Aurelio's Dilemma

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

Aurelio was so distracted with thinking about the nightmare that he hadn't had a chance to worry about his parents arriving home safely. He flinched when he heard their car swerve into the driveway, then turned in his seat to glance outside.

Standing up, he walked to the window but stubbed his toe against his violin case on the floor. At first he frowned and cursed, then he remembered this was his violin case, so he dropped down and patted it and mumbled, "Shit, sorry." He realized he probably shouldn't leave it on the floor like that. He also realized he was touching an elegant brown case, oblong-shaped.

That wasn't what he remembered it looking like.

Hadn't it been the type shaped like a violin? Aurelio frowned, but then his brain told him, what's taking your parents so long in the garage? Now Aurelio grimaced and thought, there's no need to worry, they won't crash into the damn wall in there. His brain told him, you never know. So Aurelio found himself holding his breath until he heard his parents open the front-door.

The rest of the late afternoon Aurelio spent in his bedroom. He stared at his violin case several times and tried making sense of why he couldn't remember its appearance well. Then again, this certainly wasn't the first time he'd forget something like that.

His mom knocked on his door around nighttime. Aurelio quickly slipped under his bedsheets and closed his eyes. Darkness engulfed him, and he could only imagine her worried expression when he heard the door inch inwards. She stayed there for a few heartbeats. He hoped she'd be relieved seeing him sleep peacefully. All these years spent raising a boy only for him to become a living, breathing, walking burden. Good old times when he was nearly invisible, when he never bothered anyone.

His mom closed the door so gently Aurelio nearly missed the click. Opening one eye, he glanced around and made sure she was gone, then he pulled himself upright and texted Leslie. They agreed to meet in the morning at Leslie's and discuss the card issue and all the confusing things that had been happening as well.

Aurelio refused to sleep--only this time, he didn't do it to avoid the nightmares. This time he did it so he wouldn't wake his parents up to screaming and crying. He promised himself he'd sleep whenever he was alone.

Eventually he drank the rest of his coffee even though it had gone cold, and his face pinched with each sip until he finished the cup. He dragged his chair nearer to the window and sat there, watching the sky darken and darken. Throughout the entire night, he coordinated all the events and happenings of the past few days in his head, arranging them in chronological order, so he could explain them better to Leslie tomorrow.

It would be just about the first time in his entire life he'd discuss a problem with someone. He'd always prided himself for being self-sufficient, for the ability to deal with everything on his own. He realized he'd never been self-sufficient. He'd never even dealt with anything. Funny how he had always actively avoided any problem and never let himself acknowledge that terrible habit. If it hadn't been for his mom's constant prodding, he wouldn't have even seen a therapist for his car crash phobia. He would have looked the other way and pretended as much as he could it didn't exist.

Aurelio let out a bitter laugh. Maybe this situation was some sort of punishment. To teach him that no, your coping mechanism isn't so great, and yes, you will need help eventually.

Time passed like torture. He managed to keep himself awake, but as soon as the sunlight peeked in behind the rooftops across the street, Aurelio got ready and grabbed the card and hurried downstairs. He met his parents on his way out and told them he was planning to have breakfast with his friends. They said something about it being way too early, but he didn't stick around to offer an explanation.

Outside, grass crunched under his feet until he stepped onto the pavement, and from there to Leslie's house. He had to cross the street to get there, and he hesitated for a moment, adjusting his feet along the edge of the curb. He saw Leslie through her window looking down at him. She waved, then disappeared. Aurelio thought she might be coming to help him cross, so in fear of her thinking he was so vulnerable, he walked past as quickly as possible.

Leslie opened the door before he could knock, then holding onto the edge, smiled at him. "Hi." She gestured him in.

"Hey," Aurelio mumbled and followed her inside. She led him across the corridor and into her bedroom, which was fascinatingly organized. Everything tidy and in place and perfect, including her black desk--it was clean, with only a pen and paper on it.

Aurelio raised a brow as he approached the desk, tapping the paper. "What's with that?"

"You said everything's been confusing lately," Leslie said as she walked behind the desk and sat in her chair. "I thought maybe if we wrote things down and organized them it will help you clear your mind."

"If you manage to help me clear my mind," Aurelio said, "I will quit therapy and come to you everyday."

Leslie smiled the slightest bit. "Let's start, then."

"Let's start." Aurelio reached for his pocket, grabbed the card with the note and their picture together, then placed it on the table between them. Both leaned over and stared it with frowns.

"How the hell did this appear under my pillow?"

• • •

This discussion between leslie and elio is basically the middle of the book! After that we start with the second part, in which elio becomes a lot more active and actually starts trying to find answers/an explanation for everything happening! Took a while for his development to happen 😅

Tysm for reading/voting/commenting ❤