslie. He had been with her, and then Matt's mom passed by and he left and never came back to tell her how it went.

"Yeah," Aurelio said, pulling out his phone to text her. "I completely forgot--hey." He looked at his uncle again with a puzzled frown. "How'd you know I was with her?"

"You and Leslie and Matt are together most of the time."

Well, true. Aurelio nodded, but Uncle Ian's observation brought back his mom's words: I want him to pay attention to the people around him more. Didn't he already? If he'd noticed that Aurelio and Matt and Leslie hung out together a lot, didn't that mean that Uncle Ian actually paid attention?

Distracted, Aurelio made his way to Matt's. Leslie told him she was there. His eyes were on the ground, counting the cracks in the pavement as he walked, anything to keep his mind off what happened. Because too much was happening. Too much nonsense. He knew he had to tell his therapist at this point.

An arm landed around his shoulder. Aurelio flinched. He frowned at it then at the person standing next to him, a tall boy with a creepy smile. Aurelio couldn't recognize him.

"Um," Aurelio said.

"Hey, man!"

It took Aurelio a second to realize this was Leslie's boyfriend. And when he did, he shook his head quickly to clear his mind and mumbled back a halfhearted greeting. He reached a hand up and tried taking the boy's arm off his shoulder as politely as possible.

Leslie's boyfriend relented, lowering his arm. "Damn. Not in the mood today?"

Aurelio shrugged and kept moving forward, and Leslie's boyfriend caught up with his pace, walking next to him.

"You look tired."

"I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

"Matt's place."

"Oh. Leslie there too?"

"Think so."

"Haven't seen you in the gym in a good while," Leslie's boyfriend said. "Might lose your abs at this rate."

Aurelio fought the urge to stop walking and stare at this guy, to let him know that he was creeping him out right now. He didn't even remember seeing him at the gym. "Yeah," he said. "Been a little busy."

"Still practicing your violin?"

Well, not really. Not these past few days.

"You know," Leslie's boyfriend said, "you could lose your skill if you stop practicing."

"I know."

"Time to get your shit together again, don't you think?"

This time Aurelio actually stopped, just to frown at him.

I'm trying.

"Thanks," Aurelio said. "Haven't thought of that." He continued walking. He might've missed the turn to Matt's house or went another way. He didn't know where he was going anymore, but he kept moving.

"Wait. Listen." Leslie's boyfriend caught Aurelio's shoulder and made him stop. "I'm just being honest. It's kinda sad seeing you like this, you know? All of us can tell something's going on with you. We're not stupid. And it's getting kinda annoying. I mean, it's tiring," Leslie's boyfriend said. "Not for me." He raised his hands. "I'm not involved. I'm not the one who has to run around after you and solve your issue. It's getting tiring for Leslie."

Aurelio's heart stuttered. He'd already found it difficult enough to open up to her, only because he had always had this cripplingly compulsive mindset that he shouldn't burden anyone. The last thing he needed was what Leslie's boyfriend was saying.

"She has nothing to do right now other than worry about you, Elio. Seriously--she's barely hanging out with me anymore. Her mind is always somewhere else. With you, I'm sure. That's a bit annoying, get me?"

Oh.

So this was where this was going.

"That sounds like a communication problem," Aurelio said. "Maybe you should talk to her."

"No, no, no. I don't mean it like that. I'm talking for you, dude. I care about you." Leslie's boyfriend put a hand on his chest, sincere and all. Some acting skills. "It's not just Leslie. Everyone around you is getting tired. Even Matt. You literally unlocked a new emotion in the kid! I've never seen him worried about anyone. You know, you were always the reliable one. Everyone could count on you. Everyone could trust you. Everyone could come to you for help. Just...no one's used to you being the problem."

"So?" Aurelio said. "So what if they help me? What's so bad about that? Do you want them to turn their backs on me or what?"

Leslie's boyfriend sighed. "No, they wouldn't do that to you and that's the problem. Matt's being extra considerate these days, but how long can he be patient with you like that? Leslie won't stop until she can help you with whatever the hell your problem is. Eventually you'll become a burden for both of them. They'll end up seeing you as an inconvenience. That's why I told you you should get your shit togeth--"

Aurelio turned and walked away.

"Dude?" Leslie's boyfriend said from behind, startled.

Aurelio kept walking forward until he reached a crossway, trying to block out the boy's voice. Looking around, he fought to regain his sense of direction and location. But nothing. He felt like he couldn't tell where he was right now, like he couldn't orient his senses correctly. All he could think of was this asshole and what he said.

Was he literally trying to ruin any progress Aurelio had made?

"Need help crossing the street?" Leslie's boyfriend chuckled. Chuckled. Like this was a joke. "You can hold my hand if you're so scared."

Aurelio clenched his jaw.

"Fuck off."

"Just trying to help--"

"Fuck off." Aurelio turned back, roughly pushed past Leslie's boyfriend, and picked his way to Matt's place. But this sticky asshole still followed, and Aurelio was starting to feel his throat tighten, his chest constrict. It had been a little while since his car crash phobia had caused him any anxiety, and now Leslie's boyfriend precipitated the fear with his stupid remark.

"I'm starting to feel it's a shame that we share a name."

Aurelio froze. Then he turned around again, staring, eyes wide, heart pounding.

Please, no, he thought. Please no more confusion.

Leslie's boyfriend smiled. "You didn't know? My name's Elio," he said, then he took a few steps closer to Aurelio and bent to whisper in his ear. "And I'm Leslie's Elio."

• • •

Hii. Thank you so much for reading and for your patience with the late updates! It means a lot. Hope you're still enjoying!! ❤❤ alsoo Matt's gonna be in the next chap lol it's been sooo long since he appeared. Lowkey found myself missing writing a scene with him xD