Lose Yourself in Love

A month had passed, and Jacques had managed to keep Charles as both his roommate and his boyfriend. Determined to prove himself, he began to study diligently, forcing himself to stick to a rigorous schedule. He shadowed Charles throughout his daily routines, mirroring his habits and discipline, as if hoping that by following in his footsteps, he could become someone better.

Charles had a way of gently nudging Jacques in the right direction. He would fix the collar of Jacques's shirt or smooth down his spiky, short hair before they left for the day. Under Charles's influence, Jacques had transformed. He was no longer the slacker rat room with noticeable body odor. Now, he smelled fresh, his clothes were tidy, and his appearance was neat. It was as if he had shed his old skin and stepped into a new version of himself.

The changes didn't go unnoticed. Instructor David, who used to look at Jacques with a tired sigh, now gave him small nods of approval. It wasn't much, but coming from David, it felt like a big deal.

Jacques's grades were getting better—not amazing or anything, but at least they weren't all F's anymore. He wasn't at the top of the class, but he was improving. And for Jacques, that was enough for now.

To show how much Charles meant to him, Jacques took down the posters of his dream to fly among the stars and stopped sneaking out at night to gaze at the sky.

It felt a little sad as he piled everything into a box and threw it away, but he brushed the feeling aside. His relationship with Charles was more important than anything. This was how he showed Charles just how much he meant to Jacques .

Two years later...

It was a bright, wonderful day, yet a boy sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria, eating plain chicken porridge. His body was skinny, his face darker than it should have been, and his eyes had lost their light. He always sat there, doing the same thing, eating the same meal. After lunch, he would leave the cafeteria and walk straight back to the library to read.

He was so quiet, so lifeless.

"Hey, Jacques !" Harvey called out, tapping Jacques on the back as he ran past him in the hallway to the library. Jacques turned to look at Harvey without saying a word. Harvey grabbed his shoulder and hugged him sideways, trying to break through the silence. Jacques won't even look at him.

"It's Dean's birthday tonight," Harvey said cheerfully. "He invited us to play video games. Yep, it's oversleep time! You coming?"

"I can't, bro. My grades need my attention," Jacques replied, continuing to walk as if trying to shake Harvey off.

"You've been focusing on your grades all this time. But look at yourself—can't you see how you look these days? You look so dry, man. You need to have fun too!"

Jacques suddenly grabbed Harvey's collar in a burst of rage. Even though he had lost a significant amount of muscle compared to last year, his strength was still formidable. "Leave me alone, you fucking dumbass!" Jacques snapped.

Harvey froze, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. How could Jacques throw away their friendship for grades? What was happening to him? Harvey couldn't find any words to respond. He simply followed Jacques as he walked like a zombie into the library.

From outside the library, Harvey watched Jacques through the glass wall, his heart heavy. Jacques sat at a table, lost in his books, looking like a shell of his former self. He used to be the brightest, funniest person Harvey ever knew—always pushing boundaries, challenging rules, and making everyone laugh while he did it. He was lovable, a fantastic friend, and an incredible athlete.

But now? Now, Jacques was nothing more than a zombie, obsessing over his grades that stuck between C and D, no matter how hard he study.

Harvey clenched his fists in anger, something just doesn't feels right.

I bothers Harvey so much he bring it up even after he joined Bruno and the rest of their friends on the basket ball field.

"This ain't right, man... something is corrupting him and I need to save him!" Harvey punches his own palm.

Bruno, drenched in sweat from practice, poured water over his head from his tumbler. "You've been complaining about the same thing for months now, Harvey. When are you going to let him go? I mean, it's his choice."

Harvey shook his head, his frustration bubbling over. "I know it's his choice, but damn, I miss the old Jacques ."

"Same here," Mike said, spinning a basketball on his finger. "He used to be so much fun, but now he snaps so easily."

Harvey sighed deeply, staring at the basket ball field's floor. "Something happened to him, and I don't like it."

"Look, Harvey," Bruno said, clearing his throat, "when someone gets a lover, they change. My brother changed when he got a girlfriend. She turned him into a much brighter person. He used to be annoying and not funny, but all of a sudden, his girlfriend made him feel more at ease in his own skin, and I liked him more. Some people become better, and some turn worse. Maybe Jacques just wasn't as lucky as my brother."

"Wait, you mean he has a girlfriend? Who? I've never seen him getting close to any girl," Harvey said, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Okay, who's gonna tell him?" Bruno said, perking up as he glanced at the others, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

Just as they were poking each other, encouraging someone to tell Harvey the truth he might not want to hear, a beautiful blonde boy with clear blue eyes walked past them. Harvey's eyes lit up instantly.

"Hey, Charles!" Harvey called out, standing up to approach him.

"Hey, what's up?" Charles stopped walking and turned to face Harvey.

"So, tonight's Dean's birthday. Would you come over with us to play video games? You know, tomorrow's Saturday, so you dorm boys are allowed to sleep over, right?" Harvey couldn't stop smiling, his hopefulness evident. He had been building up the courage for weeks to finally call out Charles's name and ask him something like this.

"Oh, right, umm... but... I need to help my buddy improve his grades. I'm sorry, Harvey," Charles replied politely, his tone apologetic.

"You mean Jacques ? Well, he can come too, and you both can study while the rest of us play video games..." Harvey suggested, too focused on his goal to notice how awkward the arrangement would actually be.

"That sounds great, but I don't think it would be good for my buddy to study around video games. He wouldn't be able to focus. Thanks for the invitation, though," Charles said, offering a small smile before turning to leave.

"Um! Would you... uhh... hang out with me instead? Saturday night, at Rupert's Diner? They've got the best burgers around," Harvey blurted out, unable to let Charles walk away just yet.

Charles paused and turned back toward him, his smile softening. "That sounds good. Sure. Six o'clock?"

"Sounds great to me!" Harvey's eyes lit up even brighter. After two years of simply watching Charles pass by and imagining what it would feel like to spend time with him, he had finally worked up the nerve to ask—and succeeded.

"Guys, don't make me tell him," Mike grunted, torn between laughing and feeling sorry, while Bruno struggled to hold back his laughter beside him.