Inverted

Mikey and I decided to have lunch at the diner today. We both have two hour long lunch breaks since we're taking fewer classes this semester. As soon as I walk into the diner, I see him. The animator from yesterday. I stop in my tracks, unintentionally blocking the doorway. Mikey pushes me out of the way and goes to the counter to say hello to his mother.

I can't believe he's here. First of all, I'm here almost every other day and I've never seen him before. And, secondly, the food here sucks and he looks like he has enough money to eat somewhere else. The only reason I come here is for the free food. I just can't believe he's here. There is no fucking way he eats in this shit hole. But there he is, with a little girl in his arms and a brunet's arm across his shoulders. They look like the perfect little family. The girl must be his, blonde hair, blue eyes.

Mikey hasn't noticed his beloved JT yet. He's talking with his mother about that fucking convention we went to yesterday. As I walk further into the diner, I notice the other occupants of his booth. A blond woman and a man that I think I've seen around before. I'm pretty sure he works at that atrocious clothing store on Liberty.

I try to walk by his booth without attracting too much attention to myself. Before I even pass his table, he looks up. His smile, which is remarkably bright, widens.

"If it isn't the blushing brunet from yesterday." I can feel my face redden. I swear the asshole likes to see me flustered.

"Fuck you."

"In your dreams kid." He has no idea how true that statement is. I woke up this morning with images of blond hair and soft lips playing through my mind.

I decide not to respond to his last statement and just walk past his table to our usual booth, which happens to be behind JT's. Michael is still in an in-depth conversation with his mother and hasn't heard our little exchange. I sit down, my back to their booth. As soon as I sit down, I hear someone, probably the clothing store guy say, "Isn't he just adorable?" I strain to hear the response over the loud chatter of the diner.

"He's too young for you, Em."

"Well, if he's too young for me, than he is definitely too young for you."

"I don't think I have to worry. I wasn't the one checking him out," JT retorts.

"You can't fool me Justin Taylor. I saw your eyes riding his ass. It's the only reason I gave him a second glance." Justin Taylor.

"You're eyesight must be failing you at your old age." Justin snaps.

"If I'm old you're ancient." Fuck, they sound like ten year olds. At that moment, Mikey and Deb walk up to the booth.

"Hey kiddo! Let me introduce you two to Justin and his friends. Justin's even interested in that cartoon stuff you're always talking about, Michael." With those words she turns towards the booth ahead of us.

"Hey, guys. This is my son Michael and his friend Brian. Boys this is Lindsay, Emmett, Alex, and Justin. And, this little angel is his daughter, Becca."

"Oh my God, it's JT." I roll my eyes, waiting for another nerd rant from Mikey. He is such a fanboy.

He starts in on Justin while I stand to the side. Justin's actually nice enough to make conversation with him. They're talking about comic books and gay superheroes. Mikey's always wanted to start his own comic book, but he can't draw for shit. As Justin's talking with Mikey, he's softly tickling his daughter. That guy, Alan or whatever, still has his arm around Justin. Mikey eventually ends the conversation when Deb brings our food over to the booth and we're forced to sit down and eat. As we're eating, I strain to hear the conversation at the other booth.

"We'd better go J. You know some of us have real jobs. Our lunch break is officially over." It sounds like Alan or Adam or whateverthefuck his name was.

"Fuck you. Are we going to Babylon tonight?"

"Of course, what would a night be without Babylon?"

We finish our food and get out of the booth. As Mikey goes to the counter to say goodbye to his mother, I try to inconspicuously watch the other booth. Emmett slides out of the booth and leaves the diner. Aaron or was it Abe? Well, whoeverthefuck pecks Justin's lips and slides out of the booth.

"Hey Linds, why don't you just go to the gallery? I'll watch Becca and drop her off before Babylon."

"Sure." She gets up and leaves too.

It's just Justin and Becca. He starts to play a game of peek-a-boo with her. Just before it becomes obvious that I'm staring, Mikey comes up and starts talking with Justin again. Apparently he's giving Justin his email address so they can finish their conversation about comics, I guess. While Mikey talks with Justin, I go up to Deb.

"Uh, hey Deb. What's Babylon?"

"Babylon? Why do you want to know?"

"Uh, no reason. I just heard some people talking about it."

"It's a dance club here on Liberty."

"Thanks, Deb." Automatically she looks suspicious. She's not used to me thanking her for anything.

"Brian Kinney, what are you up--"

Just before she can finish her question, Mikey comes over and tells me we'll miss the bus if we don't leave now.

XXXXXXXXXX

I have last period with Ben. It's an English class and today is a peer review day. So basically we just talk the whole period and pretend we're talking about our papers whenever the teacher walks by.

"Uh, hey, Ben, have you been to Babylon before?" Ben's older brother is gay too and they used to go to a lot of clubs together, before he started spending all of his free time with Mikey.

"Of course."

"Oh, do you need I.D. to get in?"

"Yeah, you need a membership card."

"You have one?"

"I've been haven't I?"

"Do you think I could borrow it tonight?"

"Why do you want it?"

"I just want to check it out." He maintains eye contact for awhile as if he's trying decide if I'm telling the truth. After a few moments it seems he's made up his mind.

"You really shouldn't go alone." I've already figured that out.

"I'm sure you're brother's going tonight. I can go with him."

"Um, yeah, sure." He digs in his pocket for his wallet and takes out his membership card for me.

"Michael and I are going to be out all night. We're going to see a double feature." Probably to make out in the back row, I think to myself. "But, if you come over around ten, Tom will be getting ready to leave."

"Thanks Ben."

XXXXXXXXXX

The bell rings and we wait outside the classroom for Mikey. He comes up to us and gives Ben a kiss. They're both out, but it doesn't cause any problems at school, Ben can be pretty intimidating, and both of their parents know about them. I wish I had that kind of freedom. I don't need any kind of rumors getting back to my parents. My home life is difficult enough.

As we're walking out of the school, Mikey brings up our previous plans with Ben for later this evening. I was supposed to go to the movies with the couple.

"Uh Mikey, I don't think I'm going to join you tonight."

"Oh, why?" He doesn't sound too disappointed. He's probably excited to have some alone time with Ben.

"Let's just say something came up."