Page 5 of Can't Stop Now
“I didnothook up with half of the art majors. Just because I’m flirty doesn’t mean I go all the way! I don’t want just hookups anyway, Maya,” Will said, pouting. “Doesn’t anyone wanna be my boyfriend? Am I that undateable?”
“You’re just picky, Will. Plenty of guys would have dated you, but they were always too crazy, too artsy, toosomethingfor you.”
“I prefer to call itselective, Maya. Not picky, selective. But anyway—yes. Staying with Jacob has been fine. I haven’t really seen too much of him in the past 24 hours. I’m sure he’s avoiding me.”
“That’s what you get for makin’ it awkward, buddy. Anyway, I should probably go, some people invited me to dinner and I need to show my face, otherwise I’ll be friendless through all of grad school.”
“Well we can’t have that, now can we. Miss you, Maya.”
“Love you Will. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you too,” Will said, hanging up the phone.
He’d been walking for at least thirty minutes, and had ended up downtown again. He stopped to get dinner at his favorite old-school diner. Tonight, the only other customers consisted of an old man scouring the newspaper and a family with three small kids. Will ate alone in a booth, staring out the window at the people walking by, watching the sun begin to set behind the trees. He thought about Jacob. He reallyhadn’tseen much of him over the past day – just once, as he walked by before going out the front door. He hoped that Jacob wasn’t too uncomfortable having him in the house.
Will walked out onto the street again after dinner, finding himself aimless. He smelled the faint smell of a barbecue, and passed by someone’s yard filled with laughter and conversation.At least someone is having a fun summer around here, he thought. He passed a gay couple who were holding hands walking down the street, and felt as if he’d been punched in the gut.God. I need to get my mind off of my stupid, woe-is-me loneliness, he thought, running his hand through his hair.
He decided to go see a movie at the small cinema downtown. It was quaint and cheap, and always had an old B-movie playing. He bought a ticket forGhosts Down Under. He loved scary movies, though he couldn’t help but get freaked out every time he saw them. He wished Maya was there to scream and laugh with him.
He entered the dark theater, and a handful of people were already in the seats. He headed straight to the seats at the back, where he liked to sit, and started down the aisle.
“Excuse me,” he said, stepping past a guy in a baseball hat sitting in the center of the aisle. When the guy looked up, he realized who it was.
“Uh, hey there, Will,” Jacob said, smiling. “Guess I’m gonna run into you all around town, huh?”
Will laughed, shaking his head. “Fancy meeting you here! Well… mind if I sit down?” Will hoped it was okay that he asked to sit next to Jacob—he didn’t want to seem rude bynotsitting next to him, and felt like he had no other option. He was getting tired of being alone all day, anyway.
“Yeah man, go ahead. I guess we both had the same idea, huh? I’ve been on my own all night. No one ever says how damn boring this town is when everyone’s gone,” Jacob said. “You want some popcorn?” he said, stretching his arm out to offer the bag to Will. Will was shocked. Outside of the house, Jacob didn’t seem uncomfortable at all – he was downright friendly.
“No thanks, I just had a huge dinner. I know what you mean though, about it seeming like a ghost town here—I just went to Benny’s Diner and there were like two people there besides me. It’s weird as hell,” Will said, sitting down next to Jacob.
“I love Benny’s Diner. We used to go there all the time after soccer matches,” Jacob said.
“Really? I’m surprised I didn’t see you there, I’d go all the time with my friend Maya,” Will said.
The lights dimmed as the movie began. Will moved to put his arm on the armrest between them, but found Jacob’s arm already there. He quickly pulled his arm back away again, but missed the warmth and contact immediately.Don’t even go there, Will thought to himself. He was trying so hard not to acknowledge his attraction to Jacob. He already felt bad enough staying in his house, he didn’t want to creep the guy out any more than he already had.
The movie started out okay, not too scary. A little ways in, Jacob tapped Will on the arm softly, and offered Will some Junior Mints. Will smiled and happily took some.Yes, he is cute, and yes he has great taste in candy, but you cannot get a crush on this guy!he mentally reprimanded himself.Bad Will. Bad!
In the second half of the movie, Will started to actually get scared. Ghosts would jump onto the screen and a few times he gasped, and involuntarily clutched his hand to Jacob’s arm.God, he feels good, Will thought before realizing who he was grabbing and pulling away. He looked over at Jacob, expecting him to be angry or creeped out, but he was just laughing, looking at Will and raising his eyebrows in disbelief. Jacob leaned over next to Will’s ear, and already Will felt a surge of adrenaline as Jacob drew nearer to him.
“You’re seriously scared of this shit?” Jacob whispered in his ear. Will could feel his breath on his ear and neck.
“I can’t help it,” he whispered back, sheepishly. “I’m not scared of spiders, snakes, public speaking… but ghost movies fucking creep me out!”
Jacob laughed, and a woman a few rows ahead turned around and shushed them.
After two long hours, the movie finally ended. Will was grateful that he could finally stop making himself look like an idiot in front of Jacob. They sauntered out into the street and started walking past the shops and restaurants as they closed for the night. The streetlights glowed, making halos around the trees. Will and Jacob were the only ones on the street.
“You got plans for the rest of the night?” Jacob asked him.
“Oh, you mean other than making a total fool of myself in a movie theater? Nope, none at all,” Will said, shaking his head.
“Oh, come on. It’s fine. I won’t judge you. You should see how scared I get when I’m up at the top of a building – I have a huuuge fear of heights,” Jacob said.
“Wow! I’m shocked. I figured a guy like you wouldn’t be afraid of anything except, like, your gym membership expiring,” Will joked.
“Hey! That’s all you think I’m into? Going to the gym?” Jacob said, incredulous.