I felt like a jerk thinking of the truth, but I didn’t really want to date Dan. And now, if things went well, would I be stuck in some kind of awkward relationship that lasted way too long?
Or what? Would we break up, and I wouldn’t even be able to go to class without thinking of him and how dumb I’d been?
“What’s wrong? You’re frowning,” Dan said. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Um, I’m sorry. This is the first time I’ve done this,” I said.
“Done what? Had coffee with a friend?”
A friend? What?
I cocked my head to the side. “Um, I’m sorry – I don’t know what you mean.”
Dan laughed, but it wasn’t entirely a happy sound. He sounded a little embarrassed, actually.
“Molly, you’re a nice girl,” Dan said. “You really are, but I’m not interested.”
“What?” I couldn’t stop my jaw from dropping. “Then why did you agree to go out with me?!”
Dan flushed and took a sip of his latte, looking truly uncomfortable. “Molly, I’m gay,” he said.
“What?”
Dan gave me a look. “Don’t make me repeat that,” he said. “I know you understood.”
“I did…it’s just…you’re gay? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Dan laughed nervously. “I didn’t mention it because I thought you knew,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought you wanted
to make a friend in your program. So you’re a little shy and awkward – that’s nothing to worry about. Plenty of people are shy and awkward, Molly.”
I sank down low in my seat. “You’re gay,” I muttered. “I can’t believe it.”
Dan gave me an awkward smile and shrugged. I hated to admit it, but the more I looked at him, the more I realized he was right. His hair was too perfectly tied with an Indian leather band, and his skin was flawless – even better than Rebecca’s, and she’s a total Sephora addict.
“Oh my god,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m so embarrassed!”
Dan laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’m just sorry you thought this was a date.”
My cheeks flamed bright red. “Now you probably get why I was so nervous,” I said softly.
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Dan said. He smirked. “You should’ve seen me in high school – I had more girls flocking around me than the football players.”
“I can believe it,” I said, although I really couldn’t. At least, not compared with Alex.
“Well, now we can be friends,” Dan said. “Or you know, not,” he added.
I bit my lip. “Do you think I could ask you a favor?”
Dan nodded. “Sure.”
“How…how can I get a boyfriend?”
“Oh, god, if I knew the answer to that, I’d bottle it up and sell it for a million dollars,” Dan said with a laugh. When he saw the look on my face, he pretended to groan. “Look, Molly,” Dan said. “I can’t tell you how to just get a boyfriend. But if you had a specific guy in mind…aside from me, that is,” he said.
I blushed.
“You do, you little slut,” Dan said playfully. He leaned back against his chair and sipped his latte. I wondered how I’d ever mistaken him for a straight man.