LAVENDER HAZE | j. champion

thirteen

december 10, 2022

Caleigh and I had just had a full day together and she'd offered to go pick us up dinner, even offered to get Britain something too since our parents weren't going to be home.

So, when the doorbell rang, I wasn't worried at all. She probably just couldn't open the door with all the food she was carrying. Brit would let her in.

"Hols!" Britain yelled from downstairs.

I groaned, pulling myself off of my bed so I could go see what he wanted. Normally, he'd facetime me if he didn't feel like coming upstairs, so I wonder why today was different.

"What?" I questioned, pulling my oversized sweatpants up. I'm pretty sure i'd stolen these from someone because they were huge on me.

Britain gestured to the door, "For you."

I furrowed my eyebrows as he walked away, going straight to the stairs. Probably going to hide out in his room or swim thing.

If it's Caleigh, why didn't Brit let her in? This didn't make any sense.

I approached the door, cautiously, nervous to see who was on the other side. And when curly hair popped into my eyesight, I immediately regretted coming downstairs.

"Jack, why are you here?" I had a hand in my hip and the other on the door, "And how do you remember where I live?"

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, almost as if he forgot to plan what he was going to say. "Well, uh, I used to come here all the time during filming and just hoped you still lived here."

I stared him down. Ok, so I might be single and he might be as well. And we might be *together* as in proximity because of the series of premiers.

But that doesn't give him the right to come to my house, expecting something of me after 2 years of radio silence.

"Ok, so what do you want?"

It was clear he was taken back by my bluntness. "I want... to talk."

I paused. "You have 5 minutes." Wasn't even kidding, i'm setting a timer as I walk him over to the couch.

I sat down, Jack sitting down on the other end. I guess we're going to have to start somewhere.

"I miss us." He breathed out.

"Ok." That's not what I wanted to say.

I wanted to tell him how much I missed 'us' too. And how i'd occasionally dream of how things could've turned out between the two of us. Even if it had only stayed a friendship. At least we would've still been in each others lives.

But no, I couldn't do that.

"Geez, Holland, give me something! It's been 2 years of nothing from you and i'm lost." He raked his fingers through his hair. "Do you know how much I had to hype myself up for this?"

"I didn't ask you to make things up to me!"

He probably felt bad after I basically blamed him for Kit breaking up with me. I did tell him he was to blame, but that wasn't entirely the truth.

I was the reason Kit broke up with me. The way I looked at this damn boy sitting across from me and our history together, that was the reason I got broken up with. But I doubt i'll ever actually tell him that.

We stayed quiet for a few minutes. I ignored the glossiness of Jack's eyes.

"Could we at least try to be friends again?" He was quiet, something very out of character for him.

I didn't want to fight with him.

He didn't deserve it, even though I wanted him to. I wanted him to feel the pain I felt for months, maybe even a year, after he broke my heart. Who knows if he even meant to break my heart, but he did. He took it and ripped it to shreds.

Maybe young Holland made it all up. Maybe I was imagining things as a younger teen. Maybe Jack never felt anything other than platonic feelings for me.

There's always the chance that I made up our love story on my own.

"Fine, we can try." the alarm on my phone sounded, "But your 5 minutes are up. I'll see you for the press junket tomorrow and maybe I won't act like an ass and ignore you the whole time."

I stood up from the couch, Jack following suit.

Jack smiles a little, "Yeah, ok." He seemed more hopeful than I wanted him to be.

Okay, maybe I wanted this too.

But another part of me wanted him to hurt like I did.

Fuck. This is going to be hard.

Jack walked to the door, leaving the way he came. I was about to close the door behind him, but I heard the slamming of a car door. Must be Caleigh.

"Bitch." Caleigh scoffed and my jaw dropped. I knew she was bold and fearless, but calling Jack a bitch?

That was a new level for her.

"Ok, what is your problem with me? Because I literally met you like a month ago and i'm not sure how I got on your bad side." Jack very quickly bit back, whatever happiness he walked out the door with suddenly gone.

I peeked out the door, seeing tiny Caleigh clutching all of our food, but still sending Jack the nastiest glare. If there's one thing Caleigh's gonna do, it is stick up for her friends.

She wouldn't care about anyone's feelings when she was sticking up for her friends. Caleigh would tear anyone down if it meant building the ones she cared about back up. That's how loyal she was.

"You made my best friend miserable, Jack! It took Holland forever to get over you and now you're trying to make things normal, like it never even happened?"

Even though I could only see the back of his head, I knew Jack's eyes were wide, "What do you mean— I didn't realize she still thought about that?"

Caleigh shook her head, probably in disbelief of Jack's statement. Hell, i'm in disbelief.

Did he really think I didn't still think about it?

"Then you're more of an idiot then I thought."

•

holland and jack are
gonna try to work things
out and caleigh popped off

things are gonna start heating up