I Volunteer | Jack Schlossberg | Friends to lovers

I'm in trouble

For the next four months, Annie spent all of her days the same way: work, library shifts, clean, eat, sleep. She thought about Jack from time to time when he would text her pictures of himself playing darts, to which she would respond with TikTok thirst trap edits of himself—he hated that. They had developed a real rapport, and she was grateful for the friendship.

At the end of May, he texted to let her know he would be in town and would love to meet up if she was free.

"He specifically said you? He didn't say us?" Alex asked, spinning in her chair at the library's circulation desk.

"Yeah I'm kind of freaking out about it, actually. You don't think this is a date, do you?" Her talking speed began drastically increasing. "Because the friendship is going so well and I'm only just starting to get to know him, like really know him, and I don't want anything to be weird or..."

"Hey," Alex said, gently placing her hand on Annie's shoulder. "Slow your roll. This is a good thing. It's good for you to branch out, and it'll probably just strengthen the friendship you're building. I think you should go."

"You do?"

"Hundred percent. Go, and then call me immediately after with details."

"Go where?" Michael said as he approached the desk, overhearing the last bit of their conversation.

"Jack asked Annie to hang out while he's in town," Alex answered.

"Without us??" he pouted.

"Yes, without us," Alex said, telling him with her eyes to be supportive of the decision.

He quickly changed his tune. "Well, that sounds fun! What are your plans?"

"We're just going to get dinner at a Latin place in Cambridge. He said he used to eat there a lot when he was at Harvard. And the man is picky about his food, so I trust his judgment."

"Annie," she heard Susan holler from across the room. "Do you have a second?" she asked, gesturing for Annie to come over. Annie gave Alex a wide-eyed stare, but Alex waved her off with a reminder that she was literally just a volunteer and couldn't be in trouble for anything real. Annie laughed and walked over to Susan.

"You do digital marketing for Boston College, right?"

"Yes! For about three years now."

"That's what I thought. Let me ask you this, have you ever considered stepping out of higher ed?"

"I mean, yeah, definitely. I just haven't found a better fit yet."

"How about for a non-profit library and museum?"

Annie swallowed loudly. "I'm sorry, is there a position open? Because when I checked last week, nothing was available."

"You checked last week?" Susan chuckled. "I love that. Actually yeah, our Assistant Marketing Director is relocating, so we're looking for someone with experience in education and marketing. Interested?"

Before Susan could even conclude the sentence, Annie blurted out, "Absolutely!"

"Wonderful," Susan said with a toothy smile. "I'll email you an application."

Annie got to the restaurant 15 minutes early, per usual, but this time Jack had beaten her. His menu was covering his face again, but as she approached, he lowered it, revealing his chiseled jawline and golden skin. No hat today, thank God, she thought to herself as she took in the sight of his dark curls cascading down his forehead.