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It happened to everyone, getting a song stuck in your head. But
instead of a song, John had a boy stuck in his head, the beautiful boy
he'd seen at the club. That olive skin and messy hair, broad
shoulders, strong arms...what color were his eyes? John hadn't gotten
close enough to see them. He imagined some deep green or exotic brown...

"And I loved that part when Tom Cruise shoved that gerbil up his ass."

"Yeah, me too," John murmured. Suddenly he looked at Michael. "What??"

His friend rolled his eyes. "I knew you weren't listening. I was
talking about the movie. What has been with you lately? It's like you
took some bad drugs last week and you're still zoned out."

They paused at an intersection, waiting for the light, having just
come out of the city's movie theatre. "A Few Good Men" had had a few
cute actors, but John had been too busy thinking about that boy stuck
in his head to even remotely pay attention. He was about to step into
the street when Michael stopped him, looking at him with a frown.

"Are you still thinking about that guy?" he asked sourly.

"No," John lied. "I have a test tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

"I meant Monday." Michael looked at him, unconvinced. "I'm not lying."

"Now I *know* you're lying," he stated. "Only liars would say that."

"So would people telling the truth," John shot back. "Look, you told
me not to think about him, so I'm not."

"Good," Michael said, and they began to walk again, dodging traffic as
they made it to the other side of the street. "So what did you think
about the movie?"

"It was great," he said, and then cracked a grin. "Especially that
part where Tom Cruise shoved that gerbil up his ass."

-------------------------------

They were meeting Peter for lunch at a gay-friendly café. The large
black man was sitting at a small table out front, looking over the
menu as he sipped bottled water from a straw. He glanced up and saw
them, smiling broadly and showing off those perfect teeth he had. He
beckoned them over as if they weren't already going to join him.

"Michael," he called, as they came closer. He stood up and they
exchanged kisses. John stood there awkwardly, stuffing his hands into
his pockets as he waited for them to sit down when suddenly he was
being pulled into kisses too. "Johnny, right?"

"Uh, yeah," he replied hastily, startled. He'd never really been into
the whole gay thing before; Michael was really his only gay friend.
Well, Michael and now this guy. He sort of liked it, but it was still
a little...overwhelming. There were so many things he needed to know,
did they have some kind of classes for all of these things or
something to help him out here? "It's John, actually."

"Johnny's so much more fun," Peter insisted. "Sit, everyone, let's go.
I've got this waiter in my pocket, he's going to give us a discount."

"I can cover the bill, if you want," John blurted out, and realized
how lame he sounded. He might as well be wearing a sign that read
PLEASE LIKE ME. "I mean, you know. My treat, for my first time meeting
you. Out of the club, I mean. So second time, then." He wished he
would shut up and was thankful when he did.

Peter just smiled broadly, pure amusement in his eyes. He was always
all smiles, and John liked that. "Sure, honey. Who am I to turn down a
free meal? You still want me to get that discount?"

"He doesn't need it," Michael interjected. "John's richer than God."

"Oh, no!" Peter exclaimed, fascinated. "Well, now I know who to go to
when I need some cash. Don't worry, Johnny, I'll give you something in
return." He put a hand on John's arm, winking, and John felt his face
get hot. "Look at him blush! Aren't you adorable?"

Suddenly, Michael jumped, looking at the pager he kept secured to his
belt at all times. "Shit, it's the hospital. I gotta call." He stood
up, glancing at Peter. "Order for me, would you? Anything's fine for me."

"Hot dog with extra mayo it is," Peter replied, a mischievous twinkle
in his brown eyes. "I'd hope you'd have more class at a place like
this, but you like what you like, I guess."

Michael flashed a grin. John didn't get it. He smiled anyway, trying
to fit in, but he knew he looked uneasy. He watched Michael walk to a
nearby payphone before he felt Peter's hand on his arm again.

"So tell me, Johnny," he began, leaning forward with interest, his
eyes bright with curiosity. "How did you end up with him?"

"Oh, we're not...dating," he replied, shaking his head. "We're just
friends."

"Really," Peter asked, cocking a brow. "So how did you two meet?"

"I took a lecture class for pre-med students last semester," he
explained. "Michael spoke there."

"Oh, teacher-student thing," Peter said, grinning. "How scandalous."

John felt his face getting warm again. "Well, he's still a med-student."

"Have you guys ever...?"

Now, he blushed. "Once."

Peter seemed delighted to hear this. "Oh, that's so hot. Was it on a
desk or something??"

"Actually, it was at my apartment."

He frowned. "That's no fun. So why no relationship?"

John shrugged. "I was too new to it. I didn't really know what to do,
I - "

"He held that against you?" he asked, upset. "That jerk!"

"No, no," John quickly piped up. "I just wanted to be friends, it was me."

"A modest fag," Peter surmised, nodding. "Who knew they existed?"

"Wait, you can say that?"

"What? Fag?"

"Yeah," John replied. "I thought that was a...slur, or something."

Peter pulled a face. "Hasn't Michael taught you anything? Of course we
can say fag. We are fags. I can say nigger too - but you can't."

"I see." John nodded, understanding. "It's like an exclusive club thing."

Peter smiled. "Something like that. See? There are so many benefits to
being gay."

"Like the clubs," John blurted out, getting excited just thinking
about it.

"Addictive, huh?" his companion asked. "You going tonight?"

"I don't know. Is Michael going?"

"Who gives a shit?" John blinked in surprise. "You gotta get out there
on your own, Johnny. Meet some new people."

John sat there for a minute, fidgeting. He was considering what Peter
said, but he could never go alone, he was too shy. Shy, he considered,
the exact opposite of that boy, and then he was fidgeting for a
different reason, pursing his lips, wanting to ask his new friend
something. He waited for Peter to take the initiative, but he didn't,
he just sat there, smirking, amused. Finally, John spoke up,
hesitantly so. "There was a guy there."

"I knew it had to be a guy! What's his name??"

"I don't know," John admitted, glancing around for Michael. He was
still jabbering on the phone nearby, looking pissed. "Michael said he
was out of my league."

Peter looked incredulous and slightly angry. "That's terrible! If you
want him, you should go for him."

"Really?" he asked, leaning forward. Maybe Peter would help him get
this guy! "He was dancing with all these people, and he was tan and
had dark hair, broad shoulders, full lips...I didn't see what color
his eyes were."

He'd been imagining this boy in his head, and when he focused on Peter
again, for the first time since John had met him, the man was
frowning. John leaned forward. "What is it?"

"He's out of your league."

"What! But you just said - "

"I didn't know who you were talking about," he replied, and suddenly
brightened. "So who else did you meet?"

John rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Why is he out of my league? Because
he's prettier than me?"

"Of course not," Peter replied, looking sympathetic. "He's just
trouble. Forget him, Johnny, there's tons of other boys."

"Will you at least tell me his name?"

His friend rolled his eyes now. "Dave, okay?"

"Dave," John repeated quietly to himself. Dave. The boy's name was
Dave, like the sculpture. Beautiful like that sculpture too. It made
John want him more, knowing his name. How old was he? What was he
like? The more he knew, the more he felt he would fall in love with
him. He leaned forward, ready to ask Peter more when suddenly there
was a hand on his shoulder, effectively startling him.

"Okay, ladies," Michael said, rejoining them at the table. "What did I
miss?"

"Oh, nothing," Peter replied, shrugging. "Except they didn't have any
hot dogs so I ordered you fish."

Both men burst into laughter, but John still didn't get it.

-------------------------------

To be continued...
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