The In-Betweeners

"You're so fucking gay, dude. You know that?" Brian said over the phone.

I was standing in front of my closet, looking hopelessly at the pile of clothes looming over my head. Usually I just threw on whatever jeans that were available on my floor and some T-shirt without much thought, whether they were clean or not. I honestly couldn't tell you when half of the clothes in my closet had been bought, or whether they even fit me anymore. But today wasn't a day I could wear just anything. I was going to dinner and a movie with Melanie Ryan, and that's not something you wear questionably clean clothes to.

"Are you gonna help me or not, asshole?" I snapped back.

"Chill out, relax," Brian drawled. "It's not the end of the fucking world, you know. I'll bring over some of my collared shirts that you can chose from. Just put on some jeans, preferably clean ones not that shit you wear to school, and I'll be over in five."

"Thanks, man." I said and then hung up.

For all the shit I had to put up with Brian, and as much as he was the biggest asshole I'd ever met, the one thing you could always count on from him was when it really came down to it he'd be there. He might not have done it with a smile, and he'd be difficult as hell thoughout it, but he'd be there for sure.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, there was a knock on the front door. I sprinted down the stairs, practically yelling at Alexis that I would get the door and knocking her out of the way. I yanked open the door to come face to face with Brian, who was holding a pile of folded shirts in one arm. In my haste to answer the door I had forgotten that I wasn't wearing a shirt, and that I only had one sock on and I hadn't even buttoned my jeans yet.

"You get gayer by the second, James." Brian muttered.

"Whatever, give me the shirts." I said, pulling them from his grasp. "Come in." I threw over my shoulder as I raced back upstairs and into my bedroom.

Brian followed me slowly, and when he finally reached my room I had laid all of the shirts down on my bed. There were five total: one baby blue, one light pink, one light green, one white with blue pin stripes, and one black. I grabbed the black one and threw it on quickly. By the time Brian walked into my room I was buttoning the last button and turning around to face him.

"Good?" I asked, holding out my arms so he could see.

"Good enough," he shrugged.

I picked up my black sneakers from my floor and sat down on my bed to pull them on. I glanced at the clock and saw that I had about twenty minutes until I was supposed to pick Melanie up from her house. I couldn't drive yet, because I was only fifteen, but I had asked Tom to drive me and he had agreed, on the condition that he could bring his girlfriend, Kasey, with us.

I spent about ten minutes in my room hanging out with Brian, trying to calm my nerves. Ten minutes to five o'clock, I stood up and headed downstairs to find Tom, Brian trailing behind me. Tom was sitting in the kitchen with Alexis, helping her with her math homework.

"Ready?" I asked him.

"Yeah sure," Tom said, not even looking up. "Number ten is five point two, Lex," he added as he stood up.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hey, we're leaving now, babe," he said, and I assumed he was talking to Kasey.

I wondered briefly if I should call or text Melanie to let her know that we were leaving. But then again, what would I say? Brian nudged me with his elbow to get my attention.

"Dude, don't," he said shaking his head.

I guess that answered by question.

"Let's go, bro." Tom said.

He walked over to me and threw his arm around my shoulders, guiding me out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

"Have fun!" Alexis yelled from the kitchen.

"I can't believe I have the honor of taking my little bro out on his first date," Tom said, ruffling my hair.

"Stop it," I snapped at him. Did he realize how long it had taken me to get my hair just right?

I shrugged his arm from my shoulders and followed him to his truck. I had spent all morning cleaning it so it wouldn't look bad for Melanie. I was glad I'd done it, even though Tom had made fun of me for it. It had taken me nearly three trashbags to clean out the back seats, and somehow I didn't think Melanie would have appreciated sitting in piles of empty fast food bags.

"Have fun!" Brian screamed from my front door. "Try not to be too gay!"

We picked up Kasey, and then finally Melanie. We went to dinner first at TGI Friday's that was across the street from the movies, Melanie and I sat at one table and Tom and Kasey at another. I honestly couldn't tell you what I ate; I had been too nervous to really be hungry so I just ordered the first thing I saw on the menu and picked at it. Melanie looked very pretty that night. She had done her hair differently, I couldn't tell you how it was different but I was perceptive enough to know that it was different. And she wore a little make-up, not much but it was enough; I was happy though that she hadn't caked on make-up for the date. I had always thought that looked cheap.

After dinner we walked to the movie theater, with Tom and Kasey behind us. I don't really remember what movie we saw either, some chick flick I think. But I do remember whether or not we kissed on that first date. And you know what, reader? I'm not going to tell you what else happened on that first date.

I'm not writing a fucking porno you know.