Page 113 of Rhymes with Metaphor
“You’ve been neglecting your friends, surely.”
“You’re my friend.”
“Your other friends.”
“I don’t have any,” said Joel.“There were people I studied with, but we weren’t close, and I haven’t kept in touch.We only had school in common.Now, we don’t even have that.”
“That isn’t healthy,” said Reg.“You need friends your own age to socialize with.”
The next day, Reg introduced Joel to M.House, including the small recording studio (currently occupied) and an empty theatre in the basement.
Joel looked at him.“Do you think we could...?”
“I suppose there are less opportune places for an assignation,” said Reg.
They went in without switching on the lights and, after their eyes adjusted to the dimness, they went to the back of the theatre, taking adjacent seats.
“In spite of where we are,” said Reg, “I’m going to have to ask you to try not to bring the house down.”
Reg unzipped Joel’s trousers, and Joel braced his knees against the seat backs of the row in front until they creaked, gripping the back of his seat with one hand and stifling his moans with his forearm across his mouth, until Reg left him limp and sated.
“I must say,” said Reg, wiping his hand clean with a handkerchief.“I’m impressed with how quiet you managed to be.”
“Thanks.”
The first person they ran into on leaving the theatre was Abigail.She did a double take when she saw them.
“Joel?”she said.“Is that you?Holy fucking shit.”
Joel looked bemused.He and Abigail spent a minute catching up before Abigail trained her gaze on Reg.“You’re Reg, right?You were going to make music with Flat Mary.”
Reg had forgotten all about Flat Mary.
“How did that go?”said Abigail.
Reg patted his pockets absently.“I must have lost his card.”
“I’ve got his info.”Abigail dug in her skirt pocket and came up with a Magic Marker.She grabbed Reg’s hand and wrote a website address on his palm, thankfully not the one he’d just used on Joel.“His contact info is on the website.”
“Thanks,” said Reg.
“What are you doing at M.House, Joel?Changing majors?”
“Maybe,” said Joel coyly.
“I’ve never seen you looking so chill.It suits you.”
Reg snickered quietly.Joel’s hair and clothes were still rumpled from the theatre, and he looked relaxed and very pleased with himself.
“The life of leisure becomes him,” said Reg.
Joel laughed.
“See you around?”said Abigail.
“Yes,” said Joel.
Abigail left.
