My Brother's Best Friend - LGBT, boyXman

7

After the big assembly on Wednesday afternoon, I waited with Ava for fifteen minutes, before saying goodbye to her and heading for the reception.

I had purposely waited until fifteen minutes after my designated meeting time with Dale… just in case.

When I arrived, he was leant against the doorframe outside the reception, his rucksack at his feet, his hands in the pockets of his coat.

I watched him for a moment, before I went over and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I didn’t think you were showing up,” he said, shouldering his bag and falling into step beside me as we headed for the gates.

“I was late on purpose.” I confessed. “I figured, perhaps you asked me out as a joke. So I waited to see if you’d show up first.”

He shrugged.

“Makes sense, I guess… But why do you think it’s a joke?”

“I dunno… I don’t get asked out a lot. No-one ever takes any notice of me in that way.”

“I don’t understand why not,” Dale said bluntly. “You’re cute.”

I felt myself blush deeply.

“Erm… Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

We left the school grounds and turned towards the town centre.

“So, where do you want to go? The cinema? Ice rink?”

“Cinema’s fine. I’ve got a loyalty card, because Ava and I go so often, so we could get a bit of a discount.”

Dale nodded agreeably.

We walked through the streets and finally entered the large, new cinema complex.

Built about three years ago because of a growing demand, the business was booming. With five screens alternating films, there was almost always something showing there that I wanted to see. And, the food and drinks were reasonably priced too, which wasn’t true of the other cinemas nearby.

“What do you want to see?” Dale asked as we got into the ticket queue. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, War Horse, Sherlock Holmes, The Iron Lady, Puss in Boots, or Breaking Dawn?”

I shrugged. “I’ve already seen Twilight and Sherlock Holmes with Ava. How about War Horse? It’s supposed to be good.”

Dale nodded and asked for our tickets.

I showed them my loyalty card and, after some argument with Dale, paid the cost of our tickets.

“You get the food, if you want.”

Dale bought us a large drink each, and a large tub of popcorn to share.

We entered screen four and settled ourselves in a seat right at the back of the room.

Instead of single seats, the back row had longer, wider ‘double’ seats, where couples could sit together during the film.

Although we were the only two in the cinema for a while, as the adverts started to play more people gradually came in, until the seats were almost all taken.

I had expected to feel… nervous, in some way.

After all, this was my first official date with anyone, and I wasn’t really sure what to do.

I’d expected myself to be freaking out a little.

Would he kiss me? Should I kiss him? Should I hold his hand? What if he wrapped his arm around me?

Questions flooded my mind while the adverts were playing, but as soon as the film started, I felt myself relax.

I love coming to the cinema.

Coming to a dark room and spending two or three hours watching a group of actors put their heart and souls into the roles they were playing… I guess it was escapism, in a way.

About half an hour into the film, I felt Dale’s hand slowly slide past mine, and gradually grip my fingers.

I was surprised by his gesture for a moment, before I grasped his hand more firmly.