You're The One For Me (novel)

***You're The One For Me*** is the second instalment in the ***Colette International*** series, by Zelda French. It was written in between 2020 and 2021 and published on July 23, 2021 on Amazon.

A new version with minor revisions was published in February 2023, reducing the print number of pages from 550 to 488.

The story is divided in four parts: "I", "He", "You" and "Us". Their titles highlight Zak's growth from being self-centred to realising his love for Eric and his desire to be a couple.

## Plot

The story follows sixteen-year-old Zakaria "Zak" Khoutifa during the summer of 2010. In love with a fellow student from his Drama Club, Zak decides to participate in the making of a movie in the countryside, hoping to get closer to him. To his dismay, his crush isn't cast as his love-interest, and the exuberant football player Eric is picked instead. Though Zak resents Eric at first, the two eventually become good friends, with Eric's personality breaking Zak out of his shell.

## Summary

### Part One: "I"

Zak is a sixteen-year-old student at Colette International. Though he's not publicly out, he's proudly gay and wants to become an actor. As summer approaches, announcing the end of his first year, Zak wants to get the attention of his crush from the Drama Club, Alberto, before it's too late; but when he confides in his sister/best friend Yasmine, she warns him to be careful of Alberto, or he will "wipe the floor with him". Zak is too confident to heed her words, and plans to talk to Alberto the next week, but Drama Club is exceptionally cancelled.

Like Yasmine, Zak's parents are supportive of his acting ambitions, but they would like him to work less and have more fun. Zak is obsessive and doesn't care for their opinion at the time. At the next (and final) Drama Club session, Mr Duvauchel announces his plans to turn Camille's award-winning play "My Summer of Love and Woe" into a short film. The filming is scheduled for a few weeks later in a mansion in the countryside. Zak shows no interest in joining the project until he overhears Alberto saying he'll probably go. Because of his exceptional looks, Zak is absolutely certain Alberto will be cast to play the handsome lead, Adam. Zak intends to rely on his own talent to be cast as his love-interest, the footman Thomas. He believes this will create the perfect opportunity to declare himself to Alberto.

In the weeks before the departure to Aurons, where they are to film their movie, Zak learns the script by heart and drops hints to Camille about casting Alberto. Camille is lukewarm about his suggestions, and informs Zak someone has vandalised their Drama Club. A week later, Zak gets a call from Mr Duvauchel and learns his A.D. (assistant director) has dropped out of the project at the last minute. Yasmine overhears everything and gently mocks Zak for not seeming as invested in the quality of the movie as he should. On the day of departure, Zak is scandalised to find three unwanted additions to their party. It seems the trio of boys — who belong to the Colette football team — were responsible for vandalising the club. As punishment, they're to help the club in the movie's making.

The football players' presence annoys Zak, but his mood eases when he meets the new A.D. upon his arrival to Nantes: it's Michael, his sister's best friend. Michael immediately gets everybody's attention, and Zak is ecstatic; to him, everything is going according to his plan. Alas, when it's time to pick their bedroom at Longchamps, Mr Duvauchel insists the football player group be sleeping in different rooms, resulting in Drama Club students having to switch rooms. Mortified, Zak can only watch as Alberto surrenders his bed to a blond football player.

The next day, Zak struggles not to let this incident ruin his holiday. His mood improves when Alberto joins him, Michael and Arthur, a friend from the club, for breakfast. Later, Zak nails his audition, but he's surprised to find out he was the only one to apply for Thomas's role. As Alberto is performing his own audition, Zak notices the football players hanging around and worries one of them, Charles-Henry, might be applying for the job. When the same night, Mr Duvauchel, Binta and Michael announce the results of the audition, Zak finds out he was chosen to play Thomas, but to his shock, Alberto wasn't picked to play Adam. The blond football player, named Eric, was picked instead.

Zak's attempts to have Eric kicked out result in people being surprised at his immaturity. The next day, he acts childishly during rehearsals — going as far as refusing to look at him. He only succeeds in angering Mr Duvauchel and worrying Camille. Michael comes up with the idea of the two (Eric and Zak) getting to know each other by rehearsing together away from the others that week. Zak initially refuses, but he relents after Camille suggests he's not acting like a pro.

Outside, Eric, who seems unbothered by Zak's nasty attitude, leads them through a grove and to a gorgeous pond, which Zak insists is a lake. Because of Zak's temper, their first attempt to rehearse is a failure. Zak even accidentally cuts him when Eric fools around with his iPod. He then calls Yasmine to confide in her, and she tells him to respect Eric a bit more, and to focus on the movie, like a professional. Zak, who feels guilty about hurting Eric, expects the football players to get revenge and fall upon him at any moment, but when he overhears them during lunch, Eric lies about who hurt him, pretending it was a cat. After lunch, Zak returns to the lake/pond, where Eric waits for him. The two finally get to rehearse, and Zak is surprised to find Eric is a good actor. At the end of the day, Eric tells Zak he knows Zak doesn't think he should have been cast as Adam. Zak confirms his suspicious; he'd rather Eric stick to football and let people from the club have their thing. Eric responds by asking, "Why can't I have both?" Zak realises Eric's right and admits to making a mistake. Enchanted, Eric offers a fresh start by reintroducing himself to him. As he shakes his hand, Zak finally takes a good look at him, and comments on his pair of "striking blue eyes".

### Part Two: "He"

Away from the others, Zak slowly gets used to Eric's antics, and they share many conversations. Eric is convinced the movie needs an extra kissing scene, but Zak repeatedly rebukes him. After a day of rehearsals, Eric offers Zak to stay with them after dinner, and join them at one of their "campfires", but Zak refuses. When pressed by Eric, he reveals he hates his friend Kayvin, who constantly bullies others, in particular Arthur.

The next day, Kayvin's attitude toward Arthur has changed, evidently thanks to Eric. Zak is touched; his opinion of Eric keeps on improving. After a morning of rehearsal, Eric convinces him to ride to the village and have lunch with him there. in Aurons, Eric introduces him to the baker and her daughters, with whom he's familiar already.

There, Zak expresses his irritation at one of the girls when she reveals her crush on Eric, but Zak knows Eric to have a girlfriend back in Paris, and he's quick to let her know. Eric overhears and confirms his heart is taken. The two boy share a pleasant lunch over the canal, and Zak is comfortable enough to make confessions. He first accidentally reveals he's gay, which horrifies him, but when Eric reacts normally, and pleasantly, Zak grows fonder of him. He eventually reveals his crush on Alberto, but later on at night, comes to regret his decision because he doesn't trust Eric to keep a secret.

The next day, Zak imagines everyone knows his secret, but people only care about the movie. Zak notices something off with Michael's behaviour, but Alberto's arrival distracts him. When it turns out Alberto doesn't seem to know about his crush on him, Zak is joyful, and for the first time, he refers to Eric as "his friend". Eric admits Zak's secret is not his to tell, but he encourages Zak to tell Alberto. He also insists on adding a kissing scene, arguing real people get physical when attracted to one another. When they're on their way back to the house, Eric confesses he's nervous about kissing a boy, since he's never done it. Zak lies and says he's done it before. The tension between the two boys grows until they're interrupted by Eric's friends.

Eric offers Zak to hang out after dinner again, and this time, Zak accepts. The invitation is extended to Arthur and Camille, who are full of praise for Eric. Unfortunately, Zak only has eyes for the elusive Alberto, who informs Zak that "there's trouble in paradise" between Michael and his boyfriend Louis. The news vaguely unsettle Zak, but after-dinner plans distract him. At the campfire, Binta informs everyone that they'll have a party tomorrow night. The news inspires Eric to once again encourage Zak to declare his love for Alberto. Zak agrees when Eric offers to coach him.

The next morning, preparations for the party are in full swing. Eric proves a decent coach, but a tactile one. Alberto shows up in Zak's room without a reason and Zak believes he may have been flirting. He later requests Camille's help to find an outfit for the party, and inadvertently vexes Eric by comparing him to Alberto. When the party starts, Zak is alone. Nervous, he hides in a supply closet.

Eric finds Zak in his hiding place and after a good pep talk, he convinces him to go down with him. At the party, Zak — after a cup of punch — finally finds the resolve to ask Alberto out. Alberto awkwardly rejects him. The manner of his refusal, especially when he says he "can't throw himself away to the first one who asks", deeply hurts Zak. Overhearing this, a furious Eric turns on Alberto, who won't admit what he said was wrong. Worse, Alberto seems to have a crush on Michael, who fails to convince Zak he and Louis are having problems. Despite the support of his friends, Zak is heartbroken and steps away from the party. He drinks too much and starts moping out loud, amusing Eric. Also drunk, Arthur and Camille mess around the pool. When Camille falls into the water, Eric uses this moment of chaos to kiss Zak. In his shock, Zak pushes Eric away and rushes upstairs to his room.

The next morning, Zak is in a sour mood, partly because of how Alberto has treated him, and partly for how he has treated Eric, who is always so kind to him. When Camille and Arthur attempt to cheer him up, he aggressively pushes them away, until they reveal their desire to become friends with him. Ashamed of his own feral behaviour, Zak accepts their offer of friendship, the three of them forming the "Not-a-loser" club. Camille and Arthur attempt to make Zak realise who Alberto really is, and that he's really not as great as Zak imagine. They go for a long walk, and Zak learns everyone knows of his crush on Alberto, which causes him to believe, with some distress, that Alberto cruelly outed him. When he finally reunites with Eric, however, he learns that it isn't so. More importantly, Eric isn't angry at him for his overreaction, and offers to distract Zak until he's over Alberto. They joke about the kiss, until Zak realises with shock he actually enjoyed it.

#### Part Three "You"

It's finally time for Zak and Eric to prove themselves during their first day of shooting. Zak is annoyed to find Eric flirting with Joy when he already has a girlfriend, and he's doubly irritated by Eric's nonchalant attitude when confronted on the subject. After filming their scenes for the day, everyone is astounded by Zak and Eric's chemistry. Zak makes up with Michael, who reassures him he's not interested in Alberto. He confirms he and Louis are having problems, and Zak advises him to talk to Louis about it.

## Characters

### Main characters

* Zakaria "Zak" Khoutifa
* Eric Tucker-Régnier

#### Supporting characters

* Michael Parker
* Alberto Gazza
* Camille Berthelot
* Arthur Scharrer
* Kayvin Figarella
* Xavier De Dampierre
* Yasmine Khoutifa

**Minor characters**

* Joy
* Melissa
* Nadia
* Charles-Henry
* Sander
* Mr Duvauchel
* Binta
* Rufus the Dog

**Other characters from the series making a brief apparition:**

* Louis Mésange
* Headmaster Van Bergen
* Elisa Rodin

## Trivia

* Zelda French's preferred title was *"My Summer of Love and Woe".* Worried it would be too obscure to appeal to readers, Zelda eventually replaced it with the more relatable *You're The One For Me*.
* Aurons is a fictional location based on a real village named Rouans. "(Nous) aurons" also means "(We) will have" in French.
* The fictional mansion, Longchamps, is also based on a real house in the same region. The property was on sale at the time of writing, and pictures from the realtor's website were used to describe the house. *Long champs* is French for *Long fields.*