𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

012, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

012, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞
irl + social media
(juniper is using the wifi
on the plane btw😭)

THIRD PERSON +
august 12, 2024

It was August 12th, and Juniper sat by the window on her flight to London, watching the clouds roll by as the plane cut through the endless blue sky.

In three days, she would be opening for five sold-out shows back-to-back at Wembley Stadium. It was the kind of milestone most artists only dream of—a moment she'd once imagined sharing with Jack, him cheering her on from the VIP section, proud of her accomplishments.

Instead, she was heading into this massive chapter of her career with a weight in her chest that refused to lift.

Vinnie had dropped her off at the airport that morning. He'd pulled her into a hug, whispering words of encouragement and telling her how proud he was of her. "You're gonna kill it," he'd said with that infectious grin of his, and for a brief moment, Juniper had felt a little more at ease.

Vinnie had been a rock these past few weeks, helping her through the worst of it, keeping her distracted from the pain that constantly gnawed at her heart.

But now, alone with her thoughts, all the emotions she'd been pushing down threatened to bubble back up to the surface.

As the plane cruised at thirty thousand feet, she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone, trying to distract herself from the ache that had settled deep in her chest. Instagram was a minefield these days, filled with memories of her past life, of Jack, of what they once had. She'd gotten good at avoiding posts about him, but today her guard was down. She tapped on a story from Bailey Bass, Jack's co-star, not expecting what came next.

A video of Bailey, Jamie, Jack, and Britain messing around on set.

There he was—Jack.

Her breath caught in her throat. It had been weeks since she'd seen his face, and despite all the pain, all the heartache, her chest tightened at the sight of him. He looked the same as always—tousled hair, that crooked smile—but something was different. There was a shadow in his eyes, something dark and distant that hadn't been there before. He was laughing and goofing around with Jamie, but it didn't reach his eyes. He looked... off.

He's not okay, Juniper thought, feeling a pang of sadness she didn't want to acknowledge. She hated that even now, after everything, she could still feel sorry for him. But she couldn't help it. She loved him, still, despite everything. And that love made it impossible to completely cut him off from her heart, even when she knew it would be easier if she could.

But as the video continued to play, the sadness shifted into something darker—anger.

Jack had broken her heart, torn her apart, and now here he was, looking just as lost as she felt. Why should I feel bad for him? she thought bitterly. He was the one who had left. He was the one who had been too much of a coward to stay, to fight for what they had. He had made the decision to walk away, and now they were both paying the price.

Juniper closed the app and shoved her phone into her bag, frustrated by the whirlwind of emotions that had resurfaced. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, but the memories wouldn't stop.

Jack had been everything to her. He was her best friend, her confidant, her greatest love. She'd believed that what they had was unbreakable. And then, in a single conversation, he had shattered that belief, leaving her standing alone in the wreckage. She could still hear the sound of his voice when he'd told her it was over, the way his words had cut through her like a knife.