Hi everyone welcome to the journey of Laim and Dom......

The story is written by me and this is my first time I am writing an original story

Do support me . I am not sure how the story going to progress and end so let's see the end together.

Let's travel together through the journey of Laim and Dom ❤️

Sneek peak to the story

In a college campus filled with the rush of newfound freedom, two students from vastly different backgrounds find each other amidst the chaos of assignments, friendships, and personal struggles. Liam, a quiet, introspective literature major, has never been comfortable in his own skin, carrying the weight of a conservative upbringing. Dominic, an open and confident theater major, is already out and proud, a person unafraid to wear his identity like armor.

Their lives intersect during a group project for an English class, where their differences lead to clashes but also spark undeniable chemistry. As their connection deepens, they both confront their fears about love, identity, and the challenges of navigating an LGBTQ relationship in a place where acceptance isn’t always a given. Along the way, they must learn how to break down the walls they’ve built around themselves and open up to the possibility of a love that might just change their lives.

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The buzz of students in the crowded classroom slowly faded as Professor Harper stood by the front of the room, her hands clasped together. Liam Westbrook glanced nervously at his watch, tapping the edge of the desk with his fingers. Another hour, and he could be back in the safety of his dorm room, buried in the pages of some book that allowed him to retreat into a world where things were simpler. But for now, there was this—an English seminar that he had no choice but to endure.

"Alright, everyone," Professor Harper's voice echoed through the room, sharp and clear, "today we’ll be pairing up for your final project. Each pair will be analyzing a piece of literature and presenting it in a creative format. This is your chance to explore something different, push your boundaries a little."

Liam had no problem with boundaries, but it wasn’t the type of boundary he was hoping to explore. He was a literature major, after all, not some experimental theater artist or creative writer. He liked his books structured, his analysis neat. Nothing flashy.

The professor began reading out names. Liam barely heard them as his mind wandered. His eyes drifted to the windows, the campus visible outside. Fall was in full swing, the trees painted in shades of red, orange, and gold. He wished he could be out there instead of trapped in this classroom with forty other students who seemed so confident and at ease in their own skin.

"Westbrook... Liam Westbrook."

Liam snapped back to attention, his head jerking up. He met the professor’s eyes, feeling the weight of the room descend upon him. All eyes were on him now.

"You're with Dominic Carter," she said with a smile, as if pairing them together was the most natural thing in the world.

Liam blinked. Dominic Carter.

The name sounded familiar, but it took him a moment to connect the dots. Of course. The guy with the vibrant personality, the one who practically lived in the theater department. The one who wore his pride like a badge, never backing down from a challenge, always making sure the world saw him for exactly who he was. The one who, despite his openness, never seemed to fit in with the more reserved students. He wasn’t Liam’s type—not that Liam even had a "type"—but Dominic Carter was everything Liam wasn’t. Loud, confident, carefree.

Great.

Liam sighed inwardly. He was used to being the quiet one, the observer, but this was different. The thought of being paired with Dominic made him nervous in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

As he gathered his things, he noticed Dominic, sitting in the front row, already standing and chatting animatedly with the students around him. His presence was magnetic. The kind of person who always seemed to be in the center of attention, even when they weren’t trying. He had a short, styled haircut, and his clothes—a tight black t-shirt and ripped jeans—looked like they’d been carefully chosen to reflect the image of someone who was always in the know.

Dominic caught Liam’s eye across the room. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, like he knew exactly what Liam was thinking.

"Hey, Westbrook!" Dominic called, his voice loud and clear, cutting through the chatter of the other students. "Ready to work together?"

Liam froze for a moment. His heart skipped a beat, and then he forced a polite smile.

"Uh, yeah, sure," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic’s smirk deepened, and he pushed away from his desk, making his way toward Liam with an almost predatory confidence. He was too close too quickly, and Liam shifted uncomfortably, trying to maintain some space between them.

"I like the way you talk," Dominic said with a wink as he took a seat next to Liam. "Very mysterious."

Liam felt his face flush. He wasn’t sure if Dominic was joking or if he was trying to break down the walls he had so carefully built around himself. Either way, he felt exposed, as if his entire inner world had been laid bare for Dominic to inspect.

"Thanks," Liam mumbled, staring down at the stack of papers in front of him.

Dominic leaned in a little, resting his elbow on the desk. "So, what do you think about the project?" His voice softened just enough for Liam to hear the genuine curiosity behind it. "Professor Harper said we can do something a little more creative, like a performance or a multimedia presentation. Any ideas?"

Liam’s mind raced. He wasn’t exactly the most creative person. He preferred the structure of a good essay, a solid thesis, but Dominic seemed to expect something more than that.

"I—I don’t really know," Liam stammered, trying to come up with something that would satisfy Dominic’s expectations without revealing just how much he hated being put on the spot. "Maybe we could do an analysis of a book and create a visual aid? You know, like a slide show or something?"

Dominic tilted his head, studying Liam for a long moment. "A slide show?" he repeated, his voice dripping with amusement. "You sure you’re not secretly a boring old professor in disguise, Westbrook?"

Liam’s heart sank. "I didn’t mean—"

Dominic held up a hand, cutting him off. "I’m messing with you. Don’t sweat it. How about this—we pick a play, maybe something more experimental, and we each do a character analysis and then... I don’t know, act out some scenes? Maybe you can pick a character that’s really boring and lifeless and I’ll make them come to life," he said with a grin.

Liam was about to protest—he wasn’t about to act in front of an audience, not even in a class project—but something about Dominic’s enthusiasm made him pause. There was a certain energy about him that was hard to ignore, something infectious that made Liam feel like he might actually be able to handle this, as long as he didn’t have to step too far out of his comfort zone.

"I’ll... think about it," Liam said, still unsure but trying to seem agreeable.

Dominic’s grin widened. "That’s the spirit! Don’t worry, Westbrook. I’ve got this. You just follow my lead."

Liam swallowed, wondering if that was the best or worst thing anyone had ever said to him.

As the class ended, Dominic slapped him on the back, startling him. "Alright, we’ll meet up later this week to brainstorm. Don’t forget about the script, yeah? And hey, no pressure. We’ll make it fun."

Liam nodded, trying to hide his discomfort behind a half-hearted smile.

As he walked out of the classroom, the weight of the project—and the uneasy sensation Dominic had stirred in him—settled deep in his chest. He wasn’t sure how this would go, or if he was even ready to deal with whatever it was that was happening between him and Dominic. But for the first time in a long time, Liam couldn’t deny the stirring curiosity inside him. Something about Dominic made him want to take a step outside of the life he had carefully constructed. And for better or worse, Liam knew he wasn’t going to be able to ignore that pull for long.

**End of Chapter 1**

Liam spent the next few days in a haze. He couldn’t stop thinking about Dominic—about the way his voice filled the space around him, the way his smile seemed to pull everything into focus, like he was always the center of attention. Every time Dominic’s words replayed in Liam’s head, his stomach twisted, and not in a bad way, either. It was unsettling, almost like he was standing on the edge of something he wasn’t ready to fall into.

He sat in his room, staring at his laptop, trying to focus on his readings. The novel was thick and heavy, the kind of thing that usually made him feel safe. But today, the words on the page blurred together, his mind drifting to the chaotic, unpredictable presence that was Dominic.

It wasn’t as if Liam hadn’t interacted with people like Dominic before. He’d known other outgoing students in high school, but there had always been an unspoken distance between them. They were the "popular" kids, and he was... not. Quiet, reserved, and careful about what he said, he’d always kept a safe distance from anyone who seemed too big, too loud, or too self-assured.

But Dominic? He was different. His energy wasn’t just loud; it was contagious, alive. And while that terrified Liam, he couldn’t help but be drawn to it.

The problem wasn’t just Dominic’s charisma. The real issue was how easily Dominic seemed to wear his identity. He was out. Proud. So sure of himself, so unapologetically who he was. And that made Liam feel small in comparison. He hadn’t come out to his parents yet. Not officially. Not in a way that meant anything. His parents were still too set in their old ways, and Liam was terrified of disappointing them.

A knock at the door broke his thoughts. It was Jasmine, his childhood friend and the only person who knew the full extent of his struggle with his sexuality. She was a bright, bubbly person, the complete opposite of Liam in nearly every way. Where he was quiet and thoughtful, she was loud and spontaneous, and yet they had always gotten along, ever since elementary school.

"You ready to hit the library?" Jasmine asked, standing in the doorway with a bright grin. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she had on one of those oversized sweatshirts she always wore when she was comfortable, looking like she had just rolled out of bed.

Liam forced a smile. "Yeah, just a minute." He closed his laptop and grabbed his bag. The last thing he wanted to talk about right now was Dominic, but Jasmine had a way of sensing when something was off. He’d never been able to hide his emotions from her.

"How’s the project going? You still stuck with that theater guy?" Jasmine asked, her voice teasing but laced with genuine curiosity.

"Yeah, Dominic Carter." Liam shrugged, trying to play it cool. "He’s... fine."

"Fine? You sound so thrilled," Jasmine said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she crossed her arms. "What’s really going on?"

Liam hesitated, his thoughts spinning in circles. He couldn’t very well tell her about the attraction he was beginning to feel for Dominic, the way his heart raced when Dominic’s eyes met his, or how even the smallest touch from Dominic made him feel like his world was tilting on its axis. That wasn’t something he could share. Not with her. Not with anyone.

"It’s just... I don’t know, Jas," Liam said, his voice quieter now. "He’s kind of... I don’t know, loud and... confident. It’s hard to keep up."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "You don’t do loud. I get it. But I think it’s kind of good for you, Liam. He’s pushing you out of your comfort zone."

Liam bit his lip. She wasn’t wrong. The project had forced him into this uncomfortable, chaotic space where he had no choice but to engage with Dominic, to work with him. But it wasn’t just the project that made him nervous—it was Dominic himself.

"Maybe," Liam muttered. He looked at his phone, avoiding Jasmine’s eyes. "I just don’t know how to... deal with him."

"You’ll figure it out," Jasmine said with a shrug. "You’re smart. You know what you’re doing."

Liam wasn’t so sure. But the conversation didn’t leave him much room to argue, so he just nodded and followed Jasmine out the door.

Later that afternoon, they met up at the campus library. Jasmine headed straight for the table by the window, while Liam lingered by the door, trying to find the energy to focus on the task ahead. The library was quiet, the soft hum of distant conversations and the rustling of pages the only sounds that broke the silence.

Liam pulled out the book he’d been reading for his other class and opened it to the first page, trying to settle into the rhythm of his usual study routine. But his mind wouldn’t stop drifting. Dominic’s voice kept echoing in his head, the teasing, confident tone, the way Dominic had leaned in close when they’d talked after class.

What was it about him? Why did he make Liam feel so... flustered?

He tried to focus on the text in front of him, but the words seemed to blur. Maybe it was the constant hum of other students talking, the chatter in the back of his mind that wouldn’t settle, or maybe it was the anticipation of meeting Dominic later in the week, to actually get the project underway. Either way, his mind kept drifting to the same place.

He glanced up from his book.

Across the room, Dominic stood near the library’s entrance, talking to a couple of friends, laughing loudly. He had that effortless way of commanding attention, his body language wide and open, unafraid of being noticed.

Liam had to look away quickly, a wave of heat spreading across his face. Why did Dominic make him feel like this? Why was everything about him so... intense?

"Earth to Liam," Jasmine’s voice broke through his thoughts. She leaned over the table, her arms crossed. "What’s going on in that head of yours?"

Liam looked up at her, feeling his cheeks flush again. "Nothing."

Jasmine studied him for a moment, her gaze sharp. "You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?"

Liam opened his mouth to deny it, but before he could say anything, she raised a hand. "It’s okay, you know. I’m not stupid. You’re not that great at hiding it. The way you react when he talks to you? You can’t fool me."

Liam felt a tightness in his chest. He wasn’t ready for this conversation, not yet. "We’re just working on a project together, Jas. That’s all."

Jasmine didn’t let up. "I’m just saying—if you like him, you should figure it out. You can’t keep pretending like you don’t."

Liam let out a heavy sigh. "I don’t know if I’m ready for that, Jas."

"You’ll never know until you try," Jasmine said softly, her tone almost too understanding. "Just don’t let fear stop you from finding out who you really are. You’ve been doing that for a long time, haven’t you?"

The weight of her words lingered in the air between them. For a moment, Liam didn’t know how to respond. He had spent so long hiding, so long trying to push down the parts of himself that didn’t fit the mold he’d been raised in. But maybe Jasmine was right. Maybe he didn’t have to keep pretending anymore.

Just maybe.

**End of Chapter 2**