Page 106 of Kiss Me in the Dark
“I haven’t seen you since the last party.Everything alright?”Cynthia says from beside her boyfriend, peeking out her head.
“Yeah.I’ve been busy with school.”I say, flashing her a small smile.She nods, returns the smile, and turns to stare at the play in front of us.
The conversation fades, and I’m thankful for the silence.By the end of the play, I’m on my feet applauding with the crowd, genuinely impressed.
“That was amazing,” Elias says as we step outside.
“I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much,” I admit.“Thanks for bringing me.It was…better than I thought.”
“Told you it’d be good,” Elias replies with a grin as we head to his car.We’re about to leave when I hear Mike call out.
“Hey, Cam!You should stop by the frat sometime!”He gives Elias a quick look, as if sizing up our dynamic.
“Uh, I’ll think about it,” I reply, unsure.Cynthia waves as they head to their car, and then we’re back on the road.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Elias asks, “Where did you meet those guys?”
“They’re friends of my roommate,” I explain, shrugging.“We met at the same party I met you at,”
“I’m surprised they’re not as rude as your roommate,” he says with a smirk.
“Yeah,” I mutter, looking out the window.“They’re…different.”
Elias taps his fingers on the steering wheel thoughtfully.“So, how about bowling?There’s a great spot nearby.”
I laugh, nodding.“Bowling sounds good.”
A little while later, Elias pulls up outside a lively building.Inside, the atmosphere is cozy but energetic, and we head to a cafe corner to grab something to eat before hitting the lanes.We order a pepperoni pizza and settle into a booth.
“So, you really enjoyed the play?”Elias asks, grabbing a slice.
“Yeah, I did.Seeing it live was way better than just reading the book.Thanks for taking me,” I say sincerely.
“I’m glad.I was hoping you’d like it,” he says, and I can’t help but smile at how genuine he seems.
As we eat, Elias brings up Fox again.“So…you and your roommate…do you want to talk about it?”
I sigh, feeling my appetite falter.“Can we not talk about Fox?There’s nothing going on between us.He’s just my roommate, and, honestly, he’s kind of an ass,” I say.
Elias chuckles softly.“Is he homophobic?”
“Absolutely.He’s practically the president of the homophobe club, if that’s even a thing,” I reply.Elias laughs, shaking his head.
“Wow.It’s so absurd, right?Straight people think they can be with whoever they want, but when it comes to anyone else, suddenly it’s wrong.So messed up.”
“I know,” I say, shaking my head.“It’s pretty sickening that people still hate others for just loving who they want.Fox can barely deal with the idea of me, let alone accept it.When we first started living together, he couldn’t go a day without some slur.”
“Guess he couldn’t handle anything he couldn’t control,” Elias says.
“Exactly.He’s just… a control freak,” I mutter, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a sip as Elias watches me with a thoughtful expression.“I think he gets off on it.”
We finish eating and chatting comfortably, before heading to the bowling lanes.Elias turns out to be great at it, winning round after round.I’m not very good, but he’s patient, teaching me and cheering me on.I don’t even mind losing because, for once, I feel like I’m with someone who just wants to enjoy the moment.
As we laugh and play, I realize just how nice it is to be with someone who doesn’t make things complicated—someone who wants me to have a good time.
It’s late by the time we reach my apartment.Elias parks in the parking lot and turns off the engine of his car.We sit in the quiet, looking out the windows.This is that classic moment at the end of a date: you thank the person, maybe lean in for a kiss, say goodnight.
“Thanks, Eli.I had a really great time,” I say, giving him a small smile.
