Changing Tyler-Chapter Twelve

I still didn’t crave to hit the showers with the guys, even though Dylan had officially declared himself to be my boyfriend – actually, I didn’t desire to shower with ’em greater amount than ever, ‘cuz of Dylan’s and my new relationship. I didn’t trust my body not to betray me. I just knew that if I saw him naked, I’d pop a boner and it would all be over. Sometimes there just wasn’t sufficiently cold water on the planet, you know?

Keeping to my usual routine wasn’t easy. I wanted to be with Dylan, but knew it was likewise dangerous so I dawdled outside, waiting until the team – including Dylan – had finished in advance of showering. Dressing as quickly as I could, I met up with Dylan in the parking lot. By the time I got there, everybody else had gone.

“Where were you?” Dylan asked as I scooted into the passenger seat of the Mustang. “I turned around after practice and u were gone.”

“In case u haven’t noticed, I don’t shower with the guys.”

“I have noticed, indeed. Why not?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Why do you think? exposed guys equal problems that would get noticed, and I don’t desire to have that special conversation with the coach.”

Dylan snorted. “Oh. Yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about.” His eyes darted toward me, and he grinned. “Did you ever look at me in the shower?”

“Please. Be serious – and watch the road! I’d rather not spend the afternoon being scooped up from the roadway by Fire/Rescue.”

“I looked at you.”

My cheeks started burning again. I knew he’d seen me nude – he’d whipped my ass with a towel the last time we were in the showers. I’d just never realized that he’d looked at me as greater quantity than just one of the chaps. I was suddenly incredibly curious as to whether he’d liked what he saw – not that I had the nerve to ask him.

I cleared my mouth. “Yeah? Well, maybe I peeked at you a few times, too.”

“Did you like what you saw?”

“Dylan!”

“Well, did you?”

“Quit fishing for compliments.”

“I liked what I saw,” that guy said. this guy was grinning widely, even though his eyes were on the road. priceless thing, too, cuz I had to shift in my seat, having developed a problem that made my jeans uncomfortably tight. “Especially after I ripped off your towel. Why did u make a decision to shower with a towel on anyway? appears to be like kind of an odd thing to do…” this chab spared me a quick look that said me that that guy already knew the answer.

“Perv,” I said, not quite sure of what else to say. Thanks? wanna watch it once more?

“Takes one to know one.”

“Oh, now you’ve wounded me.” I said sarcastically. “Give a chap some warning before u turn that sharp wit of yours loose on him. What’s next? I know u are, but what am I? I’m rubber, you’re glue, bounces off me and sticks to you?”

Dylan laughed. “Maybe.”

this guy sobered after a few minutes, a frown wrinkling the skin between his eyebrows. “I’m not sure if I like hiding, Tyler. I’m not very wonderful at it. I mean, it was one thing when I wasn’t sure about myself, but now we’re together. I don’t like not being with u at school. I abhor not being able to talk to u without excuses. I don’t like u walking ten paces behind me so that no one will notice we’re together.”

“What are u saying? u wish to come out?” I asked, shaking my head.

“Maybe.”

“Do u know the kinds of problems we’d run into?  one time you come out you can’t go back into the closet, Dylan. Besides, we’ve only officially been jointly for less than twenty-four hours. I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”

“Believe me, I’ve done nothing but think about it. wish to know what I’ve been thinking about in particular?”

“What?”

“I’ve been thinking that the prom’s coming up.” this chab glanced at me again, and there was no laughter in his eyes, no smile. that guy was dead serious.

“You’re asking me to the prom?” I gasped, gaping at him. That was the final thing I’d expected him to bring up.

“What? Should I be down on one knee or something?”

I swore, then laughed and leaned my head back against the seat. “I’ve created a monster,” I told to the roof of the car.

“I’m not going if I can’t take u. I mean it, Tyler.”

“Dylan…”

“I’m serious, Tyler. We merely get one prom, and I desire to go with you.”

I felt that toasty warm oatmeal feeling again, and couldn’t assist but smile. I wanted to shriek “Yes!” and start picking out tuxes and boutonnieres, but somebody had to keep a level head. “Look, we have 2 months until then. Let’s get through the SAT’s and this crap with Billy, and see where we are then. u may not even like being my boyfriend,” I said, being truthful even though the words drained the warm fuzzies right out of me. I would abhor it if Dylan dumped me, but I had to face facts: Dylan was the Super Bowl, while I was strictly Little League. Sooner or later, he was going to discover that out for himself. “You may find out that you don’t like guys, or discover someone you like more good than me.”

“I think that’s a moot point, Tyler. I already said that I like you, and last night I couldn’t sleep ‘coz I had such a hard-”

“Please!” I said, putting my fingers in my ears, “Do not give me the mental image I think you’re about to give me. Have some pity, Dylan.”

“Tyler, has anyone ever said you that you’re a real downer?”

yes. Billy had, all the time. He’d been right, likewise. “We haven’t even been on a date, yet!”

“We went to the park,” Dylan countered. “Yeah, you were upset, but the night ended nice-looking nicely.” His grin said me he was remembering our kiss. My abdomen warmed thinking about it, and I had to shift in my seat – another time.

“I know, but that wasn’t a real date. Let’s just take it one step at a time, okay? Coming out is big decision.”

Dylan nodded, but I could tell this chab wasn’t happy with my lack of enthusiasm. “Here we are,” that guy said, pulling off the road into the hospital’s parking lot. “Any idea of what you’re going to say to Billy?”

“I don’t know. I’ll figure it out when we get up there,” I told. I truly didn’t know which end was up at that point. My mind was whirling with Dylan’s suggest to take me to the prom, and his remarks about coming out. Worrying about what I was going to say to Billy had taken a back seat. Now, when I tried to think about what I’d say to him, I went blank. I only hoped he’d talk to me, and not kick me out once more.

As it turned out, I hadn’t needed a rehearsed speech because Billy wasn’t there. He’d been released from the hospital that morning. His daybed was filled by an chunky guy in his fifties, who looked at us curiously when we poked our heads into the room. The nurses wouldn’t give me any information other than to say that somebody had come to pick him up. I wondered if that somebody were his father or Robbie.

I sincerely hoped it was Billy’s daddy. I hated the thought that this chab might have gone home with Robbie. more than anything, I wanted whatever relationship existed between the 2 of them to be over.

I wanted Billy to be pleased. I didn’t wish him to be dead, and Robbie sure didn’t appear to be to care about him at all. It looked to me like there’d be no hope of a happy ending for Billy if this guy stayed with Robbie.

“What now?” Dylan asked, as we exited the elevator and walked out throughout the main doors.

“I don’t know. he might be home, but he might not.” I fished my cell phone out of my pocket, dialing Billy’s number. I didn’t await him to pick up, not after the argument we’d had the day before, and I was right. I got his voicemail, and left him a message to call me.

I doubted that guy would.

“Well, in that case, now’s as worthy a time as any, I guess,” Dylan said, smiling at me. he grabbed my hand, tucking it under his arm as we walked toward the car.

“A admirable time for what?” I asked. I couldn’t watch everything priceless about a wasted travel to the hospital and Billy having gone MIA once more.

“Our first date. I’m thinking dinner and a movie.”

“No, but thanks,” I said, pulling my arm away when we reached the car. “I’m broke.”

“I don’t know about the boyz you’ve gone out with before, but my dates don’t pay,” Dylan growled, arching an eyebrow at me.

“The solely boyz I’ve gone out with are – let me think a minute – oh, yeah! Billy, and we didn’t date. We just hung out together.”

“Good. It’s settled then. Any place in particular u want to go to eat?”

I didn’t remember settling anything, other than the sad fact of my lack of experience, but I was hungry and I didn’t desire to say goodbye to Dylan so soon. “Wherever u desire – you’re paying.”

“Great! I desire Italian. How about Guido’s over on Harrison Avenue? They have fine linguini.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “Dylan, I thought you meant fast food. We can’t go into a restaurant!”

“Why not?”

“Because people will know, that’s why.”

“What are they going to know? We’ll just be two guys hanging out, like you and Billy.”

I sighed. “Okay. But you don’t receive to hold my hand, you don’t open doors for me, or pull out my chair, u don’t order for me, and you definitely don’t play footsies with me below the table.”

“Play footsies? Are u kidding?” Dylan snorted, starting up the engine. “Who does that?”

“Never mind,” I huffed, blushing. I kind of liked the thought of his foot sliding up along my leg beneath the table of at an private restaurant. Evidently, that guy didn’t share the same fantasy. “Just don’t do it.”

“Gotcha. No being a gentleman and no foot fetishes.” this guy managed to keep a straight face for all of five seconds previous to laughing.

“Very funny,” I said, chuckling. Well, if no thing else, it was going to be interesting, I thought. I was about to go on my very first “official” date with the guy of my fantasies. I might not know a entire lot about dating protocol, but I knew this much – dates usually ended with a goodnight kiss, and I found myself wishing the night was over just so we could acquire to that part of it.