Conclusion?

In his Anatomy class, the tables had turned. He was scrambling to finish the assignment and Harrison was watching him. “Hot date last night?” Harrison asked.

Naldo smiled. “No. But I made one.” He looked at Harrison, then looked away. He finished the assignment. “Why is your homework done on time for once?”

“I, uh, couldn’t sleep last night. I got like three hours and I kept waking up throughout the night. Nerves, I guess.”

“Funny, I had the exact opposite effect.” There was a pause.

“So... Naldo’s an interesting name,” Harrison pointed out. Naldo could tell that Harrison was trying desperately to keep the conversation going. He decided to oblige.

“It’s not mine.” Harrison gave him a look that showed he was interested. “I just thought it sounded cool. So, everyone just started calling me that. My teachers don’t even mind that I put it on my papers.” He gestured to the name line of his assignment.

“So, what is your name?” Harrison asked. Naldo made a disgusted face before he answered.

He looked right at Harrison and said, “Dale.” Harrison considered this for a moment. Then a smile slowly invade his features. His eyes crinkled and then he threw his head back and roared with laughter. Naldo looked around to see if anyone was starting and he tried to shush Harrison. When he looked back at him, he was doubled over with tears in his eyes. “Geez, remind me not to tell you anything else embarrassing.”

“No, it’s not that,” he said in between gasps. “It’s just Dale Daley has a nice ring to it.” He continued to chuckle until he finally settled down by the time the final bell rang.

At the end of the hour, they had some down time. “So,” Harrison asked. “You ready to be out, loud, and proud?”

“Oh. No, I don’t think so.” Naldo had just about come to terms with it internally. Coming out would be a whole other story.

“It’s so freeing, though,” Harrison persisted.

“Okay, how did you come out to your parents?” Harrison smiled a little.

“You wanna hear something ironic?” he asked Naldo.

“Sure.”

“My parents don’t know yet.” Naldo slowly turned to look at Harrison. A slow smile had already creeped onto his features. “I know, I know, Mr. Come-To-The-Dark-Side-It’s-Fun is not out to his parents. But it can be freeing to come out to other people, too.” Naldo considered that. He pulled Harrison closer to him and whispered in his ear.

“Um, I think I’m gay.” He stayed poised next to his ear for an extra beat, then pushed him back to sit upright in his chair. “You were right.” He looked up at Harrison and he was beaming. Then the bell rang to change classes.

Naldo prepared for another first date. He took an extra long shower, carefully brushed his teeth, and searched high and low for a clean pair of socks. He passed himself in a mirror and checked himself out in it. He was as ready as he would ever be for something like this. He got to the restaurant while managing to keep his breathing even and his sweat in his glands. He remembered this part well. He thought of all his first dates and this part where he had to search the room for his date. He searched the room looking for his new partner. It was a boy this time. Harrison Daley.