Was Max leaning more toward Straightsville? That was the question bouncing around Paige’s head as she waited by herself for the elevator. From his behavior tonight, the answer seemed like yes. Maybe the walk home would reveal some definite answers.
The ping of the elevator’s bell announced its arrival. Paige had just stepped into it when the brass doors were closing and a voice called out, “Hold that elevator!”
Paige stuck her hand out and the elevator doors sprang back open, allowing Paolo to step inside. As usual, he was wearing jeans and a sports sweatshirt.
“Don’t you have any button-down shirts in your closet?” Paige asked.
“Hello to you, too,” Paolo said, pressing the button for the lobby.
“What do you have against buttons? Do you not know how to use them?”
“What I wear is comfortable and I like being comfortable.”
“You could at least shake up your colors. You’re always wearing gray and black and blue.”
“And the problem with that is?”
“Girls notice what guys wear.”
“And you’ve been noticing?”
“How could I not? You always wear the same thing,” Paige groaned. “I bet if you dressed up a little bit more you’d be spending less time glued to your TV. For instance, if you wore an aquamarine shirt, it would really bring out the color of your eyes.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like my brother.”
“What’s wrong with looking nice?”
“Nothing. But this is who I am. This is how I like to dress.” Paolo waved at Paige’s outfit. “Just like you. Relaxed and casual.”
Paige self-consciously tugged on her ponytail. “I look a mess.”
“You do not.”
“I do too!”
“Says who?”
“Says—”
Paolo held up a hand and cut her off. “Wait. Let me guess. Anthony.”
“Well he’s right.”
“He’s wrong. You look very cute. Very girl next door.”
Paige rolled her eyes. “Thanks. I think.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“The girl next door never gets the guy! It’s always the slutty cheerleader or sorority sister.”
“True,” Paolo agreed. “Then again, they’re always the first ones to be killed in a horror movie.”
“I’ll remember that the next time I’m being stalked by a homicidal maniac.”
“And if the phone rings, don’t answer it. It means the killer’s in the house.”
“Where are you headed?” Paige asked. “Off to see some female boxing?”
“Cute. Very cute. Actually, I’m going to a jazz club in the Village. I’m meeting some friends.” Paolo glanced around the empty elevator and whispered in Paige’s ear. “Female ones, too!”
“You mean like a date?”
“No, just a group of friends hanging out together. Only we know who’s gay and who’s straight. So much for your theory about my being glued to my TV set because of my clothes. And you?”
“Home.”
“Want to share a taxi?”
“Max is waiting for me downstairs. He’s going to walk me home.”
“Maaaaxxxxx is waiting. I see.” Paolo nodded his head knowingly. “So he likes girls rather than boys.”
“We still don’t know.”
Paolo’s mouth dropped open. “How can you still not know?”
Paige shrugged. “I don’t know. We just don’t!”
“This is crazy! Just ask the guy and get it over with!”
“We don’t want to.”
“Why?” Paolo pointed a finger up in the air. “Because Brains upstairs says so? Do you do everything my brother tells you to do?”
“We made a pact.”
“Pacts were made to be broken.”
“Says who?”
“Says me!”
Paige was just about to respond when the elevator jerked to a stop. A second later the lights inside started blinking.
“What’s going on?” she asked nervously, inching closer to Paolo. “Why isn’t the elevator moving?”
Paolo hit the down button a few times, but the elevator remained motionless. “I guess we’re stuck.”
“Stuck? Stuck?!”
“Calm down. This sometimes happens. Usually it takes a few minutes to start up again. This building is ancient.”
I will not panic, Paige vowed. I will not panic!
“Are you okay?” Paolo asked, concern in his voice.
“I don’t like being in enclosed spaces for very long,” Paige admitted. “It freaks me out.”
Paolo wrapped his arms around Paige, holding her close. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Paige didn’t know why, but having Paolo’s arms around her made her feel safe. Secure. She snuggled into his embrace, pressing her face against the front of his sweatshirt. It smelled like fabric softener. Paige’s heart was beating pretty fast. Was she having a panic attack? How embarrassing! Maybe she was just anxious because she knew Max was waiting for her.
She gazed up into Paolo’s eyes. “Promise?”
Paolo’s blue-green eyes looked deep into hers and she could see he was telling the truth. “I promise.”
A few seconds later there was the hum of an engine and the elevator began moving again.
“See, what did I tell you?” Paolo removed his arms from around Paige. “We’re back in business.”
“Sorry I freaked out up there,” Paige said.
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
The elevator arrived in the lobby and Paolo held the doors open for Paige. As they walked to the entrance of the building, they could see Max waiting outside.
“You better get going,” Paolo urged. “Your date is waiting.”
“He’s not my date!”
“New gay best friend?”
“Anthony would kill you if he heard you say that. You know that part’s taken by him.”
“Possible boyfriend?”
Paige mulled over the words. “Possible boyfriend sounds right.”
“Have a nice walk home.”
“Paolo?”
“Yeah?”
Paige gave him a smile. “Thanks.”
Paolo gave her a wink back. “Anytime.”
“What took you so long?” Max asked when Paige joined him. “And what were you doing with Paolo?”
Was it her imagination or did Max sound jealous? But of what? Paolo? That was a laugh! They could barely have a civil conversation. Besides, he was only interested in college girls.
“We got stuck in the elevator.”
Max started walking down the street and Paige hurried after him. She kept waiting for him to take her hand in his, but he didn’t. He just walked next to her in silence as they went from block to block.
Okay, this is weird. Why isn’t Max talking to me? Is he mad because I took so long coming down?
They were waiting for a light to change at the corner of West 88th Street when a woman with a Yorkshire terrier stopped next to them. The dog started jumping up on Paige’s leg and she couldn’t resist the urge to pet it. “Aren’t you adorable!” Paige said in a baby voice.
“Why do all girls do that?” Max asked.
“Do what?”
“Talk in a baby voice when they’re petting an animal.”
“I don’t know. We just do.”
Max knelt down and started petting the dog himself.
“Her name is Fifi,” the woman said.
“Hello, Fifi,” Max said as the Yorkie put her paw on Max’s knee and began licking his hand.
“She likes you!” Paige exclaimed.
Max scratched Fifi behind her ears. “Do you have any pets?”
“I wish I did, but I can’t. I’m allergic. My eyes get all red and I can’t stop sneezing. How about you?”
“We had a Saint Bernard in California, but we had to leave him with my grandparents. Dad said that a New York City apartment was too small for a dog that big.”
“I’ll bet you miss him.”
The light turned green and Fifi and her owner crossed the street.
“Bye, Fifi,” Paige called.
Fifi turned around and barked at Paige and Max.
“I do,” Max said. “That’s why I volunteer every weekend at the ASPCA.”
“I didn’t know you did that!”
Max shrugged. “There are so many dogs and cats waiting to be adopted. I clean cages. Give baths. Play with them. I love animals. It breaks my heart that so many of them aren’t going to find homes. Sometimes I even think about becoming a vet.”
Paige’s heart melted as she listened to Max. There was so much to like about this guy! She couldn’t wait to tell Anthony.
“I bet you’d be great at it. Fifi certainly loved you. It’s like she knew you were an animal lover.”
“Yeah…but becoming a vet takes a lot of hard work. And I also really want to pursue my acting.”
“I’m sure if it’s something you want, it’ll happen. And who says you can’t do both?” Paige stopped in front of a building with a green awning. “Well, this is where I live. Thanks for walking me home.”
“Sure.”
“Would you like to come upstairs?” Paige asked.
Max glanced at his watch. “Um, I should probably get home…another time?”
“Okay.”
Max gave Paige a hug. “See you on Monday.”
“See you,” Paige said, watching Max walk away. Okay, he hadn’t kissed her, but he had hugged her. And it wasn’t like they’d been on a date, so the absence of a kiss didn’t really mean anything. She still didn’t know if he was gay or straight, but she felt like she knew the real Max a little bit better.
Once Max and Paige were gone, Anthony finished cleaning up the living room and kitchen. He tried not to think about Paige and Max walking home together. Or kissing each other good night. But it was hard.
If Max was straight, then he should be happy for Paige because it looked like Max was interested in her.
But what about me? Anthony asked himself. When do I get to find someone?
Once everything was cleaned up, Anthony decided to go to bed. He could have watched Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, but it was no fun watching a bad movie by yourself. And he didn’t feel like watching MAD TV or Saturday Night Live.
After getting into bed, Anthony had a hard time falling asleep. He twisted and turned against the sheets, checking the time on his clock radio, wondering what was going on with Paige and Max. He should have told Paige to call him once she’d gotten home. He could call her now, but she’d probably think it was Camille and he didn’t want to disappoint her.