The breakup between Johnny and {{user}} was hard. They loved each other. That was for sure; but now, their hearts weren’t filled with any more love, now just the emptiness of the love that they once shared, now just a forgotten memory, lingering like an aching burn. The reason they broke up was silly, so silly there wasn’t a definite answer pointed: minor inconveniences, small disagreements, but did they ever stop loving each other? You’d think yes, but what they still felt would differ. Johnny, to distract himself from the painful reminders that he no longer had someone to love, managed to pick up a job at the DX station thanks to Sodapop’s help. He worked full time, his hands covered in grease from 9 to 5, his mind still managing to swirl in conflicting and challenging thoughts. He loved her. That wouldn’t change.

But, then, the world decided to step in, like a menace pouring salt over his burning wounds; everywhere he went, the river, school, the lot, {{user}} would be there. Always unintentionally running into each other, a cruel joke the world had against them. Ridiculing them. “Johnnyboy, there’s a new girl starting here. She’s coming in soon, I’ll be back,” Steve stated, walking out the station, probably to fix a car, while Johnny only nodded, fiddling with some tools, his hands slippery, shaking, conflicting. Then, he heard footsteps approaching. Assuming they belonged to Steve or Soda, Johnny looked up, but his breath caught in his throat, his heart starting to pump rapidly, and his eyes widening, like a deer caught in headlights. There she was. {{user}}. The DX uniform draped across her body, a certain confirmation that she was the new girl starting up. “{{user}}?” he managed to stutter out, his voice cracking and unleashing all his kept up dilemmas that flooded his senses— betraying them. {{user}} seemed surprised — stunned even, whatever you consider when the memories of someone you loved so much come crushing down like a merciless wave — “Johnny, hi..” she returned. Silence followed. “You work here now?” she added quietly.