Something Like Lightning

by Jay Bell

  Nathaniel snorted. “A hotdog eating contest will make you look bloated. An omelet will make you look like a normal human being.” Then he winced, due to the arrival of their waiter.

  “Good morning! It’s going to be a lovely day! What can I get for you fellas?”

  “Coffee,” Nathaniel grumbled. “And the triple slam dunk breakfast.”

  The waiter scribbled on his pad before turning to Kelly. “And for you?”

  “The same,” Kelly said, smiling slyly. “Especially since I no longer have to worry about my figure.”

  “He’ll have the single slam dunk,” Nathaniel told the waiter. “No sense in wasting food.”

  “I’ll be right back with that!” the waiter chirped cheerfully.

  Nathaniel watched him go, then glowered at the other patrons. Not a morning person then. Kelly decided to let him stew, their time together spent in silence. This soon grew dull. With nothing to do, Kelly found his attention repeatedly returning to the man across from him. The impression from the first time they met remained. Nathaniel really could be some distant cousin of William’s, or perhaps some future version of him, grizzled and embittered. Or maybe he just really needed some caffeine.

  “Where’s that coffee?” Nathaniel said, sounding weary.

  What had it been now, fifteen minutes? Kelly could see multiple pots steaming at the nearby serving station. Pushing himself out of the booth, he grabbed one of his crutches, leaving the other behind so he’d have a hand free to carry a pot. Coffee cups were on the table already, along with cutlery, meaning they would be good to go. Kelly made it to the station and grabbed one of the pots before a waitress noticed him. She scowled, about to complain, but noticed the crutch and empty space where a leg should be. Then her face softened considerably.

  “Need any help, hon?”

  “Nope,” Kelly said. “I’m all right. Uh, this isn’t decaf, is it?”

  “You’ve got the right one.”

  “Thanks.”

  He returned to the table, feeling victorious, especially when Nathaniel’s eyes lit up.

  “You’re a godsend!” he said, grabbing the pot and pouring them each a cup. He held on to his for dear life as he slurped repeatedly and very slowly appeared to defrost. Or at least he ceased glaring at anyone in the near vicinity.

  Kelly tried his own, overwhelmed by the bitter tang. Was it supposed to taste like aspirin? Nathaniel didn’t appear disgusted and was already halfway through his cup, so Kelly had to assume this was normal. He took another sip, hoping his repulsion wasn’t evident.

  Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. “Do that again.”

  “What? Take a drink?”

  Nathaniel nodded, digging around in the camera bag. Kelly took another sip, trying to make it a small one.

  “Again,” Nathaniel said, the camera out and pointing at him now.

  “Do I have to?”

  “Drink!”

  Kelly slurped at the coffee and the camera flashed.

  “One more time.”

  “It’s hot!” Kelly complained.

  “I agree.”

  Oh! That spurred Kelly on. He took not one, but three more sips, the last one ending with him declaring “Bleh!” and sticking out his tongue.

  Nathaniel captured this on film and laughed, the sound deep and pleasant. “How long have you been a coffee drinker?”

  “About five minutes,” Kelly said.

  “That’s what I thought.” Nathaniel set aside the camera. “You know what we’re supposed to be doing today?”

  Kelly shook his head.

  “Your friend Jason convinced Marcello that photos need to be more spontaneous and less polished. That’s called amateur photography. If people wanted that, they wouldn’t yawn their way through tourist photos. Anyway, we’re supposed to purposefully put you in a number of natural situations. You see the inherent flaw in that idea?”

  “You can’t be spontaneous on purpose,” Kelly said.

  “Correct. But maybe we can get close. Take a look.”

  Nathaniel pushed a few buttons on the camera and turned it so Kelly could see the display. It wasn’t the most recent photo, thank goodness, but one of Kelly squishing up his face behind a cup of joe. And it looked good. Odd as it sounded, there was a certain appeal to it.

  “Gorgeous but relatable,” Nathaniel said. “Who would have thought?”

  Kelly felt his cheeks flush. “So it’s really just you and me today? No fussy technicians or little old ladies oiling me up?”

  “Just us,” Nathaniel said. “Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”

  It certainly didn’t, but before Kelly could respond, their waiter had finally returned. Empty handed.

  “Can I get you anything else?” he asked. “If not, you can pay up front when you’re ready.”

  “We’re still waiting on our food,” Nathaniel said.

  “Oh!” The waiter took out his pad of paper, like they hadn’t already ordered. “What can I get you?”

  “A new waiter,” Kelly snapped. “Preferably one who knows how to do his job!”

  And there it was. Kelly sighed inwardly. Just as well that Nathaniel reminded him a little of William, because this was the exact situation they had found themselves in so often. Something dumb would happen and Kelly would react with anger. No doubt Nathaniel, much like William, would keep his cool and—

  “Excellent idea,” Nathaniel said. “While you’re at it, send your boss over here. Better yet, have him bring us our food, because if he can’t bother hiring competent staff, then he needs to get off his lazy ass and do the work himself.”

  Music should have swelled. In a puff of heart-shaped glitter, the waiter should have turned into Cupid and fluttered away. Then Nathaniel would clear the table with a swipe of his arm and take Kelly right then and there. Instead the waiter made a strangling noise before marching off. Shortly afterwards, the waitress Kelly had spoken to before came and apologized, taking their order once more and promising to rush some emergency carbs out to them.

  “I’m still talking to the manager,” Nathaniel said when she had gone. “I’ll tell him to fire the other loser, and give that woman a raise.”

  Kelly rested his chin on splayed hands. “Can I watch?”

  “Of course. Feel free to join in.”

  Before Kelly could propose, two stacks of pancakes landed on their table. Their real meals didn’t take much longer, leaving them with more food than they could eat. Or so he thought. Nathaniel very steadily devoured any food Kelly left untouched. Afterwards, he leaned back and finally seemed at ease.

  “That was a close call,” Nathaniel said. “You almost saw me in a bad mood.”

  “Almost?”

  Nathaniel grinned. “I can’t stand mornings. Or morning people. Nothing personal.”

  Kelly shrugged. “Why would that offend me?”

  “You’re the one who insisted on an early start. Normally I don’t get out of bed until ten.”

  Kelly blinked. “Marcello told me when I needed to be ready. It wasn’t my decision.”

  Nathaniel exhaled and shook his head. “That motherfucker.” Then he chuckled. “I am so going to make him pay! I hope today’s assignment isn’t also a joke.”

  “So do I,” Kelly said, feeling vulnerable.

  “It’s not,” Nathaniel assured him. “And even if it was, we’re going to bring back photos so amazing that the poor bastard breaks down in tears. Hey, speaking of which, let’s go find that manager.”

  “After you,” Kelly said. When he was certain Nathaniel wasn’t looking, he allowed himself the dreamiest sigh ever.

  As fun as fawning over Nathaniel during breakfast had been, the time had come to start working. Kelly was curious as to how they would proceed. They returned to the car and stood outside it rather than getting in, Nathaniel glancing around the parking lot.

  “Are we waiting for someone?” Kelly asked. “You said it was just me and you.”

  “It is,” Nathaniel said. Th
en he pinched the bridge of his nose and growled. “This assignment is driving me crazy! Marcello sprung it on me yesterday, and I was up half the night trying to figure out what to do. If I spontaneously ask you to climb a tree, once you’re up there, you’re still going to look like someone who climbed a tree so he could have his photo taken.”

  Kelly searched for inspiration. “I could spread myself out on the hood of your car. Or wait, maybe I should just do it instead talking about it.”

  “Won’t make a difference,” Nathaniel said. “Would still come across as contrived.”

  “In that case, you should drive me home so I can play video games with my brother. That’s what I’d be doing if it weren’t for this assignment.”

  Nathaniel perked up. “Maybe you’ve got the right idea. Video games are boring, but what else would you do today? It’s Sunday. Church?”

  “Sort of. I have a gay youth group every couple of weeks. There’s one this afternoon.”

  Nathaniel shook his head. “I can’t see that being too exciting. Unless I’m wrong. I’m picturing an AA meeting except with nervous gay teenagers instead of tired old alcoholics.”

  “Pretty much. You’re probably way above the age limit anyway. How old are you? Thirty?”

  Nathaniel scowled. “Twenty-three. How old are you? Twelve?”

  “Eighteen.”

  “Great. So what else do nervous gay teenagers do for fun?”

  Kelly shrugged. “Hang out with my friends, usually at their place, or in my room. Or at the mall.”

  “Gosh,” Nathaniel said. “If that’s your idea of a good time, I’d hate to hear about your bad days.”

  Kelly thought about it briefly. “Actually, you’re on to something. Come on.”

  He got in the car, and before Nathaniel could ask where they were going, he started giving directions. Before long, they were parked outside the high school. Summer break made the place feel abandoned. Nathaniel surveyed the empty parking lot and the soulless brick building, nodding slowly. So far, so good. He had the camera out of the bag as Kelly led the way to the sports field.

  They passed the track by circling around it. Kelly wouldn’t allow himself to step onto the rubbery surface anymore. He no longer considered himself worthy, treating his former arena as if it were sacred. This was slightly marred by the middle-aged guy currently using it to jog, but even he was more in touch with speed than Kelly these days.

  Leading the way to the bleachers, Kelly climbed a few steps and walked down the aisle until they were exactly in the middle. This is where he always sat when feeling morose. Just being here was enough to bring him to that state. Not even the presence of a hot guy with an expensive camera helped.

  “What’s the story?” Nathaniel asked.

  “Same as Icarus when he flew too close to the sun. If you delight in something too much, the gods punish you for it. Icarus got his kicks flying, and I got high off running.”

  “You were on the track team?”

  Kelly nodded. “Fastest guy in school. I even planned on making a career of it, Olympic dream and all that. Sounds arrogant to say it now. I probably would have learned a hard lesson when meeting the pros, but I would have preferred that to this.”

  “Huh.”

  “That’s it?” Kelly glanced over at Nathaniel. “That’s all you’ve got to say?”

  Nathaniel shrugged. “You don’t strike me as the self-pitying type.”

  “I’m not,” Kelly said, returning his gaze to the track. “I used to be, but not anymore. Now I just miss it. I sit here because it’s as close as I can get. I even wondered if I should be some sort of coach, you know? Professional boxers always have an out-of-shape dude telling them how to punch. You don’t have to be the champ to make a champ.”

  “Is that something you’re interested in doing?” Nathaniel asked.

  Kelly shook his head. “Not really.”

  He watched the middle-aged guy stumble to a stop and wipe his brow before he started up again. His posture was terrible, his clothing wrong, and his gait an absolute joke—and still Kelly envied him.

  “I left the flash in the car,” Nathaniel said. “I’ll be right back.”

  Kelly nodded, keeping his attention on the track and his thoughts on the past. Eventually, the middle-aged guy stopped running, cooling down by walking a lap. Then he wandered off toward the nearest houses.

  The bleachers creaked as Nathaniel returned. “Got some good photos of you,” he said.

  “I figured.”

  “You knew?”

  Kelly shrugged. “I know that a flash is near-useless in broad daylight.” He nodded at the camera. “Especially when you’re using a telephoto lens. What’s the maximum range on that thing? Three hundred millimeter?”

  “Five.”

  “Impressive.”

  Nathaniel considered him. “It felt sleazy as hell, taking photos of you looking sad. Too exploitative.”

  “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I had a problem with it. I thought we’d go to a shoe store next, followed by a dance club.” He cracked a smile, prompting Nathaniel to do the same. “For what it’s worth, I think your tree-climbing idea is cool. You’d be surprised how mobile I am when not stuck on the stupid ground. As long as you’re snapping photos of me in action, we might get something good. Besides —” Kelly flexed an arm muscle playfully. “—it’ll allow me to show off some upper-body.”

  Nathaniel nodded. “Okay. Let’s give it a go.”

  “Would you mind coming home with me?”

  Wow! Kelly felt the photo shoot had gone well. Just not that well! They had driven out to a wilderness preserve where they were less likely to be interrupted and where the trees weren’t pruned, allowing them to find one with low branches. Kelly had scurried up it, having a grand ol’ time and easily forgetting the camera was there. Now they were taking a break beneath the tree, the sun high in the sky, both of them sweating. Or were they hot and bothered? Ha ha!

  “Kelly?”

  He blinked away the swirling fantasies. “Sorry. What did you say?”

  Nathaniel got to his feet. “I need to run home. There’s someone I need to check on. That all right?”

  “Yeah, perfectly.” With a little struggle, Kelly managed to get up. He refused to look at Nathaniel to avoid any offers of help. He didn’t want to appear pathetic. Once back in the car, they didn’t have far to drive. Nathaniel brought them to a fairly average apartment complex on the edge of town, which was surprising. Kelly had assumed everyone associated with Marcello was rich and gay, but now he wondered if Nathaniel was either. And who was this person he needed to check on?

  “You should probably wait down here,” Nathaniel said after they had parked. “He tends to knock people over when he’s excited.”

  Please let it be a dog and not a hyperactive kid or a socially awkward boyfriend. Not that Kelly had anything against children or people having relationships. It’s just that someday he wanted those things too. “If you’re going to leave me in a hot car,” he said, “be sure to crack a window.”

  “I’m not that inhumane. There’s an area for grilling around the corner.” Nathaniel nodded toward the end of the building. “Should be plenty of shade. I’ll meet you soon.”

  Kelly left the car and walked around the corner, finding a few picnic benches, a metal trashcan, and a cluster of trees. He stood beneath one of them and tried to look inconspicuous. A few minutes later, panting preceded Nathaniel’s reappearance. Either he was really eager to see him or...

  A dog. Kelly breathed out in relief. Or a wolf, because it had a gray coat and silver eyes and was huge. The dog spotted him. They considered each other for a moment. Then it broke loose, tearing across the yard toward him. Kelly missed his running legs more than ever as he stood there helpless. He supposed he could thwack it with one of his crutches, but Nathaniel was already chasing after it with pure concern etched into his features.

  Sighing, Kelly tried bracing himself as much as possible. I
t didn’t do much good. The dog leapt into the air, pushed him over with his front paws, and laid Kelly out flat. Then it circled him, sniffing every part of his body so quickly the dog sounded like it was hyperventilating.

  “Zero!” Nathaniel was shouting. “Heel! Sit! Stop! Ugh. Fuck off, you stupid mutt!”

  This got the dog’s attention. It whipped its head around and ran back toward its master.

  “Sorry,” Nathaniel said, approaching with the dog in tow. “As a puppy, he was trained to sniff out drugs, but they only ended up creating a monster.”

  “No problem,” Kelly said, waving away Nathaniel’s hand as he struggled to his feet. “I’d love to see him in action at an airport. That would thin the crowds.”

  Once Kelly was up, he considered the dog warily, who was now panting happily and looking like he wanted to do it all over again. “What sort of breed is that anyway? Hell hound?”

  “Close,” Nathaniel said with a chuckle. “Siberian Husky. The sledpulling dogs. I’m tempted to hook up Zero to my car and put it in neutral. Maybe the exercise would finally get him to chill.”

  As if in response, the dog raced off, running around the park area in wide arcs that eventually returned to Nathaniel before Zero took off again.

  “Usually I chase after him,” Nathaniel explained.

  “By all means,” Kelly said, but Nathaniel shook his head.

  “Let him do his business and blow off a little steam. Then we can escape inside to air conditioning. I’ll even cook for you.”

  “Sounds promising,” Kelly said, heading for one of the benches and sitting. “Are we done working today?”

  “Oh, right.” Nathaniel lifted the camera hanging from around his neck and snapped a few more photos.

  Kelly raised an eyebrow. “Somehow I don’t think those are going to make an impression.”

  The camera clicked again. “That one will. You look hot when you’re being snarky.”

  Which was different than saying he actually was hot. Straight guys could tell if another man was good looking. Especially if they were photographers. Kelly was over waiting and hoping. He wanted to know right now.

  “What’s your girlfriend going to think when she comes home to find you cooking for another woman?”