Roomies (boyxboy)

First Date

"Wow. This is definitely not what I expected." Cameron said.

He stepped over the makeshift plank bridge that spanned a tiny creek, took a few steps and stared. Before him was a farm. Just like he'd read about but real and right in front of him. Two small, low buildings faced each other. There were shovels and pitchforks against the outside walls, dirt and weeds still clinging to them. Cameron took a few steps to take it all in. He could see a large greenhouse in the distance, saw a big gray barn, a pasture filled with goats. The smell of manure, honeysuckle and hay mixed in the air.

"Do you like it?" Nate stepped behind Cameron, leaned against the smaller boy, putting his chin on his shoulder. "I know you like food and cooking, so I thought this would be a cool first date. Are you impressed? Am I awesome?"

Cameron smiled back, shaking Nate off of him. "It's....I don't know....great! What is this place?"

Nate grinned happily, took Cameron's hand and let him to a huge stump in the middle of what looked like an outdoor classroom. There were picnic tables arranged on one end under a trellis, hay bales and stumps in a circle nearby. "It's an environmental education farm. They bring kids here, some from urban areas, some from just around here and teach them about where their food comes from. Organic farming. That kind of thing. My little brother went here for summer camp a few years and now he works here, helping out. I volunteer sometimes."

Nate breathed in deeply and spread out his arms. Cameron just watched him, trying to hide his smile. Nate was definitely not shy and it was kind of refreshing.

"So! How about if I show you around? We can meet up with Jeff, he's the farm manager here today. See what needs to be done, stay for a couple of hours or so. Then go back to my place for a quick swim, luckily it's not too cold today. Then I'll take you out to eat. Sound like a plan?"

"Sure." Cameron said, biting his cheek. He was on a date for the first time, he didn't know what to say or do. But it sounded nice so he just planned on going with the flow.

"Great. You'll see! We're going to have fun. You're going to fall head over heels for me!"

Cameron snickered, blushing and embarrassed.

They walked up a little hill to the barn. Cameron kept looking around. This place was fantastic. Everywhere there were planter boxes filled to the brim with flowers or greens of some kind. There was the sound of the goats bleating and birds overhead. It seemed like straight out of a book, but it was real, Cameron trailed his fingers along the fence, rough and bumpy.

"These are the goats. They are rude and crude and poop everywhere! Watch where you're walking." Nate opened a gate and they went inside. "There's brushes over there if you want to brush some of them down. They really like it and it gets some of the dust out of their hair."

Cameon approached one of the goats, extended his hand, but it just shied away. He moved forward and the rest of the goats scattered.

"Guess I'm pretty scary," he said, disappointed.

"Naw. Let me just grab some food then they'll be all over you." Cameron watched as Nate went through the barn door. "Be right back!" he called. "Don't miss me too much!"

Cameon wandered around in the pasture, trying to look harmless. The goats were really cute, jumping all over each other, climbing up and down the hale bales. He really wanted to pet one. Probably stupid and childish, but he did.

"Hello. Who are you?" A man walked into the goat pasture. He was tall, maybe in his mid twenties, with brown curly hair and smile spread wide across his face. He was carrying a bag over his shoulder filled with alfalfa. The goats were already making excited bleated noises and trampling their way over. Cameron stiffened. One or two goats seemed cute, but a twenty or so on the move made him more than a little nervous.