there she goes - jschlatt

unspoken feelings

the night dragged on, and the weight of everything felt heavier as the laughter and noise from the bar enveloped me. it was as if the world was spinning around me, and i was stuck in my own little bubble of confusion and frustration. i kept glancing toward schlatt and sierra, who were now sitting a little too closely together for my comfort. every laugh and shared whisper felt like a jab to my chest.

i tried to shake it off. they were just friends, right? or were they? the uncertainty gnawed at me. it didn't help that sierra seemed to have this effortless charm, the kind that made everyone want to be around her. she was so different from me—so bubbly and bright—while i felt like a shadow, lurking on the edges of the group.

"char, you in there?" tucker's voice cut through my haze, pulling me back to reality.

"huh?" i blinked, realizing i had been staring blankly at my drink.

"you look like you're a million miles away," he said, a hint of concern in his eyes.

"i'm fine, really," i insisted, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

"sure you are," he replied skeptically. "you're not gonna start getting all moody on us, are you?"
i chuckled lightly, but the sound felt hollow. "no, just...thinking."

"about schlatt?" he asked, a knowing look on his face.

"what? no!" i exclaimed, a little too quickly. i felt heat creep into my cheeks, and i quickly took a sip of my drink to hide my embarrassment.

"charlotte," tucker said, leaning closer. "it's okay to have feelings for him. we can all see it, you
know?"

i sighed, pushing my drink away. "i don't know what you're talking about."

"come on. you two have this...tension. it's obvious." he gestured dramatically, emphasizing his point. "it's like watching a rom-com where the main characters just need to realize they're
meant to be together."

i rolled my eyes, but a small part of me couldn't help but feel a flutter of hope at his words. "it's
complicated, okay? he's...he's with sierra."

"for now," tucker said, shrugging. "but that doesn't mean it's permanent." before i could respond, i caught sight of schlatt standing up, stretching his arms overhead. i felt a pang of disappointment.

"where's he going?" i asked, almost to myself.

"probably to get another drink," tucker said, glancing over his shoulder.

i watched as schlatt walked toward the bar, his posture relaxed yet somehow tense at the same time. there was a heaviness in his stride that made me wonder what was going through his mind. as he reached the bar, he leaned against it, exchanging a few words with the bartender.

"i'll be right back," tucker said, breaking my train of thought as he stood up. "i need to check on ted. he's probably telling some embarrassing story about his childhood again."

i nodded absentmindedly, my eyes still trained on schlatt. when sierra stood up to follow him, i felt a twinge of annoyance. why did she have to be so...so perfect? it made my insecurities flare up like a bad wound. i knew it wasn't her fault, but in that moment, all i could feel was the
churning in my stomach.

"hey, char," a voice broke through my thoughts, and i turned to see ted approaching. he was
grinning, clearly enjoying the drinks a bit too much.

"hey, ted," i replied, forcing a smile.

"you good? you look like you've seen a ghost," he joked, but there was a hint of sincerity in his tone.

"just thinking about...stuff," i replied, avoiding his gaze.

"about schlatt and sierra?" he asked, his voice light but with an undercurrent of seriousness.

"why is everyone so obsessed with that?" i huffed, crossing my arms. "it's not like they're anything serious."

"maybe not yet," ted said, his expression thoughtful. "but you can't ignore how they look together. it's kind of...magnetic."

"great, so now i'm just the friend who gets left behind," i muttered, feeling a fresh wave of frustration.

"not if you don't want to be," ted said, his tone shifting. "look, you have to be honest with yourself. if you like him, you need to tell him. otherwise, you might just lose your chance."

"what if he doesn't feel the same?" the words slipped out before i could stop myself, and i felt vulnerable admitting my fears.

"you'll never know if you don't try," he replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. "you can't let fear hold you back. life's too short for that."

i opened my mouth to respond, but the words got stuck in my throat. could i really tell schlatt how i felt? what if it ruined our friendship? what if he pushed me away?

as i battled with my thoughts, i caught sight of schlatt again. he was leaning against the bar, his laughter ringing out, and sierra was right there beside him, her hand on his arm as she said something that made him laugh harder. my heart sank a little more.

"you should go talk to him," ted urged, nudging me gently. "now or never, char."

the weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. this was it. i had to decide whether to risk everything or stay on the sidelines and watch. taking a deep breath, i stood up, feeling my heart race as i walked toward the bar.

as i approached, i noticed the energy between them. sierra was leaning in close, whispering something in schlatt's ear that made him chuckle, his expression relaxed and carefree. it stung to see him so at ease with her. i took a moment to collect my thoughts, knowing this could be the moment that changed everything.

"schlatt," i called out, trying to keep my voice steady.

he turned to me, a surprised expression crossing his face. "hey, char!" his smile was genuine, and for a moment, i felt a spark of hope.

"make sure you get home safe tonight." i muttered, disappointed in myself for not being able to confront the situation.

"thanks.." he said hesitantly, his eyes darting towards sierra and looking back one last time before she took his arm as they exited the bar.