Chap 41: Obstacles in Love - Part2

Warning: This chapter contains cursing and mature themes such as violence and abuse(physical and mental), which might be triggering. Reader discretion is advised.

Aiden and Noah hardly got any sleep at night. Noah had gone completely silent and just hugged Aiden tightly, thinking the worst.

Noah was not at home when Aiden woke up the following morning, and even his phone was switched off. Aiden realized Noah didn't want to see him leave, so he was not here at the moment. Aiden packed his luggage with a heavy heart, praying and hoping he would return here soon, and also didn't take half of his things so that Noah didn't feel completely abandoned by him.

Meanwhile, Dylan was feeling irritated, but he didn't know why. He was particularly harsh with his employees and walked around with a chip on his shoulder. Everyone tried to steer clear of him, observing his sour mood.

Before lunch, Dylan approached Aiden's desk and ordered him to join him for lunch. Dylan's girlfriend Natalie was with him, and Aiden felt awkward being the third wheel.

Once they were at the restaurant, Natalie met with her cousin, Sonia, and introduced her to Aiden and Dylan. Aiden felt weird at the entire situation and wanted to be anywhere but at the restaurant right now.

" W-What's going on?" he reluctantly asked Dylan.

" I set up a date for you."

" W-What?" Aiden stared at Dylan in shock. How far would Dylan go to humiliate him? " I-I won't..."

" Don't embarrass me in front of my girlfriend," Dylan said, pulling Aiden aside.

" W-Why are you doing this? Y-You know I am not interested in girls." Aiden was getting frustrated by the minute. Already he was worked up at the thought of staying with Dylan, and now this.

" Give it a try. It might just be a phase. Maybe you are not aware," Dylan said casually.

Aiden was not the one to ever get angry, but right now, he wished he could smash the person in front of him. " I am not a kid. Don't think I am confused," he said, trying but failing to maintain a calm tone.

Dylan was taken aback by Aiden's response. For the first time, Aiden had spoken to him in a brash tone. Clenching his fist, he turned towards Natalie, " You ladies, look for a suitable place to sit; we will be back in a minute." He didn't wait for Natalie's response and turned around, dragging Aiden along with him while Natalie and her cousin looked at their backs in confusion.

Dylan had a tight hold on Aiden's arm and walked around the restaurant, looking for a quiet place. He spotted the store room, which was empty, and pushed Aiden inside, closing the door behind him.

Aiden's anger had now turned to fear due to Dylan's mishandling, and when Dylan looked at him with a deathly glare, he wished he could run for the hills.

Dylan pushed Aiden towards the wall grabbing his jaw in a tight grip. " What was that just now?"

" W-What are you talking about?" Aiden stuttered.

" How dare you raise your voice at me?" Dylan screamed, tightening his hold on Aiden.

" I-I am sorry..."

" Is this the way you talk to me?"

" N-No... I-I was angry... S-Sorry..."

" Angry? I am doing this for your benefit, and you are angry?"

" H-How will it benefit me?" Aiden whispered in fear.

" Because you are confused. You always had a problem getting along with people. That person..." Dylan scrunched his face in disgust. " That so-called boyfriend of yours was nice to you, so you think you like him."

Aiden was baffled. How did Dylan come to that conclusion all by himself? " I-I am not confused. I really like..."

Before Aiden could finish his sentence, he fell to the floor as Dylan slapped him across his cheek.

" Shut the f**k up," Dylan roared. " You don't like him. You can't like him." Dylan unexpectedly felt an intense rage within him, listening to Aiden talk about liking someone else. He wanted to hit Aiden until he got his mind straight, but this was not the right place.

Dylan grabbed Aiden's arm harshly and made him stand up. He straightened Aiden's clothes and hair and made him look presentable. Aiden stiffened up, shocked in fear and confusion. Why was Dylan being so touchy with him? Although Aiden did not like it, he didn't have the guts to say so.

" Listen to me now," Dylan sneered. " The girls are waiting for us, and I don't want to create a scene in front of them. So you go on your date and act like a perfect gentleman, or you will regret it later."

Aiden didn't respond and tried to back away, but Dylan held his arm again and screamed, " Do you understand?"

" Y-Yes," Aiden stuttered fearfully.

" Let's go," Dylan turned around, unlocked the door, and indicated Aiden to get out. Aiden slowly got out of the store room, avoiding looking at Dylan.

" And this is not over yet," Dylan said from behind, increasing Aiden's worries even more.

It was the most awkward lunch Aiden had ever had. Natalie had arranged for a table at the corner for Aiden and her cousin Sonia. Sonia was a sweet, beautiful girl still studying in college and was outgoing like Natalie. Even though she was easy to talk to, Aiden couldn't feel comfortable because of the circumstances. A thousand things were running through his mind, and on top of that, he could feel Dylan's intense glare on his back from the other corner of the restaurant.

" You seem distracted," Sonia said suddenly. She was a chatty person studying at the same university as Aiden and continuously talked about her friends and college.

" I-I have never been on a blind date," Aiden replied softly, being honest with Sonia. While forcing Aiden to get rid of his so-called confusion, Dylan didn't mind using the sweet innocent girl, but Aiden couldn't do that to her. He didn't want to give her any false hope.

" Oh!" Sonia looked surprised. " Why?"

" I-I don't feel comfortable."

" Thought so. You are the shy type. You look more nervous than me, but it's cute." Sonia chuckled.

Aiden blushed and avoided Sonia's gaze.

" Am I boring you?" Sonia asked.

"N-No," Aiden replied in a hurry. He thought about what to say to refuse her politely. " It's just that I..."

" Am I not your type?"

" Ummm...I-I am sorry, but I can't..."

" You don't have to be sorry," Sonia said, smiling at Aiden. " I am glad you are open about it. I like you, and I wish we could work out, but it's fine."

Aiden was relieved that Sonia was so understanding, reducing the burden weighing on his heart.

" Anyways, we can be good friends," Sonia added.

" Y-Yes," Aiden said though he was not sure.

Dylan was sitting at another table with Natalie, but his attention was entirely on Aiden.

" Why are you staring at them?" Natalie asked. " Let them be."

Dylan didn't even hear what Natalie was saying because he felt a fire raging within him. His fists were clenched when he saw Sonia talking to Aiden with a smile. How come Aiden was suddenly so comfortable with a stranger? Didn't he find it difficult to interact with people?

He abruptly stood up and said, " I have work. We need to leave now."

" What?" Natalie was startled. " It's hardly 15 minutes, and we didn't even finish lunch."

" I have a meeting in 10 minutes," Dylan lied and went towards Aiden's table.

" Let's go." Aiden jolted up when he heard the crisp voice of Dylan behind him. Aiden got up from his seat, and Sonia looked at them in confusion.

" Why are you leaving so soon?" Sonia asked, looking from Aiden to Dylan and Natalie.

" I am sorry, but we have a meeting now," Dylan said, smiling sweetly like a gentleman. Aiden was shocked to see his mood shifting so quickly.

"Oh!" Sonia looked disappointed. She then faced Aiden and asked, " Can I have your number?"

Before Aiden could reply, Dylan interrupted him by saying, " I will send you his number through Nat." However, he had no intention of doing so. He then turned to Natalie, said, " I will call you," and left the restaurant with Aiden.

" Your boyfriend is strange," Sonia said to Natalie.

" True," Natalie agreed. " I can never understand him. I know he's a workaholic, but still, from the past few days, he is acting differently."

" You don't need to meet her again," Dylan said to Aiden when they returned to the office.

" W-Why?" Though Aiden was happy to hear that, he wanted to know why Dylan suddenly changed his mind? Did he have some other plan up his sleeve?

" Why are you asking?" Dylan said, irritated. " Weren't you against it a few minutes back?"

" Y-Yes."

" I will pick you up after office," Dylan spat. " Now get back to work." Aiden hurriedly walked out of Dylan's office, signing a breath of relief.

After Aiden left, Dylan was still not at peace. As he envisioned Aiden with Noah and Sonia, he realized the problem was not seeing Aiden with another man. He didn't want Aiden to be with anybody else, be it a man or a woman. Why? Why did he feel jealous seeing Aiden with others?