Jean had been trying to write the same sentence for about twenty minutes.
He deleted it.
Typed it again.
Deleted it again.
He stared at the screen.
“My friend is a vampire.”
“Shit…”
He deleted the whole thing again. He was clearly dealing with the classic writer's block.
Several sheets of paper covered his desk, filled with handwritten ideas. Beside them sat a cup of coffee that had gone cold and was practically dying, along with his phone, which had been vibrating every few minutes.
Finally, he picked it up.
He had several messages from Tesia.
Wow, I've really been gone for a couple of hours without replying…
Tesia:
Jean!!!
Tesia:
Are you working? :3
Tesia:
Did you eat yet?
Tesia:
Jean?
Tesia:
Jean?
Tesia:
Jean!
Jean let out a small laugh.
“She's so impatient…”
He typed:
Jean:
Yeah, I'm working. Sorry, I was trying to write, but I'm drier than a desert right now… everything good over there?
The reply came immediately.
That was fast…
Tesia:
About your weekly article about the vampire and the human?
Jean:
Yeah.
Tesia:
And do you know where you want to take the story?
Jean stared at the screen.
He thought for a few seconds.
Jean:
More or less.
Tesia:
Does the vampire fall in love with the human?
Jean raised an eyebrow.
Jean:
That… I don't know yet. I haven't decided.
Tesia:
If you decide to do that, I… I could help you…
Jean let out a quiet laugh.
“Does she have experience falling in love? An experienced vampire when it comes to falling for humans… shit, I actually said that out loud. Thank God no one's around.”
Or is she talking about me when she says “falling in love”? But she doesn't know me that well yet… It's only been a relatively short time… “Falling in love” is a pretty strong phrase… Although, well, she does seem to genuinely like me. It's not like she's playing around with me or anything…
Before he could reply, another notification popped up.
A one-view photo?
Jean opened it.
It was Tesia lying on her bed.
She was wearing simple pajamas, an oversized T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. Her blonde hair was slightly messy, with several strands falling across her face. She looked like she'd just woken up, although the mischievous smile on her face made it pretty obvious she'd actually been awake for several minutes.
There was a message underneath the photo.
Tesia:
Fan service.
Jean stared at the screen.
“…”
He looked at the picture again.
“…”
He locked his phone.
“No.”
A few seconds passed.
He unlocked it again.
He looked at the picture once more.
“Definitely not.”
He locked it again.
“It's so sad getting one of these at work instead of in the comfort of my own room…”
A notification appeared.
Tesia:
Did you like it? :3
Jean dropped his forehead onto the desk.
“Oh my God…”
“What are you doing?”
Jean's head shot up.
Juan was standing beside his desk.
“Nothing!”
“Nothing?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
Juan glanced at the phone.
Then at Jean.
Then back at the phone.
“Are you texting Tesia?”
Jean sighed.
“Yeah.”
Juan smiled.
“I knew something was going on. She seems like a fun girl.”
“Nothing's really going on.”
“Sure.”
Juan pulled up a chair and sat beside him.
“All right, tell me.”
Jean looked at him for a few seconds.
“Have you realized that she's really into you?”
“Into me?”
“Or better yet, you've realized that you're into her too, right?”
Juan raised an eyebrow.
“What makes you say that?”
“Nothing, Jean…”
It's painfully obvious you've been writing your article based on things you do with Tesia… At least imagine a different outfit for the girl in your article, Jean…
“Jean…”
“Yeah?”
Juan turned on his computer and looked over at Jean with a smile that seemed almost relieved.
“It's none of my business, but I'm glad you're finally starting to move on from Jess…”
He looked back at his computer.
“I… I hope that someday I can honestly say I've completely moved on from her.”
“Do you still think about her?”
“Sometimes. Not by choice.”
Juan stopped typing.
“You probably won't ever forget her completely.”
“You think?”
“I'm sure of it. But you know what? I'm also sure that time has passed.”
“Not that much.”
“You might be right. Four months doesn't sound like much, but…”
Juan picked up a pen from his desk and started spinning it between his fingers.
“Time is relative, Jean. We don't live forever. There are people you forget ten seconds after meeting them, and there are others who are meant to stay inside you forever. And as for Tesia… that girl clearly cares about you. Let me tell you something about love and timing, too. Some people fall in love after years. Others seem destined to fall for each other at first sight. Don't let the fact that you can't forget Jess make you neglect Tesia.”
Juan tossed the pen into the air toward Jean, and Jean caught it.
“Opportunities are for the people who take them, Jean. You don't meet a beautiful girl every day, especially one you feel comfortable around who clearly seems crazy about you. Don't be an idiot.”
Jean let out a small laugh.
“Thanks. I'm surprised something that deep actually came out of you…”
“What can I say? I'm a ladies' man. I've got experience with life and relationships.”
Jean looked at him.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmmm. An experienced man…”
“I don't want to sound negative, but didn't you ask Roxy out to lunch last week and get rejected even though she knew you liked her?”
“Jean.”
“Juan.”
“There are more asses than stars in the sky, my friend. I'm not going to get depressed over one rejection.”
Jean narrowed his eyes.
“That's quite a line…”
But now that he mentions it, he's right. I've never seen him get depressed. Rejection after rejection after rejection, and he always stays positive… You're something else, Juan.
Jean fell silent.
///
“So, tell me, Jeansy…”
Jeansy?
“When are you going to ask her to be your girlfriend?”
It was the natural next step. Jean liked talking to her. He liked listening to all her little comments. He liked it when she called him suicidal human friend. He liked seeing her smile over the dumbest things, and although he'd never admit it out loud, he'd even started getting used to having her around.
He felt like he could count on her for anything, no matter how strange that sounded.
The problem wasn't Tesia.
The problem was him.
He didn't want to turn her into some kind of replacement for Jess.
He didn't want to start something with her while a part of him was still looking backward.
It wouldn't be fair to her.
“I… I don't know if it'll work romantically… and I feel like it's too soon…” Jean said.
Juan stopped typing.
“Too soon for what?”
“To actually date her. To give this whole romance thing a try. If it doesn't work, I'll lose a great friend, Juan, and I'm pretty sure I'll be depressed as hell…”
Juan stared at him for a few seconds.
“Wait, Jean… haven't you two already been going out in a romantic way? Aren't you basically one step away from making it official?”
“We've only gone out as friends.”
“But you go out to eat together. And you sit all close…”
“As friends.”
“You go on walks together.”
“As friends.”
“She waits for you outside work.”
“As a friend.”
“She sends you pictures in her pajamas.”
“Hey, asshole, how the hell do you know that?!”
Juan smiled.
“Are you an idiot, Jean? Has there seriously been zero flirting between you two? Are you both blind?”
Jean opened his mouth.
He didn't answer.
Juan turned back to his computer.
“Take her on a real date. Find out what she likes. Figure out how to make her feel special and how to create memories that'll make her fall even harder for you. I guarantee that after a few dates like that, you'll ask her to be your girlfriend, and Jess won't even cross your mind anymore. You've got a bombshell practically at your feet. Don't be an idiot.”
Jean picked up his phone again.
He had another message.
Tesia:
Jean?
Tesia:
Are you still alive?
Jean smiled without even realizing it.
Jean:
Yeah, I'm still alive.
The reply appeared almost immediately.
Tesia:
Thank goodness :3
Jean stared at the conversation for a few seconds.
Maybe Juan was right.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
He needed to let himself move forward.
Maybe he could simply get to know Tesia better.
No promises.
No rushing.
Without turning her into a replacement for anyone.
Just…
A date. One that could be the beginning of something, and that they could take at their own pace.
Maybe this could work.
Jean placed his phone back on the desk and stared at the ceiling.
“So…”
Juan looked at him.
“So?”
Jean swallowed.
“If I'm going to ask her out…”
He paused.
“Where the hell do I take a vampire?”
Juan stared at him, confused.
“Vampire?”