Page 55 of Pride High

“Huh?” Anthony said, practically tossing the book back on the shelf.

“My dad,” she repeated. “We like to tease him because last year he bought me a birthday card from here. It had a shirtless guy on the front, and on the inside it said, ‘Keep blowing my candle and I’ll get my wish.’ I’m not sure he read it. He said the front reminded him of my romance novel covers.”

“Oh,” Anthony said.

“My dad can be kind of clueless,” Mindy said. “I guess you had to be there. The funniest was his shock when we explained that this is a gay store. He didn’t pick up on it all! We had to explain what rainbows and pink triangles are all about.”

“Oh my god,” Anthony said with a chuckle. “I can’t imagine my dad in here. He wouldn’t get it either.”

“Ha ha! We still tease mine. Like when he wanted to go on a family picnic, my sister said, ‘Should we have it at LibertyMemorial?’”

Anthony shook his head, not understanding the joke.

Mindy took a step nearer and lowered her voice. “It’s a cruise park,” she said.

“A what?”

“A cruise park,” said the older gentleman working behind the counter. “It’s where you go to meet nice people.” He took one of the penis lollipops from next to the register and began pantomiming with it, using his tongue to make his cheek bulge out.

Anthony turned bright red, which was adorable. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets and continued browsing. Mindy kept showing him funny things, but he seemed embarrassed by it all. Typical guy. He probably worried that people would think he was gay just for being here. When she asked if he wanted to leave, he nodded rapidly and followed her outside.

“I love that store,” Mindy said. “It’s so fun!”

“Yeah,” Anthony said, seeming more relaxed. “I wasn’t prepared for all the uh… everything.”

“You know what?” Mindy said. “I’m buying one of those lollipops for my dad. I have to see his face!”

“I’ll wait out here,” Anthony replied with a nervous chuckle.

She promised not to take long and went inside the store.

“I must have spooked your friend,” the clerk said when ringing up her purchase. He took an extra lollipop and put it in the bag. “Here. Give him this. It’s on the house. That’ll give him something to suck on.”

Mindy laughed and said that she would. When she went outside again, Anthony was standing farther down the block, his attention across the street. She followed his gaze and saw Omar and Silvia leaving the jewelry store. They were holding up their hands to each other while wiggling their fingers. They didn’treallybuy rings, did they? She felt envious when watching them kiss, even though it was just a short smooch. When she looked back to Anthony, his expression was pained, like what he’d just witnessed had caused him actual grief. She couldn’t understand why it would unless…

Of course. What did she think would happen when they went on this double date, that Anthony would be miraculously blind to how much prettier Silvia was? She took a deep breath and approached him.

“Hey,” she said, pulling the lollipop from the bag. “Look what the nice man at the store gave you.”

Anthony took the lollipop from her and stared at it. He didn’t laugh or ask for more details. He simply let it fall limp at his side as he looked to where their friends were. She did the same and saw them running across the street with their hands extended.

“It’s official!” Omar said. “And it’s love!”

They were wearing cheap mood rings, the gimmicky kind that changed color with your body heat. She glanced at Anthony again and caught him clenching his jaw, convincing her that he was already interested in someone else. But the longer she watched him, the less certain she became. Was it Silvia that he liked… or was it Omar?

— — —

The truck was idling outside of Mindy’s house. Anthony had offered to walk her to the door, which was nice. She worried briefly that he would try kissing her. Not out of passion, but pity. Then again, part of her was tempted to let him, just to test her theory. Was he gay? Or had she invented that theory because it was easier to deal with than having yet another guy choose Silvia over her?

“That was fun,” Anthony said. “Despite the whole lunch fiasco.”

“It really was,” she said. “We should do it again sometime.” Mindy watched him closely for a reaction, and even though he kept it well hidden, she saw a flash of panic. “As friends,” she added, deciding to let him off the hook, no matter the reason why. “If we had that kind of chemistry, I feel like it would have happened sooner. You know?”

“Yes,” he said. “But that has nothing to do with you.”

“Or you,” she said reassuringly. “You have my number. If you want to hang out, just call.”

“I’ll do that,” he said with a grin. Anthony seemed looser now. He opened his arms to her.

---