1:55 ➣ snapchat ➣ jack d. grazer [ 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙋𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙀𝘿 ]

[54] irl

🗒 ❛ 1:55 ༉‧₊˚✧
—

ellie joseph

after the pizza had gotten there it was already four at night, and we all decided to go down to the hot tub outside the apartments and stay there for a while.

we brought towels and the pizza outside along with a mixture of 'juice'— reason number fourteen of why you should have older friends—  and strawberry lemonade with cups and placed them on the ground by the hot tub, the cold air making goosebumps appear on my skin quickly due to the lack of clothes i had on, them being only bikini top and bottoms.

"ellie, it's fucking cold!" chosen shouted from behind me, he himself wearing only some regular shorts he packed since he didn't bring any swim trunks.

"i know, but trust me! once you get in the hot tub, it's all worth it!"

as soon as we set the pizza, drink and cups down, i quickly hopped into the tub, the hot water calm wing my body relax as i heard the splashes of everybody else following in. chosen groaned in satisfaction, sending an approving nod towards me. i sent a smirk his way, "told you. all worth it."

"this feels nice." sophia said from my right, leaning her head back against the concrete rim of the tub.

"it's not time to relax just yet," jack clapped his hands excitedly. "el, pour them drinks and pass me a slice."

i chuckled before turning around, beginning to pour the drinks for everybody and passing them out to each of them. i handed jack a slice of pizza, watching as a pineapple fell into the hot tub, making everybody groan. "ew, jack!"

"what?! it's just a small piece of pineapple." he argued, swiftly scooping it up from the water and throwing it over his shoulder in the bigger pool behind him.

"nice going, smart one." finn chimed.

and there we sat for the next forty-five minutes, all of us telling funny stories from our pasts and cackling so loud that we all had to remind ourselves that there were other people living in the same apartment complex, struggling to shush each other through our own laughs.

everyone, except wyatt.

it was around 5:30 when i felt him nudge my side, pulling me out of the story finn was telling about what he thought of everybody when he first met us all.

i turned my head to the left to look at wyatt, a smile still on my face as the laughter faded from my lungs. "yeah?"

he leaned in closer to my ear, "can i talk to you?" he whispered.

he backed away, looking at me with seriousness and not his usual charming smile. i quickly nodded my head in concern. "yeah, sure, okay."

without another word, wyatt stood up and stepped out of the hot tub and grabbed a towel, catching everyone by surprise as they watched him walk away to the other side of the pool.

"i'll just— i'll be right back." i said, grabbing a towel for myself and wrapping it around my shoulders to help protect me from the cold as i made my way over to him.

i could tell he was lost in his own head as i got closer and closer to him, only making my concern grow. soon enough, i stopped in front of him, shivering slightly as i looked up at him. "wyatt, what's wrong—"

"i love you, ellie." he blurted out, catching me by surprise.

"wait, what—"

"i'm in love with you, el. i have been for a while. and before you assume anything, just listen to me, okay?" he asked quietly. i nodded my head hesitantly, surprise still running through my body at his confession.

he nodded before starting, grabbing my hands in his and gripping them gently. "i'm in love with you. i'm pretty sure i have been for a while, but i didn't realize until that day. and i hate that that's what it took for me to realize, but it happened. and i'm still sorry about that." he paused, looking toward the ground for a second then making his way back to my eyes, continuing. "but i do love you, ellie. and i know you don't love me back, and that's okay."

i stuttered at his words, taken aback. "wyatt—"

"hang on, just listen, okay?" his voice was soft. "you don't love me back the way i love you, and that's okay. because i know where your heart really is."

my brows pinched and my eyes squeezed together. "and that is?"

wyatt tilted his head to the side in mock disbelief. "you know what i'm talking about."

he was right. i did know

jack.

he was talking about jack.

he kept going, his hands leaving mine and slowly making their way up to my shoulders. "i see the way you two look at each other. it's pure love and adoration. and i hate myself for getting in the middle of you two. what you guys have is different, but it's special. and i care way too much about you both to let you guys keep pushing yourselves away from each other." he took a deep breath, "so, i just wanted you to know that i love you enough to let you go. that i know you'll be happier with him. and you may not think so now, but i see the way he looks at you. he worships the ground you walk on. i just know it'll work out between you two. i know it."

by the end of his speech, i had tears streaming down my face along with a sad smile. i had no idea he felt this way.

i sniffled, not bothering to wipe the tears from my eyes. "you're an amazing fucking guy, wyatt," i started, making him chuckle as he dropped his hands from my arms. "and i love you, too. but you're right, i do love jack."

there it was.

after all this time, i had finally admitted to myself that i loved jack.

i was in love with him.

wyatt smiled, a proud look on his face as he stared at me. "there it is," he laughed softly. "i knew you could do it."

"shut up," i grumbled, wiping the tears from my eyes with the towel wrapped around me. "i'm sorry."

wyatt quickly shook his head. "what, no, no, no, you don't apologize. you did nothing wrong, el." he stopped for a moment as he search for the right words. "you just— you love who you love." i shrugged.

"and you're not upset?" i asked, my voice coarse from the silent crying i had done.

"no, absolutely not. i promise you on everything, that i understand. i just want you to be happy."

my bottom lip stuck out in a pouty smile, my eyes aligning with his. i leaned in, standing on my toes to reach him and pressing a long, gentle kiss to his cheek. "thank you, wyatt."

"no problem. it's just human decency."

i chuckled before wiping my face with my hands, attempting my make it look like i hadn't been crying just a few seconds ago. "well, back to the hot tub?" i asked, a cheeky smile gracing my lips as i held my hand out for him to take.

he looked down at my hand then back up at me, grabbing it delicately. he nodded, his light-brown curls bouncing on top of his head from the movement. "back to the hot tub."

"wait," i stopped him, pausing the both of us in our tracks as a small grin made its way onto my lips. "but later, i need you to help me with a small favor."

—

updated as of feb. 2022
- 777hearts
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