𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐍 sat across the room, his AirPods firmly in place, Rihanna's voice echoing through his mind, "To feel a little more, give a little less." The lyrics, cold and distant, seemed to match how he felt—how he had been feeling for the longest time. His mind was barely focused on the music, though. His eyes never left Chance.
She sat there, laughing with Dior, her eyes bright, but there was something about it. Something he couldn't quite place. Was it fake? Was she pretending? Or was she just trying to get through the day, just like him? He didn't know anymore, and that was the worst part.
He remembered when they were inseparable. When their lives had been so intertwined, it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
Now, they were worlds apart, and the gap between them felt wider than ever. He wished he could go back, wished he could hold onto the days when everything was easy.
But that wasn't the reality now. Reality was this room, this awkward silence, with only the loud hum of his thoughts to keep him company.
He leaned back in his chair, half-listening to Rekai talk about something he didn't care about. He wasn't really paying attention anyway. He couldn't. His thoughts kept drifting back to Chance, back to everything they had been.
She was the only girl in the room. Even though Ariana was staring at him, trying to catch his attention, it was Chance who held his focus.
He could barely remember the last time he spoke to her, let alone had a real conversation. He had his glasses on, but the blur between him and her wasn't just physical. It was emotional, too.
He watched as Chance flicked her hair over her shoulder, laughing with Dior, not a care in the world. She was perfect in her own way, even though Justyn couldn't put a finger on it.
She looked different—like she had moved on from him, even though he hadn't moved on from her. There were new things about her now. The hair. The tattoos.
The way she walked, like she owned the room. She always had that confidence, but now it seemed like a shield. A shield that kept everyone out.
But there was something in the way she looked at him earlier. Just for a second, their eyes locked, and Justyn could feel the pull.
The same pull that had drawn him to her from the beginning. It was still there, even if she tried to hide it.
She quickly looked away, like she didn't want to get caught. He couldn't blame her.
What was left to say between them? They hadn't spoken in one week. It had been silent between them for too long.
But still, he couldn't help himself. He stared, and she knew it. She could feel his gaze on her like a weight pressing down, making her feel something she wasn't ready to admit.
