The next day, as I make my way to the reading club, I see Nicholas casually talking with a bunch of people. He feels so far away, not minding the fact that he’s being the center of attention. He laughs and talks loudly… I didn’t realise that he was so popular. His eyes catch mine and he smiles brightly, rushing a heavy blush to my cheeks.

I try to ignore the feelings twirling inside of me, but I fail miserably as I almost trip on my way to my club’s door. I hastily turn around to see if he caught that, and his amused smirk tells me so. I hurry inside as fast as I can.

I find Jacques seated at the farthest table, his nose stuck in some notebook in which he’s scribbling something. His eyes rise to me as I enter, a kind smile on his lips. Shyly, I manage to make my way toward him, my eyes stuck on the ground so that no one notices the residual blush that installed itself on my cheeks a bit earlier.

I sit next to him in an awkward silence. It’s so easy to talk to Nicholas, yet I can’t say anything to the guy next to me, with the exception of a shy ‘’hi’’. I take my computer and open my book’s document. I sigh, ready to take on the beast. Here’s the problem: my two characters love each other, yet I can’t find a way to bring them together. There’s already so much romance story out there, I can’t just write the same one as everyone (even though that’s probably exactly what I’m doing, considering my lack of experience).

Jacques’ clear voice bring me back to the club room: "You come in here to write, too?"

I nod in agreement, biting my bottom lip. Then, after a few minutes: "You seem stuck… Can I help?" he says with an understanding glare.

Jacques’ too nice. I bet he’s the kind of guy that could easily give his life up for a total stranger. I turn my computer toward him, asking if maybe he’s interested in reading it. I shyly admit that he’s the first one to ever read my work, and he promises not to be too harsh on me with a little laugh.

About ten minutes later, he hands my computer back to me, with a few notes every now and then throughout my text. One of them reads “Isn’t this character the exact copy of Nicholas Breen?”. I blush a bit as I see it: I didn’t even realise that the handsome redhead I just depicted as my main character’s love interest was in fact Nick.

Overall, I think he liked it. I have some new ideas for my development, along with a few details to add. I thank him with my almost inaudible voice, and he chuckles lightly, saying he’d do it anytime. However, he states how surprised he is about the fact that I’m writing a boy’s love story. “You didn’t seem like the type…”, he adds. Wait… Did I just come out to Jacques? I guess I’ve never really been “in the closet” anyway. I shrug it off, returning to my novel.

The door opens, and a familiar face comes in.

"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you hated books!" I almost scream at Nick, leaving a confused look to everyone around. They’re used to my quiet attitude, and I think that’s the first time most of them really heard my voice.

"I do, but I saw you come in here and I wanted to see you", he replies with a dazzling smile.

I blush a bit (because that seems to be a thing my body newly discovered how to do, and it just can’t stop), smiling at Nick. Jacques gives me a knowing look, but I shut him off with a mean glare I didn’t even know I had in me.

"I’ve got to run to my physics class… Wanna walk there with me?" he asks.

Obviously, I don’t pass on the offer. I happily trail behind him, as Jacques still looks at me from the corner of his eyes. He’s not even trying to be subtle, but fortunately Nick doesn’t seem to notice. We talk all the way to his class, and just like that my day was made a thousand times better.