Only a moment after Pete looked up, the blinds on the opposite window closed. But Pete was sure of what he saw. James, shirt off this time, was staring into his window. His heart raced again, his face flushed and he felt himself getting hard. He had a hot neighbor who was turned on by him!
He lay down in bed trying to think about how he'd get to know the guy tomorrow, but the excitement soon turned to familiar nervousness. A half-seen chub seen through sweatpants wasn't enough to undo years of self-consciousness. Pete began to question his own observations. Maybe he hadn't seen what he thought he'd seen. Pete tossed and turned, and didn't get to sleep for another hour and a half.
It was unsurprising, then, that he didn't get up until 11 a.m. the next day.
In the kitchen, where Pete blundered hungrily, was an apologetic note from his Dad and 40 bucks. "There should be enough here for a cab to breakfast. I'll get groceries on the way home from work."
Pete's car in Chicago had been so old, they didn't think it would survive the trip. They decided to sell it to one of his friends, and they'd buy a new one here. A cab seemed like a waste of money, but he was starved. He took a quick shower and threw on some shorts. The shirt he'd worn yesterday stared at him from the same corner. But he ripped open another box and threw on an over-sized hoodie -- one of the many garments he was resigned to wearing to hide his body. It was 80 degrees outside, but he decided he'd bear it.
He got out to the driveway when common sense hit. This isn't Chicago, it's a cul-de-sac. You can't just step outside and hail a cab.
He had started to go back inside when he saw James in the neighboring driveway, washing his truck. Well, he had the hose on it. What he was actually doing was staring again. They made eye contact for a second but the confidence that made Pete step forward yesterday had deserted him. He turned to go back into the house.
"Hey."
Pete heard the water shut off, and steps behind him. When he turned around he saw James had already closed half the distance between them.
Pete wasn't sure what to say, so he threw out: "Do you know a good number for a cab?"
"What?"
"My Dad left cash for a cab ride to get breakfast somewhere."
There was a pause while both boys tried to figure out how the third sentence spoken between them was about something so random. Pete tried to fill it.
"We don't have any food in the house yet."
"Well, nobody out here takes cabs. You'd be waiting an hour for them to show up."
"Oh."
"I could give you a ride, though."
He indicated the truck he'd been washing.
Pete was nervous again. Was this further forwardness? Was the chub he'd been so sure of yesterday real? Was this guy just being nice? At the moment, the only thing he was sure of was his hunger.
"That would be great."
James races back to his truck and opens both doors, while Pete hurries gently behind him. As Pete approaches the truck door, he sees James staring at him again, but James breaks it off as Pete climbs in. As Pete grabs the long seat belt and appreciates the wide, generous seat, James starts to drive off.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author
