An Experiment That Will Tell Everything

Never before in his life has David been so nervous going to a disco as he was now. Even when he turned eighteen and was going to it for the first time as an adult. He had a feeling that something would happen that day that would change his life forever. He swallowed his saliva with difficulty.

"Relax, everything will be fine," Philip patted him on the shoulder.

David took a deep breath. He tried to calm down. He looked at Sebastian and Jarek disappearing in the doorway of the disco, who definitely had their own plans for the evening.

"You didn't tell them anything, did you?" asked Philip in a trembling voice.

"Of course not. Who do you take me for?"

"Sorry, I just..."

"It's okay. But seriously, loosen up a bit. You look like you're about to pass out any minute."

"Because that's how I feel. I don't think this is the best idea..."

"After all, I said you don't have to go all the way. You can back out at any time. The point is that you should talk to the boy as if you were talking to the girl."

"Yes, yes, I understand, but..."

But something about this experiment was clearly wrong. If David already feels such terrible resistance to the possibility of getting close to some random boy, then maybe he wasn't gay after all? Because if he was gay then he should be positively excited at the possibility of meeting some handsome guy, right? So maybe he shouldn't try anything at all and consider the incident with Meiden just as nothing more than an incident, on top of a one-off?

He was already about to say this to Philip when his cousin pushed him toward the door and a moment later David was engulfed by a crowd of people dancing to the beat of the music. Philip smiled, gave him a thumbs up and left him alone to be picked up by anyone who wanted to.

David took a deep breath. Maybe now that Philip wouldn't be sitting on his neck, he would just mingle with the crowd and just try to have a good time? Maybe he'll ask some pretty girl to dance?

He started pushing his way through the crowd. The music was good, so he started nodding to its rhythm. Everything will be fine, he told himself. You really don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Just try to relax and....

That's when he saw someone's eyes socking him with desire. The eyes of a boy he didn't know....

David swallowed hard. It seemed that he was already the center of someone's attention.

***

"I thought you wouldn't want to come here a second time," Luke said, looking around the barn, which was used for village discos. "You didn't have a good time last time, so I thought you might prefer to go somewhere else..."

"After all, I said it was ok," growled Greg in response. His eyes scoured the place like the gaze of a counterintelligence agent looking for any hostile activity. "And seriously, why do I have to explain myself to you?"

"I'm sorry I asked," Luke grimly looked away. Greg hadn't told him anything, but Luke's parents gossiped that a divorce was being prepared in Greg's home and that it wouldn't be pleasant. Too much money was at stake for Greg's father to agree to an equal division of the estate.

Luke could guess how hard it was for Greg now. In high school he was a good student, but in college he barely managed. Not because he was stupid, but because he stopped caring. And so far he hasn't found anything that has begun to matter to him.

"There it is!"

Plunged into his thoughts, Luke looked at Greg. His friend's eyes blazed with interest and challenge.

"What's there? Who is there?" he asked looking around.

"My prey..."

Luke finally saw what, or rather who, was so preoccupied with Greg's attention. It was the boy from last week, whom he took for a girl. Damn, he really was pretty! Black hair and dark blue eyes that now looked a bit like a frightened deer.

The boy stood alone, without his friends from last week. Maybe it was the lack of their company that took away his confidence, but today he seemed a tad panicked. Even in Luke the instinct of a predator had been revived, let alone in Greg, who just loved such panicked innocent animals.

"Greg, don't do anything stupid," asked Luke sensing that there would be trouble after all. "The boy is not gay..."

"Are you stupid or what? You don't have to be gay to have fun with a guy."

"But he's not interested..."

Greg's mouth twisted into a confident, mischievous smile. He had already decided. He's going to get this boy one way or another.

Luke felt a shiver run down his spine. He grabbed his friend's elbow.

"Don't make any fuss, please... We'd better go somewhere else..."

Greg shook off his hand. He didn't do it violently, but Luke knew that at this point nothing could stop Greg from achieving the goal he had set. The black-haired boy was on his target, and any moment now a shot would be fired....

***

The boy who had been watching David so intensely moved toward him. David's heart struck faster. Had he really caught his eye? Would he really be hit on by a boy in a moment? What should he do? How should he behave? Should he refuse, or follow Philip's advice and try?

Try? With a guy? No!

Panicked, he averted his eyes and started looking for an escape route. He even moved a few steps, but he didn't really know what to do with himself.

"Hello!" he heard suddenly and raised his eyes. Yes, it was the boy there, who was scowling at him with his eyes.

"Hi," he replied shyly.

"I'm sorry to approach you so unceremoniously, but you really stand out in this crowd. Although you probably know that." The boy smiled apologetically.

"Well... some people say that. But I don't think so."

"Wow, I appreciate your modesty, but you really underestimate yourself. Seriously, in this crowd, you really draw attention to yourself in a positive way. I'm Greg, by the way" he introduced himself. "I'm not local, so I don't know anyone here and the friend I came with is busy with some girl so I'm a bit bored. You also look like you have nothing to do at the moment. Aren't you interested in dancing with girls?"

"Actually..." Actually I am, he wanted to say, and I was just looking for a girl for myself. He didn't, however, blushing to the tips of his ears.

"So why don't we talk?"

"Talk?" David blinked. "About what?"

"Well, I don't know. About anything. Have you seen any good movies lately?"

"No, not particularly. It's been a long time since I've been to the cinema."

"Really?" Greg seemed to be genuinely surprised.

"Well, I'm not a fan and I don't have much time."

"In that case, if not cinema, what do you do in your free time?"

"I play on the computer, watch TV series..."

"And have you seen the Fourth Scene, perhaps?"

"Only one episode," he admitted. He was unable to watch more. "I don't like artistic productions. I don't understand them," he admitted.

"Hm, you're right, it was too artistic, as if it aimed at the tastes of critics, not viewers, but it had a few scenes that were really good. Can you tell me what series you liked? I happen to be looking for something new. Maybe over a beer?"

David found that he was quite comfortable talking to Greg. The boy wasn't some weird guy, he didn't want to drag him to bed right away, he just wanted to talk. Maybe that's what he meant all along?

"Okay," he agreed with a smile. "I'm even a little thirsty."

"Won't you be offended if I buy this round?" They moved toward the makeshift bar. "After all, I'm the one who invited you."

David hesitated only a moment. After all, friends were buying each other beer and there was nothing wrong with that. One round was put up by one of them, another by someone else.

"No problem," he agreed. "By the way, my name is David..."