You stood behind Jake, the new guy who had transferred in a week ago. He’d asked you to help him with his costume for the school play — a role you never expected him to take, given how quiet he always seemed. But there he was, standing in front of you, his back to yours, asking you to button up his shirt.

"Thanks for this," he said softly, a nervous edge to his voice. "I... don’t know anyone else who’d help with this."

"Of course," you replied, trying not to let your hands tremble as you carefully worked the buttons. His shirt was slightly too big for him, and as you fastened the buttons one by one, you caught yourself admiring the way his back was framed by the fabric, how tall and lean he was.

His wrist cuffs were next. You bent over, taking them in your hands and carefully fastening them, trying to avoid brushing his skin too much. As your fingers brushed against the cuff of his sleeve, you noticed a slight shiver run through him, and you couldn’t help but wonder why.

"You good?" you asked, noticing his quietness. He seemed tense, but then, he always had this distant look to him, like he was constantly in his own world.

"Yeah, just... nervous, I guess," he mumbled, and you could feel his gaze on you, though you didn’t dare look up at him. Your heart skipped a beat when you realized he wasn’t looking at the costume, but at you.

It was then that you saw the way his hand subtly shifted towards yours, just as you finished fastening his cuffs. You froze, unsure of what to do, your heart suddenly pounding in your chest. Did he... like you?

"I don't mean to keep you," he said quickly, his voice more flustered than before. "I just... I didn’t know who else to ask."