Driving Backwards

Gabe drove up to the assigned address. Really, what was he thinking? Bill was just a kid, and he was already a creepy old man with no life. It wasn't like he was looking for a relationship; he wasn't. He hadn't had a real proper boyfriend since he was about nineteen, when he started the band. Recently, there had just been guys around who'd been fuck buddies. Nothing exclusive. It was easier that way; you got what you wanted with no strings attached.

But with William... God, he didn't know what he was trying to pull. Gabe was doing his best not to flirt with the kid, but it was hard. He was just so adorable. Like a little kid you want to babysit, then fuck afterwords. Ya, maybe that made him sound like a pedo, but technically, Bill was legal to him. So whatever.

He still knew it would go horribly if he tried to get with him. He and Bill would go out on a few dates, where Gabe would be charming as could be. Then after a couple of weeks, Gabe would get antsy, or Bill would want something more. Either way, they were fucked. And not in the good way.

So he made a promise to himself he wouldn't lead the kid on. They would become friends and nothing more. Plus, he didn't even know if Bill was interested in him like that. Sure, he had his theories, but that didn't mean anything.

Bill emerged from his house, wearing a leather jacket and tight pants as always. Gabe couldn't help but note that he looked really good right then. His pale skin was luminous in the moon light, and his brown eyes, wide as ever, were anxious.

Gabe stopped looking at him and allowed him privacy to get to the van. Soon, Bill had climbed up into it and was sitting in the seat opposite him. "Hey," Bill stated, looking at him.

"Yo," Gabe stated. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Lied to my mom and told her I was going to my friend's house," William admitted.

"Ah," Gabe murmured. So it had already begun. Bill had already began to hide Gabe from his parents. Soon it'd be his friends and everyone else. And there wasn't even anything to hide yet.

Will noticed that Gabe wasn't wearing the purple jacket that he'd returned. He also took note that instead of seats in the back, there was a mattress on the floor. "You keep saying you're not going to rape me, but the evidence says otherwise," Bill stated.

"Ha ha. No, seriously, I just have that back there in case I have to become a bum. Or if I get tired and just want to take a nap," Gabe informed him.

"Lazy," William coughed.

"That may be." Gabe put the van into gear and set off down the street. "Tell me where to go, boss," Gabe said.

Bill looked at him skeptically. "Keep going straight. We're going to the supermarket," he told him.

"Sweet! I need to buy some smokes anyway..." Gabe trailed off.

"You smoke a lot, then?" William questioned.

"Every damn day. They say it causes cancer, but the results haven't been confirmed," Gabe replied.

"Yes they have! They already know it causes lung cancer you twit!" William growled, not liking how Gabe was just pretending cigarettes were just fine and dandy.

"Listen, kid-"

"Stop calling me kid."

"Listen, child, I know this. But I've been doing it for a long time, and I know the consequences. So just relax and go on back to doodling on your etch-a-sketch."

Bill huffed. "Make a right up here."

Gabe did as he said, wondering why cancer struck a nerve with the boy. Seeing the supermarket up ahead, he pulled into the parking lot and parked. "You're not going to make me buy you booze, are you?"

Bill scoffed. "No. But this is about as exciting as it gets here. I just wanted to show you that."

Gabe looked at him strangely, but excepted his answer anyway. They both climbed out of the van and began walking up towards the store.

"Welcome to Publix. The coolest place within five miles besides the movie theater," Bill announced as they entered the store.

"I see," Gabe observed. "Well, since we're here, might as well pick up some junk food."

He and Bill walked down and aisle, Gabe grabbing boxes of mac and cheese and ramen noodles. "Is that all you can make?" William asked.

"Yup," Gabe answered, putting the boxes under his arms. Bill took a couple from him and carried them for him. No sense in watching him drop them all over the place. Gabe mumbled a thanks as they continued on.

"Hey Bill!"

Bill's head immediately snapped around, and Gabe's did as well. He had to see this. "Oh, hey Melanie," Bill replied, smiling slightly. Gabe barely knew William at all, but he could already tell it was a fake and forced smile.

Melanie was a tall girl (not as tall as Gabe and Will, of course, for they were both over six feet) with long dark hair and a bright smile. She was with another shorter girl with blonde hair and glasses, who also murmured a greeting. "What's up?" Melanie answered in a bright tone.

"Nothing... just, um... helping my friend grocery shop, I guess," Bill answered, nodding his head toward Gabe, who smiled.

"Hi! Are you new here?" Melanie questioned. The girl next to her still remained silent but was staring at Gabe creepily, as if she was reading his soul with her piercing gaze.

"Um, ya. I'm Gabe," he told her, shifting his food boxes from his right hand to his left so he could shake her hand.

Melanie took his hand and gave it a shake. "It's nice to meet you," she grinned. It seemed like she did a lot of that. He wondered is someday her face would get stuck like that...

"You too," Gabe replied, not sure if he meant it.

"I'll see you at school, Will," Melanie smiled once more, taking the other girl and going on her way.

"Um, who were they?" Gabe whispered once they were a safe distance away.

"Those are two girls from my school," Bill mumbled.

"Who was the blonde one?"

"Oh, that's Alien."

"Um... what?"

"Ya, we call her that cause her name's some weird French shit. It's close enough."

"She creeped me out."

"Did she stare at you? Like she was going to like... eat you or something?"

"Yes!"

Bill nodded sympathetically. "That's normal. I've learned to just simply ignore it."

"Oh."

The pair continued on and Gabe grabbed some strawberry pop tarts. "Dude, those suck," Bill informed him.

"No they don't!" Gabe defended, holding the box lovingly to his chest. "They're amazing."

"You're smoking something," Bill muttered.

Gabe ignored her and grabbed fruit snacks. As the walked down the frozen food aisle, Gabe grabbed some toaster waffles and french toast sticks.

"You're living the dream, buddy," Bill told him, smacking him on the back.

"Oh ya," Gabe replied, rolling his eyes. He watched as Bill walked in front of him, swaying his hips as he did. His tight jeans accentuated everything: every step, every turn. It was getting to be too much.

Bill spun around, his ear-length dark hair falling in his equally dark eyes. "You coming or what?" he questioned, boxes macaroni and cheese in both hands.

"Ya, I'm coming. Smart ass."

"I heard that," Bill sang.

"You were supposed to," Gabe smirked, catching up to the younger boy's pace.

Bill rolled his eyes and set the things on the conveyor belt, while Gabe did the same. He asked the cashier for a pack of cigarettes and paid for the groceries as William stood beside him, feeling rather out of place.

As the two walked, Gabe managed to bring out a cigarette and place it between his lips. They threw the bags in the back of the van, and Gabe said, "Go ahead and get in. I want to finish this."

Will simply stood there, took the pack from Gabe's hand, and pulled one out, placing it between his lips.

Gabe just gawked, his own lit cigarette in his mouth.

"Are you gonna give me a light or not?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You said it causes cancer."

"It does. If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me."

Gabe reluctantly held out the lighter, which Bill took. "If this is sort of weirdo reverse psychology shit, it's not going to work."

Bill light his cigarette and took a drag. "It's not. I figure, hey, this might be the last time I get to do this while it's illegal. Why not?"

"So how long until you're eighteen?"

"Um... like two weeks."

"Obviously you've done this before," Gabe stated, watching as Bill smoked. He wasn't choking or anything.

"Yep."

"But you were bitching at me earlier."

"Well, I have smoked before. Only a couple of times. Two years ago, my grandma died from lung cancer. I promised myself I would never smoke again. I didn't want to end up like her. Well, I just broke my promise."

"Shit, you make me feel guilty," Gabe admitted. "I made you break a promise."

Bill pointed toward him, the cigarette resting between his index and middle fingers. "You did. How will you ever live?"

Gabe puffed out a bit more smoke. "Not sure. Guess I'll smoke myself to death."

Will sighed. "I'll be right behind you."