Page 96 of Something Like Winter

Ben laughed. “I’m going back to class. Don’t call me again.”

“Then let me take you out tonight.”

“No, Tim.”

“Go-karts. Me and you. We need to finally settle our differences.”

“I have to wash my hair.”

The line went dead, but Tim wasn’t discouraged. That evening he went home, got gussied up, and was halfway to Ben’s duplex when he called again. “I’m picking you up in ten minutes. That’s enough time to brush your teeth, check the mirror, and get your butt to the curb.”

After a long pause Ben said, “Hurry up.”

He wasn’t waiting at the curb, but he did answer the door a few seconds after Tim rang the bell. Tim offered his arm, which was ignored, but soon enough Ben was in his car. If he could find a way to permanently lock the doors, he would have driven straight to Mexico and never looked back. Instead he made good on his promise and took him to a family fun center that had a lot more than just go-karts.

They were walking through the arcade, game cabinets buzzing and bleeping, when Tim put an arm around Ben’s shoulders. “High school, take two,” he said.

Ben smirked. “You couldn’t pay me to go back there again.”

“You sure? Five hundred bucks? A thousand?” The reaction to this was strangely awkward, so Tim tried again. “It wasn’t all bad. Junior year was pretty nice.”

Ben didn’t exactly sigh and lean into him, but he didn’t pull away, either. When they were out on the track, racing each other, Tim became frustrated. Usually he loved engaging in a miniature race, but not when it meant being separate. Then again, when he purposely lost near the end, Ben wore the same goofy smile as in the photo. Take that, new guy! I can make him happy too!

“Another round?” Ben asked when they were getting out of the karts.

“I can’t stand the humiliation of another loss. Besides, I owe you your prize.”

“Prize?”

“Yeah, the loser always buys the winner a beer.”

Ben shook his head. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I can afford it, trust me.”

Now Ben looked downright uncomfortable, but Tim couldn’t figure out why. “Still don’t drink?”

“I do. Not often, but occasionally.”

“Then let’s go.”

Tim supposed it would be like this for a while. Ben would have fun with him and get caught up in the past before remembering his current boyfriend. But eventually he would make a choice, and Tim was feeling more and more confident about what that choice would be. A couple of beers and some horrible chicken wings later, Tim was driving Ben home when the storm that had been hovering over the city finally broke, rain pouring down.

“Good.” Ben sighed in relief. “We need that!”

“We do?”

“I mean plants and things,” Ben explained, but Tim had already hit a button on the car’s console. “Hey, what are you doing?”

With a whirr of motors, the convertible top opened, letting the weather in. Ben shouted in shock, and Tim howled with laughter. Soon Ben joined him as they cruised through torrents of rain. They reached Ben’s home a few blocks later, but it was enough to thoroughly soak them both, Tim’s shirt and shorts plastered to his body.

“Mind if I come in for a towel?” he asked once the convertible top was up again.

“Allison is home.”

“So? Just think of what we used to do when your parents were home.”

“Ha.” Ben gestured toward the duplex with his head. “Come on. But in and out, okay?”