Reap What You Sow 🌈

Chapter 7

With a slight smirk, Rory watched how Adam put away his bike in a rack. He never did so. His hands slipped into his pockets while he waited until his date was ready. The smile around Adam's lips was nervous, but nevertheless, it lit up his face. Rory thought it was a beautiful smile; it was a shame that the boy was so reserved he only showed that smile sporadically. The kiss however had changed him; he was looking dreamily and the thought that Rory was the reason for that, caused a tickle in his stomach. He hadn't fallen in love with the boy yet, but he really liked him and he had a better feeling about this than about every other date he'd had in the past. Maybe things were indeed different when you already knew each other. Until he started dating Adam he had always liked boys at their first meeting, but now, he started to hope that it was also something that could grow.

"Ready?" he asked when Adam came to stand next to him.

The boy wiped his hands to his jeans. "I'm nervous, isn't that stupid? Except for with you I've never been on a date, and last time, we weren't, you know... clingy." His cheeks turned red. "I'm afraid of how people will respond to us."

"We don't have to do anything," Rory shrugged. "We can just have a beer and talk, hmm?"

Adam had never dated someone before and Rory understood his doubts. His own experiences hadn't given the boy much hope either. Yet, Adam hadn't lost his friends and family when he came out.

"They uh... They also have bars for... for people like us, right?" Adam said quietly. "At least there they won't stare at us."

"People like us?" Rory answered annoyed. "We're not some special kind of people. It makes no sense that we wouldn't be allowed to have a beer in a bar just because we don't like girls."

Adam dropped his eyes. "I know that but..." He sighed. "People do believe we're different."

Rory shrugged his shoulders. Not his problem.

He had been to a gay bar one time, and he'd hated it. Half of the men were super extravagant and answered to every prejudice. Sure — they should do whatever they liked, but Rory didn't feel the need to join them.

"Believe me, you won't feel comfortable around there either. We're just gonna have a drink and then we'll see, okay? If you're really into it we can go to a gay bar after this, but to be honest; last time I lost my interest in the place within five minutes."

The two boys entered the bar and shoved behind the bar. There were two screens showing a soccer match; the game would be over within fifteen minutes.

Rory just got his beer when he saw a familiar face on the other side of the bar.

Shit.

Quickly, Rory turned his back towards the boy, hoping he wouldn't be noticed.

"What's going on?" Adam asked.

"Nothing," he muttered. He looked around, slipped off his barstool, and sat down at a table in the corner, a little less in plain sight. A little flashy Adam looked around while sitting down across from Rory. He wasn't stupid, of course he knew something was going on.

"I saw a classmate," Rory said. "Who doesn't exactly like me."

To put it mildly. Rory was even inclined to go to a different bar, but the thought immediately called up a fierce resistance inside him. He had just as much right to be here as everyone else, although he was sure Patrick would claim the opposite once he saw Rory sitting here — with a boy.

After two more beers, Rory's thoughts let go of Patrick, and his eyes no longer wandered off. He rather looked at Adam, he concluded. To the expectant glistening in his eyes when Rory told him a story, to the little smile that seemed to be reserved for him alone.