Jonas

Taking his seat across from Schuyler, Jonas smiled to himself pulling his jacket back off to drape over the back of his chair. He was out on a date for the first time since high school. Okay it wasn't his first since  highschool but this just  felt different. He was out with an attractive guy that actually insisted that he got to pay for dinner and he didn't have to sneak around. That's what had Jonas smiling so hard. For the first time since his senior year he was out on a date in public with an attractive guy who didn't seem to care for the odd stares they were getting. He wasn't hiding under a bed or in a bedroom closet but out in the open and flirting.

"This is nice," Jonas said, not really talking about anything in particular.

"Yeah, it is. I'm starting to think that bread sticks and water doesn't sound half bad," Sky quipped, looking around at the place.

"It's not all that," Jonas said, picking up a menu off the table. "They didn't even have a hostess lead us to a table."

"Is that important?"

"No, but I just like being led to a table."

"That's cool." Sky nodded, eyes glancing down at Jonas hand resting on the table.

Jonas mentally willed him to take it. To reach over and lay his hand atop his just for a moment even.  This was something that fourteen year old Jonas had only dreamed about. But Sky didn't take his hand and the conversation ended there with the man grabbing his own menu.

A little disappointed Jonas quickly skimmed the laminated paper and decided on what he wanted just in time for a waiter to approach them. For some reason the blonde man looked familiar as he came closer to the table, reaching up to fix his bow tie before stopping right next to Jonas seat.

"Good evening, gents. May I ask what'll you two be havin- Jonas?" the man- er Liam said. That's who it was. Liam from the study group Liam. Was it wrong of Jonas to take a second to admire the man's appearance for just a tiny little second? He'd never admit it but at first he had a crush on the man, until he realized that he was straight.

"Liam?" Jonas said, putting on a fake smile. No need to get friendly, he was on a date with a (may he say) more attractive guy who seemed genuinely happy to be out tonight. "I thought you looked familiar."

"Same here. How was Jill's party, I didn't get to go?"

"Were you studying?" Please hurry and take their orders, Jonas could practically feel Sky's eyes on him as the man watched the conversation in front of him transpire.

"Yeah. You're still planning on helping me-"

"Ahem. Sorry, not to sound rude but I'm kinda here with a friend," should Jonas refer to Schuyler as his friend, they weren't together like that but the teenager in him was feeling a little excited at the prospect, "and we were hoping to maybe order something to eat."

"Oh," Liam said before blinking, "oh... got it."

Did he just wink? Liam from the study group just winked at him.

"What would you two gentlemen like?" Liam asked, his words lost on Jonas as the young man tried  to piece together what happened.

Sky went on ahead and ordered his food and, still a little dazed, Jonas placed his order too. He wasn't sure how to feel when Liam lingered for a second longer after taking his order, lips spreading into a smile before leaving to head towards the kitchen.

"Friend of yours?" Sky asked, setting his menu back down on the table.

"Not really. My friend Jill added us all to this group chat. It's mostly for school stuff like help with quizzes or a way to set up a study group at the library."

"That's smart."

"Yeah. I agreed to help him study for this pop quiz he's supposed to be having sometime next week." Seeing the look on Sky's face Jonas nodded. "I know. How is it a pop quiz if you know about it?"

Laughing Sky shook his head, reaching forward to fiddle with the salt. Smiling at the man across from him Jonas cocked his head to the side at him, studying the look his on his face as he tried to think of something to say.

"Um... so how have things been for you here lately?" Jonas asked, cringing inwardly as Sky's expression turned somber.

Shifting in his seat Sky said, "Good. I've been busy at work, it helps keep my mind off things."

"That's good. You're not gonna just randomly admit that you didn't wanna come here are you?" Jonas raised a brow at him. He was joking but a small part of him would be hurt if the man said yes.

"No," Sky chuckled, shaking his head, "you look good by the way."

"Thanks, so you do." Understatement. Sky didn't look just look like a snack but a whole meal, Jonas had to admit that he was attracted to the man.

"I don't why but I just remembered you were in college. You're majoring in geology right?" Sky asked.

Nodding his head Jonas leaned forward on the table. "Yeah. It's fun. I've always kinda been into sciences stuff. I used to wanna be an archeologist when I was younger but then I decided I didn't like skeletons."

"Who says archeology is all about skeletons?"

"I know it's not but if I change my mind down the line my parents would support it. I've done it twice now."

"You've changed your major twice?"

"Yeah... It makes me sound super indecisive I know."

"How far are you, like a freshman or..."

"Sophomore."

Nodding his head Sky looked up as Liam came towards their table carrying a tray with both their drinks. When Liam made it to the table he smiled at the both of them though his gaze lingered on Jonas for a moment as he studied his expression. Setting their drinks down on the table Liam handed them both a straw.

"Here you are," he said, tipping his head in a half bow before leaving them again.

Jonas noticed the way Sky watched the man as he walked away and quickly cleared his throat to garner his attention.

"So, as I was saying, I'm a sophomore in college and I have no idea what I wanna do with my life. But enough about me, uh... what kind of questions do you ask when you're on a date?" Jonas blushed as Sky chuckled.

Slipping his straw out of it's paper Sky shrugged. "Try asking about hobbies."

"Oh, so now you're an expert. Alright then, what are your hobbies?" Feeling his lips curve up on one side Jonas fought the urge to lick his lips. He always licked his lips a little too much when he was feeling flirty so he was gonna try to stop himself from doing it. This was his first date in a while and he didn't wanna make himself look stupid.

"I don't really have any hobbies so I don't know why I said that. I uh- oh I used to collect coins but when I got in the tenth grade I gave the whole thing to my little brother and he still has it to this day. He sends me photos of all the new coins he finds, hold on." Sky pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly showed Jonas his screen.

The picture of a boy with the same blue eyes and black hair smiled back at him. He look excited as Jonas realized it wasn't a picture but a short snap, the boy holding up a coin then slowly zooming in and out on the nickel he was holding, mouth moving rapidly. Jonas smiled at the clip, earning a proud smile from the man across from him.

"That's my little brother, Morgan," Sky said, taking his phone back. "He's a bit hardheaded but he's a good kid."

"How old is he?" Jonas asked, watching as Sky stuck his straw into his cup and took a sip.

"Sixteen."

"Wow. He looks older. Wait how old are you?"

"Everybody probably looks older when you're always being confused for a fifteen year old." Sky snorted. "I'm twenty one."

Not too much older than Jonas. The man had learned from observing his friends that the early twenties was a weird phase for most. While some of his friends were out drinking and carrying on others, like himself, couldn't go out without their parents permission. Sky was what Jonas wished he was, fully independent.

"How old were you when you moved out?" Jonas asked, curiosity getting the better of him as he absentmindedly opened his straw and struggled to aim for his cup before sticking it in on his third try.

"Uh, I didn't move out. I was kicked out at eighteen," Sky said, expression turning somber as he fiddled with his straw. "My parents kept giving me shit for me being bi and I figured it'd be better if I moved out. I moved into my own apartment. I didn't move here until last year."

"Why?"

"I guess I got tired of getting stares from my folks every time we bumped into each other at the grocery store. But Rock Fort has been good to me. I mean I've got a nice apartment, I've made some good friends in the people here- I mean I met you." Sky's lips curved up into a sweet smile as he held Jonas' gaze.

"Yeah, everything happens for a reason," Jonas nodded. "And I know this probably feels like it won't mean anything but I'm sorry- about everything that happened with you and your family."

"Oh it's fine. I was gonna have to move out on my own eventually."

"It shouldn't have happened like that though."

"I know but it was for the bests. I needed time to find myself and figure things out. Though if I'm being honest I don't think anyone can every truly have themselves completely figured out."

"True. Everybody thinks that trying to find yourself is a teen thing."

Snorting Schuyler set his cup to the side, bubbles fizzing from the soda with the sudden movement. "Well I just wanna say that I'm glad you sorta brought me here. I haven't been myself lately and my friends'll probably bug me for details later, they've been telling me I need to get out more."

"Same here," Jonas chuckled.

"And then they try to set you up with a guy that is miles from your type and get all disappointed when you say so. I mean I get that they're looking out for me but geez."

"It's like they think dating is synonymous with being happy."

"It is nice though, having someone to talk to and go out with... maybe I should start going out more, I'm starting to agree with them."

Rolling his eyes Jonas smiled, grabbing his cup to take a sip of his water as the Liam returned with another waitress to give them their food. Sky wasn't wrong...