Stuck in the Middle (An Eddievr, Mully, and Juicy Fanfic)

Chapter 4: Third-Wheeling

Gaege's (Juicy's) POV
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, wiping my palms on my blue jeans. Eddie and Mully had invited me to eat with them, but I now regretted saying yes. I had forgotten what it was like to be the third wheel for once.

Mully had his arm around Eddie, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. Eddie grinned, but I turned away before he could catch me staring. I took a sip from my drink, wishing the food would come in already.

I still couldn't get over the moment I had with Eddie just a day before. His arms around me on the couch, my head buried in his shoulder... almost like how it was before. Before we separated. Before we... had broken up. How long ago was that? One? Two years ago?

I hugged my arms, trying not to remember our breakup or the tears I had shed over how broken my heart was, knowing that I could never get Eddie to love me anymore. We just lost interest in each other, realizing that we weren't meant to be.

I had argued with him about how he never treated me right, and that same night I broke up with him. Yet as he sat in front of me, beaming and laughing with another man, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made the right choice.

"Hey, Gaege? You alright there mate?" Mully then asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What? Oh um yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," I answered quickly, not entirely knowing why I was so awkward at that moment. Eddie met my eyes for a second with a look I couldn't read, but I turned away before he could ask me what was wrong. If there was anything I knew about Eddie was he had a big heart, regardless of what happened in the past. Although I couldn't let him figure out that I was still hanging on to one thread of hope of us still being together.

"So, uhh..." I began to say awkwardly, "What have you two been up to recently?"

Mully shrugged a shoulder, glancing over at Eddie. "We've mostly been at home relaxing and working, you know the usual."

"Yeah, well, until Mully decides to watch cricket," Eddie added, "Which I still don't understand at all."

Mully crossed his arms with a frown as he argued, "All you watch is soccer and I stay with you!"

"No! You literally fell asleep when I was explaining it to you!" Eddie laughed, "That doesn't count!"

As the two were bickering and laughing, I couldn't help but stare at Eddie's smile. It had been a while since I had seen him so happy. My heart was confused and unsure of how to react. I wanted to smile and say I got over it, that Eddie was a happy, taken man now, but I couldn't bring myself to accept it.

"Hey, I'm heading to the restroom." I shot up from my seat, making Mully and Eddie turn to me. "You two, um, lovebirds have fun. Not too much though, food hasn't even arrived yet." I quickly escaped our dining table before they could ask if I was alright because I didn't know if I could give them a straight answer.

I stared at myself in the mirror, running a hand through the brown, oily mop of hair on my face.
"Fuck, I wish I could go back," I muttered under my breath angrily. "Why am I suddenly feeling this way towards Eddie again? You promised yourself you would get over him Juicy! Fuck!"

My fist slammed into the sink, stinging from the sudden impact. I hadn't realized I was out of breath or that my hands were shaky. Taking in a trembling breath, I carefully unclenched my fists, the flicker of regret still coiling in my stomach.

I rinsed my face with freezing water, hoping Mully or Eddie wouldn't notice the tears forming in my eyes.