Karl Jacobs x Reader

Before

I waited on the dock, letting my legs hang over the edge. My feet were inches from the surface of the water, and every so often, a small wave would lap up against my toes. "Y/N?" I heard the voice call my name behind me. I turned, eyeing the middle-aged man who leaned against one of the posts that were on either side of the dock. Todd Hallow, the dad of one of my friends, and probably the coolest dad you'd ever meet. "You alright hun?" I nodded as I looked out over the dark ocean.
"I'm fine. Just anxious for the boat to come back."  Todd nodded. "I know who you're hoping won," he said to me. I felt a little guilty as I looked down a little sheepishly. But I felt Todd pat my shoulder gently. "It's okay, Y/N. I don't mind that it ain't Chandler. You can't root for everyone."
I smiled slightly as I nodded to him. As he headed back to the shore, I turned once again to look back at the ocean. I squinted as I thought I saw something. Then, it became clearer. It was, in fact, a boat on the dark horizon, rocking on the waves, and slowly coming closer.
I got up quickly, as a few other people, including Todd, joined me on the dock.

I could feel the buzz of excitement and anticipation, as we all waited for the boat the reach the dock. As it got closer, I heard the sound of people talking loudly, as well as cheers and shouts. I tried to make out the shapes of everyone in the small amount of light on the boat, but I couldn't. Finally, the boat was close enough to the dock that I could make out some people. I instantly recognized Chandler and Jimmy, who was the main founder of the MrBeast youtube channel.
I felt a little flutter in my stomach when I saw him. Him. Karl Jacobs, the one guy I'd been praying would win the challenge. The boys Chris, Karl, and Chandler, plus a bunch of other people who weren't regulars on the channel, had been competing that day for winning a $800,000 private island. Quite possibly one of the craziest challenges on the channel, it had probably the most beautiful and expensive prize ever. I tried to tell by the facial expressions of the boys who won, but everyone was moving and talking and yelling, and I couldn't tell. The boat finally reached the dock, and all the people who had competed, including the losers, came out of the boat in a pile. I saw Chandler leaping up and yelling as everyone else started milling around the dock and the shore.
I knew based on who'd come back as a loser that it had been down to Karl, Chandler, and one other person. I tried to hear what everyone was saying, but I couldn't make out any words. Finally, I managed to reach Karl among all the people. He was leaning against one of the poles on the dock.

"Hey," I said to him, and he turned to look at me. "Shouldn't you be over there celebrating?" I asked hopefully. But Karl just shook his head. "I didn't win, Y/N. Chandler won."
I felt my stomach drop like a stone in water as a wave of disappointment cascaded over me. Karl turned back to look forlornly at the ocean as it lapped against the shore, and I stepped forward slightly. "I'm so sorry," I said sincerely, hoping to make him feel a little better. "I'm sure he'll let you visit it lots."

Karl suddenly looked back up at me, and his expression was so sad looking that I felt my heart crack a little. "It was by pure chance!" He exclaimed. "It was between me and Chandler at the end and the losers all voted. It was a tie, and so Jedd picked a random name from the box. I literally couldn't even do anything at all to help it!"
This news made the whole situation worse, as Karl again turned back to look at the ocean. I hesitated a moment, before going over to sit down beside him. "I'm really sorry," I murmured. "I'd been hoping you'd win the whole time. I'm sad too." Karl glanced to me. "You weren't hoping Chandler would win?"

I had known Chandler for as long as I could remember. We were friends since middle school, and had been close ever since. But our friendship had never gone any further than that, and both of us liked it that way.
I shook my head. "I'm happy for him, but he definitely was not my first choice." Karl seemed almost surprised. "Oh. I thought-" he stopped. "Never mind."
"Karl, Y/N, come celebrate with us!" A voice called us both from behind us on the shore. I turned, as did Karl, to see Jimmy waving us over. We both got up and headed over there. Everyone was gathered at a huge table with a couple of umbrellas, useless at night, sticking up through the middle. Chandler was surrounded by people still cheering and laughing. He caught my eye through the crowd, and pushed his way through to me. As he did so, I noticed Karl slip away into the mass of people.

"So you heard the good news, Y/N?" Chandler asked me as he joined me at the far end of the table. I nodded with a smile as I gave him a high-five. "Yeah! Congratulations bud. You deserve it." I instantly felt guilty when I said that. Not because of what I said, but because of the nagging feeling that it was a lie, and I really thought Chandler didn't deserve his new island at all. I knew that wasn't entirely true, yet the thought was quite saddening.
Chandler must have noticed my expression, because he asked, "What's wrong?" I shrugged and shook my head. "Nothing." I replied quickly. "Are you sure? You look upset." Chandler's expression was one of concern. "I'm alright. Really, I'm fine."

Chandler didn't look convinced, but he didn't push the subject any more. I was glad he didn't keep asking. I didn't want to admit to him that I was slightly disappointed he won. As people started to leave to go home, I began to look for Karl. But in the now much thinner group of people, I couldn't see him anywhere. I guessed he must have gone home and I hadn't noticed. So, I got up, said good-bye to everyone, and headed toward my car.

It was an old crappy one, small, rusted around the edges, and very dirty. I must have gone through the car wash at least a dozen times with it, yet it was still covered in mud and stuff that I couldn't even begin to identify. I was about to go inside when I heard a voice behind me. "Y/N?" I turned, to see Karl walking towards me. "Karl, I thought you'd gone home already." I said as he came up to me. He shook his head. "Bailey made me leave my car so that he could get some stuff for his own youtube channel with Ethan. I'd carpooled with Chandler, but I don't really want to carpool with him again. Do you think you could give me a ride?"

The young, brown-haired boy seemed a bit awkward as he asked me this, despite being older than me by three years. I nodded quickly as I unlocked my ratty old car. "Of course." I said. Karl looked almost relieved as we both got into my car, him in the passenger seat beside me. I started the car, and got on the road. As we drove through the darkened, nearly vacant streets, I glanced to Karl for a moment.

He was leaning his head on the window, looking out at the dark surroundings as we raced passed them. His hands were in his lap, and he looked utterly depressed. I sighed, knowing nothing I could do or say would make him feel better about what he'd lost. Only time could heal wounds as big as this one. We turned onto a smaller street with houses lining the sides of the road. I stopped the car outside the first house on the block, and cut the engines.

Karl opened the door, looking back at me as he was about to leave. "Thanks again, Y/N." I gave him a small smile as I nodded. He got out of my car, shutting the door. I watched as he hurried up the front steps of the house he shared with Bailey and Ethan, then disappeared inside. I then turned my car back on, and began the drive to my own home. As I pulled out of the street onto the main road, I couldn't help but feel a sense of regret and remorse, and I knew it would not go away easily.