Aurelio's Dilemma

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE:

Leslie's boyfriend was the first to leave. Then Blair, for an appointment, hair or nails, something like that. And then the trio was left alone and silent. Leslie hunched over the table, palm pressed to her cheek as she scrolled through her phone, occasionally showing the boys old pics. Matt was still eating. Aurelio leant back and watched the ceiling fan spin. Then he closed his eyes.

"Elio?" Leslie said. "Are you okay? You look tired."

When Aurelio looked at her, she was locking her phone, setting it aside. Pretty green eyes focused on him. "Nah. I'm alright."

"No, you're not alright," Matt said. There was an edge to his voice, one that concealed worry. And worry was a rare thing for Matt. "You've been fiddling with your fingers for the past ten minutes. You're clearly anxious, not just tired."

"My God, Matt," Leslie said. "Can't you be concerned in a more gentle way?" She cut her gaze to Aurelio, and her expression softened. "Is it because...When my boyfriend..."

Matt straightened, brows furrowed. "Did that asshole mention the accident in front of Elio?"

"...Yeah."

"Cool." Matt shrugged. "I'll break his face tomorrow."

"He doesn't know about his phobia!"

"Who the hell just brings up an awful topic like that anyway? It's been all over the news, everyone knows."

Leslie sighed. "That's what I said."

Aurelio kept a straight expression. "Done?" he asked. Matt leant back, frowning, and Leslie's eyes drowned in shame. "Matt, thanks, bro. You're the best. But it's really not her boyfriend's fault. I can't just expect everyone to know about my phobia, and I can't blame them if I panic. It's my problem, my responsibility."

Silence. Leslie held Aurelio's gaze. "I respect that," she said in a steady voice, but her eyes were a little distant. "The way you don't go around blaming others for your problems."

Aurelio smiled. It felt nice, her praise.

"By the way..." Leslie glanced around the place and scratched her bare collarbone. "How's your new therapist?" she asked, her voice low and tentative.

Aurelio lifted a shoulder. "Good. She's good." He wrung his fingers in his lap, leg bouncing. Words at the tip of his tongue, desperate to be spoken. "It's just that..."

"Yeah?"

Aurelio stared at Leslie for a second, then he shook his head. "Never mind." The way she'd said yeah? with that gentle tone of interest almost made Aurelio want to spill everything in his chest out. But no. He'd let it rot there where it belonged. "...The weather's pretty great, huh?"

Leslie laughed, all teeth on display. "So that's what you do with the problems you don't blame people for. You avoid them."

"Depends."

Aurelio looked at Matt, who'd returned to eating while mindlessly staring out the glass wall. He most likely hadn't had breakfast, and there was a good chance he wouldn't have a proper lunch or dinner later either. It was the outcome of living in a family with no structure. A family with no family.

Leslie's phone buzzed, and when she glanced at it, she let out an annoyed tsk. Aurelio knew who'd texted her-her mom. Matt finished eating. They decided to leave now; Leslie stood and wore the cardigan she'd hung over the backrest. Matt picked his skateboard up, and Aurelio walked to the door and held it open. Leslie and Matt passed outside first, then he followed them.

A raindrop landed on Aurelio's nose the second he stepped foot on the pavement. Frowning, Matt looked up, then he blinked furiously as a few more droplets splashed right on his face.

"Well," Matt said. "Thanks for jinxing the weather, Elio."

"No problem."

"I didn't get my umbrella," Leslie said. "Let's hurry before it starts pouring."

"Yeah." Matt dropped his skateboard to the ground and placed one foot on it, rolling it back and forth. "See you tomorrow?"

Aurelio nodded. "See you." Before Matt could skate away, Aurelio took a tiny step forward and said, "Careful, yeah?"

Matt turned back. "Don't worry," he said. Then he went his way.

"Let's go," Leslie told Aurelio, holding his wrist and towing him behind as she hurried towards their block. Not three minutes later and the sky faucets broke; the rain poured, loud and relentless. Aurelio hoped Matt had arrived home by now. When Aurelio and Leslie made it to Leslie's place, their clothes were drenched, hair heavy like they'd just showered.

Leslie sprang onto the threshold of her house, barely protected by the ledge above her head. "Do you want me to get you an umbrella?" she asked.

Aurelio shook his head. "No need. Thanks." Leslie waved. He waved back. Then he turned on his heels, and the moment he did, the door swung open and her mother's loud, authoritative voice blasted out. They bickered there at the doorstep. Aurelio stopped for a second, but not to eavesdrop. This moment...it gave him a weird deja vu.

Eyes downcast, trying to shield them from the rain, Aurelio hastened towards his house-across the street from Leslie's, a few meters ahead. He stood at the pavement and looked left and right. His heart pounded. The clouds cried harder. When he stepped onto the asphalt, his foot landed in a puddle and he nearly lost balance. But he kept going with his chin down.

An engine revved in the distance. The car was still far enough. Aurelio knew he'd make it to the other side by the time it'd reach, but the anxiety gripped him by the throat. He sprinted. The water seeped into his shoes. Breath faster, almost panting. Not now, he thought. Please not now. But it was already happening. The thunderous sound of metal crashing into metal clogged his ears, an audio on repeat. It could've been his parents. It could've been Leslie. Or Matt. He didn't realize he was already across the street, safe and sound, until the car drove past him and splashed him.

He couldn't even lower his arm that he'd curved over his face to protect himself from the dirty street water. From a moment, he just stayed like that, eyes screwed shut, terrified from nothing and everything at once, shaking on the sidewalk. When he opened his eyes, he peeked through his elbow around him. He was safe. No car. No crash. Slowly, he lowered his arm. His socks were wet. The irritation anchored him.

He swallowed. The rain pattered on his head, as if asking to him move already. So he raced towards his house, into a fenceless driveway, fishing his pocket for the keys. He stood at the doorstep, blinking, trying to keep the water out of his eyes. He fit the key into the keyhole, and then-then it hit him.

His house was fenced all around.

Aurelio froze. He stared at the key, pulled it out. It...it wasn't his. This wasn't his house.

With a gasp, he dropped the key and stepped back.