“Summer thunderstorms are exciting,” he said, raising his eyebrows as he tried to one-up Patrick. It was, like many of his facial expressions, really cute. And Patrick tried really hard not to swoon.
“It’s not going to thunder. The forecast said it’s just going to rain. A steady autumnal drizzle.”
“Autumnal drizzle isn’t a thing.”
“Well, I just made it one,” Patrick said. Spencer’s eyes hung on him an extra second too long. He was probably calculating just how much of a weirdo his neighbor was.
That cat was out of that bag weeks ago. Patrick had no qualms about being himself in front of Spencer.
“I’m going to watch a fall movie tonight,” Patrick said as the train weaved in between the fancy apartment buildings of River North.
“What’s a fall movie? Fall has movies?”
“I designate them as fall movies.”
“What’s an example?”
“Meet the Parents,” Patrick said without missing a beat. “It takes place in New York state in the fall. That movie is wall-to-wall fall foliage.”
Spencer burst out with hiscan-you-believe-this-guylaugh, filling the exhausted quiet of the train.
“But that’s not what I’m watching. That’s prime fall. I’m going withMoonrise Kingdom. By default, all Wes Anderson films have an autumnal aesthetic.Moonrise Kingdomtakes place in early September, right on the cusp of fall. It’s the perfect time to watch.”
Spencer laughed some more, his whole face animating. His smile was contagious, and Patrick didn’t want a vaccination. “I’ve never seen it.”
“It’s good. There’s a love story and Tilda Swinton.”
“I know who that is. Half the guys on my team are obsessed with her.” Spencer grazed his fingers through his short hair. Patrick caught a lingering whiff of his shampoo and became grateful he was sitting down.
“Did you want to come over?” Patrick wanted to bite and swallow his own tongue. Had he really just blurted that out? It was probably the last thing Spencer wanted to do, but now Patrick had put him in the awkward position of politely declining. “You don’t have to. You have things to do.”
“Sure.”
Sure?
“I’ll watch with you,” Spencer confirmed. “I have some microwave popcorn I can bring over.”
Patrick could see the awkwardness criss-crossing Spencer’s face. He was being nice and was already regretting it. He would probably find a reason to cancel once he got back home, and that was fine by him. But in the meantime, Patrick had to continue to be nice back.
“Sure,” he said. “What are you doing for dinner? I was going to order a pizza.”
Because why not make this awkwardness as awkward as it can be?
“Cool.” Spencer shrugged his shoulders.
Patrick understood why the train’s windows couldn’t open. It would be too easy to fling one’s self out of there after such a cringe-y moment.
* * *
Patrick dida quick cleanup of his apartment when he got home and went for an impromptu run. His whole body buzzed with nerves. Watching a movie was very date-like behavior, but this was very much not a date. It was a stalemate of Midwestern manners gone awry.
Spencer knocked on the door. Patrick took a very deep breath. It was two neighbors hanging out. The couch was big enough for both of them.
“I had some beer in the fridge.” Spencer held up a six pack. “Oktoberfest is all about beer, and it’s held in October, a prime fall month, correct?”
“Correct.”
Spencer’s musky scent caught Patrick’s nose. He wondered if Spencer put on cologne before he came over. Did that mean Patrick still smelled like the train?
