"Someone For Me"

[Agincourt]

This discussion is about the one-chapter story Someone for Me.

 

There are spoilers below so you may wish to read the story first before reading this post.

 

15-year-old David, the protagonist, is the poster child for being your own worst enemy. Though it's not at all clear why, his self-esteem is down in the negative numbers. He spends his time being bitterly envious of the other students at his school, all of whom, per his perception, are prettier, more handsome, more fun to be around, and more likely to score socially, even though they are shallow and bring far less to any relationship than he would . . . if he only had the chance. But his self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy pretty much guarantee that such chance will never come.

 

For some inexplicable reason, David's best friend is another boy named Taylor, who seems to represent the polar opposite of every issue David confronts. Taylor is confident, outgoing, attractive, and seemingly fearless in making sexual conquests of other boys in the school. While Taylor and David are both aware of each other's gayness, for some reason nothing ever happens between them. Rather, Taylor -- like many of the other students -- sees David as a sympathetic and non-threatening ear to listen to whatever is on his mind. Taylor seems oblivious to David's angst at his own lack of social success.

 

One day, David notices a new boy in his English class -- Julian -- and in his private world begins to fantasize that maybe he could get to know Julian better and even develop a relationship with him. But these hopes are dashed as soon as he discovers that Taylor has also set his sights on the same boy. David gives up without a fight, not even trying to get to know Julian better, and resisting Julian's efforts to reach him because he 'knows' he'll just seem like a dork. Yet Julian still tries to get through to David, as in this scene in the school lunchroom:

 

Then he [Julian] asked me, "So how about dating? Are you seeing anybody?" Whoah...I put the brakes on and was stumped for an answer. He didn't know. Not about me, and not about Taylor. What if he's interested...and I make him think I'm straight? What if he's a homophobe, and he freaks out if I tell him the truth? Okay David...think...keep it vague. "No, nobody on the roster just yet." I said. No-BODY...could mean boy or girl. I'm in the clear.

 

"Really? No offense, but what are you waiting for. Somebody should at least be interested." Great, now HE' being vague too.

 

"Nah. These days, unless you're a Backstreet Boy or JTT, nobody really gives a damn." I said.

 

"That's not always true. Some people have a tendency to not be so shallow."

 

"Yeah, and they're probably all huddled together in some igloo in the Arctic. Everybody around here seems to fall into the other category."

 

He giggled a bit, and I think it was the first time I had ever made him laugh. It was great. "David, dude, sometimes it's really not all about that. You'll see, don't let it get to ya. Besides, you're cute anyway, so what are you worried about?"

 

Okay...check please! Julian just called me cute, which means that he's either playing a cruel joke, or I'm finally starting to see those groovy hallucinations that people get right before they go insane. I didn't hear it. That's all there is to it. I looked at him and he seemed to be catching little peeks at me, like he was looking to see how I responded to that comment. But I wasn't about to let him screw with my affections. Why would he flirt with ME? I'm not that cool. So I ignored it. "Well, I'm sure they'd much rather be having sex with someone else."

 

Then he his gaze became a bit more intense, and he said, "....and when the sex is over?"

David's hopes are dashed further when Julian asks to speak to him privately, and it turns out he just wants David to let Taylor know that Julian is really interested in him. The feeling is apparently mutual. When it becomes obvious that Taylor and Julian are becoming a more serious item, David shuns both of them. Things come to a head, however, at a party that all three boys are attending. Julian makes some discoveries about Taylor, and then later about David, that set the stage for what promises to be a happy ending with David. And it does seem like David and Julian are a worthy match. The final scene calls back the earlier scene in the lunchroom:

 

[Julian:] "You're really cool, David. You know that?" "No..." I answered.

 

"If you ask me, you should be having way more sex than Taylor." He smiled.

 

Then I inched closer gradually until our noses touched, sending an electric shock running through me. "And...when the sex is over...?" I whispered.

 

"...when the sex is over...I'll still be here...waiting for you." He whispered back, a tender trembling in his voice, and then he leaned forward and gently kissed me on the lips.

Somehow, against all odds, it seems that David might do OK after all. Indeed, had he only been paying attention, it should have been obvious that Julian was looking for the kind of relationship that David was looking for, all the way back at that lunchroom scene. Julian, indeed, discovered that he wanted more than Taylor was able to give him.

 

A

Edited May 10, 2010 by Agincourt

[rossx90]

It never ceases to amaze me how much Com's stories seem like they might be from my life - this one being no exception. I know exactly what David was going through when he shunned Julian and Taylor for the two weeks or whatever it was - I've used that tactic myself sometimes "I'm not gonna talk to my crush again until they come to me first, then I'll know they're interested in speaking to me." (It never ever works )

 

I'm glad that the two got together in the end, David never gave Julian a chance when he discovered he was more interested in Taylor than in him. (and who can blame him?) Like a lot of the other stories, this is set on the night with the storm at midnight with the red-haired boy and the part where Julian says "f**k you" and spills his drink on a boy (Derrick from "A Class By Himself" I believe?) is seen in many of the other stories where characters are at that same party. I like how Com linked them all together like this - out of curiosity, which story was the first one to be set on this rainy night? Which was the original one?

[Agincourt]

Like a lot of the other stories, this is set on the night with the storm at midnight with the red-haired boy and the part where Julian says "f**k you" and spills his drink on a boy (Derrick from "A Class By Himself" I believe?) is seen in many of the other stories where characters are at that same party. I like how Com linked them all together like this - out of curiosity, which story was the first one to be set on this rainy night? Which was the original one?

According to this FAQ page, "Someone for Me" was the first of the Rainy Day stories and set the template for the others.

 

A