They meet at the gate and cycle down the street.

"So you play the saxophone?"

"Yes, I've been playing since fourth grade." Thomas smiles proudly, and Ruben hopes to remember that smile all his life, braces and pimples and all, and the butterflies in his stomach are causing quite the hurricane. "Do you play anything?"

"Well, uhm ... I sometimes try playing on my mother's piano, but it's nothing more than pressing down keys, and only when I'm home alone."

"Oh, have you ever seen that film, Home Alone? It's one of my favourites!"

"Yes! I know, right? We always watch it on Christmas Eve!"

"We do too!"

When they arrive at The Black Horse, they're deep in a discussion about the funniest parts and jokes from Home Alone. It's half October, so it's not exactly warm anymore, but they sit outside anyway since it's not exactly cold either and it's less intimidating than going inside and they're not the only ones.

A waitress comes to get their orders. They start speaking at the same time: "For me a Fanta, please." "Fanta, please."

The waitress laughs and repeats: "Two Fantas?" They nod and laugh some more.

After that, the dam has broken and the words rush out of their mouth like water that floods a valley. They talk about Christmas films and then about their favourite Christmas presents ever and about their family traditions and dishes.

That's when Thomas flaps out: "You should come to mine during winter break to eat my mum's cinnamon biscuits. They're literally the best you'll ever taste!" They both blush when they realise what that would imply.

Ruben mutters shyly: "I'd like that."

Thomas is not much better when he replies: "Okay", which reassures Ruben and makes him feel all warm and tingly, for if Thomas is already inviting him for winter break, that means he definitely wants to see him again.

"You could also come to mine sometime, you know? I could show you that one strategy game I talked about on Wednesday."

Thomas's smile is blinding enough to set Ruben's face on fire, but he'll blame any redness that might show, on the cold. "Nice. I'm really curious to see how the storyline is worked out after what you told me. Maybe that could be our next date?" Suddenly, all the shyness is back, as if Thomas has slipped on a delicate mask that enhances the softness of his face – despite the pimples – and the dimple in his chin and how small his nose is and how thick his eyebrows.

Ruben's elation at the mention of a second date is the kind that threatens to seep through his pores, like sweat – but hopefully without any smell that might scare Thomas off. "I'd love that, but, well ... Would it be okay if I told my mum and dad you're just a friend? I mean, I could tell them, of course, but, well ... If I even think about telling them I'm dating someone – that's just fricking awkward." He shudders.

"I know. I have an older brother and he has a girlfriend and he told them during dinner. I practically died from second-hand embarrassment. I can't imagine having or starting that conversation, ever. Have your mum and dad ever tried to do the birds and the bees talk?"

Ruben shakes his head, his lips already curling into a smirk because he can guess where this is heading. "No, fortunately."

"Mine did and let's just say it was horrible. I mean, I'm not stupid, I knew how it works, and like, what the heck, I was twelve – and even now, I would be like: are you seriously thinking I'm going to do anything anytime soon?"

Ruben nods earnestly, but he doesn't contain his laugh in the slightest. "I'm happy my mum and dad didn't do that, but they tease me a lot. Like, if I mention a girl from our class, they're immediately hinting and joking that I like her. And they always ask how my day was and when I'm going to meet with my friends again. I bet they're going to interrogate me about our date this evening, even though they don't know it's a date. It's honestly so annoying."

"They don't know you're gay?"

"No. If I told them, they would want to know if I like someone and stuff. As long as they don't ask, I won't tell. Do your mum and dad know?"

"I think so. I mean, I didn't explicitly say anything, but my mum is bisexual and I think she has a gaydar and suspects me."

"That's easy. I wouldn't mind my parents knowing, as long as they don't comment all the time. It's the telling I don't want to do because you can be sure that they'll make all kinds of annoying comments and jokes when I come out."

"Well, it's not like you're expected to come out now. You can wait till you're ready."

Ruben looks down at his hands. "Thank you. Sometimes I feel bad that I haven't told them yet because it seems kind of like I don't trust them or anything."

"I don't think you should feel bad. It has nothing to do with them." Thomas hesitates but eventually reaches out until the tops of their fingers touch across the small metal table, subtlely enough to be accidental, but his hesitation and downcast eyes betray him and Ruben can only think how cute Thomas looks like that, before he blushes himself and stares at his glass of Fanta that's still half full.

"So, uhm ..." They curl their fingers back at the same time. "What's your favourite season? Do you like autumn?"

Thomas glances at the trees alongside the road that are starting to dye their leaves in reds, yellows and browns. "I do, but if I have to choose, I think winter is my favourite."

"Winter! Why that? It's just cold and rainy."

"Most of the holidays take place in winter. And I like snow."

"But it never snows anymore. You're lucky if it snows one day and those two centimetres are enough to get all the traffic stuck."

"I know, but I remember one time a few years ago when it snowed and we went sleighing on a hill in the forest. And you know those days when it's bitter cold, but the sky is clear and the sun shines? Those days always make me happy and I love long walks in that kind of weather, all bundled up in a winter coat and scarfs and gloves and everything and then coming home to drink a hot chocolate and eat biscuits."

Ruben shrugs, imagining such a walk with Thomas, holding hands, maybe even kissing each other with ice-cold lips, and coming home where hot chocolate and biscuits or cake are waiting for them. Yeah, that would be nice. Maybe he could surprise Thomas with it at the end of November, before their exams, if he isn't tired of him by then – which sounds way too cynical for his liking and is not something he wishes to reflect upon. "Still not my cup of tea, but I can see why you like it. My favourite season is spring. Sunny but not too hot, and Easter eggs, and my birthday."

"When's your birthday?"

"The twenty-fifth of April. When's yours?"

"The second of June."

Ruben raises his eyebrows. "Right before the exam period."

"Yes, but it could have been worse."

They start discussing the best moments to have your birthday and Ruben finds himself contaminated by Thomas's broad smile. When he mentions a fable by Toon Tellegen about the cricket who wants to celebrate his birthday every day, Ruben is in awe – another literate fourteen-year-old! – and they continue to talk about other fables about the squirrel and the ant and the other animals. He never expected someone else his age to have read those stories and to like them.

"What's your favourite?"

Thomas looks down at the table and empties his glass before answering. "I think that one about missing. My grandpa used to read it for me."

"I like that one too."

They keep chatting about books, but eventually, Ruben notices it's already twenty past five. He is beginning to get a little cold anyway, to be honest. As much as he feels like talking with Thomas forever – imagine how nice that would be, like one giant date that would last for the rest of his life (or probably not that long – he's not that naïve to think he will marry Thomas someday, but that doesn't mean that he wouldn't like to just keep talking with him for as long as he feels like it), he'd better get home, before mum starts worrying and texting or even calling him.

So, during a lull in their conversation, he says: "Uhm, Thomas, I think I should head home. It's almost half past five, so ..."

"It's that late already! I didn't notice ..."

Ruben gifts him a small, shy smile. "Time sure flies, doesn't it?" Thomas smiles back just as shyly and Ruben dies a little on the inside – or at least, this can't be but a glimpse of heaven if it exists and surely then all the angels would smile like this.

They get up to pay at the counter inside. Ruben wants to pay for Thomas since he asked him out – that's what you do on a date, right? – but Thomas already has his wallet in his hand, so he decides to just pay for his own Fanta because it'd be weird if he insisted he pay for them both.

They stand outside next to their bikes for a while, both shuffling and shifting their weight, with their hands in their pockets.

"Well ..."

"So ..."

"You first."

"Uhm ... I guess I just wanted to thank you?" Ruben stumbles over his words. "I really liked this. And you." At his last impulsive addition, he cringes. He can't help but embarrass himself, can he? His cheeks are aflame.

"I like you too." Thomas's cheeks mirror his own. "Uhm, see you next week?"

"Yeah, sure. See you next week." He gives a little wave and again cringes internally because he realises he still has to take his bike and it's stupid and ridiculous to wave when they're hardly a metre apart. He turns around so he doesn't have to see Thomas anymore, but once he's left, he looks back to see Thomas ready to leave as well, but for the moment just gazing after him, smiling, and Ruben feels as if he is lit up from the inside and glowing bright enough to be a second sun.