Joel had been standing near the far wall, notebook pressed to his chest, sketching a bunch of doodles with his trusty mechanical pencil. The ballroom felt too big, and he was trying not to feel ridiculous for expecting something magical or meaningful after that cryptic note. It had probably been a joke, or a weird marketing stunt.

He hadn’t expected anyone to approach him at all, especially not someone like him. Joel blinked as the other redhead spoke, his voice a little too loud for Joel’s tastes. He was stylish, confident, and that smile was something else, in the best way.

Joel blinked, unsure if he’d heard him right. “I… um… no,” he said, very quietly, eyes flicking down and then back up. “I mean… yeah. I don’t have a problem. With, um… boys. Or anyone, really.” He hesitated. “I just don’t really… talk to people like this. Much.” There was a pause. He fidgeted with the corner of his sketchbook. “I’m Joel.” He paused, almost like he wanted to say thank you for noticing me. But it didn’t feel right, so he gave a shy smile. “I’ve never been here before,” he added, more to fill the silence than anything. “It’s… kind of overwhelming.”

[@Letter Bee]