New Year's Day - 3. Pattaya

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” Phil wedged himself between Riley’s stool and the wall. “Hey, bud, get me a Corona and give Riley another one?” He reached into his front pocket, retrieved a twenty, and slapped it on the bar in front of the bartender.

Tim did not hesitate. “Coming right up,” he said, reaching into the cooler.

“This is a nice surprise. How are ya, Riley?”

“Ahhh… I…” Riley was just as surprised. He felt a stab of fear but ignored it. He knew walking into a gay bar opened him up to discovery, but he did not expect to run into a football player from the team that beat his the previous evening. “What are you doing here?”

“Duh! Same thing you are, dude. I came out to watch football, have a few cocktails, and hopefully find a hot stud I can fuck the hell out of. I’m always super horny after a game. Aren’t you?”

“I… Uhhh… I’m not…” Stuttering was not something Riley did, but he could barely get a word out. “I’m not looking to get laid. I… I just wanted to check the place out.”

“Yeah, right. And I’ll be the first pick in this year’s draft.” Phil raised the beer to his lips never taking his eyes off Riley. “Dude, chill. We’re obviously both cocksuckers. Own it.”

“I’m… I’ve never…” Riley felt his face warming and knew his cheeks were getting redder by the second. He lowered his head, staring at the bar top. The beer bottle seemed to jump into his hand; he needed liquid courage and took a long pull. Not looking at the hulking man next to him, he spoke quietly so only Phil could hear him. “I’m not. I’ve never done anything with a guy.”

“That’s cool.” Phil smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll protect you from all these queers.” He waved the bottle in the air to encompass the patrons surrounding them.

“I can take care of myself.” Riley felt his rapidly beating heart slow down. The other man had rattled him, but he slowly regained his composure. “I had no idea you were…”

“Queer? A homo? A fag?”

Each pejorative felt like a stab. Even in his conservative family, such language was uncommon. “I was gonna say gay, Martinez. I don’t like those words you used.”

“How about we start by you not calling me by my last name, Riley. I’m Felipe, but everyone except my grandmother calls me Phil. As for the other words, if I’m reading this right, you’re taking your first step out of the closet, and you’ll hear them often enough in the future.”

“Okay…” Intellectually, Riley had known being open about his orientation would change how he viewed a lot of things, but he had not expected the changes to start so quickly.

The man sitting on the stool next to Riley finished signing his credit card slip and turned towards the two football players. “If you need help with this project”—he waved a hand at Riley while grinning—“look me up, Felipe. Take my stool. After the beating you took last night, I’m sure standing’s painful.”

“Thanks, dude.” Phil smoothly slid onto the vacated seat before anyone else would take it. At about the same time, Riley lost it. The laughter was sudden and did not last long, but Phil appeared confused. He smiled and shook his head.

Riley’s reaction was due to nerves. “Gosh darn it, Marti—oops, sorry. Phil. Who was that guy?”

“How the fuck should I know? No idea. What’s with the har har har?”

“You don’t know him? But he called you by your name.”

Phil rolled his eyes as his smile grew. “Duh! He was listening to our conversation.”

“Then how did he know you were in pain? Are you?”

“Fuck, Riley. Did you pay attention to the game last night? The ball was in my hands more than anybody else’s and your D tried to bury me whenever I touched the damn thing.”

“Yeah… I guess. We talked about you on our sideline. A lot! You had plenty of fans at Hard Rock Stadium. Every time your name was announced, the cheering got louder.” Riley recalled looking at the giant screen after each carry by Phil. He thought the man was good looking but never envisioned running into him at a gay bar.

“Mostly locals in the stands, dude. They were cheering for the homeboy. The local stations all had reports about me being from Miami during the week leading up to the game.”

Riley had endured being accosted by reporters from Atlanta and Macon television stations himself; he could relate to the experience. “Hometown high school hero makes good?”

Phil chuckled. “Hardly. More like high school bench warmer makes good.” He chugged the remainder of his beer, glanced around the room, and smirked at Riley. “How invested are you in today’s bowl games?”

“Hmmm, not very. It was something to do.”

“Listen, I haven’t really eaten, and I’m hungry. There’s a great Thai restaurant two blocks away. Wanna go with me? My treat.”

Riley did not hesitate; he stood and drained his bottle. “I’m in. I’m hungry too.”

The companionable silence as they strolled down the lively sidewalk allowed Riley time to think. He was unsure how he felt about Phil Martinez being the first person to find out about him. He did not know the Duke player and had no idea if back in North Carolina he would out him. Riley would prefer to reveal himself gradually but now had to consider going home and talking to his parents immediately. He had resolved to be honest, and that included the family. He did not want them to hear he was gay from anyone else.

“That’s where we’re going.” Phil pointed at a storefront with Pattaya stenciled on the front window.

“What does Pattaya mean?” Riley asked.

Phil held the door for his fellow athlete. “It’s a famous beach in Thailand. Popular place with tourists.”

“You been there?”

“Hell no, man. Hang on.” Phil asked for a quiet table when the greeter approached them. They were guided to a small one in a corner. “I’ve never been to Thailand. Canada, Mexico, and The Bahamas are the only foreign countries I’ve visited. Where have you been?”

“Nowhere. I’d never even flown or left Georgia until the first recruiting trip my senior year in high school.”

“Really? Dude, you’re in for some changes. When you get drafted—“

Riley ignored the menu the server handed him. “If I get drafted.”

“You’re so full of shit, Riley. The false modesty won’t work with me. I’ve spent the last six months tracking draft predictions trying to figure out where I could go. You’ll be one of the first five guys drafted.”

“We’ll see.” Riley knew it was true but did not want to sound egotistical. A lot could happen before the draft to derail the expected outcome. “What are you getting?”

“Want me to order? We can get a few dishes and share. I figure you eat as much as I do.”

“That works.” Riley closed the menu and glanced around the restaurant. Most of the patrons were male once again. It was eye opening to see so many gay men in one place. “Dude, this is like so weird. I’ve never really seen men holding hands and kissing in public, you know?”

“Relax, Riley. Some people may assume we’re a couple, but I’m not trying to diddle you.” Phil’s eyebrow wiggling made Riley chuckle. “Look, man, this is a big step. I’m not that much further along than you, but I promise to help you out. I like you.”

Once the server took their order, Phil’s attention was on the other man. “Tell me about you, bud. Growing up, what made you pick Georgia? And what made you decide to come out?”

Riley felt comfortable talking to Phil. He had not expected the first person he openly spoke to about his sexual orientation would be another football player. He started to realize the Duke jock recognizing him was a stroke of luck. “Not sure what you want to know. Born and raised in Macon. I played football since I was a little kid. You know how Southerners are nuts about the game? I had scholarship offers from a bunch of schools but chose Georgia so my parents could see me play. They wouldn’t have been able to afford all the traveling if I ended up at Ohio State. That was my second choice.”

“I’m so fucking jealous. Nobody recruited me out of high school. So, how come you decided to hit a gay bar today?”

“Timing. I’ve known I was gay for a long time but never did anything about it.” Riley’s words said he was determined, but the tone suggested he was spooked. “I finally decided I had to be honest with myself and others. I’m still terrified. I know I’m being a coward hiding, but I can’t help it.”

“You’re not being a coward, Riley. It takes courage to live honestly.” Phil reached out and patted Riley’s hand. “Trust me, I know. After my freshman year, I came out to my family. Hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“How did they take it?”

“I definitely shocked them.” Phil’s laughter made Riley smile. “They dealt with it well overall. My younger brother even set me up with one of the guys on his baseball team. Hot, furry senior who loved to bounce on my dick once I got it inside him.”

Riley shuddered at the explicit sexual comment before becoming somber. “Not sure how my parents will handle it. I know there’s a good chance I’ll be drafted, and I know I don’t want to be in the closet while I play in the NFL. I plan on letting everyone know before a team picks me.”

“What does your agent think?”

“I don’t have an agent. The coaching staff made it clear we weren’t allowed to sign with one while still in school.”

“Have you talked to anyone?” Phil appeared surprised.

“Nope. A couple of people contacted my parents, but I told them I’d wait.”

“Your coaches may have done you a disservice, dude. We may not be allowed to sign and still play, but they can’t stop us from talking to people.”

“Do you have one?” The fear of being declared ineligible to play had plagued Riley throughout his senior year. His conversations with potential representatives had been short.

“Yeah, my dad. He’s an attorney and has been talking to someone in the business since we figured out I might be drafted. The two of them will represent me together.”

“Lucky you. My parents wouldn’t know what to do.”

While Phil ate one of the spring rolls the server had delivered, he appeared lost in thought. “Hey, when do you have to be back for classes?”

“I don’t. I’m a fifth year senior and already graduated.”

“Really? That’s awesome! I’m in the same boat.” Phil sounded truly happy. Riley liked the man more each passing minute. “What are your plans between now and the draft?”

“I need to go back to Georgia. My dad’s gonna meet me on campus, and we’ll move me back home.” He had nearly emptied his dorm room already, and his father’s help might not be necessary. He would figure it out once he returned to Athens. “I plan on working out a lot over the next couple of months. What’s with the face?”

Incessant tapping of his chopsticks against the remaining roll’s crispy shell was Phil’s initial response. “Where are you staying this week? How long are you in town for?”

“Ummm…” Riley was confused by the sudden turn in the conversation. “I’m here through the weekend. Staying at some cheap motel out by the airport. I don’t have a lot of money…”

“Buddy, how’d you like to save some cash? I think you should check out and come home with me. We have room for you, and I think you need to talk to my dad. I’m pretty sure he can help you.”

“What about your family? Won’t they mind having a surprise house guest?”

“Nah.” Phil reached for his phone. “I’ll call them right now, but I’m sure it’ll be fine. My grandmother’s gonna love having another boy to feed and spoil.”