Lighter Thief Chapter 2

me:
him:

BOINKSHE

LIGHTER THIEF CHAPTER 2

- STILL FICTION -

lee.

"do you want another cigarette?" i offered hesitantly. considering the length he threw the last one i gave him at, I'm struggling to believe he usually smokes. according to him, he doesn't usually "do this" either. which is a statement i highly doubt because he was fucking good at it. slightly arrogant mind, but we were all young once i suppose. if i looked like him when i was young id probably be exactly the same.

"I'm okay thank you!" his sudden shift in attitude apparently not something he wished to conceal. not simply just because he doesn't want my cigarette, more because his whole demeanour had changed. not in the usual way these rent boys usually change after the deed. usually, they're overcome with a look of disinterest, shame, guilt or a hybrid of the three. the ones as young as him anyway. the older ones are usually so fucked up, either on drugs or mentally, they'd take a cigarette simply because they feel they're milking me for all they can. he seemed to have developed a spring in his step. metaphorically of course. "did you have fun?" he quizzed. in a playful tone that suggested he was more than aware that i certainly did.

"oh yes, of course... did you?" the embarrassed smile seemed to overcome my face involuntarily. he too smiling, but more of what resembled a forced part of the procedure smile. the same way a mcdonalds employee would ask if you'd like to upgrade your meal to a large one. as if it was just something that came along with the service, a mundane tedious task. which was extremely confusing as he seemed noticeably more upbeat, however simultaneously as if he'd already began his next task in his head.

"was good ye, which way you going now?" i had a suspicion that whichever way id claim he'd purposely choose the opposite and use that opportunity to part with probably a "nice to meet you!" or "see you around!"

"I'm parked over in the northern quarter." i lied. "id offer you a lift but you probably wouldn't accept?" this attempt at reverse psychology in the hopes he'd walk back into town with me was risky. i hoped he'd come, i knew he wouldn't, but i knew even if he did, there'd be no car in the northern quarter for him to get a lift in anyway so i immediately regretted testing the waters with this young stranger. "and its getting pretty late, i can give you an extra fiver for a taxi though if you'd like?" hopefully he'd accept.

"no you're alright, you've already give me an extra fifty. anyway. I'm going the opposite way!" i knew it.

"ah, okay, well... john, was lovely, hopefully we can do it again some time... if you want?" fucking john, surely he didn't expect me to believe that was a genuine name. "that was you're name wasn't it? john?"

"ye, forgot yours sorry" he laughed. "ye ye just message me, and if I'm not busy then we can meet again. don't message me a 'lovely to meet you' message though they're cringe as fuck." he checked his phone, I'm guessing he was looking at the time as he didn't unlock it and he wasn't looking at it for longer than a second. worth an attempt to get a more solid form of communication with him though i suppose.

"can i have your number, john?"

"no sim card... look." he wasn't lying. on the top left of his phone screen where the network and service bars would usually be located it said NO SIM. at this point i realised i had to just leave it here and hope that he's not blocked me off grindr by the time i next attempt to message him. but someone ought to tell my mouth that. 

"whats the point in having a phone without a sim card?" it'd probably be best i kept quiet he was rapidly losing interest in me as it was. not as if i didn't have to go and get the bus home myself anyhow.

"couldn't afford my bill, I'm poor, so threw it away. anyway. see ya!"

"lee."

"what?"

"my name!"

"oh... thanks for the money lee!" in my head i had a thousand replies. in my head i also had a brain which was telling me to spin on my axis and leave the carpark in the direction of the bus stop. the carpark that five minutes previously id been in a dark corner of with my jeans around my ankles enjoying what id paid so much money for. it was worth it, i was aware from the outset and throughout it was all business no pleasure to him. however i couldn't predict that the cocky little gob shite would be so appealing. to be honest I'm not quite sure what I'm doing lusting over a fucking kid. obviously he's not a child but he's barely an adult. I've got a daughter not much younger than him which if anything just adds fuel to the fire pit of inappropriateness.

"you sure you don't want a lift?" not even five percent sure why i persist dancing with the devil in this way. no chance in hell i can follow through with the offer. I'm both equally nervously sprouting sentences and subconsciously just doing anything to try prolong the inevitable parting. at this point he'd already set off in the opposite direction meaning i had to project my voice more to be heard.

"na, ill have that cig tho, please, if its still on offer?" he says whilst turning round but without actually slowing down in the slightest. 

"yeah! course! you only had to ask!" another attempt at a joke escapes my lips. not sure how exactly this is even mildly considered a joke but, his lack of interest in me as a person is making me nervous. since I've discovered all he's interested in, in terms of me, is what i can offer, I've gotten to the point where I'm just flippantly offering things. "come get it, I'm not coming to you! you're young..."

"... right chill out I'm coming"

"alright. come on then" my words met with a roll of the eyes as he approached quicker than I've seen him move all night. i notice he's purposely avoiding my eye contact at this point, i know I'm freaking him out probably but i promise most actions at this point are involuntary. as i try my hardest to prolong the period of getting the cigarette and handing it to him i realise theres no way i way i can make this moment last longer than five seconds. but he turned around? he must not be that annoyed by me? he must not think I'm that weird otherwise he'd have just shouted back "no!" and continued walking? surely? 

"thank you..." he thanks me before I've even given him the cigarette "thank you!" and again?

"no problem! you need a light again i assume?"

"no, no its fine I'm only going to use it for piece." piece? what does he mean piece? maybe he meant peace? like he only took the cigarette to shut me up? and stop me shouting?

"no honestly, you take it, I've got another in the car!"

"alright, weirdo, thanks! see ya." weirdo? right thats enough I'm definitely doing too much, i turn around at the same time as him, in another direction and we both head off. in my mind (which by the way is running on overdrive) I'm having a million thoughts a second. one minute I'm imagining he's going to turn back again and declare his undying love for me and the next, I'm imagining we both turn at the same time unexpectedly and catch eye contact and quick draw pistols like an old western movie. with each step away from him i just think of him more and more. i slyly look over my shoulder in the hopes to catch him glimpsing back at me. he isn't. in one last ditch attempt I'm involuntarily looking back at his figure as it becomes smaller and smaller by the second i shout at the top of my lungs.

"LIGHTER THIEF!" not a clue what it means or why i said it as i clearly forced him to take the lighter. i think i must have just wanted to feel seen once more by a man half my age. but it fails miserably, as i watch him intently from the largest distance we've been since he entered turtle bay to meet me, not even look back to entertain me anymore.

MADE ANOTHER FUCKING MISTAKE SO IF YOU SAW IT WHEN THE COLOUR OF TEXT AT THE END WAS SKEW WIFF AND IT WAS CONFUSING WHO WAS SAYING WHAT IVE CHANGED IT. NEXT TIME ILL ENSURE NO MORE MISTAKES.

once again not a fucking autobiographical situation. and theres to be many other chapter stories not just LIGHTER THIEF.

hope you enjoyed. LIGHTER THIEF CHAPTER 3 soon.