𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

037, 𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐥

037, 𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐥
irl + social media
(song for this chapter is 'loml'
— taylor swift, get ready folks
for some sad juniper and even
sadder jack!

republished with an edit on a
mistake i made in the comments!)

THIRD PERSON +
december 7, 2024

December seventh was supposed to be exciting, a celebration of how far she'd come in her career.

But all Juniper could feel was an anxious buzz as she stared at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the face looking back. Her makeup artist was blending soft tones across her eyelids, trying to create a look that was as mature and graceful as the performance she had planned for tonight's VMAs.

"Hell yeah, you're gonna rock it," Vinnie said from across the room, lounging on the couch with Jenna, who'd flown in from Romania the day before now that filming was finished.

Juniper forced a small smile and nodded, but her leg continued bouncing, her fingers drumming lightly on the arms of the makeup chair. Jenna leaned over, noticing the tension in her friend's shoulders.

"You need to breathe, Juju," she said, nudging Vinnie playfully. "And stop listening to Vincent. He's making you more nervous."

Vinnie gave a mock-offended gasp. "Hey! I'm trying to be supportive here!"

Juniper managed a chuckle. "You guys, I'm fine, really. Just... a little jittery. This performance is really different from anything I've done before."

Jenna leaned in closer, catching her eyes in the mirror. "It's because it's you out there, showing a different side of yourself. Vulnerable, real. It's not the pop-star stuff you usually do. But that's why it's gonna be incredible, Juniper. They're going to see the real you, and they'll love you even more for it."

Juniper took a deep breath, nodding slowly. Jenna's words settled some of the nerves, and she let the makeup artist finish up, brushing the last bit of powder on her cheek. She looked at Jenna and Vinnie through the mirror, a grateful smile flickering onto her lips.

"Thank you, both of you. I think I needed to hear that," she admitted softly.

By the time the limousine pulled up outside her apartment, Juniper was a little steadier, the nervous buzz blending with excitement. She took Jenna's hand as they stepped out together, Jenna grinning and immediately launching into a pep talk.

"Alright, listen to me," Jenna said, squeezing Juniper's hand. "Tonight isn't just about your performance. It's about owning the journey that got you here. No matter what happens, remember that you're here because you're you, and you're insanely talented. You've got this."

Juniper let out a shaky laugh. "You sound like one of those motivational posters."

Jenna rolled her eyes playfully. "Good. Maybe you need a whole poster of me to remind you of how great you are."

As the limousine approached the red carpet, Juniper's heart started racing again. She could already see the flashing lights and hear the crowd's cheers.

The moment they stepped out of the limo, the cameras went wild. Juniper plastered on a smile, feeling Jenna's reassuring hand on her shoulder. They posed together, laughing, Jenna whispering little jokes that helped Juniper relax into the moment. But even amidst the fun, she could hear the shouts of reporters over the din, voices calling out questions that made her stomach twist.