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After plenty of nudging from his best friends Ceci and Denise, Jamie Ramsey finally agreed to go on a date with Wendell Hilton, his fellow drama club member. Denise had known for ages that Wendell, the quiet new kid, had a huge crush on Jamie, and she was determined to make it happen.
Jamie sat at Waverly Gyros around 5:30 p.m., fiddling with his yarmulke and the rainbow ribbon pinned to his jacket. He didn’t usually wear the yarmulke outside synagogue, but his family wanted to show their support for Israel with everything going on. He spotted Wendell coming in and gave him a small wave.
Wendell walked over, smiling as he sat down across from Jamie. He wore his usual black cat hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, his blond hair a little tousled.
“Hey, Jamie!” Wendell said, looking around. “I haven’t been out all week—I forgot how much I like this place.”
“Good to see you back,” Jamie replied, nudging the plate toward him. “Grab something. There’s enough food for, like, four people.”
Wendell laughed, picking up a sandwich. “Thanks. I’ve been out sick all week—just one of those awful stomach bugs. My dad stayed home to make sure I was eating and everything.”
“Oh, that’s nice of him,” Jamie said, taking a sip of his milkshake. “Your mom still works for social services, right?”
“Yeah, she does elder care, which is totally different from your mom’s department, so they don’t really work together. But I think they see each other in the building sometimes.”
They ate in comfortable silence for a bit before Jamie broke it. “So… Ceci and Denise tell me you’re from Minneapolis?”
Wendell nodded. “Yeah, it was good for a while. We only moved after George Floyd’s murder. The protests and everything were so close to our neighborhood, and my parents were worried about all the bullying I was getting for being trans. So we left, and now we’re here.”
Jamie looked at him thoughtfully. “Man, I can’t even imagine. Peace Valley’s definitely quieter, but still… I mean, all the ghost stuff?”
Wendell grinned, relaxing. “Yeah, I wasn’t exactly expecting that, but hey, I’m rolling with it. Besides, I got into drama club here, which, by the way, I kind of joined just to be around you. I’ve had a crush on you since, like, day one.” He gave a shy laugh, eyes darting to the table.
Jamie’s cheeks went pink. “Seriously? Guess I can be a little… dense.”
“Hey, it’s cool,” Wendell said, laughing. “I just never thought I’d actually get to be here on a date with you, you know?”
They chatted more about family, school, and how both their lives had been impacted in different ways. “My family had to change our last name when we came to America,” Jamie shared. “It was just easier, safer. I’m lucky, though—my family’s really supportive about… well, everything.”
Wendell nodded, understanding. “There are so many people who don’t have that. It’s sad to see, you know? And everything feels so crazy now with… I mean, all the news, the election, everything.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Right? I mean, why are people so ready to believe everything they’re told, even when it’s obviously a lie?”
“Yeah, it’s just…” Wendell sighed. “I don’t get it either. You just want people to be decent to each other, you know?”
“Totally.” Jamie shook his head, then cracked a smile. “Anyway, are you as hyped as I am for the new musical?”
“Yeah! But I’m only a backup singer,” Wendell said with a shrug, though there was a hint of disappointment.
“You’ll get your moment. I promise.” Jamie smiled, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder.
They hadn’t noticed the time flying by until the clock was close to seven. Wendell glanced at his phone. “Guess we should head out?”
“Yeah.” Jamie felt a little nervous, but happy. “I had a great time.”
“Same,” Wendell replied, his cheeks pink as they walked outside. On a whim, he took Jamie’s hand, and Jamie squeezed it back, his own heart racing. They stopped around the corner, and, shy but smiling, shared a quick, soft kiss before parting ways, a little giddy with how the night had turned out.