𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

060, 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

060, 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞
irl

THIRD PERSON +
april 16, 2025

The cool breeze of a Seattle evening rustled through the trees in Vinnie's backyard. The faint scent of flowers from a nearby garden mixed with the earthy aroma of last nights rain on the grass, creating the perfect atmosphere for a quiet hangout.

Juniper sat cross-legged on a worn blanket spread across the lawn, her sneakers discarded nearby. Jenna sprawled beside her, propped up on one elbow, while Vinnie leaned against the deck railing a few feet away, a soft smirk playing on his lips as he swirled a soda can in his hand.

"This is way better than being cooped up on the bus," Juniper sighed, tilting her head back to take in the deepening evening sky. "I needed this."

"Well, thank my parents," Vinnie said, his voice carrying that easy warmth she had come to appreciate. "They insisted on hosting you. Said no way their favourite pop-star should be sleeping in a hotel when there's a perfectly good guest room."

"Your mom is adorable," Jenna chimed in, her lips curving into a grin. "She kept calling Juni's tour a 'nice little musical outing.'"

Juniper laughed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She's the sweetest. She also made me cookies, so she's officially my favorite person."

Vinnie chuckled, shaking his head. "Hey, she bakes for everyone. Don't get too cocky. Okay...maybe not everyone."

The three of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, broken only by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional chirp of crickets. Eventually, Jenna nudged Juniper with her elbow.

"So," Jenna said, her tone light but curious, "how are things with Jack?"

Juniper hesitated, her fingers idly plucking at the edge of the blanket. "Good," she said after a moment. "We text or talk every day. FaceTime, too, when we can. And he still sends me little gifts or flowers every now and then, which is... really sweet."

"That's Jack for you," Vinnie said, his voice neutral but kind. "From what I've heard, he's always been good at the whole thoughtful thing."

Juniper smiled softly, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—uncertainty, maybe.

"Yeah, he is. But, I don't know. It's weird. Part of me feels like we're picking up where we left off, and that's amazing. But another part of me is... scared."

"Scared of what?" Jenna asked, her brows knitting together.

Juniper exhaled, her gaze dropping to her lap. "Of getting my heart broken again. The way he ended things last time... it felt like hell. I don't know if I can go through that again. What if he decides I'm not what he wants, all over again?"

Jenna sat up straighter, her expression softening. "Juju, you can't think like that. People make mistakes. Jack clearly knows he messed up, or he wouldn't be trying so hard to show you how much he cares now."

"Exactly," Vinnie added, his tone steady but firm. "And you're not the same person you were back then. Neither is he, from what it sounds like. You've both grown. If you want to give it another shot, you owe it to yourself to do it without holding onto all that fear."

Juniper looked between the two of them, her lips pressing into a tight-lipped smile. "You make it sound so simple."

"It's not," Jenna admitted. "But that's love, right? It's messy and scary and sometimes it sucks. But it's also worth it when it's with the right person."