Matinee Gay
By Kimberly DeVaux
Copyright 2012 Kimberly DeVaux
Smashwords Edition
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Michael waited beneath the glowing marquee, occasionally glancing at his watch. The summer night was warm and dry, and the day’s traffic had trickled to a halt. Glancing into the lobby of the theater, Michael could see that it was practically abandoned – apparently, people had better things to do tonight, instead of going to the movies.
Slowly pacing back and forth in front of the theater doors, Michael pulled out his cell phone. Maybe Sammy had been held up? The movie was going to start in a couple of minutes, and even if he wasn’t too excited about it, it was their first date in a while. He wouldn’t want to –
A pair of hands came from behind, clapping over Michael’s eyes. “Guess who!”
Michael grinned. “Hey, hon,” he said, turning to give his boyfriend a peck on the cheek.
In many ways, Michael and Sammy seemed like polar opposites. Michael was tall, swarthy, and broad-shouldered, his athletic form concealed by baggy jeans and a worn-down leather jacket. He spent all of his spare time in the college gym, and kept largely to himself. In short, Michael was a perfect example of the strong, silent type.
Sammy, however, was downright flamboyant. Spangled with jewelry and tiny piercings, he always dressed in bright colors like yellow or pink, layering off-the-shoulder sweaters over halter tops or spaghetti straps. His tight jeans constantly accentuated his firm buttocks and boyish assets, drawing attention wherever he went. At a glance, his colorful clothes and slim figure would sometimes get him mistaken for a girl. Even so, Sammy stopped just short of wearing makeup, joking that it would be “a little too gay, even for me.”
“You got the tickets?” Sammy asked, returning the quick kiss.
“Ten minutes ago.”
Sammy winced. “I’m late, aren’t I?”
“Not really. Just enough time to get some popcorn.”
The younger man beamed. “Great! I’ll pay for the snacks.” With hardly a moment’s pause, he turned on his heel and dashed through the double doors. Michael couldn’t help but laugh – his boyfriend seemed to run on an endless sugar high, and his antics were always a sight to behold.
As Sammy collected the snacks, Michael thought back to their first encounter. The men had met almost a year ago in a club downtown. Michael was there to drown his sorrows, recovering from a bad break-up – Sammy was just there to have fun. Setting the tone for their new relationship, it was Sam who had made the first move, sitting next to the larger man and flashing him a dazzling smile. From there, it had been a whirlwind romance.
“Got the popcorn!”
Michael shook himself out of his reverie. “Right. Here’s your ticket, then.”
The smaller man grinned, handing over the bag of kernels. “I was starting to wonder if I’d have to shake my ass at the teller to get in.”
“I don’t think she’s your type,” Michael scoffed, putting a loving arm around Sam’s shoulders and guiding him towards the gallery.
Sammy shrugged. “Worth a shot.”
Michael handed his ticket to the bored teenage girl working the till. “Your ass isn’t that nice, hun.”
“That’s a lie, and you know it,” Sammy said with a smirk.
“Gallery One,” the girl said dully.
“Thanks.” Michael popped some of the corn into his mouth, handing the bag back to Sammy as he pushed through the swinging doors.
Given that it was the movie’s last week in circulation, Michael had expected the theater to be empty. He was half-right – the only other people there were far in the back, talking amongst each other. “That could get annoying,” he commented.
“Nah, they’ll be quiet once the trailers end,” Sammy replied, grabbing a handful of popcorn. “And don’t you complain if they do talk. We’ll sit way up front, away from them.”
“So what’s this movie about, anyway? You didn’t tell me much on the phone.”
Sammy raised an eyebrow, dropping into a chair. “You haven’t heard about Hollywood Jungle? Like, at all? It’s all over TV.”
The larger man shrugged as he sat down. “I don’t watch a lot of television.”
“Oh, it’s just so good,” Sammy gushed. “It’s a romantic drama about rival actors in L.A., competing in the same studio. It’s gonna win awards. Lots of them!”
Michael suppressed a groan. “Yeah, that sounds… great.” He wasn’t a big fan of dramas. They just seemed… boring. Still, if Sammy liked it so much, maybe this one would be different.
It wasn’t. Forty minutes in, Michael was struggling to remain awake. The acting was dull and wooden, the plot uneventful, and the conflict unrealistic. It was like some narcissistic actor had tried to write a meaningful screenplay, and turned it into a festival of egos. At least Sammy was enjoying it – he was drinking it in, his gaze fixed on the screen.