just_1_word | 2.8 Rejection
2.8. Rejection
Co-written with notskywalker
[Follows THIS]
“Leave your brain in the car, mate? You’re a million miles away.”
Aiden looked up as the soft Aussie accent infiltrated his thoughts. He offered him a wry smile. “Sorry, what were you saying?” he asked, making a grab for his pen again. He was supposed to be talking to Luke about beginning December holiday promotions for the bar, but he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was in Princeton and it was eating him up inside.
“He puked on you and you’re still smitten. This is serious, mate. We need an action plan,” Luke decided. “Which we should get started before Tab comes back and drags you to Princeton by the short and curlies.”
Aiden sighed and rested his head in his hand. “I don’t think he was interested. He was trying to make excuses even before the impromptu spew. Now he’s in hospital and I’m a damn stranger. Why would he want me anywhere near him?”
Luke pressed his lips together and scrunched his nose up helplessly. “To be fair, he’s in hospital for IV fluids and precaution only. He was dehydrated after spending most of the trip back to Princeton throwing up. It’s just a bug that’s going around and Pat’s susceptible. Tab’s brother has it, so does the Scot and another one of our friends. Hell, the rest of us could end up with it for all we know. You have to know that it would’ve been his automatic reaction to turn you down whether he was interested or not. I just can’t tell you why. He has to. I think you should go to Princeton and visit him in hospital. Show him the trip is no big deal. Maybe Tab and I can come with you? She wouldn’t turn down a chance to visit her brother.”
“Does he have a criminal record or something? You keep saying there is this thing you can’t tell me, but on the face of it, I can’t see any reason he’d want to turn down the offer of a date besides not being interested!” Aiden said in frustration. “He’s gorgeous. Even feeling as sick as a dog he was still the sort of guy I’m interested in. He turned me down and then spewed all over me, ruining a perfectly decent Armani jacket, yet I haven’t been able to get him out of my head.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “You can’t even just take my word that he didn’t accept because of something that has nothing to do with you personally?” he asked. “Give it another shot? At the very least, you’re worried about him because he’s sick and want to know he’s okay. You could just turn up with flowers and let him know you really are interested.”
“Is he dying?” Aiden asked abruptly. “Is that this thing you’re all on about?”
“What?!” Luke cried. “No! No, he’s not dying… Look, mate, you need to talk to Pat about it.”
Aiden frowned, trying to analyse more from Luke’s statement. “He said he’s high maintenance. That he’s not worth it.”
“How do you feel about that?” Luke enquired carefully.
“Maybe that I’d like the chance to try maintaining him,” Aiden admitted quietly. “And wondering why the hell his self esteem seems so low. If I had to judge just on what I saw on Friday, I would’ve pegged him to be a happy-go-lucky, bright extrovert.”
Luke nodded slowly. “From what I hear, he is. I’ve only known him since I’ve been with Tab, obviously. But he’s just…” He pushed his hand through his hand. “Shit, Aiden, you just have to go seem him, because he won’t come to you. Especially not now he’s probably feeling like the world’s biggest idiot for what happened. Go. Go and visit him in Princeton.”
Aiden looked at Luke with a mix of uncertainty and apprehension. “Will you come with me?” he pleaded. “Not to see him, just to Princeton. If it all goes arse-up, I’m going to need a mate to get sloshed with.”
Luke smirked. “Let me go call Tab.” He stood up and patted Aiden on the back before heading in the direction of it his office.
When he was gone, Aiden put his head in his hands and groaned to himself. “What the fuck am I getting into here?”
All characters referenced with permission
Word Count | 717
Co-written with notskywalker
[Follows THIS]
“Leave your brain in the car, mate? You’re a million miles away.”
Aiden looked up as the soft Aussie accent infiltrated his thoughts. He offered him a wry smile. “Sorry, what were you saying?” he asked, making a grab for his pen again. He was supposed to be talking to Luke about beginning December holiday promotions for the bar, but he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was in Princeton and it was eating him up inside.
“He puked on you and you’re still smitten. This is serious, mate. We need an action plan,” Luke decided. “Which we should get started before Tab comes back and drags you to Princeton by the short and curlies.”
Aiden sighed and rested his head in his hand. “I don’t think he was interested. He was trying to make excuses even before the impromptu spew. Now he’s in hospital and I’m a damn stranger. Why would he want me anywhere near him?”
Luke pressed his lips together and scrunched his nose up helplessly. “To be fair, he’s in hospital for IV fluids and precaution only. He was dehydrated after spending most of the trip back to Princeton throwing up. It’s just a bug that’s going around and Pat’s susceptible. Tab’s brother has it, so does the Scot and another one of our friends. Hell, the rest of us could end up with it for all we know. You have to know that it would’ve been his automatic reaction to turn you down whether he was interested or not. I just can’t tell you why. He has to. I think you should go to Princeton and visit him in hospital. Show him the trip is no big deal. Maybe Tab and I can come with you? She wouldn’t turn down a chance to visit her brother.”
“Does he have a criminal record or something? You keep saying there is this thing you can’t tell me, but on the face of it, I can’t see any reason he’d want to turn down the offer of a date besides not being interested!” Aiden said in frustration. “He’s gorgeous. Even feeling as sick as a dog he was still the sort of guy I’m interested in. He turned me down and then spewed all over me, ruining a perfectly decent Armani jacket, yet I haven’t been able to get him out of my head.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “You can’t even just take my word that he didn’t accept because of something that has nothing to do with you personally?” he asked. “Give it another shot? At the very least, you’re worried about him because he’s sick and want to know he’s okay. You could just turn up with flowers and let him know you really are interested.”
“Is he dying?” Aiden asked abruptly. “Is that this thing you’re all on about?”
“What?!” Luke cried. “No! No, he’s not dying… Look, mate, you need to talk to Pat about it.”
Aiden frowned, trying to analyse more from Luke’s statement. “He said he’s high maintenance. That he’s not worth it.”
“How do you feel about that?” Luke enquired carefully.
“Maybe that I’d like the chance to try maintaining him,” Aiden admitted quietly. “And wondering why the hell his self esteem seems so low. If I had to judge just on what I saw on Friday, I would’ve pegged him to be a happy-go-lucky, bright extrovert.”
Luke nodded slowly. “From what I hear, he is. I’ve only known him since I’ve been with Tab, obviously. But he’s just…” He pushed his hand through his hand. “Shit, Aiden, you just have to go seem him, because he won’t come to you. Especially not now he’s probably feeling like the world’s biggest idiot for what happened. Go. Go and visit him in Princeton.”
Aiden looked at Luke with a mix of uncertainty and apprehension. “Will you come with me?” he pleaded. “Not to see him, just to Princeton. If it all goes arse-up, I’m going to need a mate to get sloshed with.”
Luke smirked. “Let me go call Tab.” He stood up and patted Aiden on the back before heading in the direction of it his office.
When he was gone, Aiden put his head in his hands and groaned to himself. “What the fuck am I getting into here?”
All characters referenced with permission
Word Count | 717