My pulse raced as I typed the words out on the screen in front of me. "Would you like to meet up?" I stared at them not knowing whether to hit enter or backspace. I'd only been trying online dating for a month and though Cody and I had been chatting the entire time, I hadn't actually met anyone in person. Sure we had chatted on skype a few times, I had seen his face, I knew that he existed. Hell I had even seen him without a shirt during one of our skype sessions. Still I was nervous.
I closed my eyes. My teacher always says we regret the things we don't do, not the things we do. "Fuck it." I thought to my self and slapped the enter key, sending my message across to Cody.
Cody was 20 and a very hot looking guy. Six foot tall with a swimmers build and a smooth body. Also he was a great guy. Very funny and never once pressured me into meeting up. He knew I had never been with a guy before. That wasn't exactly true, I had given a few head jobs at school but never truly been with another guy if you know what I mean.
Me, I was 18 and straight out of school. 5 foot 8 and very slim. I wanted big muscles but have never been able to develop them. I also wanted to start acting on my sexual urges. I wanted to experience and explore. I was way too nervous to go any gay bars alone, so the internet was where I went.
Cody replied. "Sure." I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "There's a bar on 12th, Shorty's. Let's meet there at 8. My parents have gone away too, so we can go back to mine later if you like. No pressure."
"Awesome! See you there."
"Can't wait to finally meet your cute ass." he added.
I was so excited. Finally I was going to be able to act on my urges. I was 18 and essentially a virgin. I craved having Cody fuck me. That was all I wanted when I thought of being with him, or any man I liked. I don't know why, but I just knew I was a bottom. I had never been with a man before, but I knew that when it happened, it would be me giving my ass to him and not the other way around.
I arrived at the bar a few minutes early, hoping to have a quick drink to calm my nerves before Cody arrived. Shorty's is now the first gay bar I've even been to. It looks just like any other bar really. The place was almost empty. Just me sitting alone and on the opposite wall, three men sitting at a table drinking bourbon. I drank my wine in big sips, hoping it would take effect before he arrived. A man on the other table stared in confusion as I finished my drink in only a few minutes. I glanced at my watch, 8:05. Where was he? Has he stood me up? Surely not. I mean, everyone is politely 15 minutes late anyway. As the first drink began to take effect, I ordered another wine while I waited.
The same man on the other table kept glancing over at me in between the laughs of whatever story the others were talking about. Three of them all looked in their 50s. Two balding, stocky looking guys with their backs to me and the slim grey haired man who kept glancing over.
Oh shit. We just made eye contact and he smiled right at me. I immediately looked away nervously. Where the fuck was Cody? I checked my phone. It was now 8:30. He was properly late. "Hey I'm here. Where are you?" I texted to him. I looked back at the grey haired man. He was back in conversation with the other two. He reminded me a bit of my neighbour Carl. He would mow his lawn without a shirt and I would look at him through the window, perving on his muscled hairy chest. He was the first man I ever had a crush on. Unfortunately he moved away last month, after living next door for less than a year.
More and more people started coming in, but none of them Cody. The place was really starting to fill up now and people were taking the empty chairs from my table. Still no reply from Cody. The three men all stood up laughing and shook hands with each other. The two stocky men walking out together. The grey haired man looked at his phone briefly before looking over at me again. I looked away.
"Is this seat taken?"
It was the grey haired man. Oh no, he wanted to talk! What do I do?
"Oh um, I'm waiting for someone." I stammered.
He laughed. "You've been waiting over an hour now. If he was coming, he would be here by now."
He was right. Cody was a no show. "Come on, I'll buy you another glass of wine." he said as he sat down.
"So tell me, this guy who stood you up, where you meet him?"
"Online." I murmured.
"This your first meeting?"
"Yeah." I sighed.
He laughed again. "Chin up son, there's loads of fakes online. Hell, half the boys I arrange to meet never show up either. Don't worry about it. You're a good looking kid."
"Thanks man."
"Look around, every man here would give his left nut to take a boy like you home for a night."
I let out half a laugh. He was trying to cheer me up and was doing alright.
Our drinks arrived and he handed one to me. "Cheers." he said as we clinked glasses. "I'm Rob by the way."
"I'm Tommy."
"Pleasure to meet you Tommy." he grinned as he extended his hand to shake. "I hope you don't mind my checking out your handsome face from over there before?"
"That's ok." I said as I took a sip. Looking at Rob, it was obvious he took care of him self. He was slim but fairly defined. I could see the vein in his bicep as he raised his glass. He must work out. His grey hair was accompanied by a brown beard. Very short, almost like stubble. He was quite a handsome man, just a lot older than the one I was intending to meet.
"So tell me Tommy, what brings you here tonight?"
I explained that I was meant to be meeting Cody and I was my first time in a gay bar. In fact it was my first time meeting another guy and that's why I was so nervous. He said he understood and that it was like that for him too when he was young, but that it got easier with experience. I told him that the only experience I had was a few blow jobs in school and he laughed. "You have a lot ahead you. All that will change." he laughed.
The three glasses of wine had made me quite tipsy, which must be why I was able to spill everything to Rob. He was really understanding and I was beginning to feel quite attracted to him. We had another drink and by then the DJ had started playing. It was now very loud and almost impossible to hear. Rob leaned over the table, almost having to shout over the music "What do you say we finish these and go somewhere more quiet?" he yelled.
I nodded and finished my glass in a big mouthful.
We walked outside to a nice summer night. It was late, but still warm. We walked along the river as Rob told me how he was surprised to see me tonight because not many twinks go to that bar anymore and how it's mostly dads and bears.
"It's kind of lucky you got stood up tonight Tommy. Otherwise I wouldn't have met you." He said as he put his arm around my shoulder while we walked.