Chapter 10 Claire
Claire
As Jacks and I walk hand in hand into our Thursday night class, I find myself not wanting to let him go.
It’s not that I want to keep touching him, no, I just like the way it feels—our hands joined together. Jacks lets me sit down first—we sit next to each other when we have a class together now—and I notice that he doesn't pull to let go of me either.
The two of us are good at this whole fake dating thing. Maybe that one kid in my English class can write a book about this someday…
“Hey, I wanted to ask you something,” Jacks says to me as I come out from my daydream of a Jacks and Claire inspired romance novel.
“Yeah, what's up?”
“Can you help me with the genetics worksheet that’s due tomorrow? I haven't even started it but every time I look at it my head spins.” Oh. For some reason I expected something much more serious.
“Yeah, of course, but you realize our class is tomorrow, and the worksheet is due then, right?”
To that he laughs. “Yes, I do. I was hoping we could have a study date after class. You know we never stay the full three hours.”
He does have a point. Professor Holland always lets us out early because he hates how late classes here go just as much as we do. “Okay.”
“Cool. Do you wanna go back to my place? We can study in the common area…” He trails off suddenly while running a hand through his hair. Why is he nervous?
“Yeah, that sounds good.” I smile at him as our professor makes his way into the room and starts talking. At some point during class, Jacks and I’s hands find each other again.
And neither of us pulls away as our professor continues talking.
An hour and a half later, Jacks and I have moved from sitting next to each other in class, to sitting across from each other in the common area of his dorm. What once was us holding hands in class, has now turned to intertwining our feet underneath the table.
“Okay so, this worksheet is on genetics, which is chapter eight of the textbook,” I tell him as I flip the book open to the right page. “Thankfully this one has a word bank because the last one we did like this was difficult.”
He nods in agreement. “Yeah, I’m glad we at least have one this time, but I swear these words look fake. Who the hell came up with the words ‘intron splicing’?”
I laugh when he says that. “Technically, all words are made up.”
“Huh,” he says to himself. “I guess you're kind of right.”
“Now, I think we should each fill out as much as we can and check each other's answers when we’re done. Does that sound good?”
“Yeah, that’s perfect.” Jacks suddenly gets up out of his chair and goes to his room. When he comes back, he has a blue speaker in his hand. “Do you mind if I play some music? I can't work when it’s completely silent, it makes my head feel loud and then I can't concentrate.”
“I don't mind at all. I’m not a fan of too much prolonged silence either. I also don't enjoy hearing my thoughts that much, so play away.”
Jacks puts on a random playlist and I find myself humming along to some of the songs I know as I fill out the worksheet. I’m trying my best to concentrate on each step of transcription for prokaryotes and eukaryotes, but I keep getting distracted by Jacks’ low hums.
Is it possible to be attracted to a voice? I keep imagining that deep voice between my—
Woah. Woah. Claire, chill the fuck out.
I’m going to blame this on the fact that I’ve been in a dry spell for the last six months. Clay and I stopped having sex probably around the time he fell out of love with me, and every time I tried to do anything remotely sexy, he always turned me down.
God, I was so stupid. All the fucking signs were there.
I shove all of those thoughts out of my head and return to the worksheet. A few songs later, Jacks and I wordlessly trade sheets and I circle the ones I think we should talk more about, and I assume he’s doing the same for me.
I go to hand him his worksheet back after checking it over, and when our hands touch, we both drop the sheet as if it was on fire.
It sure felt like it was. Surely our hands touching wasn't the object of all that heat. There’s no way it was, so yeah, let’s blame the worksheet.
“Sorry. I might play hockey but I have butterfingers sometimes,” he laughs nervously.
“I get it. I practically trip on my own two feet most of the time,” I say while trying to dissolve some of the electricity in here. The two of us are silent for a few moments before we lock eyes from across the table.
My stomach does a few flips before the tension gets broken by someone else entering our space. “Candy Canes! What the fuck is up girl?”
I smile, happy to see a familiar face. “Hi, Grant. Jacks and I are having a study date.”
Grant turns to face his friend, whose cheeks are all red, and smiles wide at an embarrassed Jacks. “How is my best friend treating you? It better be a good answer or I’ll kick his ass for you, Claire.”
“Grant, are you serious right now?” Jacks tries to shove him away, but Grant won't budge.
“He’s the best. Don't you worry, Carter, you’ll be the first person I tell if Jacks is being an idiot.
” Jacks just rolls his eyes at that statement, which causes me to laugh.
I don't think Jacks has an asshole bone in his body.
Grant too. These two seem like one of the good ones, and anyone would be lucky to have them as a partner.
“In all seriousness, I’m glad you two are together.
This seems like a good match. Plus, you guys are adorable together,” Grant sits down next to both of us.
“You guys are sitting here doing a worksheet together and I swear I could feel the tension in the room when I walked in. It’s like, thick as fuck, and you're just studying together.”
Jacks and I look quickly at each other, and then instantly away. I assume it’s because we’re both embarrassed about that comment, but I think Jacks plays it off well. “Thanks, G. Now, can we get back to it or are you going to annoy us for the rest of the night?”
“Now Jacks, at least give me a few minutes to get to know Claire. You’re dating this beautiful girl, yet I barely know a thing about her.” Grant claps Jacks on the shoulder and then turns to me. “So, tell me about yourself, Candy Canes.”
“Well, I love Christmas movies—”
“Wow! You two are perfect for each other. Christmas movie lover meet rom-com movie lover. Now just that fact alone could make for a pretty good storyline. You guys should call the Hallmark channel or something.”
“Grant, you just cut her off. Let her speak before you jump in,” Jacks puts his hand up so Grant won't hear him, even though he’s sitting right next to us both. “Sorry, when he gets excited about something he doesn't shut up about it.”
I put my hand up too. “It's fine. It’s nice that one person is excited to get to know me.”
“He’s not the only one, gorgeous.” With that Jacks winks at me and I swear my stomach drops.
I turn back to Grant. “You already know that I love photography, but my favorite kind of pictures are candid. I think there's something special about capturing something that you didn't mean to. Those are often my favorite pictures that I’ve taken.”
Grant’s face lights up when he hears that. Damn, Jacks was right. Grant does get excited at basically everything. I’ve never seen someone smile this much. “Can you shoot a candid right now? I want to see the master at work.”
“Grant, come on—”
I cut Jacks off. “Babe, it’s fine.” That slipped out easily. “Give me something to shoot, and I’ll gladly do it.” I take my phone out of my bag and flip to my camera. I don't have my good camera, but this will do for now.
Grant looks around for a moment before his eyes narrow. “How about Jacks here? He’d be a good subject for candids since he probably gave you one of the best ones that first day.”
“Grant, no I’m sure there’s something else—”
“I mean I don't want to make him uncomfortable—” The two of us are stuttering through our sentences before Grant shakes his head at us.
“Claire, you said to give you something. So I am. Jacks is a wonderful subject.” Grant smiles. Does he know we’re faking it, or is this a test?
“He is.” I look at Jacks from across the table. “Are you okay with this?”
He only appears slightly uncomfortable, but he nods his head. “As long as you're the one behind the camera, I know I’m in good hands.”
“That’s the spirit!” Grant says as he gets comfortable in his chair.
“Where and how do you want me, Claire?”
Why are my legs tingling all of a sudden? This might be harder than I thought. “We can just start like this.”
He nods at me, and I start to shoot him from different angles, but nothing feels right.
The lighting, the angle, the poses. I need to get him to loosen up, but this whole situation is just…
awkward. After a few minutes, an idea pops into my head.
“Hey, Grant? Can you turn on the You’ve Got Mail playlist on Apple Music? ”
“You’ve got it!” I laugh at the obvious pun he just made, and then turn to Jacks.
“You’re too stiff. Loosen up a bit, babe. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I just don't know what to do with my hands! I feel weird sitting here all eyes on me.”
The music starts, and another idea pops into my head. “Grant, tell some jokes or something. Make us laugh. You’re pretty good at that, and Jacks—”
“Yes, gorgeous?”
I pause for a second and let that phrase hang in the air. “Go sit on the couch over there. I can't see enough of you on the chair.”
He does what I say, and the next half an hour is one of the most memorable times I’ve ever had.
Jacks loosens up, Grant makes all of us laugh our asses off, and eventually I’m the one in front of the camera and Grant is taking candid photos of all of us.
By the end, the three of us have laughed so much that we’re all sitting on the couch and looking over the photos we all took—while pointing out the best shots that we got.
“Well Claire, it looks like Jacks was right,” Grant says to us.
“Right about what?” I ask as I lightly tap Jacks on the arm—to which he smiles, but it's not a big deal.
“He told me that you were phenomenal behind the camera, and of course I knew that because of the hockey photos, but I like how you capture the normal aspects of life—like laughter and happiness.”
Jacks told Grant I was phenomenal behind a camera? “Well, thanks. Tonight was really fun. Thank you, guys, for doing that for me.”
“Doing what?” Jacks asks me.
“Reminding me why I fell in love with photography again.”
Grant knocks my shoulder and I fall into Jacks. “No problem, Candy Canes. I can't wait to print out some of these and hang them on our wall. Do you guys think I’d make a good model?”
To that, the three of us laugh again, and I find myself smiling more than I ever have with these two guys at my side.
Oh, how the times change…
Three Days Later
Jacks: Hello m’lady. This is me requesting a formal first fake date for this Wednesday night after my practice.
Jacks: Are you free perhaps? I’d love to flaunt you where everyone can see…
Claire: Oh my God, this is hilarious.
Jacks: Thanks?
Claire: I’m free. What kind of dinner are we thinking? Fancy?
Jacks: Not too fancy. Grant gave me the name of this Italian place in town. I thought we could just go there.
Claire: Tell Grant that he did good. Italian food is always the way to my heart.
Jacks: Noted. I’ll keep that in mind for the future.
Jacks: Also, I’m glad you said yes because I already made reservations.
Claire: Then why did you ask me?
Jacks: Communication is one of our rules, unless you forgot Claire…
Jacks: Seems that only some of us can remember them…
Claire: I do remember them! But I’m starting to think this would be easier without rules…
Jacks: ???
Claire: Kidding.
Claire: I’m excited! This is my first real date in a while.
Jacks: What???? Didn't Clay take you out?
Claire: Not toward the end. I don't think we went on a proper date for the last six months of our relationship. He was always too tired or too something to go out.
Jacks: I’m gonna need you to stop telling me about him because the more I learn, the more I want to smack him and scold him for how he treated you.
Claire: Sorry.
Claire: Would it make you feel better to know that even though we’re fake dating, you’re definitely better than him already?
Jacks: …
Jacks: Maybe…
Claire: Well, you are, just so you know.
Jacks: Oh, well, good. I’ll pick you up after practice Wednesday?
Claire: Sounds good :)
Jacks: Wear something orange.
Claire: Orange????
Jacks: It makes your eyes pop.