Hearts Out of Bounds

Chapter 3: The School Project

The week passed without much drama, but Clint's demeanor had shifted. He seemed nicer, though he still kept his distance from JC at school. Meanwhile, JC's friendship with Harold and Claude deepened. They bonded over schoolwork, laughter, and shared interests, though Harold had been absent for the last two days, leaving JC and Claude to spend more time together.

On a sunny Wednesday, JC and Claude found themselves sitting next to each other in class. By lunchtime, they were still side by side, laughing over a spread of food Claude had bought for them.

"What's the occasion?" JC asked between bites of a sandwich.

Claude smiled, almost shyly. "I'm just happy we're friends. I've never met someone like you."

JC, oblivious to the subtle hint of attraction in Claude's voice, simply smiled back. "Well, I'm glad we're friends too."

After lunch, they headed to history class, where the teacher announced a group project. Partners were chosen through a draw, and as luck would have it, JC and Claude were paired together. Clint, however, remained unpicked due to Harold's absence. Ever the influential presence, Clint proposed, "Claude should be Harold's partner since they're close. I'll pair with JC."

The teacher, intimidated by Clint's strong personality, agreed. JC's stomach dropped. Uh oh, not again, he thought.

As they sat together, Clint invited JC to his house to work on the project. After school, JC found himself walking beside Clint to his car, feeling like an awkward puppy being paraded around. He could feel the eyes of their classmates on them, whispering and speculating.

Little did JC know that Clint was quietly enjoying the attention, feeling a strange sense of pride as though he were flaunting JC to the school.

They got into Clint's car, and the ride was mostly silent. When they arrived at Clint's house, JC was stunned. It was more of a mansion than a house, complete with a sprawling garden, guards at the gate, and a long driveway.

Clint's mother greeted them warmly at the door, surprised to see her son finally bring someone home. She hugged them both, leaving JC more confused than ever.

"We need to work on a project, Mom," Clint said, leading JC up the grand staircase to a study room that looked straight out of a magical world. Huge bookshelves lined the walls, filled with ancient-looking volumes. There were sculptures, paintings, and even a parrot perched near the window. JC couldn't help but admire the artwork. "You paint?" he asked, eyes wide.

Clint, suddenly modest, nodded. "Yeah, it's something I do in my free time."

"They're incredible," JC said, genuinely impressed.

They settled down to work at the large wooden table, and Clint was surprisingly cooperative and nice, far from the arrogant guy JC had thought him to be. As they worked, JC couldn't help but notice how attractive Clint looked up close, especially when he wasn't being condescending.

After finishing their project, Clint invited JC downstairs to try some of his mother's pastries. She had prepared a feast of baked goods and pasta, and JC found himself laughing and chatting easily with Clint's mom. Clint, meanwhile, sat back and watched with a soft smile, clearly happy with the connection between JC and his mother.

After eating, JC excused himself to use the bathroom. Clint casually said, "You can use the one in my room."

They headed back upstairs, and JC's jaw dropped when he saw Clint's room. It was enormous, with a hallway leading to a closet the size of a small apartment and an equally luxurious bathroom.

JC used the bathroom, but as he stepped out into the hallway, he froze. Through the open door of the closet, he saw Clint undressing, his back turned as he slipped out of his underwear. JC's heart raced as he quickly ducked back into the bathroom, his face flushed with both embarrassment and something else he couldn't quite place. He took a moment to gather himself, but his pulse didn't slow.

A minute later, Clint walked into the bathroom, now dressed in a sleeveless shirt and jogging pants. "You done?" he asked, his tone casual.

JC nodded quickly, startled. "Yeah."

As JC was about to leave, Clint suddenly said, "Let's hang out a bit."

JC, confused and nervous, followed Clint to the bed, where Clint sat down. "I want to do something," Clint said, pulling out his phone.

JC's heart skipped a beat, but Clint only draped an arm over his shoulders and said, "Smile." He snapped a selfie of them, his face close to JC's.

For the last photo, Clint leaned in and kissed JC on the cheek before snapping the picture. JC froze, wide-eyed and surprised. Clint, acting like nothing had happened, stood up and said, "Let's go."

Still reeling from the kiss, JC followed Clint downstairs. They thanked Clint's mom and headed to the car for the ride back to JC's house. The drive started in silence until Clint began asking JC random questions about his likes and dislikes, trying to make conversation. It wasn't until Clint asked, "Why are you scared of angry cats?" that JC laughed.

"I actually love cats," JC replied, "but I don't like the sound of them fighting."

Clint chuckled, and the mood lightened. When they arrived at JC's house, there was an unexpected moment where they hugged, a spontaneous and awkward gesture that left JC wondering, Why did I just do that?

As Clint drove away, a faint smile on his face, JC stood at his door, his thoughts spinning. Clint was confusing, but there was no denying that something was shifting between them.