Make A Wish

PART 1: First Meet

Anthony’s eyes searched for the meal he was craving for. He wasn’t familiar with the diner he stopped at, but his senses informed him that it didn’t bring that many customers in and he could could give less of a shit. He was hungry. 

He had been traveling all day across the state. Anthony just wanted to get away from the house he had been confined in. It felt like the first time he could actually breathe the air that crept into his lungs every day. 

The menu transformed Anthony into an indecisive eater. He couldn’t grasp onto what he really was in the mood for. “Can I borrow your salt, sir?” 

“Yeah, sure,” Anthony replied to the deep, smooth voice. His eyes were still locked onto the menu as he saw the man’s frame in front of him through his peripheral vision. The man had grabbed the salt shaker but he preceded to stand still. “May I help you?”

He glanced up at the man. His emerald eyes were gazing at Anthony’s. His jaw was perfectly defined as his thin lips formed into a smile. His hair had that messy look, like he had just got out of bed. As he folded his arms, the muscles stood out. “I don’t actually really need the salt,” His voice was soft, but warm. 

Anthony couldn’t help but smile as he raised an eyebrow. He was confused. “It was just an excuse to speak to you,” the man added, “It’s not often that a handsome boy like yourself comes to this diner.” Anthony could feel his cheeks automatically redden.

“Well, I’ve been driving all day and this was the closest thing that had anything to consume,” Anthony responded.

“I come here all the time. The food is excellent, but no one seems to value it as much as I do.”

“Any suggestions on what I should get?” He asked. He perceived how the man’s jaw twitched as his eyebrows furrowed, deep in thought and how his index finger was balanced on his chin. 

“Do you like gyros?”

“Never tried one,” Anthony retorted.

The man’s eyes broadened as his smile did the same. “You have to try them! They’re delicious.” He sat himself down into the booth across from his, and the light from the window illuminated his sun-kissed skin. He held his hand out for Anthony, “My name’s Paul.” 

He clutched onto Paul’s hand and his skin created warm electric currents to travel through Anthony’s body. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Anthony.”

Paul’s virescent eyes appraised Anthony’s lips, then averted back to his eyes. His own lips even started to quiver. Something about Anthony made him ponder, but he didn’t know exactly why. 

Anthony examined the layers of Paul’s hair, distracted by the man’s faultless features. “So how come you have been traveling all day?” Paul’s voice interrupted his examination. He bit his lip in attentiveness on what exactly he should say. “Well, I just needed to get out of the house for a while so I just...drove.”

“Ahh, I remember I used to do the exact same thing,” Paul retorted. Anthony raised his eyebrows for him to explain furthermore. “My dad was a raging alcoholic. He wasn’t the perfect fatherly figure everyone expected him to be.”

“I’m sorry,” Anthony uttered.

“Don’t apologize, Anthony.”  Then the waitress came.

•

“Wanna get out of here?” Paul inquired.

Anthony’s mind went numb. A stranger he just had lunch with, was asking him to leave the diner with him. He didn’t know exactly where he was or where he would go, but the adrenaline of talking with Paul pumped the blood in his veins a little more. He nodded in response. 

Paul flashed him a handsome smile, making Anthony’s cheeks flush. He put the money down for the waitress, paying for Anthony’s food and got up from his chair. He motioned his arm to the door, “After you, sir.” 

Anthony giggled, “Aren’t you a gentleman?” 

“Only to someone who deserves it,” Paul answered. He chewed softly on his lip as he watched Anthony walk out the door.

He halted outside and waited for Paul. He was so much smaller than him. Anthony looked up at Paul and saw that glaucous eyes that always seemed to find his own.  Paul tilted his head, inspecting Anthony. “What?” Anthony asked. “What is it?”

“You have an eyelash on your cheek,” He answered. Suddenly, Paul’s fingers were lightly pressed under Anthony’s chin as his thumb softly grazed his cheek. 

He didn’t stop gawking at Paul’s face who was in a unfathomable concentration. He was beautiful without even trying. 

Paul held his thumb out. “Make a wish.” 

He closed his eyes and blew his own eyelash off the man’s thumb. He opened his eyes to see Paul staring intently. “Hi.”

“Hello there,” Paul said. 

“Now can you tell me where we are going?” Anthony curiously questioned.

Paul beamed, “It’s a surprise.”