Aurelio's Dilemma

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Aurelio's therapist frowned at the challenge. "Okay," she said. "I'll call them." She nodded again, turning back towards her desk. She glanced at Aurelio over her shoulder. "I'll call them, and they'll freak out. I thought you didn't like being a burden? Because you will definitely scare them with this."

"Yeah. You're definitely not real," Aurelio said. "Because that's the type of shit I tell myself. What kind of therapist says that to her client? Imagine knowing that your client constantly feels like a burden, and what you do is reinforce that insecurity. Bye."

"We'll see about that."

Aurelio had started walking away. He stopped for a moment, shook his head, then kept going. He walked along the sidewalk and headed home. At a corner, near the entrance of the skatepark, he spotted Matt and Leslie and her boyfriend. The sight pulled a long, tired sigh out of Aurelio, but then he frowned when he registered the angry atmosphere: Leslie's hands were flying all over the place while she talked to her boyfriend, and Matt was frowning up at him, looking very well ready to fight.

So Aurelio hurried over, and he arrived in the nick of time; just before Matt could swing a punch or maybe even in spit in Leslie's boyfriend's face, Aurelio caught his arm and pushed him back, keeping an arm in front of him to make sure he wouldn't attack again.

"What's going on?" Aurelio asked.

"Ah, there he is!" Leslie's boyfriend said. "That's who you're leaving me for?" He looked at Leslie with raised brows, and Aurelio realized she had tried breaking up with him. "Seriously? If you couldn't last with me, you wouldn't last with him either, Leslie. I don't know what makes you think he's any better."

Aurelio made a face. "You have so many loose screws," he said. "Please go cry about this somewhere else. I can't handle more bullshit right now."

"I didn't leave you for Elio. I left you because you're an ass," Leslie said, but the boy was looking past her, at Aurelio.

"I have loose screws? This is really funny coming from you, Elio," Leslie's boyfriend said, moving closer to Aurelio. Aurelio resisted the urge to step back. "We're exactly the same. We both can't stand Matt, for example."

Aurelio tilted his head. "Where do you get your information from? I was literally bonding with Matt over hating you last time."

"It's okay, Elio. You can be honest," Leslie's boyfriend said, his voice so uncharacteristically low and soft--like he was cajoling Aurelio into agreeing. "Tell them what's inside. What's in here." He jabbed a finger in Aurelio's chest. "Tell Matt how much you hate him. I know you do. Tell him that being his friend is so exhausting. There's no point in caring about someone like him. Life is so much easier when you're honest, Elio. I'm just trying to protect you."

"Okay, now this is too far, asshole," Leslie said. "I don't even understand your motive anymore. The hell are you trying to do? Come in between Matt and Elio? Or me and Elio? Or are you just trying to piss Elio off? I just don't understand."

"You know what?" Aurelio mumbled. There was no point arguing with this blockhead of a guy. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hate Matt. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Now get lost please."

Matt glanced at Aurelio, then looked at Leslie's boyfriend again. "Just in case you're too dense to understand," Matt said, "Elio agreed with you just so you'd leave us alone." Silence. Then Matt turned to Aurelio, leaning towards his ear. "...Right?"

Aurelio furrowed his eyebrows. "Dude. Obviously."

"Okay cool. Because if you actually hate me I'll throw myself off a cliff."