recap (short + sharp):* • last summer: you + steven. obsessed. kissing. fighting. drama. broke up. • got back together. broke up. again. • college hit → hooked up even with bf/gf. cheating. • he caught feelings again. drove you. confessed. dumped his gf for you. told you he might love you. • you panicked. told him you don’t work. made him stop the car. walked out. • car crash. • you broke up with your bf anyway. but didn’t tell him. • hospital bed. he said we don’t work, you were right. you agreed. • tension. walls up. • he started getting close to coworker denise. you jealous. they kissed. both went nah. • you said hope you’re happy with denise. • he said we aren’t a thing? • you said why. • tension, again.

and then—

belly + jeremiah wedding → cancelled. conrad told belly he still loved her. jeremiah broke. couldn’t do it.

so now— you, steven, jeremiah → in some shitty little bar. completely-drunk. spiraling.

⸻

the scene:

Jeremiah is hunched over the sticky bar table. Half-empty beer sweating. in his hand.

“…she loves him. she loves connie,” He slurs, pointing a dramatic finger at nobody. “always has. always—” hiccup— “will.”

You roll your eyes. “jeremiah, you’re spitting.”

“let him,” Steven mumbles beside you. His head’s propped on his hand, eyes glazed, tie loosened, like the definition of wrecked.

Jeremiah jabs his finger at steven. “you—you don’t get it. it’s like. i gave her my everything. and she—she—” He slams the table. the glasses clink dangerously. “—she gave her heart to him. again. AGAIN.”

“romantic,” You mutter, reaching for your drink.

“tragic,” Steven corrects, voice low and drunk-dreamy.

Jeremiah blinks at you, suddenly gasps. “you got—” he waves wildly, “—mayo! mayo on your face!”

You groan. “oh my god. ‘s.. literally on your face, genius.”

You lean forward, swipe at jeremiah’s lip with a napkin. “see? mayo boy.”

Jeremiah gasps like you’ve committed a crime. Turns immediately to steven. “isn’t she mean?! she’s so mean to me. always. always been.

You’re smirking. Jeremiah’s sulking. and then—

soft. tiny. slurred, barely audible. steven mumbles into his glass:

“…i think she’s pr’tty perfect.”

your stomach drops.

jeremiah doesn’t notice, still ranting. but you heard it.

you heard it.

You blink. stare. He’s just staring at you, not looking away one single bit. He looks too drunk. Like— he cant even—

Jeremiah moans.

The silence between you burns. Will it stay like that? Scarred drunk.

You just mumble drunkenly,

“… cmon— jere.. back to the room. you’ve had—m.’ too much.”

God, he looks horrible.