Exploiting Realities

CHAPTER TEN - TENSION

DILLON'S POV

No.

This wasn't happening. SImple as that. It wasn't. This was some kind of sick joke, and I knew it. Aria was just messing with my mind. She was perfectly healthy, just as she had been yesterday. Things like this didn't happen overnight, right?

But I wasn't right. Aria was right. She was telling the truth, and that was what killed me. For once, I would have preferred her lying to me. Aria was sick. And by sick I meant really sick. SIck beyond my control. Not being able to do anything to help her...that was what got me. I sat in shock, staring at nothing in particular. I knew she wouldn't lie about this, but it still didn't seem real.

"Are you okay?" Aria asked, concerned about my silence.

"Um...not really. I'm just...processing...I don't know how to raact to this."

She nodded in understanding. "Neither did I."

"Two whole years," I stated in awe. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't want anyone to treat me differently!" she exclaimed. "I told Lorelai when I first found out because I was panicing. A few months later I lied to even her to spare her the worry. I told her that I had gotten better. That was far from the truth."

I shook my head. I still couldn't grasp it. "But to keep something like this from everyone for all this time..."

"Trust me, it wasn't easy. People treating me the same was a priority to me, though."

"I would've treated you the same!" I exclaimed defensively.

She shook her head. "No you wouldn't have. You probably would have tried to, but you wouldn't have been able to. Just like you won't be able to now."

"I will so!" I insisted.

"No, you won't. You'll be worried."

"Well, of course I'll be worried!"

She nodded. "And that'll make you treat me differently. It's okay, though. I don't blame you. You're only human."

I pondered this for a moment. She was right, I guessed. I would pity her. I would treat her differently! Nothing was ever going to be the same, and we both knew it.

"How did Lorelai react when you told her this time?" I wondered.

"She cried," she said. I had figured that much. "She also asked me why I told her that I had gotten better."

"Can I...can I talk to her about it? I mean, since she was the only person that you told...I'm sure that she'll need someone to talk to as well."

Aria nodded. "Go ahead. I'm sure it would help both of you."

"So what's the plan?" I asked her. "What're you going to--"

I stopped in mid-sentence when he came in the room. He didn't even look up. He didn't notice I was there. Why was he there? He had no right to be there. None!

"Hey," he said when he walked in the room, not taking his eyes away from the melted ice cream in his hands. "I brought you a coconut Mix-O with malt from Sweet Scoops, but it got a little melted on the ride he-- oh, bad time?"

He stopped when he looked up and saw me sitting there next to her. Yes, it was a bad time. A very bad time. The anger boiled in my veins. Why was he here? He knew? Aria had said that it was only Lorelai! Had she lied to me? Why would she do that? I was furious.

I stood up in a rage. "Oh, right. Lorelai's the only one that knows. Don't you think you've lied to me about enough, Aria?" I grabbed my jacket and stormed out.

Of all things, this was what she chose to lie to me about. Like I would have cared anyway! Except that I would have cared. I would have cared, and Aria knew it. I was upset. Alec knew before me! DIdn't that defy all laws of relationships? I got into my car and slammed the door shut. I put the key in ignition and began driving away. Wow, Aria. That was low. I didn't understand why he got to know and I didn't. Him of all people! The one person that I despised above all others. He was such an awful person, and I had no idea why she stuck with him. Anger was an understatement of what I was feeling right now. I couldn't deal with this, not on top of everything else that I had figured out that night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What do you guys think about the tension between Dillon and Alec? What do you think will come of it???

The next chapter is my favorite. Just so you know in advance. :)

Always feel free to COMMENT!

New picture of Dillon on the right, seemed to suit the situation.

-V. E.