Imposter in Zebra-striped Briefs by C.C. Dado

said before turning and leaving as fast as he could out of the building.
    Luckily by the time he got to the bus stop, a bus was pulling up. He didn’t even care where it was going. He hopped on, went to the back, and sat down. After a few minutes, he took his phone out and texted Josh.
    I went by David’s work today to surprise him.
    Ding…. Oh buddy, tell me you didn’t , Josh responded.
    How do you know it didn’t go well?
    Ding.… Not my first straight boy rodeo. Sorry, Nathan.
    I thought he really did like me. Maybe I’m just not likeable.
    Ding…. Stop it. I think he does like you, but he’s got his own shit he’s going to have to deal with before he figures that out. Where are you?
    On a bus to somewhere. Not sure. I got on the first one I saw.
    Ding…. Understandable, but not the best long-term plan. Get back here. Come over when you’re home. We can watch movies and drink lots of beer.
    I think I need to be alone, but thank you. He could barely get the text out before his eyes started to water.
    By the time Nathan got home, it was dark out. He let himself into the building, hoping he wouldn’t see Josh since his eyes were red and swollen. He heard something up ahead as he walked toward his apartment door. He looked up at who he could only assume were “the gamers” coming down the hallway toward him in full costume. It really was like seeing a mythical creature. The girl was exquisite, her fiery-red hair shaved on one side like a fierce goddess, and at least a foot taller than the minion next to her. The costumes were like something out of a movie. Nathan was almost afraid to make eye contact as they went by him, but she acknowledged his presence with a lift of her chin and a husky-voiced “’Sup” as they passed.
    That’s how Josh found him, standing stunned in the hallway, looking at the front entrance.
    “Whatcha doing?” Josh asked slowly from his apartment door.
    “I think I just saw a unicorn.”
    “Do you need to come in?” Josh asked, sounding concerned, probably thinking Nathan was so distraught he was hallucinating.
    “No, I’m good. Just want to go to bed.” Nathan went into his apartment, closing the door without saying anything further.
    Nathan heard his phone as he crawled into bed.
    I’m sorry was all the text from David’s number said.
    Nathan wiped the moisture from his eyes with the back of his hand angrily before burying his head into the pillow, wishing he had never met David.

Chapter 15
    Trip to the store
     
     
    “YOU’RE COMING with me,” Nathan heard Josh say beside his blanket cocoon.
    “What? How did you get in here?” Nathan pulled his covers off his head sleepily, not sure exactly what time he finally fell asleep last night.
    “I have a key, dude. You’re subletting, remember?”
    “FYI, that’s illegal unless it’s a medical emergency.”
    “Technically this is an emergency. I had to make sure you were okay. Also Brandon ran out of cream for something he’s cooking for the wedding feast, and I don’t want to go alone. So you and I are going to go run to the store to get it.”
    “I’m not going anywhere.”
    “Oh, but you are. I refuse to let you pout today. It’s my wedding day. Get up.”
    They drove to the store in Brandon’s car. Nathan leaned up against the door, hunched into his coat, ignoring Josh.
    “So tell me what happened,” Josh asked, looking over at Nathan as he made a turn onto Pine Street.
    “He said I was nobody. Acted like he had never seen me before. I also heard him agree to a date with some girl that was ‘a sure thing.’” Nathan hated that his voice sounded like he was going to start crying again.
    “Fucking closet guys,” Josh said, shaking his head in disgust. “One thing you need to learn about closet guys is they are afraid of what other people think of them, so they hide it, hence ‘the closet.’ They’re too embarrassed to admit how they feel.”
    “You mean maybe he was trying to hide how he feels