watermelon mojito

part 3: first date

Friday couldn’t come fast enough for Rich. All week, he had been riding a wave of excitement, his thoughts constantly drifting to his upcoming date with Troy. But as the day drew nearer, a subtle undercurrent of anxiety began to creep in. What if things didn’t go as planned? What if their easy chemistry at work didn’t translate to a night out? The more he thought about it, the more the doubts gnawed at him.

By the time Friday evening arrived, Rich had nearly worn himself out with worry. But when Troy showed up at his door, looking effortlessly handsome in a crisp shirt and jeans, all of Rich’s nerves seemed to fade away, if only for a moment.

“You look great,” Rich said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“You do too,” Troy replied with a warm smile, and just like that, the knot of anxiety in Rich’s chest loosened a bit.

They headed to the waterfront restaurant Rich had mentioned, a cozy little place with a view that stretched out over the water, the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon. As they sat down and ordered their meals, the conversation flowed easily, just like it did at work. They talked about everything—music, movies, their dreams, and even a few of their fears. For a while, it felt perfect, like the night was unfolding exactly as it was meant to.

But as the evening wore on, Rich noticed something in Troy’s eyes—an uncertainty that hadn’t been there before. It was subtle, just a flicker here and there, but it was enough to send a shiver of doubt through Rich. Was Troy having second thoughts?

After dinner, they decided to take a walk along the waterfront, the cool breeze off the water doing little to calm the growing unease in Rich’s chest. They talked less now, their earlier laughter giving way to a silence that felt heavier with each passing minute.

Finally, they reached the end of the pier, the soft glow of the city lights reflecting off the water. Rich stopped, leaning against the railing, and Troy stood beside him, close enough that their arms brushed. But the closeness didn’t bring the comfort Rich had hoped for. Instead, it felt like a gulf had opened up between them, filled with all the things they weren’t saying.

“Troy, is everything okay?” Rich asked quietly, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.

Troy hesitated, his eyes focused on the water below. “Yeah, I just… I don’t know,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Tonight’s been great, but… I guess I’m just not sure where this is going.”

Rich’s heart sank at Troy’s words, the anxiety he had been trying to suppress all night bubbling to the surface. “What do you mean?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Troy turned to face him, his expression torn. “I like you, Rich. I really do. But… I don’t want to mess things up, you know? We’ve got a good thing at work, and I’m worried that if we take this further and it doesn’t work out… we’ll lose that.”

Rich felt a lump form in his throat. “I’ve been thinking about that too,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I thought… I thought maybe we could make it work. I want to try, Troy. I really do.”

Troy looked at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and something else—something that looked a lot like fear. “I’m scared too, Rich,” he said softly. “But what if it doesn’t work? What if we’re just better off as friends?”

The words hit Rich like a punch to the gut. He had been so sure that this was the start of something special, but now… now he wasn’t sure of anything. He looked away, blinking back the sting of tears. “I don’t want to lose you, Troy,” he said, his voice trembling. “But I don’t know if I can just be friends, either. Not after this.”

Troy reached out, gently touching Rich’s arm. “I don’t want to lose you either,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “Maybe… maybe we just need more time. To figure this out, to see where we stand.”

Rich nodded, though his heart felt heavy with the weight of uncertainty. “Yeah… maybe.”

They stood there for a moment longer, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. Finally, Troy pulled back, his hand dropping to his side. “Do you want to head back to your place?” he asked, his tone cautious.

Rich hesitated, the thought of ending the night on such an uncertain note gnawing at him. But he nodded. “Yeah… let’s go.”

The walk back to Rich’s house was quiet, the earlier excitement of the evening now replaced with a tension that neither of them seemed to know how to break. When they arrived, Rich unlocked the door and led Troy inside, the familiar surroundings offering little comfort.

They sat on the couch, the silence between them now almost unbearable. Finally, Troy spoke, his voice soft and uncertain. “Rich… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things complicated.”

“It’s not your fault,” Rich replied, though his voice was thick with emotion. “I just… I really like you, Troy. I thought maybe… I don’t know. Maybe I was just hoping for too much.”

Troy shook his head, his eyes filled with regret. “No, you weren’t. I’m the one who’s scared. Scared of ruining something good. But maybe I’m just making things worse by holding back.”

Rich looked at him, his heart aching with the weight of everything left unsaid. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, his voice breaking. “I don’t want to push you, but… I don’t want to let go, either.”

Troy reached out, taking Rich’s hand in his. “Let’s just take it one step at a time,” he said quietly. “No pressure, no expectations. We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Rich nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered in his chest. “Okay,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “One step at a time.”

They sat there in silence for a while, the weight of the night pressing down on them. Eventually, Troy stood up, giving Rich a small, sad smile. “I should go,” he said, his voice gentle. “But… I’ll see you at work?”

Rich nodded, unable to find the words to say anything more. As he watched Troy leave, the door closing softly behind him, Rich felt a pang of sadness deep in his chest. He knew they were trying to do the right thing, but the uncertainty of it all was almost too much to bear.

As he sat alone in the quiet of his house, Rich couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, something that might not ever be the same again. And as much as he tried to hold on to the hope that they could figure things out, a part of him couldn’t help but wonder if they were already starting to drift apart.