| rdfs:comment | - Paddy goes to Marlon's home at Tall Trees Cottage and knocks on the door. Glancing out the window to see who's at the door, Marlon calls out that he thinks it's best if they leave it until they've both calmed down. Paddy agrees to leave, but before he does, he tells him that Marlon was right about everything, and that Paddy really needs his mate right now. Giving in, Marlon opens the door. Paddy tells him that ever since Aaron battered him and ran away, Paddy has been acting exactly how he's been telling Aaron not to- refusing to listen and pushing away the people that want to help. When Paddy says he doesn't know where to begin, Marlon tells him that he can start wherever he needs to, and that there's nothing to be scared of. Paddy corrects him and says that he is not frightened of Aaron,
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| abstract | - Paddy goes to Marlon's home at Tall Trees Cottage and knocks on the door. Glancing out the window to see who's at the door, Marlon calls out that he thinks it's best if they leave it until they've both calmed down. Paddy agrees to leave, but before he does, he tells him that Marlon was right about everything, and that Paddy really needs his mate right now. Giving in, Marlon opens the door. Paddy tells him that ever since Aaron battered him and ran away, Paddy has been acting exactly how he's been telling Aaron not to- refusing to listen and pushing away the people that want to help. When Paddy says he doesn't know where to begin, Marlon tells him that he can start wherever he needs to, and that there's nothing to be scared of. Paddy corrects him and says that he is not frightened of Aaron, but that he is frightened for him. Before revealing anything, Paddy tells Marlon that he promised Aaron that he'd never betray his confidence by telling anyone his secret. Then he confesses that he doesn't know what to do, and the secret has been keeping him up at night. He's struggling, and he doesn't know what the right thing to do is. Marlon begs Paddy to talk to him, because until he does, Marlon is in no position to help him. Putting his trust in his mate, Paddy tells him that Aaron is gay. Meanwhile, Aaron has gone out to clear his head. Victoria finds him on his own and tells him she's heard that he went off with someone. Aaron denies it. Victoria reveals that Maisie told her he did, and that the girl looked like a lap dancer. Aaron belatedly realizes she means Bryony, Scarlett's friend. Victoria wonders why Aaron bothered denying it, and assures him she's not bothered. Then she corrects herself, and admits that she is bothered because she thought that if they spent time as friends and took things slowly, they might do well together. She believes their previous relationship failed because they went too fast. Aaron is confused because he thought they were cool. Victoria agrees that she thought so too, but that the thought of him with another girl bothers her. Aaron assures her that he hasn't been with another girl like that, but Victoria isn't satisfied with his response because it doesn't meant he won't be. She leaves soon after, feelings hurt because she cares for Aaron more than he cares for her. At Tall Trees Cottage, Marlon is still struggling to take in the revelation that Aaron is gay. He grabs a couple of beers for him and Paddy and asks his mate if he's absolutely sure. Even though there had been rumors a couple of months ago started by Adam, Marlon still has trouble reconciling the image Aaron portrays of himself with the truth. He also doesn't understand why Aaron is struggling with this. Marlon points out that there are tons of other gay blokes out there that don't go around battering people because of it. Trying to make him understand, Paddy explains that other gay blokes haven't had the same issues as Aaron has had. He has spent his entire life never belonging to anyone, and has come to believe that he is not good enough for anyone. Paddy tells Marlon that the lad is desperate for someone to love him, because he's never really had that before. Marlon reminds Paddy that for the past year, Aaron has made Chas' life hell while all she's done is try to make it up to him. Paddy maintains that Aaron is scared of her, and that he's trying to test her and find her limits because he's terrified his mum is going to reject him again. Marlon tells Paddy that Chas is the brains of the Dingle family, and that she's open-minded enough to accept Aaron being gay. Paddy says that Aaron believes that he's not good enough for her, and that being gay is another reason why. Marlon only seems to accept the truth of what Paddy is saying when he recalls that no one wanted to tell him who Jackson was when Marlon asked about him while they were at Smithy Cottage. He then tells Paddy that they have to tell Chas and the other Dingles so they can all prove to him that they still love him, but Paddy rejects the idea because that would mean revealing to Aaron that Paddy had broken his promise to keep his secret. This frustrates Marlon, because if they don't tell the others, it means they have to allow Aaron to continue believing that no one cares. Paddy points out that this has been his dilemma all this time: maintain Aaron's trust in him, or break his trust and prove to him that he's loved. Paddy returns home and anxiously apologizes to Aaron for interrupting his time with Jackson. He asks Aaron what Jackson said when he caught up to him earlier, but Aaron's lack of response tells Paddy that it didn't go well for him. Seeing that Aaron is becoming aggitated, Paddy nervously suggests that if Jackson is given a chance to sleep on it, he might come around. Ignoring that, Aaron wonders if Marlon has worked it all out. Paddy swears he hasn't, but Aaron lashes out. He knocks over a vase and says that he knows Marlon has worked it out by how he looked at Aaron earlier, with loathing and disgust. Paddy is forced to lie in order to reassure Aaron that no one knows anything, and that all Marlon saw was Aaron in a room with a mate. Aaron yells at him not to lie. He corners Paddy and tells him that this is what he was afraid of all along. He believes that when others find out, like Marlon has, that they will think he is a pervert. He wonders who Marlon will tell about it- maybe Cain or Chas. Paddy cowers against the wall as Aaron shouts in his face that they're all going to think he's sick, and that they're going to want nothing to do with him. The fury passes, and Aaron tearfully begs Paddy to tell him what to do. Still cornered by Aaron against the wall, Paddy tells him that he has to be honest, to trust the people he loves, and to tell Chas the truth. Aaron laughs bitterly and shakes his head as he tells Paddy that will never happen. Paddy tells Aaron that if he can't be honest with his family, then Paddy doesn't know what to tell him. Only Aaron knows what to do now. He walks away, leaving Aaron in tears. Alone, Aaron reaches out to the one person he believes will understand what he is going through now. He phones Jackson, and leaves him a message he hopes the other man will both listen to and respond to.
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