Love's chance

CHAPTER.2

The small, dimly lit kitchen of the Evans household was filled with the clatter of dishes as Jules scrubbed at a stubborn stain. His hands moved mechanically, the repetitive task a familiar routine that required little thought. Despite the weariness in his bones, Jules didn’t dare slow down—his father, a man of severe temper and impossible standards, would not tolerate anything less than perfection.

Jules was the youngest of three brothers, and it was painfully obvious that he was the odd one out. His father, a staunch traditionalist, had always favored his older sons, Aaron and Nate, for their strong, macho demeanor. They were everything he wanted in sons—tough, independent, and aggressive. Jules, on the other hand, was gentle, quiet, and far too sensitive for his father’s liking. To his family, these qualities made him weak, and weakness was not tolerated in the Evans household.

Jules mother was no better. While she wasn’t as harsh as his father, she was entirely devoted to him, constantly seeking his approval. This meant turning a blind eye to the way Jules was treated, or worse, participating in it to keep the peace. As a result, Jules was often left to fend for himself, bearing the brunt of his family’s frustrations and cruelty.

Aaron and Nate were just as bad, if not worse. They took every opportunity to belittle Jules, mocking him for his quiet nature and lack of interest in the things they valued. They saw him as nothing more than a burden, someone who existed only to serve their needs. Jules had long since learned not to expect any kindness from them.

As Jules finished washing the dishes, he heard the familiar heavy footsteps of his father approaching. He tensed instinctively, bracing himself for whatever criticism or demand was coming next.

“Jules,” his father’s voice boomed, causing Jules to flinch. “Hurry up and finish cleaning. You’re not here to waste time.”

“Yes, sir,” Jules replied quietly, keeping his head down as he moved to wipe down the counters.

But as he worked, he couldn’t help but overhear the conversation his father was having with Aaron in the next room. The mention of Alex’s name immediately caught his attention.

“Alex needs a new partner,” Aaron was saying. “And I think Jules could be the perfect candidate.”

Jules’ heart skipped a beat. Alex? The Alex Reynolds? Jews had admired him for as long as he could remember, ever since he’d first seen him on screen with Calvin David. The idea of working with him was beyond anything he’d ever dreamed of. But why would Aaron suggest him? It didn’t make sense.

He stilled; was this just a scheme to make a mockery of him?

But he remembered that the Alex he knows isn’t like his brothers or so he hoped.

Did Alex know his brothers were monsters???

Or was he also like them, Jules thought in despair as he was scared that the idea he had of Alex in his head could be different from reality. But never judge a book by it’s cover he thinks, nods to himself with a goofy smile and continues with his chore.

The next day, Aaron informed Jules that he would be meeting Alex that afternoon. Jules barely had time to process the information before he was being pushed out the door, dressed in clothes that were slightly too big for him. His heart pounded in his chest as he made his way to the meeting place, anxiety twisting his stomach into knots.

When he arrived at the studio, Jules was met by a tall, broad-shouldered man with a warm smile. It was Alex, and he looked even more striking in person than he did on screen. Jules felt his face heat up as he fumbled for words, suddenly acutely aware of how small and insignificant he must look in comparison.

"Hi, you must be Jules,” Alex said, extending a hand. “It’s great to meet you.”

Jules took his hand, feeling the warmth of Alex’s grip. “It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Reynolds,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Please, call me Alex,” he said with a chuckle. “No need for formalities.”

Jules nodded, feeling his nerves slowly start to ease. There was something about Alex’s presence that was comforting, almost protective. It was a stark contrast to the way he felt at home, where he was constantly on edge, waiting for the next blow to fall.

They talked for a while, with Alex asking him questions about his interests, his experience with acting (which was minimal, to say the least), and his thoughts on the role. Jules was honest, admitting that he had little experience but was eager to learn. Alex seemed to appreciate his honesty, and by the end of the meeting, Jules felt a small spark of hope igniting within him.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Alex finally said, smiling at Jules. “I think you’ve got potential, and I’m excited to see what we can do together.”

Jules could hardly believe his ears. He was going to be Alex’s new partner. The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying, but for the first time in a long while, Jules felt like he was on the brink of something new, something that might just change his life.

The decision was made quickly, and within a week, Jules found himself packing a small bag and preparing to move into Alex’s apartment. It was a temporary arrangement, Alex had explained, just until they got into the rhythm of working together. But for Jews, it felt like a lifeline—an escape from the suffocating grip of his family.

His father barely acknowledged his departure, and Aaron’s parting words were a reminder that this wasn’t just about acting. “Remember why you’re doing this, Jules,” Aaron had said, his tone warning. “Don’t mess it up.”

As Jules arrived at Alex’s apartment, he was struck by how different it was from his own home. It was spacious, modern, and filled with light—everything his parents’ house was not. Alex welcomed him warmly, showing him around and making sure he was comfortable. Jules was overwhelmed by the kindness, something he wasn’t used to, and it took him a while to adjust to this new environment.

The fIrst few days were a whirlwind of activity as they began rehearsing for their first scene together. Alex was patient and encouraging, guiding Jules through the process with an ease that made Jules admire him even more.

But despite Alex’s best efforts, Jules couldn’t shake the feeling of inadequacy that gnawed at him. He was so different from Calvin, and he worried that he would never be able to live up to the standard that had been set.

But Alex seemed to have faith in him, and that was enough to keep Jules going.

He was introduced to other on screen couples like Javier&Tate, Talon&Ben and Jake&kairo.

Jules was shy because these were people he only saw through his television; which he only watched when no one was home.

He stared at them unable to utter a word until a deep chuckle from Alex brought him out of his trance which left him blushing his face and ears so red.

“Sooo cute”!!! I want him for myself says Tate who Jules has always admired due to how young, talented and confident he was.

Tate who was Javier’s on screen partner and also real life couples which made fans love them so much as Javier’s love towards Tate was nothing short of a dream Jules could only wish for.

“Baby, you almost blew out ears of with your screeching, says Javier”. Which in turn earned him a glare from Tate.

Hi I’m Tate, you must be Jules, Alex’s new partner. Welcome to the family, says Tate squishing Jules in a warm hug, before Tate could pull away Javier, Talon, Ben and Jake joined in the hug making Jules feel so emotional as he never had friends before.

You all are making him cry as he isn’t used to this says Alex pulling Jules into his body, pulling his face up to him and drying his tears gently, and Jules being Jules got so red which made Alex chuckle saying; You’re so freaking cute.

Ahhhhh!!! I ship you both so much screamed Tate, taking both of their pictures while they were hugging.

You both are so perf..

Is it that easy for all of you to move on from Calvin like that screamed kairo, who was Calvin’s closest friend.

What’s so good about this child he screamed pointing at Jules, who stiffened and got scared, as he feared kairo was right; there was nothing good about him, Alex deserved somebody better he murmured, or so he thought when Ben the smallest and cutest out of the group hugged him and said ; “ don’t listen to him, he doesn’t mean what he says, he’s just hurt by Calvin’s decision and so is everyone here so don’t take whatever he says to heart. Jules looked up at Ben in admiration and nodded his head.

Jake took Kairo’s hand and dragged him to a corner.. “baby please tell me what’s wrong, why did you say that to Jules, Kairo looked at him with tears in his eyes and said; I’m sorry Jake, just that Calvin leaving without telling either of us affected me because of how close we were.

It's okay baby everything would be fine, now come on let’s go make the new kid feel welcome says Jake who took his partner to Jules.

Kairo went to Jules as everyone watched and took Jules hands in his and apologized for the way he just spoke to him, but Jules brushed it off and hugged Kairo saying he knows how he feels.

Yessss!!!

Oh not again babe said Javier to Tate who screamed again.

What says Tate, I’m just excited to have a new member of the jelly group.

The jelly group? Said Jules in confusion.

Yes a group consisting of I, Ben, Kairo and umm Calvin, were we have fun, support each other and talk about how to spend their money said Tate as they all point at their partners who shrugs and says together; anything for you babes.

So you’re welcome to join us says Ben to Jules; and Alex be ready to spend on this cutie.

Jules blushing looks up at Alex to find him already looking at him with a smirk on his face and says to Ben; I intend on buying him every damn thing he wants, while still looking at Jules who was as red as a tomato.

The day of their first scene together arrived sooner than Jules had expected. His nerves were at an all-time high as they stood on set, surrounded by cameras and crew members. The scene was a simple one, a casual conversation between their characters, but for Jules, it felt like the most daunting challenge of his life.

Alex could sense his anxiety and gave him a reassuring smile. “You’ve got this, Jules. Just focus on me, okay? Forget about everything else.”

Jules nodded, taking a deep breath as the director called for action. He tried to focus on Alex, just as he’d been told, but his mind kept racing, worrying about every little detail. He stumbled over his lines a few times, his nerves getting the better of him, but Alex was there to guide him through it, never losing his patience.

By the time they finished the scene, Jules felt a wave of relief wash over him. It wasn’t perfect, but he had made it through. And when he looked up at Alex, he saw nothing but pride in his eyes.

“You did great, Jules,” Alex said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I’m really proud of you.”

Jules couldn’t help but smile, a genuine, unguarded smile that was rare for him. For the first time, he started to believe that maybe, just maybe, he could do this.

As they wrapped up for the day, Alex invited Jules to grab dinner with him, a casual gesture that made Jules feel more at ease. They talked about the scene, about acting, and even a little about their personal lives. Jules found himself opening up in a way he hadn’t expected, sharing bits of his life that he had always kept hidden.

And as they walked back to Alex’s apartment later that night, Jules realized that he was starting to feel something he hadn’t felt in a long time—hope. Maybe this new beginning wasn’t just about acting. Maybe it was the start of something much bigger.