𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄¹, jack champion

071, 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭

071, 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭
irl
(an entire chapter in jack's
pov😮 song for this chapter
is 'block me out' — gracie
abrams)

JACK'S POV +
july 1, 2024

I've always been the type to take things in stride. You know, go with the flow, trust that things will work out. But when I got that call about Avatar—ten months in New Zealand—I felt like the floor dropped out from under me.

Ten months.

I thought it was going to be three, max. That was manageable. Hell, I've done it before. But ten? That's a different story. And I know Juniper and I have been good about handling distance—we've both got crazy schedules, we make it work—but ten months is a long time to be apart. Too long.

I've been sitting on this news for days now, stewing in it, trying to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to tell her. Juniper's been in Dublin, wrapping up her shows, and I've barely slept since I got the news. Every night, I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind running in circles. What am I supposed to say? How do I explain that I'm going to be gone for nearly a year?

And then there's her world tour. That's been hanging over me like a shadow. It hasn't even been announced or confirmed yet, but I know it's coming. There's been talk, whispers among her team, and I've overheard enough to know it's inevitable. Her career's taking off like a rocket, and I couldn't be prouder of her. But with me in New Zealand and her touring all over the world, how do we stay connected? How do we keep this going in a healthy way?

The idea of long distance for ten months feels like staring down an endless tunnel. It's not that I don't trust us—I do. I trust her more than anyone. But life's going to get in the way. I know it. We'll be on different continents, different time zones, and it's going to be tough. Really tough.

But the worst part is... I haven't told her yet. I keep replaying the conversation in my head, imagining how she'll react. Will she be upset? Will she act like it's no big deal because she doesn't want me to worry? I know Juniper; she's good at putting on a brave face, but I can see through that. I can see when something's eating away at her.

Tonight, she's flying back from Dublin. I'm supposed to pick her up from the airport, and all I can think about is how much I don't want to ruin the moment with this news. She's going to be exhausted from the tour, and I don't want to pile on. But the clock's ticking, and I can't keep this to myself forever. I just don't know if tonight is the right time.

My house feels strangely quiet without her here. Her suitcase, the one she always leaves in the corner by the door, isn't there. The air feels still, like it's waiting for something to happen. I check the time again, even though I know her flight isn't due for another hour. I've been doing this all day, pacing the floor, checking the clock, trying to keep myself from spiraling.

I sit down on the couch and lean forward, elbows on my knees, staring at my phone on the coffee table. I've already gone through this a hundred times in my head. How do I tell her? How do I start? Every time I think I have the words, they slip away from me.

Maybe I don't have to say anything tonight. I could just wait, let her settle back in, and then we could talk when things feel a little more... stable. But that feels like a lie. I know it's going to weigh on me, and she'll know something's up. She always does.

I pick up my phone, open my texts, and hover over her name. I could just shoot her a message, give her a heads-up, but that feels even worse. She deserves more than a text.