The Lovable Jerk (boyxboy)

Chapter 26🔞

A/N

Greetings, lovely reader. You know, when I write an author's note here something 'big' is about to go down and it is. The following content contains (explicit) sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

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Westin

I couldn't help but feel saddened by Arlo's pained expression. I knew what I said was uncalled for but it didn't make sense ignoring the topic. He tried to kill himself. Sure part of me was doing all this because I didn't want to see him doing it again but then again was I wrong? HE TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF.

"That's not fair." He said in a low, yet defeated voice. Of course, there was no arguing, with what I had just said.

"I asked if you were suicidal--" I start but his face turned livid as he spoke up again.

"I wasn't! I wasn't suicidal okay. Yesterday was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you," He cried much to my dismay. Before I got a chance to apologize or at least try to soothe the pain he spoke up again. "I went to my dad's house on Sunday...He said he wanted to see me...I was so excited to see him since I last saw my dad like seven years ago but my heart was broken when I found out he only wanted to see me because he lost contact with my mom--"

"Arlo, you don't need to tell me this...I'm not judging you. I'm just worried about you." I interjected before he went any further and he sighed looking up at me.

"I want to tell you this. I have no one else to share this with...I'd rather not tell Finn, I am afraid of how he would react." He croaked on the verge of tears. "I don't want to throw this at him, we just started this friendship." He explained and with no words to say, I nodded letting him finish the story. He drew in another breath and looked up at me yet again. "As I said, Dad called me to his house where I found out he had a new family, I also found out he was living off mom...my mom has a shopping problem or at least that's what I thought until I found out, that was a lie and she had been giving all her money to my dad. In short, my dad was using my mother for money and my mother is madly in love with a married man with 3 kids excluding myself and Tobias. When I tried to confront him, he got mad and told me things...I wish he never did." he finished and I could see this had been weighing on him, it was as if he was somewhat relieved he told me.

Arlo did not need to tell me what his father said to him because I already knew. It was what caused him to act like he did on Sunday. It was one of the things that triggered his suicide attempt. I put one hand on his shoulder, and one on his knee when I couldn't find the words to describe how sorry I was. He smiled briefly before opening the car door and looking back at me.

"I am not justifying what I did, I only wanted you to know where I am coming from. Anyway, let me go cook dinner." He spoke up.

"I get it and I am sorry if I made you feel like I pity you because I don't...I'm terrified of losing you and I don't want a repeat of Sunday," I told him and his mouth opened a little clearly in disbelief. What? I can share my feelings too. I sighed as I took his hand and slowly stroked it. "I'll come see you after work, okay?" He replied with a nod and took a second or so as if he was contemplating doing something until he gave me a light kiss on my cheek and quickly got out of the car and ran to his house not giving me time to react.

I chuckled as I watched him enter his home and then I returned to work. By the time I had only 30 minutes to knock out someone came into the shop and as annoyed as I was I realized I couldn't chase the customer away, Andy would kill me. "Welcome to Ricky's ice cream shop, where you get happiness in a cup or cone. I'm Westin, how--Jillian? What are you doing here?" I asked when I realized the customer was my cousin.