"Zoey, I am not going to rebound!" Jared yelled, partially in anger, partially because of the EDM blaring throughout the club.
Zoey swayed along to the beat. "Why not? There's nothing to lose!"
"What the hell is wrong with you? I can't do that to Evan!" Zoey rolled her eyes. "I think you're forgetting something." She said. "You and Evan are done." Jared stepped back as tears sprung to his eyes. It felt like she had taken a knife to his chest without a care. "Wh-what has gotten into you?" He asked. "What's gotten into me? What about you? All you do is sit in your room and cry over your ex! It's like you've forgotten how to have fun!" He opened his mouth, preparing to shout back at her. He hesitated, then stopped. "Maybe you're right..."
"Seriously? I-I mean, of course, I'm right! I'm always right." She grinned. "I guess," Jared looked down. "I should go out and have fun...I deserve it...I think." Zoey grabbed his hand. "Great! Let's go find you some hot guy to make out with." She dragged him over to a couch and sat him down. "I'll get us some cosmos, you stay here." Jared raised a finger to interject, but Zoey had already danced over to the bar. He put his hands in his lap nervously, glancing around the club. Everyone was either out on the floor dancing or making out on one of the couches. Eventually, Jared was tired of waiting and pulled out his phone as he hummed along to the Troye Sivan song playing throughout the club.
Someone sat down next to him, saying nothing. "Zoey, I know I'm gay as hell, but I don't want a cosmopolitan right now," Jared said, not looking up from his phone. "Is Zoey your friend?" A voice said. Jared's head shot up. "Oh, um...you aren't Zoey..." He said, blushing furiously. A dark-haired senior sat beside him, a playful smirk resting on his face. "Sadly, no." He laughed. "She sent me over here to talk to you. Jared, right?"
"Y-yeah..." Jared said, not fully able to say a word. "Zoey tells me you're looking for a rebound." Jared looked down at his feet. "She wasn't supposed to just...flat-out tell people that..." The mystery man chuckled. "Well, if it helps, I just broke up with someone, too." Jared gave him a half smile, pretending he hadn't been the one who had just gotten dumped. He suddenly felt a hand on his leg. "Oh!" He exclaimed, making eye contact with the brunette beside him. "I-um-" The stranger pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh..." Jared's eyes widened as he leaned in and kissed him.
"Jared?!" A voice shouted. Jared pulled away. Alana and a far too familiar face stood in front of him. "Evan? W-what are you doing here?" Evan just stood there, frozen. Jared desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. Zoey ran over and grabbed Alana's shoulder. "Babe, what the hell?" She asked, holding a drink in her hand. "I thought we made an arrangement to go to different clubs!" Alana sighed. "You said you were taking Jared to Viper!" They bickered back and forth while Jared and Evan stared at each other. Jared glanced to his left, but it seemed that his nameless kisser had left. Zoey turned away from Alana to apologize to Jared. "Listen, we didn't plan this to happen. We were gonna take both of you out to different places so you can have a chance to get over each other." Jared covered his mouth. "You....you're still getting over me?"
Evan sat down next to him and rested his hand on Jared's. "Of course I'm still getting over you. How could-" He paused. "How could I not?" He bit his lip. Jared felt all the memories rushing back to him. "Evan, I don't like being apart. I-I can't be away from you. This breakup is killing me." Evan looked up suddenly. "Breakup? You thought this was a breakup?" Jared's breath hitched. "Yeah...this is what it is, right?" He said, heart racing.
"What are you taking about? This isn't a breakup! It's just a fight!" Jared's mouth dropped open, but he couldn't speak. Evan's eyes darkened. "How many other guys have you made out with at clubs? Is this what you've been doing, cheating on me?" He stood up. Jared clutched his hand, trying to pull him back down. "No! Evan, this is all a big misunderstanding!" Evan ripped his arm away from him. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Some big elaborate plan so you could dump me?"
"Evan, no. Please don't do this. I love you."
"Do you really? I thought being in love meant that you wouldn't kiss other guys."
"He kissed me! Evan, I would never do this to you." Jared couldn't hold back the tears this time.
Evan's shoulders were shaking with sobs. "P-prove it." He said. Jared wiped his eyes. "You're the only person I've ever loved. It's always been you...since fourth grade. The day we met...I-I had never felt anything like that before. I swore to myself that someday, someday..." He trailed off, averting looking directly at him. "I swore to myself that once I had you, I would never let you go. Ever. Evan, I love you so much. I would never do anything to hurt you. So please, please...don't do this to me. No, not me. Don't do this to us." Once Jared had finished, it felt like the entire club had gone silent, and that time had stopped. It was just Evan and him, standing feet apart. Staring into each other's eyes.
Nothing in the world mattered to them, except each other.
