𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

033, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

033, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞
irl

THIRD PERSON +
december 2, 2024

It was nearing midnight, and Juniper's Los Angeles house was scattered with clothes and half-packed luggage.

She had a flight to New York in the morning, her first time back since the breakup, and despite the endless hours spent getting ready for the VMAs and the rush of her upcoming tour, the looming return had left her feeling like she was standing on the edge of a cliff. Just looking at her suitcase made her stomach twist.

Vinnie was folding up a t-shirt by her bed, casting a quick glance her way. He'd been doing that a lot lately—quietly watching her, picking up on the slightest shifts in her mood. They'd been spending so much time together that he could practically read her mind, and tonight, he could tell she was different. Her usual spark was dimmed, her laughter more forced, like she was pulling herself along just to get through the night.

"You good, Juni?" he asked, nudging her arm as he set a stack of clothes in the open suitcase.

His tone was light, but there was a glint of concern in his eyes that made her look away. She didn't want to bring him down with her; Vinnie had been her anchor these past few months, always there with a joke or a smile, always pulling her out of her own head when things got too heavy.

She sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I don't know, Vin. I guess it's just... going back to New York. I haven't been there since..." Her voice trailed off, and she didn't need to finish the sentence for him to know what she meant.

He leaned against the dresser, crossing his arms and giving her his full attention. "Since Jack?" he asked softly.

She nodded, staring down at her hands. "It feels like it was another life. And part of me wants to go back, but... I'm scared of what it's gonna feel like, you know? Walking into that apartment and seeing all those memories. I'm probably gonna find his old t-shirts lying around or—God, even pictures of us on the walls." She let out a bitter laugh. "It's like walking back into something I know isn't there anymore. And it hurts."

Vinnie's expression softened, and he took a seat beside her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "Look, I get it. I mean, I can't pretend to know exactly what you're feeling, but I know what it's like to have something—someone—stuck in your head that you can't seem to shake. Heartbreak isn't easy to just, get over."

Juniper looked up at him, surprised by the raw honesty in his voice. She often forgot that Vinnie, with all his confidence and humor, had his own shadows to wrestle with. It made her feel less alone.

He continued, his gaze distant. "But New York is your place. You can't just let that go because of him. Think of all the things you love about the city—the food, the energy, the little coffee shop down the street from your apartment where you write. It's always been a part of you. It was yours long before it was his."

She bit her lip, feeling the weight of his words settle over her. Vinnie was right. She'd fallen in love with New York long before she'd fallen in love with Jack, and she couldn't keep running away from it, hiding herself from the city that had always been her sanctuary.

"I just... I don't know if I can handle it," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "What if it's too much?"

Vinnie turned to her, his expression unwavering. "Then you lean on the people who love you. You've got friends there, and you've got me. You're stronger than you think, Juni."