Read Between the Lines

Chapter 6

Hugo's heart pounded as he asked the question at last. And he almost stood up and left when the boy didn't respond right away. But he saw the way the boy's grip tightened on his book and dared to hope he was right.

The boy bit his lip and looked away, letting his hair fall over his face. "So it really is you then," he said after a long moment. "Salinger?"

"Yes, yes it's me," Hugo said hurriedly, feeling like he could breathe again. "Oh wow, I can't believe this," he laughed a little hysterically, "What happened? Why did you stop replying to my texts?"

"Ah, about that," Dracula seemed to shrink further into himself if that was even possible. "I'm really sorry, J.D. I guess I just panicked when I realized we'd encountered each other in person because, well. If you managed to connect the dots to realize who and what I was then you might decide you hate me. So I thought it was safer to cut ties myself first."

Hugo furrowed his brow, "What you are? What does that mean?" He looked Dracula up and down with a confused expression, "You're exactly what you said you were, a first year student with a penchant for the gothic."

Dracula shook his head and turned to look at Hugo with an incredulous expression. "No I mean, this," he gestured pointedly towards himself. "The things that the bullies were saying about me?"

"Sorry, I don't think I'm following," Hugo said, shaking his head and Dracula froze with a wide eyed look.

"Wait, you actually don't know?"

Hugo shrugged helplessly, "No? I don't think so?" To his surprise, Dracula dropped his head to the table, his arms crossed beneath him and he laughed. Despite the situation, Hugo's heart skipped a beat. He could listen to that laugh forever. "What is it?" he asked, feeling himself smile too, though tentatively at Dracula's sudden tone shift.

"My apologies," Dracula told him as he caught his breath, "I was just so worried about what you might think of me. To then find out that you had no idea is a shock to say the least." He sighed and shook his head, "But if we are going to attempt to stay friends, I should tell you still. Better that you hear it from me than from somebody else. Then you can decide what you think of me."

"Okay," Hugo said slowly, suddenly nervous again. What was this boy's big secret?

"I'm trans."

Hugo blinked, "Oh. Oh!" He kicked himself mentally for not realizing sooner. And all at once, the bullies' comments made sense. Idiot, of course Dracula would have no way of knowing he wasn't a bigot. "Is that why you never wanted to meet up in person?"

Dracula nodded with a sad expression. "You seemed like such an interesting person and I wanted to get to know you better. But I also wanted to befriend someone I didn't have to explain myself to. Someone who wouldn't look at me and come to conclusions I hadn't given them."

"I understand," Hugo told him earnestly. "And I'm sorry for texting you so much when you stopped responding.

Dracula laughed again and Hugo couldn't quite hide the adoration on his face. "That was actually quite nice," he admitted, "So you are forgiven."

"You're forgiven too," Hugo said quickly, "And just to be clear, I don't hate you for this. I don't think anything negative at all. I mean, you could have told me so much worse. I mean, being trans isn't a bad thing. I mean," he cut off his rambling and laughed nervously. "I think I might be gay?"

"Oh!" Dracula blinked in surprise, "I am that, also. Me too."

"Cool."

"Cool."

The two trailed off awkwardly and looked away. What was left to say? What was even said as it was? This whole conversation had amounted to little more than awkward stuttering from the both of them. And in the end he still didn't even know the boy's name. He didn't even know his name.

"I'm Hugo," he stuck his hand out with a smile, "Hugo Vega, please to meet you."

Dracula looked down at his hand with a blank stare for a beat too long before he accepted the handshake. "Damien," he said softly, "Damien Bloodmarch. The pleasure is all mine."

The mood was solemn for all of about two seconds before Hugo blurted out, "Your last name is Bloodmarch?"

Damien smiled sheepishly, "Yes, actually. Believe it or not. My vampire aesthetic is a complete coincidence." He cleared his throat, "This didn't go as bad as I thought it would. You're just as pleasant in person as you were over text. At least so far."

"You think I'm pleasant?"

"Downright, delightful," and that smile just about melted whatever brains Hugo was still holding onto.

Here he was, thinking that his crush on Damien was just meaningless fantasizing. Yet meeting him face to face, he was even more charming than through a screen. Not to mention he thought the same about Hugo himself. "Do you want to get coffee sometime?" Hugo asked a little nervously, not wanting to scare Damien off but desperately wanting to hang out in person. "I know a nice bookstore nearby with a cafe that we could go to."

Damien dropped his head shyly, his hair falling back over his face. "I'm usually more of a tea person but I suppose I could be persuaded," he said softly. "What's the occasion?"

"Oh, umm," Hugo felt his face heat up. "It could be a friend thing. Or a date thing. If you want. I mean I wouldn't mind but I don't. We basically just met, at least properly so."

"I wouldn't mind either," and there it was again. That enchanting laugh. "I'm surprised I've managed to capture your interest at all but I'm certainly not complaining. I think that's part of the reason I was so nervous to meet, actually. In case you realized I wasn't actually all that appealing."

Hugo smiled, "Don't worry, so far you seem just as nice as you did before. And I'd love to be your friend either way." He shifted a little awkwardly at his own phrasing but figured Damien would just have to accept how much of a dork he was if things were going to work out.

Luckily, Damien returned the smile, his face full of sincerity. "I agree. Now about that bookstore you mentioned..."