When Brad gets his bag and goes to the door the kid accompanies him. He holds the door open for Brad and holds his hand out to shake on the other side. “I’m Nate.”
He nods and says curtly, “Brad.”
“Thanks again,” Nate tells him. He hesitates and then says, “I work at Crème De Café and if you want, I can get you a free cup of coffee in thanks.”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“Soda then?”
Brad stops walking and Nate stops with him. He waits, considering. “Okay.”
Nate cocks his head, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Great.”
They walk the three blocks to the café in relative silence until Nate says, “So you’re at the academy, huh.”
“How’d you guess?”
“That haircut,” Nate says, touching the tip of his tongue to his teeth, completely ignoring his sarcasm.
Brad nods. “Yeah. I guess it would give it away”
“What’s that like?”
“Cutting my hair frequently? Tedious.”
“No, going to the academy,” Nate replies. They’ve reached the café, and Nate once again pulls the door open for him like Brad’s a lady. He shoots Nate a look and then goes through. He can tell Nate is holding back a smile.
Nate waves him toward a table and says, “Sit down, I’ll bring you a drink. What would you like?”
“Water is fine.” Nate raises his brows and Brad sighs. “Iced tea then.”
Nate dips his head in acknowledgement and vaults over an empty section of the counter. Brad watches him talk and laugh with the barista on duty, a pretty girl with a short pixieish haircut, as he pours Brad an iced tea and makes an espresso for himself. Brad feels like he’s watching something intimate. He wonders of Nate and that girl are together. He’s not sure why he cares.
Nate returns a few moments later, face flushed. “So you didn’t answer my question,” he says.
Brad shrugs. “I’m joining the marines when I graduate.” He doesn’t mention that when his parents first enrolled him, he was assigned the most PT of any student in his year previous or after.
Nate lifts his chin. “So I guess you like it.”
Brad shrugs and takes a sip of the iced tea. It’s a little on the strong side and he makes a face at it. Nate wordlessly hands over a packet of sugar.
Brad realizes it’s his turn to talk. “Where are you going after you graduate?”
“From high school?” Nate says, above his little cup of espresso. “I just got into Dartmouth Early Decision.”
“Shoulda guessed, you have a patina of Ivy League hippy all over.”
Nate salutes with his cup and then opens up Brad’s bag. “Neal Stephenson, Cory Doctorow, Ken Scholes…” he lists each other as he puts it out on the table. “Well…you just look like a massive dork.”
Brad snorts. He realizes he likes Nate. A lot. Nate looks down at his watch and starts. “I have to go. Thanks again.” He scoops his bag of books up and gets to his feet. He says, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. “See you around?”
Brad is sent to military school and meets Nate. Part 2
He nods and says curtly, “Brad.”
“Thanks again,” Nate tells him. He hesitates and then says, “I work at Crème De Café and if you want, I can get you a free cup of coffee in thanks.”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“Soda then?”
Brad stops walking and Nate stops with him. He waits, considering. “Okay.”
Nate cocks his head, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Great.”
They walk the three blocks to the café in relative silence until Nate says, “So you’re at the academy, huh.”
“How’d you guess?”
“That haircut,” Nate says, touching the tip of his tongue to his teeth, completely ignoring his sarcasm.
Brad nods. “Yeah. I guess it would give it away”
“What’s that like?”
“Cutting my hair frequently? Tedious.”
“No, going to the academy,” Nate replies. They’ve reached the café, and Nate once again pulls the door open for him like Brad’s a lady. He shoots Nate a look and then goes through. He can tell Nate is holding back a smile.
Nate waves him toward a table and says, “Sit down, I’ll bring you a drink. What would you like?”
“Water is fine.” Nate raises his brows and Brad sighs. “Iced tea then.”
Nate dips his head in acknowledgement and vaults over an empty section of the counter. Brad watches him talk and laugh with the barista on duty, a pretty girl with a short pixieish haircut, as he pours Brad an iced tea and makes an espresso for himself. Brad feels like he’s watching something intimate. He wonders of Nate and that girl are together. He’s not sure why he cares.
Nate returns a few moments later, face flushed. “So you didn’t answer my question,” he says.
Brad shrugs. “I’m joining the marines when I graduate.” He doesn’t mention that when his parents first enrolled him, he was assigned the most PT of any student in his year previous or after.
Nate lifts his chin. “So I guess you like it.”
Brad shrugs and takes a sip of the iced tea. It’s a little on the strong side and he makes a face at it. Nate wordlessly hands over a packet of sugar.
Brad realizes it’s his turn to talk. “Where are you going after you graduate?”
“From high school?” Nate says, above his little cup of espresso. “I just got into Dartmouth Early Decision.”
“Shoulda guessed, you have a patina of Ivy League hippy all over.”
Nate salutes with his cup and then opens up Brad’s bag. “Neal Stephenson, Cory Doctorow, Ken Scholes…” he lists each other as he puts it out on the table. “Well…you just look like a massive dork.”
Brad snorts. He realizes he likes Nate. A lot. Nate looks down at his watch and starts. “I have to go. Thanks again.” He scoops his bag of books up and gets to his feet. He says, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. “See you around?”