Single Rider Line

5

"So that was your first time on Matterhorn?" We're standing by Matterhorn's exit, staying clear of the swinging gate that other exiting riders are bursting out of.

He looks down to the ground and scratches the back of his neck. "This is actually my first time at Disneyland."

If my eyes weren't popped out of my head I'd be surprised. "By yourself?! It's your first time at Disneyland and you're all alone?" I guess some lines could be crossed when doing things solo.

"Yeah, I never really had the opportunity to go when I was a kid."

"Not even as an adult?"

"Yeah, it just never worked out." I sense something in his voice that makes me decide not to press it further.

"Well, glad you're here now! Do you live around here?"

"Just moved to the area, actually!" Thankfully, his voice lifts up again. "I grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from Berkeley last year."

"Oh, I'm just about to graduate at UCLA."

"Ooooh, UC rivals. Do you think we'll be able to get along?"

"I'll try. At least you're not a Trojan," I say, narrowing my eyes.

He laughs and scratches his chin. My eyes follow his fingers and land on his lips, which linger there a little too long. Thankfully, my phone vibrates before he notices me staring. I pull my phone out and see a text from Alex.

I'm here but the line to park is wild. Might take me 30 minutes to get to you. At least.

Unlocking my phone, I shoot off a quick reply.

All good. I found him btw

I put my phone back in my pocket and look back at him. "Sorry about that. What's your name, by the way? I've just been calling you 'Ride Buddy.'"

He laughs. "Who have you been calling me that to?"    

A lump forms in my throat. "Oh, uh. Myself?"

"I seeeeee." He rubs his chin with his thumb and index finger like he's a detective. "Well, I'm Baer."

"Bear like 'rawr?'" I hold my hands up forming bear claws and immediately regret it.

"Yeah. Like 'rawr.'" He smiles and holds his hands up like claws, too. Regret gone. "Or like Cal Bears. My name was quite a hit during college. But spelled B-A-E-R."

"Oh, I don't think I've ever seen it spelled like that before."

"Yeah, my parents found it on a name list and fell in love with it. They didn't find out until much later that it's more commonly a last name." He shrugs his shoulders.

"Well, it works! It's a cute name."

"Thanks," he says, smiling. Red spreads across Baer's cheeks, which makes me blush, too. "What's your name?"

"Oh! Sorry. I'm Alec." I hold out my hand out of instinct, even though by now we feel well acquainted.

He stares at my hand like he's unsure to take it. I panic and almost pull it back until he smiles and grabs it.

"Nice to officially meet you, Alec."

His hand is soft and warm, and letting go is the last thing I want to do. When I do pull my hand back, my watch notifies me that Alex responded. I raise my wrist to see her response.

WHAT?! I'm dead. Are you with him now?

I don't want to derail the conversation, so I decide not to respond just yet. Alex will have to wait. "So, Disneyland newbie. What do you want to do next?"

"Honestly have no idea. I grew up hearing about Disneyland but don't really have a plan. Got any recommendations?"

I take a second to think of things that I've been wanting to check out. "Black Panther's at DCA now. We can meet him if you're into Marvel?"

"Uhh, I love Marvel. What's a DCA?"

I smile. Of course he wouldn't speak passholder language.

"It stands for Disney California Adventure." I pinch the air at my neck like I'm wearing a bow tie. "Opened in 2001, it was the second Disney Park in California..."

"Ha-ha, very funny," he says, clapping his hand on my shoulder. "I know about California Adventure. But I'd love to meet Black Panther!" He pauses for a second, his eyes widening and hand squeezing my shoulder. "Do you think he'll call me 'colonizer'?"

"Well now I'll be disappointed if he doesn't!" I laugh and he finally lifts his hand off my shoulder, though I'll probably feel it there the whole day.

As excited as his touch gets me, it makes me wonder if he's into me too or just friendly to everyone he meets. I get so excited when someone I'm attracted to actually talks to me that I far too easily get swept up in the moment. I can't count how many times I thought I had a guy's sexuality all figured out, only to be heartbroken when I found out the truth. If anything, at least he's a nice guy. That'll have to do for now.

"Alright, wanna walk through Tomorrowland?" I ask, hoping that it's not as crowded as before.

"Let's do it!" Baer says.