Swimming Upstream

Chapter 15

As another weekend rolled around sitting in my dorm room on a Saturday evening, I actually didn't have anything to study or any major assignments that were due. I heard my phone go off seeing a message from Dan.

"Look out your window."

I hopped off my bed peering down seeing Dan sitting on a Harley Davidson bike. He looked up and smiled motioning with his hand to come downstairs.

I quickly freshened myself up and went downstairs seeing the Harley was all black and sliver chrome with an black leather seat behind Dan.

"I didn't know you rode," I said smiling.

"Yeah, Rachel is visiting her parents for a few days which leaves me free," Dan said smiling back. "You've been spending too much time on campus. Hop on."

I swung my leg over sitting comfortably on the seat behind him wrapping my arms around his side.

"Hold on."

Dan revved up the engines speeding ahead away from the campus riding along the open highway with the wind in my face listening to the waves crash along the beach shore.

"I am taking you out on a proper date," he said, yelling over the motorcycle. "Where would you like to go? My treat."

"Anywhere!"

"I know a good place."

After riding around some more Dan stopped in front a beach side surf and turf restaurant. I slowly got back off his bike happy to have my feet on solid ground again.

"This has some of the best food," he said, turning off the bike as he got off.

Dan slipped his hand into mine feeling his warm palm giving my hand a gentle squeeze. We were greeted by a waitress who escorted us to a table that had a view of the Pacific Ocean. As we walked there I was relieved that all of the others eaters were completely oblivious to us like we were just another couple out for a nice dinner. There were no looks or stares of us holding hands or the somewhat obvious age gap between us.

When we sat down I continued to look around feeling somewhat insecure that Dan could pick up on.

"Ryan, nobody knows us here," he said. "We are just another gay couple out together."

"Yeah," I said, taking a breather. "You're right."

I felt for once I could relax seeing how everything just tied together ; the ocean, the clear sky full of stars and Dan sitting across from me. It was a perfect evening.

Dan was right. It was some of the best food. During our eating it was the first time we really opened up to each other talking about how and when we knew we were gay. Dan knew from an early age having been on swim teams for years that he was always the last one to leave the locker room because he couldn't help but stare at the other guys.

"Although I tried never to show it," he said laughing.

I told Dan that at first it was kind of confusing for me looking at very muscular athletic guys and didn't know if it was a desire to look like them or actually be "with" them.

"But that's normal. You probably aren't the only guy who has experienced that."

After having dinner Dan and I rode back to his house where he lit up the pool creating a luminescent quality from the lights in the bottom.

"Care for a late night swim?"

"Gladly," I replied.

We both stripped down naked together diving into the pool swimming freestyle forward and back egging each other on and smiling. I caught my breath for a moment wading in the deep end.