I choosePac Manand begin eating little nuggets and trying to avoid the ghosts. It goes well for a while, and I’m on the ninth level when a shadow falls over me.
“You’ve been playing for a while. You must be pretty good,” he says.
I shrug. “I think it’s mostly luck.”
“Huh. I feel like I’m always looking at the stick and button more than the screen. I suck at these old games.”
“Do you play modern video games?”
He laughs. “On the computer, yes.”
“It’s really not any different. Still hand-eye coordination.”
“Ah. That’s a good point. Guess it’s all in my head. I’m Matty.”
I hesitate to give him my name, though I’m not sure why. But if I give him something random, I’m likely to forget and not respond when he says my name. Once I’ve completed the level, I look at him.
He’s my height with dark hair and brown eyes. He gives me a crooked smile. “Ruby,” I say. That’s close enough to Roux that I’ll at least stop and look, right?
“Like the gem.”
“Yeah,” I say and turn back to the screen. “I guess.”
Matty hangs out at the game for a while, commenting, coaching, and cheering me on. It’s a little funny since he has no idea how to play the game, which is obvious when he wants me to avoid the little bullets that make me invincible.
“How can you not have playedPac Man?”
“I don’t know. Older generation, I guess.”
I glance at him. “I’m offended.”
He laughs. “Sorry.”
When I’ve finally died but managed to hit the third all-time-high score, we switch to playing foosball. I think he’s definitely hinting at things other than games when he talks about myability to score and that I’m good with my hands, but at least it feels like it’s in jest and part of our conversation. Like the occasional tease and maybe dig at himself for not being great at foosball.
My stomach growls, signaling the end of gaming. This was fun, at least. I maybe managed to talk to someone for more than five minutes without it leading to a proposition.
“Thanks for the games,” I say as I head for the door.
Matty nods, remaining by the foosball table.
I think maybe I’m in the clear right up until I step outside and he follows. “Hey, Ruby.” I pause to look at him. “I know you’re heading for dinner, but… Is your room close by or… Mine’s not far.”
Sighing, I shake my head. “Sorry, man. I’m not looking to hook up.”
“Oh.” He stares at me as I turn back to the path. “Sorry. See you around.”
“Yeah. Later.”
Almost. We were so damn close.
I grab a sandwich and head for the beach to eat it as I walk on the shore while the sun begins to set. So close.
CHAPTER 7
ALKA
There’s a movie theater on Anapos with eight different rooms, and sometimes they have games up. Contrary to stereotypes, gay men also like sports. I’m not the biggest fan of sports played over the summer months, but the European soccer leagues are playing right now. We don’t always get those showings since we’re about as opposite side of the world as one can be.
