𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙷𝙴𝚁࿐ ྂ ᴊᴇꜰꜰ ʙᴜᴄᴋʟᴇʏ

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ꜰᴏᴜʀ

ᴏɴᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ

AUGUST, 1992
NEW YORK CITY.ೃ࿐

BOTH POLLY AND JEFF HAD BEEN BROKEN
and healed many times in the last year due to the fluctuating relationship they had. Going between long periods of friends, then that broken by a night spent together. Trying to figure out what they were was a struggle that they eventually left alone and rather enjoyed the time spent together, either as friends or lovers.

Polly had tried to never miss one of Jeff's shows, especially at Sin-è. She loved the small cafe, and it was the best place to listen to Jeff. It was where he felt comfortable, and that was shown in how he sung. Freely and beautifully.

When she wasn't there, he would always search in the small crowd for her face, becoming discouraged when he didn't find it.

Although there was nothing more Jeff would want then to be crazily in love and in a relationship with Polly once again, he'd settle for anything. The type of love he gave didn't seem to be returned.

He knew it would happen again, and that fact made him crazy. He didn't know when the relationship would resume. It just would- it had to.

In the quiet nights when she returned home from work, Polly couldn't help but miss Jeff's constant presence and his voice that bent around her walls and traveled to her bedroom from the living room.

But it was never far away, seeming like he would be at Sin-è every night. Just a short walk, though her feelings made it longer.

The august night was humid, St. Marks Place not too crowded, though 122 was. Jeff had begun to draw quite a crowd at the small shop, people filling the inside and spilling out onto the street.

People who saw him told their friends, and the friends told even more people, lamenting about the massive amount of talent the now short haired, funny, audacious and truly perplexing man pertained.

The crowd Jeff drew wasn't specific to any type of humanity, there were A&R folk in suits and ties as they sipped their coffee, angsty teens, old men and the homeless. It didn't matter who you were, for Jeff sung what seemed like every genre under the New York City sun.

Polly considered herself beyond lucky to have seen the talent develop in her very home.

There, situated by the piano was Jeff, borrowed Telecaster in hand as people slowly gathered inside. When he saw Polly, he set the guitar down, joining her at the back of the room.

She had come right from work, still dressed formally, but still rather disheveled. In the past year working at Colombia, she'd often join A&R workers at shows, being her musical opinions were more advanced- she looked to the songwriting and chord changes rather than performances as most A&R did.

So, she oftentimes recognized people at Jeff's shows, always an astounding amount for the one person, one guitar act. She was bewildered as to why Jeff hadn't signed with any of them.

"Get drinks with me after!" Jeff said as he walked up to Polly enthused.

She returned his smile, "of course." It had been awhile since they'd done so, normally she was too tired. It had also been a month or so since they'd vowed to talk about their relationship. Something Polly was prone to prolong, as she had done for the past few weeks.

If she was being honest with herself, being back in a relationship with Jeff didn't sound so bad. She knew that his career was going to be arriving at consistent milestones, but secretly she'd decided that didn't matter anymore.

Whatever changes he faced, she'd want nothing more than to face them with him. But just didn't know how to tell him so.

"Come sit up front," Jeff insisted, taking her hand as he walked back to the front. "I want to see you while I play."

She felt her heart flutter slightly at his words, "you can see me at the back." She replied, still sitting down at a small table in front of him.

"Yeah but then I can't see your eyes that well." He said, the simple statement coming out naturally, but still making Polly want to giggle childishly.

Before she could reply, Jeff turned, putting on the Fender and strumming a few chords.

He turned back, offering Polly a smile before he greeted the people pouring into Sin-è. As he sung, every person in the crowd had a hard time believing the talent in front of them was playing this tiny coffee house in the east village.

As he always did, he played till he'd drank many refills of his cappuccino, until most had cleared out of the venue, until a good portion of the city was asleep.

Instead of hopping from bar to bar, Polly and Jeff stayed behind in Sin-è until Shane, the owner, had told them he was closing.

Until then, Jeff played her both new, old, and cover songs, she appreciated them all the same no matter how many times she'd heard them. In turn, they sat at the piano together, Jeff making her explain different songs on the instrument no matter how well he knew them.

After it closed, Jeff insisted that the night wasn't over, rather taking her hand and walking through streets until they reached the East River waterfront, opting to sit on a bench as they looked out across the water.

As he held her close, something about it was bittersweet, like it was time for him to stop pining after her. After all, she hadn't given any sign she'd wanted to be with him again. Yet he still pulled their body's closer, wanting to feel her warmth against him.

"Polly," he spoke softly, "why are you still here?" He asked her the question, knowing in reality he should've been asking himself the same thing.

"Cause I love being with you." She said, pulling away from the embrace slightly to look up to his eyes.

"Then why aren't you?"

"Aren't I what?" She responded, knowing what he meant though wanting him to say it.

He averted her gaze, looking back to the water. "With me." He paused. "Actually with me."

"Do you want me to be?"

"Yes." Jeff nodded.

Polly was beyond pleased with his word, although she didn't show it, secretly loving his face when she didn't reply. She just brought herself even closer to him, not letting him see the smile quickly developing on her face.

He took that as a positive response, though not quite sure if the girl snuggled into his chest was actually with him.

But even if she wasn't, he would've sat there all night just because she was there with him. He would walk her home a hundred times over just to be in her presence.

For better or for worse, he wasn't sure if he could ever stop loving her the way he did.

༻✦༺

A/N
so i was wondering when I get to the end of part two of this book- should i do a part 3+4 orr a second book??? it doesn't matter that much just opinion but pls give me urs 🙏🙏

ty for reading!!