Romeo was lying in bed, fast asleep on top of a thin sheet dotted with miniscule red and blue trains. His limbs were splayed randomly at his sides. A Spiderman comic book was open on top of his face. He was dressed in an ebony shirt and deep blue jeans that were shredded at the knees. His chest rose slowly up, then down. The Spiderman book slipped a few inches onto his neck. Romeo's foot twitched twice. Then his breathing grew shallower. His head lolled to the left, and moments later the rest of his body followed. He rolled off of his bed and struck the floor surprisingly softly. Romeo woke instantly upon hitting the floor.
Romeo peered upward, confused as to why he was on the floor. He drew his knees into his chest and leaned back against the chair. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes again, longing to sink back into sleep. It was no use. Romeo groaned and rubbed his eyes vigorously.
Not awake enough to walk, Romeo dragged himself across the floor, out of his bedroom, and down the hallway into the bathroom he shared with his younger brother and sister. Summoning all of his strength, he pushed himself to his feet. He then turned on the faucet and stuck his head under the water pouring from it. Romeo remained there for nearly a minute before he turned off the faucet.
Romeo was halfway back to his room when he remembered what day it was. He had been looking forward to, and also dreading, this day for the past three weeks. Today was the day he was going with his best friend, Specs, to Six Flags. Today was also the day that he was going to tell Specs about the crush he had had on him for years. He bit his lip and smiled nervously.
Romeo wasn't sure exactly what he was anticipating would happen that day. Of course, he hoped that he would manage to not be awkward and, like in his dreams, Specs would reveal that he'd liked Romeo too all along and they'd passionately make out in front of everybody at the theme park. However, he knew that sort of outcome was confined to his daydreams. Mostly, he just wished that Specs wouldn't be creeped out and would still want to be his friend. Romeo did not dare to expect anything more than that; he could not bear to have his dreams crushed.
Romeo figured that if there was to be any chance that Specs might like him back, he would have to look really good. He slipped into a navy blue v-neck t-shirt and wine red khaki shorts and a pair of black sneakers. He returned to the bathroom and dumped an entire bottle of hair gel onto his head. The gel oozed onto his face. Romeo scowled and reached for a towel and wiped the excess goop off of his face. He attempted to slick back his hair like that of the male models he saw in ads around town. Reasonably pleased with the result, he bounded down the stairs, three at a time.
He was nearly ready to go. Romeo gulped. Realizing he had forgotten to eat breakfast, he selected three bananas from the fruit bowl that his mother had arranged on the kitchen table and swallowed them all in quick succession. He plucked the backpack he had packed the night before from the floor and set out the door to Specs's house.
Specs sat, legs crossed, on a plush mauve couch in his living room. He looked perturbed. Today was an important day, a day he had been dreading terribly, but also anticipating zealously for the last few weeks. He was going to Six Flags with Romeo today. He also planned to come out to Romeo as panromantic. He had prepared meticulously for every response he could imagine that Romeo might have, but Romeo was not a particularly predictable person. He clenched his teeth anxiously. He prayed that he would not lose his closest friendship that day.
Specs picked up a copy of his favorite science magazine from the coffee table in front of him in an attempt to focus his mind on a new, less worrying topic. He sighed, then relaxed into the couch. He was considering an article about dark matter when he heard the doorbell ring roughly 22 times. He sprinted to the door and flung it open. Standing in the doorway was his best friend, Romeo.
"Hey, Romeo!" Specs uttered. His eyes glistened.
"Hey..." Romeo managed, flashing a broad smile, but distracted by how cute Specs looked.
"Um, Romeo? Are you okay?" Specs asked, concerned.
Romeo blinked. "Yeah, why?"
"You look like you're in pain." Specs explained.
Romeo realized he was still smiling, and a bit too widely. His teeth were beginning to hurt. He bit his lip. "I'm alright."
"Awesome. So are you ready?"
Romeo felt as if he was sweating so profusely that he would soon be able to drown in his own sweat. He straightened his back and said, "Yeah."
Specs held up his index finger, signaling Romeo to wait a moment. He dashed into his house and returned a matter of seconds later with a black backpack. He smiled complacently.
Romeo spontaneously reached for Specs's hand and headed, closer to skipping than walking, for the bus stop, Specs in tow. Specs flung back an arm to slam the door to his house shut. He pursed his lips: he had not locked the door.
Romeo sat beside Specs in a bus shelter. They had been waiting for 14 minutes and each registered their impatience in different ways. Romeo jiggled his legs, crossed them and then uncrossed them. Specs tugged on his ears. Romeo scowled. "When is this bus gonna come?"
Specs made to respond, but was cut off by the sudden arrival of a large green bus before them. The two boys stood up. Specs hopped onto the bus and paid the driver. Romeo entered the vehicle and also paid for his ticket.
He scanned the inside of the bus. There were only two other people: A middle-aged woman clothed in a long pink dress and a white shawl and a boy in a green plaid shirt and black jeans who looked to be a few years older than them, probably in college. Specs selected a seat at the front of the bus and patted the hard plastic periwinkle seat beside him. Romeo sat down.
"So, Specs. I'm totally getting you on that big roller coaster today," Romeo began, narrowing his eyes playfully.
"Alright. I never said I was afraid of roller coasters," Specs replied nonchalantly. It so happened that Specs had always been frightened by roller coasters, but his fear of amusement park rides was nothing in comparison to his fear of the consequences of the conversation he was going to have that day.
"I can see it in your eyes," Romeo asserted. "You should see how scared you look, just thinking about them." Romeo was hoping to distract Specs from the anxiety that was likely written clearly all over his face.
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Specs defensively. He rubbed his arms and stared into his lap. Romeo was too perceptive. Or he was no good at hiding his emotions. If he didn't look at Romeo then he would be safe.
"Hey, seriously, though. Are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you!" Romeo's face softened.
Specs inhaled. "You didn't upset me. I was just…thinking. I'm fine now." He peered upward and forced a smile.
"Good."
The two sat in uncomfortable silence for the remainder of the bus ride, lost in their own thoughts and worries, though each checked on the other from time to time. Eleven minutes later, the bus arrived outside of the park. When Romeo and Specs gazed out of the windows and saw all of the brightly painted rides towering above everything nearby, they instantly forgot all of their anxieties. Romeo cheered and ran off the bus. Specs followed. They sprinted for the entrance to the park.
Romeo and Specs stood in line for the teacups. As per Specs's request, they had gone on a starter ride before Romeo could make Specs go on one of the big roller coasters. They were now about to board their seventh starter ride.
The teacups slowed to a halt. The lady operating the ride twisted a lever and stepped to the entrance gate. She swung it open. Specs waited for the mother and her child ahead of him to board the ride. Then, smiling ecstatically, climbed into an orange teacup. Romeo buckled himself in beside Specs.
"Welcome to Topsy Teacups! Please keep your hands and your feet inside your cup at all times and enjoy your ride!" A cheery attendant arrived beside their teacup. She examined their buckles, locked the door to the carriage, and proceeded to the next cup.
"Are you ready? Here we go!" announced the ride operator. The cups began to swivel, gaining speed surprisingly quickly.
"I'm not giving in anymore, Specs. We're going on the Firebolt after this."
Specs gripped his seat tightly. "I guess I've stalled long enough."
"I'll say. I'm getting kinda sick of these kiddie rides."
The ride spun even faster. Terror blanched Specs's face. "I wouldn't exactly call this a kiddie ride!"
Romeo chuckled. "I would. Come on; it'll be fun. And I promise you'll be fine. If you're not I'll buy you an ice cream."
Specs surrendered at the thought of ice cream. "Fine."
The teacups came to a stand-still. Romeo poked Specs's side. "Time to go!" He smirked.
Specs was strapped into a fluorescent yellow seat. Romeo was next to him, fussing with his buckle. Specs's face was rapidly losing color.
Romeo turned to him and said, seriously, "These sorts of rides are really nowhere near as scary as they look. I don't want you to miss out on a fun time!" Specs perked up slightly. "Don't be a wimp," Romeo added. Specs rolled his eyes.
The ride began to buzz. Without warning, the floor dropped out from beneath them. Their legs dangled below them. Specs gulped. Romeo was puzzled. He had not realized they would be hanging in their seats from below the track. Before Romeo had time to reassess whether he wanted to continue with this ride,
They were climbing the track, slowly creeping to the top. Specs braced himself. Romeo arranged his face into an expression of nonchalant bravery. They were nearly at the top now, suspended a hundred feet in the air. Specs and Romeo both closed their eyes and prepared to scream.
The coaster hurtled down the track. It streaked through an entirely vertical loop and, upon exiting the loop, twisted over itself on its side in a series of rolls. Romeo shrieked. As he was swept along two inversions in the track, he glanced at Specs, hoping he was okay. Specs was grinning in delight. The car shot through a narrow space between two sections of track. Romeo shouted again. The ride carried him over a final hill and pulled into the station. Romeo sighed and wiped the sweat he had produced during the ride off of his forehead.
"That was awesome!" Specs exclaimed. He clapped excitedly. "Can we go again?"
Romeo groaned. "I'm not sure how I feel about that…."
Specs pouted. "What's the matter?"
"Um, well, I'd actually never been on that ride before and I just thought that I could easily handle a roller coaster, but it turns out I wasn't so right about that."
Specs looked at him, incredulous. "Geez, Romeo."
"I'm fine, though. Just a little shaken," Romeo assured Specs.
Specs looked sympathetic. "How about we take a break from rides for a bit?" He found Romeo's hand and squeezed it gently. Romeo felt instantly better. He nodded and they sauntered out of the ride area, hand in hand.
Specs led Romeo to a cluster of tables not too far from two food kiosks. Romeo sat heavily on a bench at one table. He was still panting. Specs slid onto a bench directly across from him. He leaned across the table to pat Romeo comfortingly on the shoulder.
Romeo's heart sped up considerably. Going from ride to ride all day had forced his concerns about what he was planning to tell Specs that day from his mind. However, now that there was a break in the constant activity, all of his worries returned to him with full force.
"Romeo? What kind of ice cream do you want?" Specs inquired.
"Ice cream? What?"
"You said that if I wasn't fine after the roller coaster you would buy me ice cream. It's only fair that the deal goes both ways!"
"You know I never get anything but chocolate ice cream," Romeo pointed out
"Yeah. I wanted to make sure you hadn't changed your signature order, though." Specs strode dutifully to the closest food stand.
While Specs waited in line to order ice cream, his mind raced. Riding one ride after another with Romeo had distracted him from thinking about the conversation he was to have with Romeo later that day. Anxiety seized him. He was sweating and shivering and his heart was beating much too fast and he felt as if he was being asphyxiated. He shut his eyes, emptied his mind, and managed to regulate his breathing.
"You ready to order?" the man at the food stand asked lazily.
Specs blinked. "Yes. I'll have one two ice creams—in a cone."
"What flavors do you want?" the man sighed.
Specs blushed scarlet. "Oh, right. I'll have two scoops of chocolate in a cone and a strawberry soft-serve."
The man behind the counter walked away to prepare Specs's order. He returned and handed Specs the two ice cream cones. "That will be $8.39," he said.
Specs presented him with a ten dollar bill. "Keep the change," he said simply. "Thank you. Have a good day!"
Specs returned to the table. He placed the chocolate ice cream cone before Romeo. "There you go. Feeling any better?"
Romeo bit into his ice cream before responding. "Mmmmm. Much better."
Specs began to lick his own ice cream. He had decided that he would tell Romeo once he finished eating. He took ample time finishing his ice cream.
Romeo finished his ice cream first, and when he was done he appeared to be contemplating something. He made a pained expression and rubbed his hands down his face. He frowned, sighed, and braced himself.
"Um," he began. Specs stared attentively at him. "Um," Romeo said again. "So, uh, Specs. We've been best friends forever, right? Yeah, so, um, uh, er, there's a thing I've wanted to let you know for a while and it's kind of important and…uh…." Romeo's chest was heaving up and down. Specs had finished his ice cream now as well. He looked bewildered.
"Hey, Romeo?"
"Yeah, Specs?"
Specs looked petrified now and seemed to be on the verge of tears. He grabbed his face with one hand. He breathed deeply several times before he continued. "I'm sure you have something important to say and I really want to hear it, but can you give me a second, please? I have something I want to tell you first." He tried to smile, but looked incredibly melancholy.
Romeo bit his lip. If he didn't say something now, then he might never regain the courage to do it again. But a minute to refocus probably would make him feel better. "Ah, go ahead," he encouraged.
Specs looked queasy. "So here's the deal. I've been wanting to tell you something for some time now, but I've just been way too nervous. Romeo, I'm panromantic." Specs shrank back.
Romeo looked blankly at him. "What's that mean?"
Specs slapped his forehead in frustration. "It means that I like girls, I like boys, and I like everything else and in between."
Romeo's eyes widened. He was shocked and delighted. Specs liked boys? There was a chance Specs could like him back? He was still a bit confused, though. "Wouldn't you just say you're pansexual then?"
"No, Romeo, because I am asexual!" Specs concluded. His head fell into his hands.
Romeo was not finished asking questions. "But what does that mean?"
Specs stared down, afraid to make eye contact with his best friend. "It just means that I don't feel sexual attraction. That I don't see people and, like, want to have sex with them."
"Whoa, that's a thing?!" Romeo was awestruck.
' "Yes, it is," said Specs, "and people mock us all the time and act as if we can't possibly exist, so please don't be like tha-"
"No," Romeo interrupted Specs. "I mean, I'm like that too, but I didn't know there was a word for that or that other people were also like that. Thanks for telling me, Specs. That's really cool."
"So you don't hate me, then? Specs asked quietly.
Romeo laughed heartily. "Why would I hate you?"
"Because I like guys..." Specs trailed off.
"Of course not!" Romeo insisted. Invigorated by a surge of bravery, Romeo continued what he had been saying before Specs had interrupted him. "So anyway," Romeo drawled. He stopped, terror registering quite plainly on his face. He steeled himself, though, and resumed his speech. "Like I said before, I've wanted to tell you something for a long time, but I didn't know how to do it and, really, I chickened out." He looked Specs in the eyes. "But it's too late for me to back out this time, I guess..." Romeo babbled, stalling. He smacked the table, "I like you, Specs." Specs gaped, "I like you a whole lot and I have for," he gesticulated wildly, " I don't even know how long, but I love you and your stupid cute fac!" He wrinkled his nose, not quite believing that he'd really just said all of that out loud.
Specs's jaw was still dropped. He heard Romeo's words over and over again in his mind. He was in disbelief. Romeo wasn't straight? Romeo, who flirted with every girl he saw? That was comforting.
"Oh my gosh," Specs whispered.
Romeo's face fell. "Does this mess everything up now? Please tell me we can still be friends!" Romeo pleaded.
Specs raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure about that."
Romeo's face crumpled. " Oh god, no. I can't lose my best fri-" Specs had, somehow without Romeo noticing, risen from his seat, sat down beside Romeo, and kissed him sweetly before he was able to finish his sentence. Romeo was utterly stupefied momentarily. Then he kissed Specs back eagerly. After fifteen seconds or so, they each pulled away, breathless and ecstatic.
Romeo screwed up his face and fixed his gaze directly on Specs. "What the hell? What? Huh? What was that?!" The poor guy's head was spinning. He was bewildered.
Specs smirked. "I forgot to say it before, but yeah, I like you too."
Romeo was stunned. "Since when?" he demanded.
"Ugh, I don't know. Since ages ago," Specs muttered, his cheeks flushing.
"So why didn't you tell me, stupid?"
"The same reason you didn't tell me, obviously. I was scared."
Romeo looked down. "Oh, right."
"So, you wanna play some carnival games?" Specs suggested.
"Yeah! Just you wait, I'm gonna win you a huge stuffed bear!"
Romeo surveyed the array of glass milk bottles laid out at the game station in front of him. He tossed a slim pink ring ahead of him. It narrowly missed landing on the rim of a bottle. He pitched an orange ring and missed again. He cursed under his breath. He only had one more try. He flicked his wrist and sent out a black ring. Miraculously, the ring settled around the neck of one of the milk bottles.
The lady operating the booth congratulated Romeo. "What prize would you like? We have one big purple bear left, and plenty of green dogs and pink raccoons."
"I'll take the bear," Romeo replied. The woman fetched the enormous stuffed violet bear and presented it to Romeo.
Romeo immediately thrust the stuffed bear at Specs. "Give him a good name for me, okay?" Romeo teased.
Specs stepped up to the ring toss booth next. He was about to pay for his game when Romeo tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I wanted to win you a prize too!" Specs said gleefully.
"Nah," Romeo said, "None of the good prizes are left, anyway. I mean, except this one." Romeo stood on his tiptoes and pressed his lips firmly against Specs's. Specs melted into him. The lady running the ring toss station stared. Romeo pulled back and gave Specs a quick peck on the lips. "I stand by what I said. That was much better than any stuffed animal." Specs's already rosy cheeks turned crimson. He couldn't help but grin.
"Do you want to go home now? It's been kind of a long day and I don't really feel like going on any more rides."
"I'm with you," Romeo agreed.
Specs dangled his arm around Romeo's shoulder, while Romeo placed a hand on Specs's back. They walked leisurely out of the park. Time was not an object.