The Boarding House

Just A Dream

Laying next to Bobby, Joey thought silently for a long minute. His mind raced around the possibilities and troubles that could bring. Just a few days ago, Joey was arguably a straight guy, just freed from a dissatisfying relationship with his high school sweetheart. There wasn't anything wrong with her or their relationship, Joey just thought that they had grown apart.

After breaking up with Donna, Joey felt the need for a soul-searching weekend away, to find himself. Is that what I did? he wondered. Did he find himself? Is this who he is? Right now, he found himself laying naked next to a man that he felt some kind of intriguing connection with. A man he didn't even know just forty-eight hours ago. A man that just suggested he leave with Joey after this same man fixed Joey's car.

Bobby, the man on the blanket next to Joey, the man that brought him to this fairytale of a field filled with fireflies lay next to Joey. His long slender body seemed to cast an angelic glow under the dim crescent moon. One hand held his head up facing Joey while the other's fingertips stroked lightly across Joey's bare skin.

There was an undeniable vulnerability in Bobby's suggestion that caught Joey's attention. He tried to visualize what that future would look like. He could almost see it, sharing a home and a life with Bobby. And that right there was the thing that snared the entire dream.

"It would be awesome!" He paused again trying to formulate words that wouldn't hurt Bobby. "I don't know that it would be a good idea though. I live with my parents, temporarily. How would I explain bringing you home to them?"

The silence seemed to drown out the cricket serenade as they lay there. His heart thudded in his ears as his words changed the moment from a comfortable silence into a silent awkward space. Joey feared that his revelation had offended the man he was inexplicably bonded to. They were still laying close and Bobby's fingers were still exploring Joey's body, so he started to assume that may not be the case.

"Yeah. You're right." Bobby admitted with a slight reluctance to acknowledge the reality of his verbalized thoughts. He knew the reality would be much different than the fantasy that had started building in his mind.

He leaned in and kissed Joey before thanking him for breaking some realization into his ill-thought plan. Bobby sat up and scanned the field one last time. Joey watched on as the other man took the moment and committed it to memory.

"I should probably get you back and get home." Bobby said breaking their thoughtful silence. "I got an early morning."

Joey was lost in the what if's of Bobby coming back with him. They had only just met, and under such strange circumstances. I let your dad fuck me for money for god sakes! he scolded himself in silent confession. He knew he was right to give a reason why it was a bad idea, but he felt himself starting to like the thought of having Bobby in his life.

Once they were dressed, in the car, and headed back to Danny's sex house, a thought crossed Joey's mind. "Ya know, we're only a couple hours apart right?" He waited like he thought a light bulb would go off in Bobby's head. When it didn't seem to catch on he continued, "We could visit each other, or meet in the middle." Joey offered after several seconds of silence.

That was to hook he needed to make Bobby understand the direction he was going with his thought. "We can call or text any time too right?" the melancholy frown transformed into a little light of hope across Bobby's face.

"Nothing stopping that either." Joey confirmed, feeling a flutter in his stomach that leaving tomorrow didn't mean leaving Bobby behind.

"Super cool!" Bobby almost laughed the words he spoke. And with that, a strange weight seemed to lift and blow out of the Mustang's windows.