Stay (Boy × Boy) ✔

CHAPTER 16

During early autumn Aydan asked Coach, if he could rejoin the swimming team. The coach had been giving him hard time ever since, because he had had no other choice than to give Aydan another chance.

The team was already missing their best swimmer, and without Aydan there was only few people left. He hadn't missed even one practice, and he was making sure Coach had nothing to complain about.

There was still no word from William, who still hadn't answered his texts or calls or returned to school, so Aydan had had to make a plan. The first step had been to quit smoking, which he had successfully, although moodily, done, and the second was getting back to the swimming team.

Aydan was making sure his records kept getting better, and it wouldn't take ages to get back to his older records. He just had to keep practicing and focusing on his health, which meant also that he was drinking less often and smaller amounts.

Aydan hadn't gone clubbing either, although it was just as much about avoiding George as it was about his goal to get back in shape. About a month after the assault, when Aydan had joined the others after his prolonged break, George had greeted him with a punch — right to Aydan's chin.

''How could you let that happen to him?'' George had snarled, his hands on Aydan's collar.

''It wasn't my fault.'' Aydan had hushed as the people at the club were staring at them. Then George had dragged him outside, not too gently.

He had had a furious look on his face when he asked: ''Not your fault?''

Aydan had been about to lose his temper, until George had continued, this time looking anguished: ''You know he loves you, right?''

Aydan had just looked at him blankly and stated: ''Of course he does, he's my best friend.'' Then George had shook his head, and laughed peevishly.

''Oh god, you really are an idiot.'' After George had said that, Aydan had seen red and would probably have punched him back, if George hadn't looked as upset as he did.

''He doesn't love you like a friend. He's in love with you, you fucker.'' George had sighed and the look in his brown eyes had been piercing.

''He isn't — you were making out with him, so you should know that.'' Aydan had answered.

''He told you about that? You know, he did that just because he couldn't bear seeing you with Claudia.'' George had explained slowly, like he had been talking to an idiot.

''That doesn't make any sense.'' Aydan had muttered, though he had started to dither.

''It does. You've been hurting him all this time and I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. It's your fault he got hurt, it fucking is.'' George had answered, and Aydan had shoved him, but they didn't fight.

Deep down Aydan knew George was right. The only person he should have been fighting with was himself. Be as it may, Aydan hadn't set a foot in the club or seen anyone else but Claudia from the group. Well, except one time, when he had bumped into Brooke at the mall, but they had only talked briefly and only about idle things.

Aydan didn't miss any of them, though, since they were just someone he liked drinking with. He wasn't drinking — except one beer every now and then — anymore, so their company didn't allure him as much. They weren't bad people, quite the opposite actually, but he managed just fine without them.

Aydan's reason to focus on swimming wasn't the same as William's had been: he didn't swim to move on from William. Aydan swam, because if William one day returned to the pools, he would be there waiting. He would be there to show William he was going to do better this time.