by Drew Hunt
Steve shrugged. “It was all I could put together at the last minute.”
“The costume store will probably have the full Superman outfit now,” JJ put in.
“Yeah, probably.”
Milton looked over at Steve, but didn’t say anything.
“Milton, were you thinking of going to the convention, too?” Maggie asked.
“Maybe.” He made to put the other end of the pencil in his mouth, but seemed to change his mind at the last second.
“You two should go together,” Maggie announced.
“Mags!” JJ nudged his girlfriend under the table.
Steve rearranged the silverware on his empty plate.
“What should I draw?” Milton asked.
“Whatever you want,” JJ said. “Maybe something set in a diner?”
“Okay.” Milton shrugged. “But I don’t have the right size paper, and it won’t be very good because I’ll be rushing.”
“You’ll do just fine.” Maggie smiled over at him.
Milton started to draw, JJ noticing how the guy’s tongue peeked from between his lips as he focused on his task.
“You’re really good,” Steve said a few moments later, bending closer to get a better look.
“Uh, thanks.” Milton’s hand shook and he drew a ragged line on the page.
“It’s okay.” Maggie delved back into her purse and pulled out an eraser.
“Thanks.” Milton erased his mistake and carried on drawing.
“How did your guy get his powers?” Steve asked.
“Hadn’t really thought about it,” Milton admitted. “Like I said, I haven’t fleshed him out fully yet.”
“He looks pretty fleshed out to me,” Maggie grinned.
Milton blushed.
Upside down JJ could see that Milton had drawn his character with a defined chest and a pair of biceps any bodybuilder would be proud of.
“Maybe,” Steve snickered, “he got bitten by a radioactive mutant subway rat.”
Milton looked up and, to JJ’s surprise, smiled. “Yeah.” The smile widened. “I like that.”
Steve held out his hand. “Would you let me draw something?”
“Sure.” Milton gave him the pencil and slid the pad across the table.
Steve began to sketch a rat standing on its hind legs, its teeth dripping with saliva with sparks of electricity emerging from it.
“Wow, never knew you could draw,” JJ said.
“There’s a lot about me you didn’t know.” Turning to Milton he added, “It’s a blond thing. The start of each baseball season we have to remind him ‘this is a bat, and this is a ball. It’s your job to throw—”
“Watch it!” JJ glowered.
Milton laughed.
“Most of last week he was wearing a wristwatch that had a dead battery,” Maggie put in.
Steve snickered. “At least he’ll have had the right time twice a day.”
“Hey, I’m here, you know,” JJ protested.
“Did you hear something?” Milton asked Steve.
Steve turned to Milton and they high fived each other.
Steve and Milton went back to their drawing, frequently sliding the pad from one to the other as each added to the storyline; JJ soon lost track of the details.
Their server came to the table a couple of times to inquire if they needed anything, and JJ became conscious that they were table hogging. But no way would he interrupt the budding friendship between his two friends to tell them they needed to leave. JJ mentally added a few extra dollars to the tip.
Eventually Steve stretched and announced he needed to use the restroom. JJ noticed how Milton’s gaze followed Steve out of the booth and toward the rear of the diner. JJ turned to Maggie and shook his head when he saw that she was about to speak.
“Can I keep these?” Milton asked, flipping through the sheets of paper he and Steve had drawn on. “I might be able to use some of the ideas for my project.”
“Sure, keep the whole pad,” Maggie said, smiling and taking JJ’s hand and giving it a squeeze.
“Thanks. I think the story has changed, developed. It’s too early to tell for sure, though.”
Maggie nodded and bit her lip.
“We done here?” Steve asked once he’d returned to the table.
“Think so,” Maggie said, gathering up her purse, coat, and hat.
Steve shook his head.
“It’s a woman thing,” JJ mouthed silently.
Steve nodded and smiled.
They stood at the register, Steve putting up a protest when JJ insisted it was his treat.
“I’ll buy next time,” Steve said.
Outside, as the foursome stood on the sidewalk, the weather started to close in.
“A woman is always prepared,” Maggie said, wrapping the scarf around her neck. “Unlike you.” She fingered JJ’s light jacket.
“Yes, dear,” JJ said, taking her hand. “See you tomorrow for football?” he asked Steve. “The Cowboys are playing the Giants.”
“I think I might go to that comic convention tomorrow,” Steve said. Turning to Milton, who’d placed his hands in his armpits, he added, “Want to go with me? Might be fun.”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” Milton said in surprise.
“You should take your drawings and maybe you’ll be discovered.”
“Yeah, right.” Milton chuckled.
“You never know, Neil Gaiman will be there.”
“Uh huh.” Milton smiled.
“Come on, we’ll walk to the subway together and hash out the details. Jeeze, Milton, you look frozen. Here.” Steve unzipped his quilted jacket and laid it over Milton’s shoulders.
“Well,” Maggie sighed, watching the two guys walk away, “the rest is up to them.”
JJ nodded then turned to Maggie. “What do you want to do now? We could hang out at my place, but my dads are home and…”
“My folks are away all day.” Maggie smiled. “So I thought you could come home with me…and collect your reward.”
“You mean…?” JJ asked, not daring to hope.
Maggie stood on tip-toe and kissed JJ on the mouth. “I love you. It’s time.”
JJ pumped his fist in the air. “Yes!”
THE END
ABOUT DREW HUNT
Having read all the decent free fiction on the net Drew could find, he set out to try his hand at writing something himself. Fed up reading about characters who were super-wealthy, impossibly handsome, and incredibly well-endowed, Drew determined to make his characters real and believable.
Drew lives a quiet life in the north of England with his cat. Someday he hopes to meet the kind of man he writes about. If you’re that man, or even if you’re not, Drew would like to hear from you—[email protected]. Visit him online at drew-hunt.co.uk.
ABOUT QUEERTEEN PRESS
Queerteen Press is the young adult imprint of JMS Books LLC, a small press specializing in queer fiction, non-fiction, and poetry owned and operated by author J.M. Snyder. Visit us at queerteen-press.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
