“I see you aroundtoo.”
Wes’s gaze shifted up and down Art. He was sizing him up, but not in the way a guy at school might have in order to see if he could take him in a fight. No, it was something else, something that excited Art in a way that made him not want to make eye contact with the guy sitting besidehim.
“I don’t usually see you in the park,” Artsaid.
“I don’t usually come to the park, but my friend and I are meeting a girl, Cynthia Marlowe, at her parents’ place. My friend really likes her, you see, and he doesn’t want to seem too eager for us to be over there. I don’t see the point to games like that, but it is what it is. Do you know CynthiaMarlowe?”
Artnodded.
“Pretty girl,” Wes noted, still looking right at Art, as though he was searching for an answer to some question in hishead.
Art felt uneasy. He’d never had much interest in girls. He’d never had much interest in anyone really, but he was sure by the way his friends talked about girls, he was supposed to share in the sort of boy talk that guys like Wesstarted.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” Wes asked, as though he’d picked up on Art’sdissonance.
Art shook hishead.
“Ah, me neither. I’ve had a few girlfriends, though. Have you ever had agirlfriend?”
“No,” Art said, even though he felt like he should’velied.
“Any particularreason?”
The nature of his inquiry made Art grow increasingly uneasy, and he searched around for Wes’sfriend.
He’d had guys tease him in school. He wasn’t the most athletic or the most confident, and he’d been assaulted with insults for not being “manly” enough, so he hoped this wasn’t all leading to Wes being mean to him for any reason…or making the sort of comments some guys felt inclined tomake.
“Well, you’re very handsome,” Wes said, “so I’m sure you’ll find a girlfriendsoon.”
He was surprised by where Wes had taken his question, and even more surprised by the way he scooted closer to Art, who couldn’t help but look into his eyes, confused about what washappening.
He could feel Wes’s warm breath rush against his face, and something stirred within him that left him without any question about the sort of interest he had in Wes. However, Art was worried Wes would catch on. That it would be strange or cause forinsult.
And yet, why had Wes called him handsome in that way or asked him aboutgirlfriends?
Wes leaned close to him and whispered, “To tell you the truth, I think life’s easier being single.” Wes assessed him again. “Do you play any sports? You look like you’d be good at track. Do a lot ofrunning?”
“Not really. I’m not particularlyinteresting.”
“I think you’re interesting, Art. Give yourself more credit thanthat.”
“You don’t knowme.”
“But I want to know you. Isn’t that what we’re doingnow?”
He smiled the sort of smile Art figured could charm any man or woman. The sort that would leave him obedient to any request Wes mightmake.
“What’s interesting about me?” Artasked.
“I don’t know, but you intrigue me. I was wandering through the woods, just sort of thinking about nothing, and I saw you wandering too, and I have to admit, I followed you to see where you were going. It left me curious what you were thinking about. I imagine that was all very interesting, enough to hold your attention all thistime.”
“If I told you what I was thinking about, you’d probably laugh atme.”
“What if I promised not to laugh?” Wes seemed so serious, yet playful at the sametime.
“Just now, I was imagining a pirate ship, being on one and journeying into some other world to have all sorts ofadventures.”
Wessmiled.
