[Reviews - 1]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
It took him a week to stop feeling sorry for himself. An entire week
wasted moping around and ditching classes, staying in bed all day and
sleeping. He was beginning to worry his grandparents, he knew, but he
didn't start worrying himself until the crying started. Why was he
crying? It wasn't as if Dave was his *boyfriend*, for Christ's sake.
They'd barely been friends, and John was disappointed when the kid
didn't respond to his come-on the way he wanted?

Yeah.. lying in bed for nearly seven days, he'd gotten over the fact
that he liked another guy pretty quickly. He didn't think he was gay
or anything, it was just that this kid.. Dave.. there was just
something about him that compelled John to want to be with him, to
want to figure him out and know everything about him, mentally,
emotionally, *and* physically. He wanted to know what he did in his
spare time, what his passion was.. passion.. he wanted to feel that
passion, wanted to feel it on his lips and fingertips and..

It took him another two days to get out of bed, shower, and return to
normalcy. Another day to go back to school. Three spent catching up on
work missed. Two working on assuring his family he was fine. Another
five before he went back to the store. At night. Wondering if Dave was
going to be there, knowing it with such finality he could've sworn he
was psychic.

He got his bottle of water from the back of the store, managed to
circle the whole place more than a dozen times before he worked up the
courage to go to the front counter. And there he was, ringing up a
customer, looking more serious than ever. Did he miss John too? Did he
wish maybe he'd given John a chance? Well.. there was only one way to
find out, John mused, as he began walking towards the counter.

Dave immediately spotted him, quickly averted his eyes as he rang him
up, almost pretended not to know him. John smirked, more determined
than ever to befriend this boy.. to become more than just friends with
this boy.

"They didn't like it."

"Excuse me?" Dave asked, confusion crossing his face.

"The person I gave the chocolate to," he continued, casually, as if it
wasn't nearly as complicated as it really was. "Must've thought it
*was* too pushy."

"Look, John.. "

"So you *do* remember who I am."

"John, I'm.. sorry.. " he went on, ignoring the sarcastic remark. The
boy kept his hand on the bottle of water, firmly, and John wondered if
it was a nervous habit. He let out a deep breath, and John could
almost see the thoughts running through his head. "It's just.. I
don't.. do.. that."

"That?"

"Yes," he clarified, nodding. "I don't do that. I don't.. date guys. I
like women."

"Oh," John said, as if in agreement or understanding. He could see the
confusion in Dave's eyes. "I see. So you don't want to go to this
party my grandmother's having?"

"I.. " he almost seemed speechless, as if the whole situation was
ridiculous. "I don't.. know. Would it be a date?"

"Oh, no, no," John assured him, shaking his head. "There's really
going to be no one there my age, and I'd just like some company."

"Well.. okay. I guess.. "

"Great," John said, and then gave Dave the address, who wrote it down
on the back of John's receipt and slipped it into the pocket of his
jeans. He grabbed his water, stepped away from the counter.. winked.
"Then it's a date."

"Wait!" Dave called, but John was already walking to the door. "You
just said it wasn't!"

"I'll see you at eight o'clock Saturday!"

"John!!" he heard, even as he was leaving. "It's not a date!!"

"We'll see about that," he said to himself, smiling as he climbed into
his Jeep. He suddenly couldn't hold in his excitement anymore as he
punched the air in victory. Because he had a date with the boy of his
dreams, with the boy behind the counter.
You must login (register) to review.