"What's that?" Bobby asks.
Bobby's sure that if he convinces John enough that the magazine isn't his then everything's going to be okay. Sure, the magazine is subscribed to him. Sure, his name is practically jumping out from the little address box. But there's a ton of Robert Drakes in the world, that's what Bobby thinks. And if that doesn't work, then he could always say that it's a joke magazine that he was going to give Peter on his birthday.
But that wouldn't work because Bobby knows that Peter's birthday is in seven months.
"That's yours," John says. He's pretty sure that the magazine's Bobby's. He hasn't 'accidentally' lifted another magazine in awhile.
"No, it's not," Bobby persists. He grins widely at John because if John doesn't sense a hint of nervousness, then everything's fine. He's just gotta keep this creepy grin on.
John fumbles for his lighter and plays with it for awhile. Then, when Bobby thinks that everything's in the clear, his confusion is out of John's mind, John shifts his eyes up with his head down and nods like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Well, it is the obvious thing in the world.
A few days before, John was strolling through this store. He saw this gay guy- it was real obvious that the guy was gay- and this straight guy- it could've been a gay guy who was really, really good at covering up his gay-ness, buying linen cloths.
Okay, so there was no straight guy. What kind of straight guy would be caught buying linens? Actually, what kind of guy would be in this linen store? At that moment, John was wondering why he was even in there.
So, the gay guy goes up to this salesman and asks, "Do you think my friend looks gay?"
The salesman examined the 'straight' guy closely… in an almost flirty way. The 'straight' guy had this loose Ramones T-shirt on: not gay. He crossed his arms in an almost graceful way: gay. He had this look on his face that said, 'Say I'm gay and I'll deck your face': not gay. But at the same time, the look on his face said, 'Hey, you're kinda cute'.
The salesman answered, "Gay, most definitely."
John looked like that guy.
A few days before, Bobby was in the library. Why not the mansion's library? Because the mansion doesn't cover the, oh, so popular world of gay life.
So he strolled around the aisle that held the gay/lesbian/bi/trans books, acting like this was all normal, like everyone goes through that aisle and checks out the dusty, dusty, 1970s books. No one does. Anyway, someone approached the aisle and Bobby panicked, so he buried his head into one of the books. Sadly, it was a book about gay marriage. 'Do you, Robert Drake, take St. John Allerdyce to be your lawfully wedded husband?'
The guy didn't pay much attention to Bobby and went straight for the book 'Gay Destination Spots' and in small text 'Any form of hate crime due to destination informed by this book is not punishable by law.' So Bobby was sure every gay bonanza destination spot there, is full of gay bashers. He hopes you have a great time getting your head cracked open.
An image of the horror movie from the little movie marathon awhile back passed through Bobby's mind.
Bobby eyed the guy that was reading about the gay destinations (broken rib, guaranteed). He looked kinda like John. But it wasn't John because John would have his lighter in his hand. Plus, he wouldn't be caught dead in this section of the library- wait, he wouldn't be caught dead in a library. Plus, John's eyes usually glow with destruction. The guy's glowed with rainbow.
"You're getting married?" the guy asked. Bobby yelped. But then again, it is his fault; he was the one holding the gay marriage book.
"Nah. No. Not at all. Never hope to. Just looking." Bobby was sure he was doing a bad job with his cover.
The guy soon engaged in conversation, "One day, I saw my best friend with this gay magazine. I thought that it really wasn't a gay magazine. Maybe it was a joke. Anyway, I started subscribing to them and all and then my best friend saw my mail and found out. Then I panicked and started making some lame excuses. Then right then and there, he says to me that he's gay.
"Then we avoided each other. Started thinking that we couldn't be friends anymore. Then one day, he sneaks into my room and sits next to me. I wake up and next thing I know, he kisses me."
Then next thing Bobby knew, he was running out of the library. And he was still carrying the gay marriage book.