When Nick first saw him, he choked. Literally. He had been walking across campus with Willie to his lit class, and as he took a drink, he turned his head to the room he was passing. There was music playing. As Nick went to swallow his drink, he caught sight of a dark haired guy, about his age, playing bass with a drummer and guitarist, and Nick choked. Willie just laughed and patted him on the back, moving them forward.
Nick had been going to this school for three years, and he had never seen the guy before. But after that day, he started seeing him everywhere. Always with one of other musicians from that day, or a girl. And unfortunately for Nick, whenever he was with the girl, he had his arm around her shoulders, and he’d kiss her forehead before one of them left. Nick wouldn’t say he was pining though. But just because Nick wouldn’t say it, didn’t mean nobody else would.
“Dude, you are totally pining.” Willie said when he saw Nick looking at the guy across the quad.
“I am not.” Nick snapped, but he couldn’t look away from the dark haired boy. “I just think he’s pretty.” Nick mumbled.
“I don’t know, man. Every time you see him, all you do is stare.” Suddenly Willie went quiet, “Now he is pretty.” Nick followed his gaze to the drummer and couldn’t help but laugh.
“You guys gotta help me.” Willie announced as he and Nick joined their friends Carrie and Flynn at the dorm’s student lounge.
“Oh, sweet Willie, we can’t offer mental help. That ship sailed a long time ago.” Carrie smiled, making her girlfriend chuckle. Willie let out a sarcastic laugh.
“You are so funny, Carrie. Ha ha. I meant help me with this pining idiot.” Willie gestured at Nick.
“I am not!” Nick whined.
Willie gave him a dead look, “All I ever hear from you is how pretty this musician is!”
“Musician?” Flynn perked up. “I’m all ears.”
Nick pressed his lips together and Willie raised an eyebrow, “Oh, NOW you don’t wanna talk about him?”
“It’s not a big deal.” Nick mumbled as he slumped further into his chair, his sandy blonde hair falling in his face.
Carrie, being Nick’s best friend, offered a gentle, “Come on, what’s so special about this guy?”
Nick sighed, staring at the deep blue walls of the lounge that clashed with the emerald green sofas, “He’s just really pretty. And I’ve heard him sing a couple times. His voice is nice.”
“Have you talked to him?” Carrie asked, but she knew the answer. Nick had never been one to flirt first.
Nick shook his head. “He’s always with this blonde guy or another dark haired guy. Or this curly haired girl, and I think he’s dating her.”
Flynn cocked her head, “I think you might be talking about Luke.”
Nick face visibly brightened and Willie choked on his laugh, trying to stifle it. Nick ignored him. “You know him?”
Flynn nodded, pulling her phone out. She held up a group photo, “This them?”
“Yeah!”
“I’m sorry to tell you, Nick, Julie and Luke are dating.” Nick deflated.
“I figured. He’s always kissing her forehead when she leaves.”
“You can still think he’s pretty.” Carrie offered. “Being taken doesn’t mean his looks can’t be appreciated.”
Flynn shrugged. Before he could reply, there was clatter outside the lounge, and when they looked, they could see the guitarist and the drummer carrying the bassist down the hall, as the girl trailed behind them and howled with laughter. The conversation was abandoned.
A little over a week, and over nine run ins with the bassist, later, Nick rounded the music building on his way to the university work out center, running directly into a couple that had been making out. “Oh, I’m so sorry-“ Nick’s voice cut off. It was the girl Flynn had called Julie, making out with the guitarist. “You’re Julie, right?”
“Yeah,” she answered, flushing in embarrassment. “You’re Nick? Flynn’s told us about you.” He was so nervous he forgot that he basically just ran into her cheating on Luke with the guy’s best friend.
‘Oh dear lord, I wonder what she’s said.’ Nick’s eyes widened, and he could hear the guitarist laughing, “Man, you really do look like a deer caught in headlights.”
Julie smacked him, “Luke, don’t be rude.”
Wait. “This is Luke?” Nick found himself asking.
”Yeah, man, great to meet you. Flynn is always talking about you guys. Well, when she isn’t sticking her tongue down Carrie’s throat.”
”Are you really one to talk?” Nick laughed, looking between the two of them. They both turned red. “Anyway, sorry I ran into you. I wasn’t looking, I was just in a hurry.” ‘And running away from a certain crush I can’t seem to avoid anymore.’ Nick thought. He had been playing his guitar in one of the music rooms before he needed to head to the gym when the bassist came in. The guy had said something about the way Nick played, but he couldn’t focus on it and basically ran away.
”It’s okay.” Luke said, checking his phone, “Our band mate needs us anyway.”
”Crush again?” Julie asked and when Luke nodded they both huffed a laugh. “Well, Nick, I hope we see each other again.”
”Yeah, definitely.” Nick answered as they went their separate ways. Nick couldn’t help but wonder who the dark haired guy was if this was Luke.
”So I hear you accidentally ran into Julie and Luke making out.” Flynn said plainly, but her face held an apologetic look as he sat beside her in her dorm room.
”Yeah, it’s not a big deal. I mean it was awkward.” Nick answered, “But I guess Luke wasn’t the one I was talking about anyway.”
”Well then who was?” Flynn asked, but before Nick could reply, he saw the bassist come through the door.
”Hey Flynn!” He said cheerily, but he seemed to freeze when his eyes landed on Nick. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were busy.”
”Naw, Reggie, come on in. Just listening to this pining dork.” Nick was confused. Reggie looked almost heartbroken at the news.
”It’s cool. I’ll just, uh, come back later.” Reggie was back out the door before either of them could say anything.
”That was weird,” Flynn muttered, “He’s never acted like that around me before.” Nick was silent, just staring at the space Reggie had filled. “Nick? You okay, buddy?”
”That was him.” He said quietly.
”Wait, what?” She laughed, “Reggie was the pretty boy?” Nick nodded. “That is amazing.” Nick didn’t care. Nick had a name to go with the pretty face now.
Nick got a text from Carrie during his last class of the week that they were doing a game night in her dorm. He made his way there without a second thought, it wasn’t unusual for him to just crash there, too. A lot of people thought they were dating cause they would spend the night with each other. But best friends did that. Especially when you grew up together. As Nick rounded the doorway into her room though, he wondered why he was friends with any of them.
Flynn and Carrie had invited all of Flynn’s friends. Which meant the band was there. Which meant Reggie was there. He froze in the doorway, just staring at everyone. “Come on!” Carrie called, snapping him out of the trance. “You need to actually enter the room.” He did, barely, and she swung the door shut behind him. Nick knew Flynn and Carrie well, and he knew this game night wasn’t going to be good.