Loud Like Love

Chapter Nine: I Feel You

A few days after the utter train wreck that had been Dave's first attempt at a proper date with Patrick, he decided to ask him out again. Dinner and a movie in Sapswell felt like a much safer choice, and they opted for pizza and a superhero film. It was a resounding success, and so he asked him out again for the following Friday, this time to The Jekyll & Hyde in Windfield Green.

That morning, he stepped into the kitchen where his mother was having breakfast. His father was already at work. 'Mum?'

'Yes, sweetheart?'

Hearing her call him that was still odd, but he was beginning to get used to it. 'I'm going out tonight, and I was wondering . . . do you think it would be okay if I bring a friend home after?'

She put down her coffee cup. 'Who is it?'

'It's a mate from school. Patrick.'

'The one you've been spending so much time with lately?'

'Yeah.'

His mother studied his face for a few moments with a quizzical expression. 'Is he a friend, or a boyfriend?'

Dave blushed and looked away. 'Not quite a boyfriend . . . I mean, we haven't said it out loud. But . . . yeah, sort of.'

She pursed her lips and stared at him a while longer. Then she sighed. 'Don't tell your father. If he asks, Patrick's just a friend, and he's sleeping in the guest room.'

Dave smiled slowly. 'Thanks.'

She shrugged. 'You're eighteen. What you do in your bedroom is your business.'

'It's not even for sure he'll be coming. I just . . . wanted to leave the possibility open. You know?'

His mother made a dismissive gesture. 'Really, I don't need to know anything more than that. As long as you're being safe.'

Dave blushed again. 'Yeah. I promise.'

She smiled at him, then. 'Have fun tonight.' Dave was about to leave when she spoke again. 'By the way, I applied for that job at the surgery. I have an interview next week.'

Dave turned back to her and grinned. 'That's great, Mum!' He stepped up to her and kissed her cheek. 'That's really great. I'll see you later!'

* * *

'So,' said Patrick as they were leaving Maths that day, 'we're going on a date to the coffee shop we went to before? Didn't you say coffee doesn't count as a proper date?'

'Well, The Jekyll & Hyde is a café in the daytime. At night, it becomes a bar. So, we're going out for drinks, which is a date. They only serve bar snacks for food, though, so you should probably eat before you come.'

'All right. Then I'll see you tonight.'

It took all of Dave's willpower not to kiss him goodbye, but Patrick was not yet out to more than a handful of people, and while people certainly suspected that they were together, Patrick wasn't ready for them to actually know yet. So instead, Dave discreetly touched his hand as they parted, and headed off to his final lesson of the day, which was Chemistry.

Dave met up with Patrick at the bus stop at seven that evening. Patrick was dressed in jeans and a fairly loose t-shirt, with a black coat over, and looked immeasurably hot. Dave was pretty sure that he was the only person from Windfield who attended Dorcrest, so he took Patrick's hand as they walked to the bar, earning a smile.

It was a busy night. As busy as Windfield Green got, anyway. 'So,' Dave said as they stepped up to the bar. 'What's your poison tonight?'

'Some form of cider might be nice.' Patrick smiled.