Mr. Avidan?

04

TW: HOMOPHOBIC SLURS

The two of us walked down the narrow path not leaving much space for us to walk side by side without brushing against each other. Thankfully, the two of us are so close that this wouldn't be awkward. I looked over to see his hands in his jean pockets and seemed to be lost in thought. I looked down at myself and I hadn't even noticed I crossed my own arms over my chest.

Should I tell him what I heard? Should I tell him that everything is going to be okay and that I accept him? Everyone knows that it feels great to be accepted and loved by those you care about, but he didn't directly tell me and I shouldn't have been listening. Will that hurt him more? Will he hate me? I don't want to lose his friendship.

My thoughts were interrupted when we found ourselves in front of a café that we've never had been to before. I glanced at the taller man to my left to see the exact same shocked expression on his face. I can't tell if it's from him not being surprised that we're here because he was lost in thought like me or if it's because this place is new.

"Wanna go inside Dan? It looks nice! After all we need to celebrate for you taking a running leap at this."

I watched him hesitate and look up at the side, then at the people inside the very small building trough the window that took up almost all of wall width wise. I was about to cut in and say we don't have to if he doesn't want to but he started to talk before I could say anything.

"Yeah...yeah let's go inside."

"You sure? We don't have to-"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

And with that, the two of us went up to the building and I opened and held the door open for Dan, and I followed soon after. Once inside, I could tell that Dan didn't want to go in first so I quickly spotted an open table in the far left corner and so I grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the table, weaving through a bunch of people.

Once at the table, Dan sat down at the table with a sour look on his face. It looks like I'm ordering for the both of us, but I don't mind. Without saying another word, I headed up to the ordering area, where a pretty young lady was standing there smiling.

I placed our order and suddenly I could feel something off. As the employee was making our drinks, she kept glancing between me and at Dan's direction.

I turned around to see Dan sitting there with his head lowered and he's shelling his eyes with his right hand, elbow resting on the table.

It was now when I realized everyone was staring at him and a few were looking back and forth between him and I, like the employee.

After few more minutes of extreme awkward silence in the entire café, I was handed the two drinks and played the employee the money I owed her. Walking back to the table, I could feel everyone's eyes on me.

I held out Dan's drink to him, and it was then when he took his hand away from his eyes, his eyes were watering. I quickly placed both of the cups down and rushed to his side, my left hand on his back and my right hand on his right shoulder.

Dan's voice was just above a whisper.

"...Barry...they're staring..."

When I looked up at everyone in the room, they all turned away and started talking, as if they never stopped in the first place.

"Yeah I noticed that, what the fuck was that about?"

Just as I asked that, I could hear someone muttering just loud enough so I Dan and I could hear.

"Disgusting faggots. They don't belong here."

Suddenly everything that happened makes perfect sense. I suddenly became aware of how I was touching Dan and the way he is extremely tense. I remember the way I held his hand when we walked in.