Game Plan-A Dinosaur Train Fanfic
Chapter 2-A Confession of Feelings
Nick's chin rested on the sill of the passenger car window. The train was heading down the tracks toward where he and Alana lived, separately of course. He stared at the scenery passing by, thinking about what had happened today. He thought about seeing Corey for the first time and feeling bad that he had missed an opportunity to meet him in person. He wondered if he would ever get another chance to see him.
"Nick, are you feeling alright?" Alana asked him.
Nick slowly looked at her. "Yeah, I am…" He lied, not wanting his sister to worry or anything. "Just lost in my own thoughts, that's all." Alana looked at him for a moment and turned her head to face forward. Nick resumed staring out of the window.
"Thanks for coming, Nick. Did you have a good time?" Alana and her brother were now at the fork in the road, one path leading to where Alana lived with her husband, the other where Nick lived by himself.
"I did, thanks for taking me along. A great way to have brother and sister time."
Alana nodded. "Well, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Alana."
The two took their separate ways at the fork in the dirt path, Alana going left and Nick going right. No doubt Alana would relay the whole game to her troodon husband and show him the winning gourd signed by Patrick and Pamela. Nick knew that Gordon was going to be smiling from ear to ear, figuratively speaking. Thanking his wife for thinking to get an autograph, how it was such a great and wonderful idea, and kiss Alana on the cheek.
And Nick was going home alone, where no one would be waiting for him. It didn't usually bother him this much, but after seeing and developing such strong feelings for the troodon referee, he really wished that he had Corey walking here beside him. It would've been great to have met him and invited him over to his place. Nick thought that he would've made great company, he even imagined having Corey over. Laughing, playing one or two games with him, sipping mineral water out of the glasses Gordon and his sister got him for one of his birthdays, and talking long after the sun was down. Nick wondered how good a conversationalist Corey was, probably better than him.
Nick soon found himself in his clearing home. His things were hidden in a wooden dresser Gordon and his troodon friends helped brought here. Atop it was a picture of Nick, Alana, and their parents. Alana and her parents looked the same while Nick looked different from them. He had been adopted by Alana's parents when he was four and Alana was seven. He could still remember how nervous he was feeling when he first came into his new family's home, worried that he wouldn't fit in. But he did and Alana and her parents accepted him easily as one of their own. He had been grateful to them for doing that ever since.
The sun was sinking low in the sky, but it was not yet sunset. Nick signed sadly. He slithered under the small wooden dresser and curled himself up under it. His chin rested on his long back and he closed his eyes. He played over today's event over and over again in his mind, trying to figure out if there could have been some way to get to Corey and speak with him, without being prevented from doing so. Then he heard a voice, a soft voice calling out his name. "Nick, Nick!" It was his sister Alana. "Nick, where are you? Nick?"
She looked around the clearing and saw him lying in a coil under the dresser. She slithered over and looked underneath. "Oh, there you are. Gordon and I were wondering if you would like to have dinner with us tonight?"
Nick didn't respond.
"Nick, is everything okay?"
Again, Nick didn't respond.
Looking concerned, Alana slithered underneath the dresser and coiled herself up next to him on his left. "What's the matter, Nick?"
Nick tightened the coil his body was in and still said nothing.
"Nick I'm your sister, you can tell me if something's wrong. I won't make fun of you if that's why you're worried."
Nick looked at Alana's face, saw how sincere she looked, sighed, and spoke up. "Today, at the dome ball field, something happened."
"What do you mean, what happened besides the game and Patrick and Pamela giving out autographs?"
"I…I…I," Nick struggled to speak. This feeling he was feeling, it was the first time he had ever felt anything like it, an attraction to another creature. "When the dome ball referee, Corey Troodon, walked onto the field, when I saw him, my heart was beating fast and I…found it hard to breathe…and," Nick paused for what felt like an eternity. "I…I think I have a crush on him." The words came quick, like ripping off a band-aid.
Silence filled the air for a moment, and Nick wondered what Alana would say. She knew that her brother was gay, had been for years since they were teenagers and had been accepting of it ever since. However, Nick still wondered how she would react to this bit of news. Finally, after the moment was up, Alana spoke.
"Nick, that's…the most wonderful thing ever!"
"Really?" Nick asked looking dumbfounded.
Alana smiled. "Yes, oh look at you. My baby brother already has his first crush!" She said rubbing the top of his head in an affectionate noogie.
"C'mon, knock it off! And don't call me baby!" Nick said slapping his sister's tail away playfully, a smile now on his face.
"It's just so sweet. Is that why you went off like that? To meet Corey?"
Nick nodded and he looked a little down. "I didn't get a chance, he left before I could talk to him." He closed his eyes and sighed.
Nick felt Alana's tail on his back and he looked at her smiling face. "Hey, don't worry. You'll get another chance to meet him. He referees lots of games, I'm sure Corey will be back there tomorrow, so you'll have another opportunity."
"You think so?" Alana nodded and Nick slowly smiled again. "Thanks."
"You've very welcome, Nick. Now, how would you like to join me and Gordon for dinner? He's making his famous carrion stew. And maybe I can give you some advice, about asking someone out and dating and all that. And," Alana gave Nick a side smile. "How to charm a charming troodon off of his feet."
Nick found himself chuckling a little. "Alright, I would love to attend dinner with you two. And thanks for offering to help."
"Anytime." Alana happily said.
The two slithered out from underneath the dresser and headed off. They came to the fork in the dirt path again and went off in the direction of Alana and Gordon's home.
