Capturing Oliver (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Aiden stormed into the apartment. He huffed as he threw his wallet and keys on the kitchen counter. They landed with a thud.

"It didn't go well, hey?"

Aiden hadn't noticed Chase sitting at the kitchen counter. He shook his head. "It was like a fiery car wreck," he muttered angrily. He wasn't sure if he was angrier with Oliver, Brian or himself. He decided that it would have to be a three way tie.

"What did he say?" Chase asked slowly. He crossed his arms against his chest. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"He pretended he wasn't home and then when he did finally open the door, he slammed it in my face."

"He did?" Chase's eyes were sad. "You didn't deserve that," he said with conviction.

Aiden knew that Chase was being a good friend, but he couldn't help but wonder if he was wrong. "Maybe I do," Aiden replied. He lent against the counter. Aiden closed his eyes for a moment, the pain of it all overwhelming him. "I've destroyed my relationship. I should have never sent that photo to Brian, I don't know what I was thinking."

Chase interjected quickly, "You didn't know what he would do with it."

"I shouldn't have trusted him!" Aiden sighed, anger leaving him with every breath out and sadness replacing it. "I knew that he was under pressure from his bosses for big stories and yet I made myself believe that he wouldn't lie to me. I'm an idiot and my actions have destroyed my relationship. Maybe I am more like Luca than I thought."

Chase stood from the stool. "I don't know who Luca is, but I know that you aren't like him. You didn't mean for any of this to happen, you can't blame yourself. You had the best intentions."

"And yet Oliver hates me, I can't ever trust one of my best friends again and I've destroyed my entire life."

Chase walked around the counter. "You can still fix this."

"He hates me, Chase, what about that don't you understand?"

Chase was taken aback. "I'm trying to help you."

"No-one can help me," Aiden replied. He grabbed his keys and wallet off the counter.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to think."

"Can I come with you?"

"I need to be alone."

Hours later, Aiden stood with his arms crossed against the railing at the look out. His mind was so clouded that he was able to momentarily forget his fear of heights. He knew that he was standing in the exact same spot where he had met Oliver. He thought back to that day, how he had stuttered when he spoke to Oliver and how in love with him he already was just from that first encounter. It had been so simple then.

Back then, there had been no secrets and no family dramas. It was so easy just being with Oliver. Enjoying the way he smiled and the way his laugh echoed through the forest. Aiden missed those days, but he also missed the Oliver he knew now. The Oliver with layers and walls that he had broken down day by day. He missed the unapologetic way Oliver had loved him. He hoped that one day he could feel that again, what it felt like to be loved that much.

He felt weird on the mountain without his camera. He was so used to the weight of it around his neck whenever he went hiking. However, as he stormed out of the apartment, he couldn't bring himself to pick it up. He hadn't taken a single photo since that day in New York. It had been two weeks and this was the first day he had left the house. He couldn't handle Chase stressing over him anymore.