I SEE THE CONSTELLATIONS [ JACK x ZACH ]

one

Grade five was the year that some people were starting to hit puberty. Hormones flying in the air, crushes growing every second, Jack was amazed.

All the boys would talk about was how pretty the other girls were, "Jack! Look at her! Her brown hair looks amazing!"

But Jack didn't see it.

He tried, oh did he try so hard, but he couldn't see it. Yes, the girls were really pretty, but he couldn't see himself wanting to date them, or even bigger, kiss them.

"Her eyes are super pretty." told his friend Corbyn. Corbyn had been crushing on a girl named Christina for the longest time, and Jack -- being the nice friend he is -- would always listen when Corbyn ranted to him.

"Yes, you have told me that so many times." told Jack with a laugh. They were out at first recess, and Jack was frozen. It was the middle of February and snow was piling onto the school grounds nonstop.

"No, but just, Jack, look at her! Her hair is so pretty!"

Jack looked at Christina and looked back at Corbyn and thought, they'd be a cute couple.

"Then tell her that." told Jack.

"You say that so easily! It's so hard! What if she doesn't like me?"

"Then move on."

"But that's haarrdd!" whined Corbyn.

Jack didn't know what to tell his friend.

Suddenly, Christina and her group of friends started to walk toward Corbyn and him. Christina smiled and started talking to the two boys, "Hi Jack, hi Corbyn!"

"H-hey!" muttered Corbyn. Jack just stood silent. He usually didn't talk, only to Corbyn and his other friend Daniel.

"Did you know we're getting a new student! He's actually in the class right now!"

"He?" asked Jack.

"Yup, it's a boy. I don't know his name though."

As if on cue, the bell rung. Jack was nervous, he hoped the boy was nice enough to talk to him.

Jack walked into the school alone (Corbyn was talking with Christina) and hung his jacket on his hook that was outside the class.

Once he stepped in the class, he felt a gaze that was looking at him. Jack looked up and,

woah.

The boy was stood in the front of the class, nervously twirling his fingers. His hair was in a brown quiff, and his finger nails were painted a light blue.

Jack felt his heart start to beat loudly in his chest.

The boy looked at him, and suddenly Jack felt intimidated.

Jack hurried to his desk, and when he came to the realization that the boy would probably be sitting beside him (as there was a free seat), he smiled.

"Class," welcomed Mrs. Rouge, "welcome Zachary to our classroom. Remember to be nice, and invite Zachary to play with you at recess. Zachary, you will be sitting in the free desk right beside Jack. Now, Julia will be coming around with your new unit in science, space, just read and highlight the chapter, 'Planets.' Jack, will you please come out in the hall with me?"

Jack looked up from searching in his desk for his science duo tang to his teacher waving him over. He became alarmed, rethinking everything he had done the past week as he stood up and walked into the hall.

"Jack, I've put Zachary's seat right beside yours on purpose because I know how much of a welcoming student you are," Jack mentally wiped the sweat off of his forehead, "so I hope you will include Zach in your games at recesses."