Driving Backwards

Will lay face down on his bed, replaying the events of the afternoon.

"So you're a senior, right?" Gabe questioned.

"Yep," Bill answered.

"You going to college?" Gabe asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You mom goes to college," William grumbled.

Gabe chuckled. "It's just a question. You can answer it or not, Willy Boy," he stated.

Bill shrugged then. "I don't know. Probably not," he replied.

"You should," Gabe told him.

"I thought you of all people would side with me on this one," Bill mumbled.

"And why is that?" Gabe turned to look at him.

"Well... I don't know. You don't look like the type who went to college," Bill admitted, not meeting Gabe's burning gaze. "Watch the road."

Gabe rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess you're right. I didn't. But still, you should. You don't want to end up like me, getting kicked out of your mom's basement and into your grandma's house."

"But you have so much freedom. No responsibilities. I want to be like that. Free, you know?"

"Ya, kid, I get it."

"Seriously, quit calling me kid. How old are you anyway?"

"Twenty-three."

"So that's only... five years. Plus, I am a legal adult. So suck on that."

Gabe rolled his eyes and turned a random corner. "Mmhmm."

"So, uh, you have a girlfriend?" Bill questioned quickly, not daring to look at his face to see his reaction.

"Nope," Gabe replied simply.

"Oh. When was your last one?"

"When I was fifteen. That was the one I told you about who was jealous of my ability to wear tight pants."

Bill's thoughts churned. "You haven't dated anyone since you were fifteen?!" he questioned.

"Oh, I have."

"But you just said-"

"Bill, come on. Use your brain here. Don't speak until you figure it out."

Okay, so his last girlfriend was when he was fifteen, but he says he has dated people since then. So that must mean...

Oh shit.

"You're... you're gay?" Bill asked slowly.

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

Bill could help but think how irresistible he looked when he did that. "N-no," he stammered.

"I'm not going to rape you or anything..." Gabe assured him.

"No, I know," William said. "Just... I don't know. I just didn't think you were."

"Ya, well I'm about as straight as... something that isn't straight at all."

Bill laughed. "Ya. I get it."

He still got goosebumps thinking about it. Gabe is gay. For some reason, this thought made him feel so incredibly giddy. He couldn't believe his luck.

Okay, confession time: Will was indeed developing a man crush on our Gabey here. He couldn't stop thinking about his dark hair, or his deep brown dreamy eyes... these things just kept floating back to him like the damn screen saver on his computer.

Now, William might have been feminine and worn his pants far too low, but that didn't mean he was chasing after guys. He'd never found another guy physically attractive... until now. Something about Gabe drew him in. And really, he didn't know much about the guy at all, but he really really wanted to know more. He doubted that he had a chance with Gabe; he was older and a lot more mature. He'd already seen so much more than he had. Plus, Will was probably too girly for him anyway.

His phone rang in his pocket, and he rolled over to fish it out. He clicked the talk button and said, "Ya?"

"Hey Beckett, what's up bro?"" Mike asked from the other end. Mike was his and Adam's friend that went to another school, but they still hung out after school and on weekends. They liked to jam a lot. Well, Mike and Adam liked to jam while Bill sat in the corner, trying to write lyrics. But whatever.

"Nothing really," Bill lied. Just thinking about a sex god named Gabe... Fuck, he didn't even know Gabe's last name! If he spoke to him again, he'd ask him immediately.

"We should do something tonight. We could kidnap Siska again and watch him scream like a pussy," Mike snickered.

Bill chuckled. "We definitely should. When do you-"

Beep beep beep. Beep beep beep.

Will frowned. "Hold on," he spoke, looking at the screen of his phone. An unknown number was blinking there. "I'll call you back, Mike." He pressed 'answer'. "Hello?" he asked nervously.

"You left your phone number in my jacket pocket? Seriously?" Gabe's sweet voice questioned from the other end.

His heart was beating triple time. He honestly didn't think Gabe would ever find the small piece of paper he had wedged in the pocket. "I wanted you to call me," Bill replied softly.

Gabe chuckled from the other end. "Don't get all self-conscience on me now. I think it was bold what you did. Really cute," he told him.

"Really?" Bill asked, trying not to get too excited.

"Mmhmm. So is there anything in particular you wanted to ask?" Gabe said.

Bill chewed on the corner of his lip nervously. "Actually, ya. Um... what's your last name?"

William swore he heard faint smile in his voice as he answered. "Saporta. You?"

He said it in his mind. Gabe Saporta. He liked the way it sounded. "Beckett," Bill said.

"Hmm. William Beckett. Middle name?"

Bill blushed. He couldn't believe Gabe cared enough to ask. "Dude, I can't tell you. It's embarrassing."

"It can't be worse than mine."

"Bet it can."

"Come on, spill. I won't tell."

"Cross your heart?"

"And hope to die."

William took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly. The word "Eugene" tumbled from his mouth.

Gabe laughed. "That is pretty bad. Mine's Eduardo," Gabe admitted.

Now it was Will's turn to laugh. "So you're like... Spanish, right?" he asked.

"Oh, what made you think that?" Bill could hear the sarcasm seeping from his voice.

"Gosh, just asking. I thought it was better than to just start calling you Mexican."

"No, no, no, hijo.* I was born in Uruguay. Never confuse the two. Ever."

"Ur a gay?"

Gabe laughed. "That's actually a pretty good one. But to answer your question once more, yes."

Bill smiled to himself. "I know."

"So, whatcha' doing tonight?"

His heart beat involuntarily quickened. "Um, nothing, why?"

"I need you to show me around this bitch town."

"Didn't we already do that this afternoon?"

"Ya, but I still don't know where everything is. Plus, gives us an excuse to hang out again."

Bill's cheeks were on fire as he answered, "Okay."