Middle School Love

Chapter Three: Two men walk into a bar

I took off my wedding ring, putting it in my nightstand drawer. I had a horrible gut feeling doing it. I knew this was wrong... But Jimmy made me feel alive. I got dressed and headed out the door, Joey was still at work so I didn't need to say goodbye to him. I hopped in my car, taking a deep breath.
"You can do this." I said to myself. And i started driving.

***

At the bar, Jimmy and our coworkers greeted me. God, he looked amazing. He was wearing a blue button down and some jeans, a very simple outfit. He still looked amazing in it though. We ordered some drinks, I tried to drink similar things to what he was getting. I usually drank wine, since i'm a really fruity man, but now I was drinking whiskey. I generally hated the taste of whiskey, but I sucked it up and tried to hide the discomforted look on my face. We drank from 9 PM to 11 PM, and I had a little bit too many drinks. "Herbert, you aren't looking so good. Do you want me to drive you home?" He asked.
"Nooo it's fine, I can drive home myself.." I said in a drunken haze.
"No, I think I'm gonna drive you home. I don't want you to be unsafe."
Shit, that was so nice. He wanted me to be safe. I knew for sure right then and there that I wanted to be with him. And then i blacked out.

***

I woke up the next morning, my head throbbing. I groaned, opening my eyes to realize that I wasn't in my house.
"Morning, Herbert!" A voice called out from a few feet away.
His voice.
Jimmy.
I was in his house.
"Why am i here?" I asked. Apart of me was wishing he'd say something that i wouldn't dare repeat out loud.
"Well, you wouldn't wake up, and none of us knew your address, so I volunteered to take you over here for the night." He replied
Ohh fuck. That was so embarrassing! He saw me in that state?!
"Oh well thank you, but I've really got to get home." I said, rushing to get up. I guess i got up too fast, cause I immediately fell back down. I groaned in pain. Jimmy rushed over to me, helping me lift myself up and setting me on his couch.
"Are you okay?!" He asked.
"Im fine, just really hung over..." I said. My speech was slurred and my head felt foggy.
"Maybe you should stay here until you're feeling better. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you." He suggested.
"Oh- okay, that's fine." I responded, trying to hide the redness in my flushed face.

***
I stayed at his house for the rest of the day. I felt a bit bad, laying on his couch all day, but he treated me kindly, and didn't seem to mind me staying there. Eventually, he sat down next to me. "Herbert, I have to ask you something." He said in a very serious tone.
"Yeah? what is it?" I responded, honestly a bit nervous.
"Herbert, are you.. gay?"
"Yes, i am." Without skipping a beat, I responded. I didn't even think.
"Me too." he said.
We sat in silence for a bit.
"And I want to be with you, Herbert."
"I want to be with you too." I said.
We sat in silence once again, gazing into each other's eyes.
and then it happened.