Chapter 2: Checking Out Islas Jack

Monday at mid-morning break Lewis had a wander around the playground. He soon spotted Dudley and went over to him. ‘Do you know a lad in Isla’s form called Jack?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ Dudley said. He looked around then said, ‘See the lad sitting on the grass on his own, the one with fair hair. That’s him.’ ‘Ok, thanks.’ Lewis said.

He wandered over and sat down beside him. ‘Hi Jack.’ he said offering him his hand, ‘I’m Lewis.’ Jack looked surprised but took his hand and smiled. ‘Hi,’ he said, ‘Nice to meet you.’

‘Which form are you in?’ Lewis asked him. When he told him, Lewis said, ‘Ah yes, I remember him, he’s a good teacher. How are you finding it?’ ‘Ok,’ Jack said, ‘I struggle with some things, but he’s always been very patient with me.’

‘It’s hard growing up at times,’ Lewis said, ‘When I was your age, I’d never have had the nerve to come over to you, a complete stranger and open a conversation.’

‘I know what you mean,’ Jack said, ‘I’m like that. I can’t imagine being able to do what you’ve just done.’ ‘You probably will as you get older,’ Lewis told him, ‘Especially when you start work, then you’ll be mixing with people with the same interests.’

‘You’re halfway there already,’ Lewis said. ‘How do you mean?’ he asked looking puzzled. ‘Well once I introduced myself to you, you’ve been able to chat away fine,’ Lewis said. ‘There are lots of people your age who wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation as good as you are doing.’

Jack looked pleased. Then he looked sad. ‘If only I could do it with everyone.’ he said. ‘How do you mean?’ Lewis asked. ‘Well, I found it easy to talk to you,’ Jack said, ‘And if some of the other boys come and speak to me, which doesn’t happen often, I can sometimes talk to them ok.’

‘I sense a but coming.’ Lewis said smiling at him. ‘With girls I’m ten times worse,’ he said, ‘I just freeze.’ ‘So, I guess you haven’t asked one out on a date yet.’ Lewis said grinning. ‘I so wish I could.’ he said.

Just then the bell went. As they got up Lewis said, ‘It’s been nice meeting you Jack, I think I can help you with your shyness. I’ll come over here at mid-afternoon break and if you’re here we’ll talk again.’

‘That would be great,’ Jack said looking pleased, ‘I’ll be here.’

At lunchtime Lewis sat with Ella as usual. She told him about some of the houses they had been to see. ‘It’s going to be hard to choose,’ she told him, ‘They’re all so nice.’ At the end of lunch, they decided they would go to the shop one evening later in the week after school.

Mid-afternoon Lewis went over to where he had spoken to Jack that morning. He was sitting in exactly the same spot, clearly waiting. As soon as he saw Lewis approaching, he stood up and shook his hand.

When they sat down, Jack said, ‘What did you mean when you said you thought you could help me?’ ‘I’ll tell you in a moment,’ Lewis said, ‘But let me ask you something first. Do you have a girl in mind that you’d like to ask out?’ ‘Yes,’ he admitted.

‘Have you spoken to her?’ ‘Several times,’ he answered, ‘But although I want to ask her, I can never get the words out.’ ‘Do you think she likes you?’ Lewis asked him. ‘She often comes over to me at break and just sits by me,’ Jack said, ‘She still talks to me, even though I hardly ever manage to say anything back to her. ‘

‘Has your teacher ever asked you to stand up in class and tell a story or read something out?’ Lewis asked. ‘Yes.’ Jack said sounding miserable as he remembered it. ‘What happened?’ Lewis asked. ‘I only managed to get three words out and then I came to a halt. A lot of the boys and some of the girls laughed at me until the teacher stopped them. Then he told me to sit down.’

‘Did the girl you fancy laugh at you?’ Lewis asked. ‘No, she looked sad as if she was feeling my embarrassment too.’ he said. ‘What did she say to you afterwards?’ Lewis asked. ‘She came over to me at next break.’ he said. ‘She just sat by me as if giving me support. Then she said, ‘They were awful laughing at you, not everyone can be a public speaker.’

‘Do you know what a counsellor is?’ Lewis asked him. ‘I think so,’ Jack said, ‘Isn’t it someone you tell your problems to, and they help you get over them?’ ‘That’s spot on,’ Lewis said, ‘Well done. Do you think you could see a counsellor and tell him your problem?’

‘Oh no.’ Jack said, ‘I’d be far too embarrassed.’ ‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Lewis said, ‘Do you know why?’ ‘No.’ Jack said. ‘Because you have just done it.’ As Jack looked puzzled, Lewis said, ‘I do some voluntary counselling. You have just told me a good part of your troubles. So, you have already spoken to a counsellor.’

‘Yes, but you seem so easy to talk to.’ he answered. ‘Thank you,’ Lewis said, ‘That is why I’m successful, people feel able to open up to me. If you wanted to give it a try, I could help you overcome your shyness.’ Lewis told him. ‘But it’s up to you, it wouldn’t work unless you felt happy about doing it.’

Jack hadn’t even realised until then, just how much he had opened up to Lewis already. Yet it hadn’t bothered him in the least. ‘I’m going to give you my phone number,’ Lewis told him. ‘Then after you’ve thought about it, text me anytime if you want to try. There’s no time limit.’

‘You should know,’ Lewis added, ‘That nothing that you say to me will ever be repeated to anyone else.’ As he got up to go, Jack stood up too. Lewis handed him a card. ‘My numbers on that,’ he said, ‘Have a think about it.’

As Jack took the card, he said, ‘Thank you, but I don’t need to think. Yes, I would like you to help me, please.’ Lewis smiled at him. ‘Well done,’ he said. ‘You’ve just taken the first, and possibly the hardest, step in solving any problem, you’ve decided to do something about it. The rest is easy.’

‘Which way do you go home?’ Lewis asked. Jack pointed over to the estate. ‘Through the estate and a bit further on,’ he said. ‘Do you pass the shops?’ Lewis asked. When he said, ‘Yes,’ Lewis told him, ‘Halfway between the school and the shops there’s a bench seat. If you meet me there after school, I’ll tell you more about what we need to do.’

Jack went back into class with a spring in his step. He even managed a smile across the room at Isla who smiled back.

After school Lewis reached the seat first. He sat and checked his emails and messages. Jack came trotting up soon after. ‘Sorry,’ he said, ‘A few of the boys were picking on me and wouldn’t let me go.’ ‘Does that happen often?’ Lewis asked.

‘Not too often,’ he said, ‘Probably only once a month on average.’ ‘Ok,’ Lewis said. ‘Tell me why you are here.’ ‘I can’t see what you can possibly do,’ Jack told him, ‘But like you said, I really need to try.’

‘Well, here’s what we would do,’ Lewis told him. ‘I have the use of a private room behind one of the shops where I do my counselling. No one can hear anything you say, and no one will even know you are seeing me apart from my friend in the shop. He goes home at five, so we would meet up there at five to five.’

‘To tell me every bit of your problem and how you feel about it would need you to feel totally at ease with me. So, before we discuss and sort out your problem, we would talk about you and your life whilst I get you relaxed enough. Only then will we look at your problem.’

‘The door to the shop will be locked, so that no one can come in and disturb us. But the key will be on the inside of the door. Should you decide you want to leave you can just get up and walk out.’

‘You don’t even need to say why you are going. Why? Because it doesn’t matter. If you don’t want to be there, we are wasting our time.’ Jack liked the sound of it. He felt so much at ease with Lewis already and the prospect of being able to invite Isla out was a driving factor.

‘When can we start?’ he asked. ‘When would you like to?’ Lewis asked him. ‘Now.’ Jack said hopefully. Lewis smiled at his eager face. ‘How about you think about it for twenty-four hours he told him and if you still want to, we’ll start tomorrow night at five to five.’