“Nooo come on, you’re going on a date with me and that’s final.”
“I can’t – I just – I can’t, I’m sorry, I need to go.” Marcus pulls his hand away.
“You told me an hour you had nothing else going on tonight. What’s the worst that’s going to happen? That you’ll enjoy yourself? That you’ll have fun?”
Marcus shoves his hands into his pockets and looks around. “I don’t know, I just, I’m not ready yet.”
“So is going home and hiding in the closet really the best solution?” Ricky put his fists on his hips. “Are you worried about being seen? Like someone is secretly filming you and broadcasting you to everyone you know? Cause trust me, no one gives a shit who you go out on a date with.”
Marcus looks uneasy.
“Ok. How about this. I won’t try and hold your hand. We’ll just walk next to each other. Ok? We’ll go down to the beach and get some tacos from a food truck and walk around. We don’t have to go into a fancy restaurant or do anything formal. Just chill. Feed some pigeons or something.”
Marcus glances around again and then at Ricky. “You really want to spend time with me.”
“What? Yeah. I do. I’ve had a crush on you for a while,” Ricky admits.
“Me.”
“Yes, silly. That’s why I’ve been trying to get you to go out on a date with me. You can’t hide forever, all you’re gonna do is make yourself lonely and waste your best years. Ok, how about this, even if you don’t want to see me again after this date, consider this a practice date ok?” Ricky offers.
Marcus thought a moment. “Ok.”
Ricky looks surprised. “What, really? I mean, that’s good.” .
“I think the idea of just being in a fancy restaurant, you know, feeling pressure to hold hands or kiss someone… I’m still too new for that. But tacos, that’s a bit more my style.”
“That’s fair. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Or rushed you.”
Marcus shook his head. “You didn’t. I’m sorry I keep freaking out. Just…still accepting I’m gay, that’s all.”
Ricky nods. “Soooooo… I’m guessing you have questions about sex?”
Marcus scoffs. “So many. I do not get anything. I made the mistake of looking at the BDSM section of this website the other day …oh my god.”
Ricky laughs “Don’t do that, you’re going to scare your dick back inside you.”
“Listen, I’m not entirety on board with what my dick wants, but I still want it to work. Do people actually like that stuff or do they only do it in porn?”
Ricky jerks his head to one side and they begin to walk together down the street, talking, laughing. Conversation still flowing as they got tacos and walked along to the beach to find some place to eat them. The conversation dissolved into a game of “fuck marry kill”, and they were laughing so hard Marcus got tears in his eyes. He was beginning to think this wasn’t a bad way to spend an evening after all.
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Captions are fictional.