I miss you, I'm sorry

Part 33

"Aj, before you start, can i be honest with you?" Chunkz says, continuing at AJ's nod of approval, "I think we should get Niko in here. He was shocked to find out what happened, and I think you two need to have a long chat to clear things up. You both blame eachother for your hatred, but none of you have actually explained to the other why."

"Cause he knows what he did!"

"Aje I don't think he does. I'm not defending him, but this entire time Niko thought you cheated on him, which definitely wasn't the case. Who knows what else could've been mis-communicated." Sharky explains further, not wanting to see Niko right now but knowing it was what was best for Aj.

The trio sit in silence for a  while, whilst AJ takes in what was said, to be honest they were right, Niko deserved to hear the truth, he had lived 10 years with the idea that his lover had cheated on him, and poor Kenny was left in the dark about it all, Aj was unsure what Niko had told him, if he even had told him anything.  "Okay, yeah."

Sharky gets up and goes downstairs to where Niko and Kenny were sat on the sofa, Niko crying in Kenny's arms.

"I blamed him Ken, I blamed him for so long, an-and that bastard took him away from me, he took away my Ley." 

"Uh, guys, I-I don't want to interrupt anything, but Aj wants you guys upstairs." Sharky says, smiling sadly when Niko shoots his head up so quick he could've pulled a muscle.

"Is he okay? Did something happen?" He rushes out, now standing in front of Sharky.

"I-" Sharky sighs, "He relapsed. But hes okay now, Amin is with him, and he wants to explain the situation with you both there."

Niko practically runs up the stairs to Aj's room, standing nervously at the door. He didn't know what to do or what to say, and decided to just wait for Kenny and Sharky.

Kenny opens his arms for Sharky allowing him to fall into his chest as he sways him back and forth. 

"I-I knew his life was tough, but I didn't know it was this bad," He cries.

"None of us knew. He hides so much it was about time he exploded."

They pull away, kissing each other comfortingly, before heading upstairs to find Niko at AJ's door. Sharky gives a nod, before Niko slams the door open and sits on his knees at the side of Aj's bed, grabbing his hands, and crying into them. 

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"It's- I know."

-------------------------

AJ met Josh when he went into year 7. Niko was still in year 5 at this point and so Aj actually had to make some new friends. Thankfully being part of a small town meant one school for all ages, from Nursery to Sixth form, so AJ and Niko were still in the same school just in different buildings for classes. However, AJ needed someone to hang out with in these lessons, and to do assignments with. Okay he didn't need to, but the guidance councillor at the school recommended he make some friends his 'own age'. So Aj became friends with Josh. Josh had a younger step-brother in Niko's class so it made things a lot easier.

Niko was jealous of the new-found friendship. At first, he was fine, happy AJ had made a new friend, however spending more and more time with the pair, Niko felt something off about the boy, something he couldn't pinpoint. Aj never made Niko feel like the third-wheel in their friendship, if anything Josh was more discarded to the side whilst Aj gave all his attention to Niko.

"Ley, Can I tell you something," Niko asks, as he sits on Aj's bed watching the boy get ready for school.

"Sure Nik, what is it?"