I’m Not That Boy, Part 2

Extraordinary Reprise

It had been a long week, so I treated myself to a session of retail therapy. I’d spent my first two weeks after finals enjoying the break by going on a series of first dates that didn’t really go anywhere. In the first week of break, I managed to go on as many first dates with guys as I’d managed in my entire life with girls (and although I learned a bit from each of them, for the most part I’ll be skipping over those adventures for the moment).

Then, for the first time in about four years, I saw him. He was working in the mall in the cookie shop. A mental image of the lace-up jeans jumped immediately into my head. Oh. Ohhhhh….

I walked through the mall for a few minutes trying to decide what to do. Should I talk to him? Play it cool? Flirt it up? Ignore him completely?

Finally, I gathered the courage to say something to the confident, handsome, smart, talented boy across the way.

“Hi, do you have any hot chocolate?”

It was a safe segue into the conversation. Nothing too obvious, though it was completely uncharacteristic of me to buy hot chocolate at the mall.

“Um, would you like that with or without coffee?”

“Tempting, but I’ll go with the regular.”

He put the cup under the machine and pushed the button. Speaking over the static sound of the machine, I went for it. “You’re Cole’s friend, right?”

“Cole who?”

“Funny laugh, kind of loud, plays the piano…”

“Oh Cole. Of course I know Cole.” He smirked a bit and went back to my drink.

I grinned.

“So how do you know him?” he asked turning his shoulder as he put the lid on the cup.

“He’s my best friend. We’ve known each other for nine years now. I’d trust him with my very life… and do on occasion,” I joked.

He shook his head in amusement. He sat down the steaming cup of cocoa and rang me up.

“When I saw you here, I wondered if you remembered going to the ‘Emperor’ Concerto years back.”

“Wait, wait a second… That was you?” His eyes got big and he laughed a bit.

I pulled out my driver’s license to prove it.

“Wow. You changed a lot.”

Looking up, I noticed there was another customer. “I should let you go, Ianto, but I’m glad I ran into you,” I said with intonation calculated to reveal my interest.

And with that I left satisfied, but an analytical mess. Should I have asked for his number? Was I not forward enough? Did he get the message? Did I chicken out? Did I seem fake?

A few days later, Cole gave me a call. “So… guess who I heard from for the first time in a few months.”

“Who?”

“Ianto. Oh, you’re a sly one,” he said. “Ianto is very picky, but you sparked some curiosity. Of course, I confirmed his suspicions that you were gay and single. Why didn’t you tell me you ran into him? It’s not like I live for gossip, but really two of my best gay friends into each other?!”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly sure about the situation,” I said hesitating what exactly to tell him. “And I’m still not. He does have really cute eyes and those pianists forearms, though!”

“I suggest you find him on Facebook and see what happens. He may be a hard one to please, but he’s definitely not a floozy or a flake.”

That’s just what I did. I found him, sent him a cute message. “Hey, I just had a little talk with Cole. I just thought I’d say hi again.”

Within a couple of days, we’d exchanged numbers and figured out a first date. He took me to a local sushi place.

“The menu is movie-themed. Pick any one you want. There are Top Gun, , and Princess Bride rolls.”

After examining and musing over the menu and other warm-up topics, we decided upon Joe vs. the Volcano and Arachnophobia rolls.

“You can’t be serious. You’ve never been here? It’s the best place in town for sushi.”

“I’ve only recently gotten into food of the world. Cole and my friend Stacia introduced me to sushi a while back. We were the only ones there, so he could tell his inappropriate jokes.”

“He used to be such a prude. I guess getting engaged to a woman and then coming out can do that.”

“There was a lot boiling under the surface, and he’s healed a lot since then….”

It was nice to be able to start a conversation over our mutual concern for a friend, over his quirks, and over his talents. We also talked about the horrendous Excel assignments from the class we had together and then reliving that night at the symphony.

“I remember you and Cole flipping through the pages of the score. That was really endearing. Really,” he said smiling and looking me in the eye.

I blushed. “Well, I know that you and Cole and sit back and understand it just by listening, but it’s harder for me.”

“Then that woman shushed you! Some people! It’s not like you weren’t trying to enjoy it as much as her. You know, Becky and I giggled a little at that point.”

I put my head down, smiling, to hide the fact that I was turning even redder. “Well, at least I didn’t show up in lace-up jeans!” I teased.

“You remember those?! I still have those!”

Ianto had managed to break through all of my barriers in a single night. He was attractive and funny. Cole had already voiced his approval. And he was intelligent and challenged me.

End, Part 2.