𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 14
3𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐯

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— "SEE YOU LATER." Colby added, ignoring the way his voice cracked, his display of indifference as fragile as his heart.

He tore his eyes away and stepped past Jasper's boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend, he reminded himself but it didn't help matters. Not right now. "No, Colby, wait-" Jasper called out, reaching for him but he was already out the door and...

gone.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*＊

        — WALKING AWAY, Colby sniffed as he wiped away a single tear, turning around the corner, he paused. He didn't want to leave but what could he do when Jasper's ex showed up after their kiss? It may have been a rash decision, leaving. An even worse one trying to act indifferent to Ethan's arrival. Without knowing the truth behind the breakup, he'd made a story in his mind and decided on it because how could anyone ever hurt Jasper? So when Ethan showed up, he felt the overwhelming need to stay by his side but felt he had to leave and give them space. Maybe, they would make up, get back together and Colby would be forgotten. (Again) or maybe, they wouldn't and Jasper would call him later. Maybe, Jasper would chase him down now and ask him to stay.

Maybe...

He looked back around the corner just in time to see Ethan close the door behind him and Jasper.

Or maybe not. He sighed, shaking his head. He walked away.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*＊

"WHO was that?" Ethan asked after Jasper pulled him inside.

"Nobody." Jasper brushed it off. It hurt to call Colby nobody, but he reminded himself he did not want to get into it with Ethan, who had a streak of jealousy that grew like wildfire. Quick and dangerous when you least expect it.

A dark light flickered in Ethan's eyes, he chuckled, his hands slipping into his pockets, "Oh I get it. He's your new boyfriend, isn't he?" He whistled, "You move on quick. Or were you with him before we even broke up?"

"You broke up with me." Jasper snapped.

"So he is." Ethan replied, his eyes narrowed, "Your boyfriend." He clarified.

"That's none of your business." Jasper argued, "It stopped being your business when you left."

Ethan's eyes flared darkly and Jasper mentally prepared for a battle before he paused, "You're right. I'm sorry."

It came off genuine, an attempt to get his defenses down no doubt. He only scoffed, crossing his arms, "What do you want, Ethan?"

"To talk."

It was his turn for his eyes to light with danger and fury, he glared steadily, "Too late."

"Come on, Jaybird. Don't be like that." Ethan chastised, "I'm trying to apologize here, let me, please?"

"You know what? No. You left, Ethan." Jasper spoke, amazed by the way his voice stayed steady,  "You left and said you'd never come back. So go, and this time... keep your promise. Stay away."

"Fine." Ethan lifted his hands in defeat, "You want me to leave so bad, I'll leave." He responded, testing the blonde.

"Good." He spat out in response, cursing whatever made him fall for the man in the first place.

Ethan glared then, his true colors shined as he tore open the door, holding it tightly as he told him, "Don't come crying to me when pretty boy breaks your heart, okay?"

"Pretty boy," Jasper mocked, "won't break my heart. He'll keep it safe." His eyes softened, if only for a moment, before narrowing again, "Shame you couldn't do the same. But then I would've never known how much better I am without you."

Ethan only scoffed in response, slamming the door behind him. Jasper stepped forward, he didn't hesitate to lock the door behind his ex-boyfriend. His fear was replaced with relief. Finally, that chapter of his life was done.

Maybe now, he could start the new chapter.

He crumbled, the image of Colby leaving, walking away repeating in his mind. The way he acted indifferent as he pushed past Jasper and Ethan both. More important, he'd seen the hurt he tried to hide. The way his voice cracked and his eyes shined with tears when he finally looked him in the eyes. Jasper was too late to stop him from leaving.

He took a shaky breath and struggled to unlock his front door. He needed air. He needed to breathe and- and think. He found his way to the rooftop of his apartment building, a familiar place he went to when he needed to think without the constricting walls of his apartment. Where he goes when he feels homesick because staring at the sky, imagining the airplane lights were real stars was the closest he could get to home.

Except now, when he sat on the rooftop, tucked safely against a piece of concrete with his shoes dangling off the building in a way that used to fill him with anxiety, he tried to paint a picture of home in his mind and came up with ocean blue eyes.

He blinked his eyes open and stared at the view instead, it was mesmerizing. The lights of the city are bright and colorful. He grabbed his phone, he took a picture of the view to distract his mind. When he swiped off the camera, he clicked on Instagram without thinking. He hesitated for a moment before adding a new post with the newly taken photo. He typed a caption that only two people would truly understand, one being himself and the other being the man with the ocean-blue eyes that felt like home.

He didn't know if Colby would see it, ever. But when he hit post, he released the thought into the world and found he could finally breathe. Yet when he closed his eyes, his mind still went back to the ocean.

@ jasperthefriendlyghost

is it too late to shout it from the rooftops?

        COLBY hesitated, his fingers moving to scroll past. He hadn't thought much of it when Jasper followed him on his alt Instagram account after filming and for a moment, he was prepared to scroll past without a second of hesitation when the new post came up on his feed as he sat alone in his bedroom. And then he saw the name. The caption felt like a shot to the heart, but it also gave him hope. Jasper was up late thinking about him too, this he knew. What he didn't know was why his ex showed up.

He found his contact on his phone without realizing it, when he did realize he didn't give himself a moment to doubt before he pressed call.

"Colby."

"Jasper." He responded softly, gazing at his bedroom walls like he could find Jasper's face in the darkness.

"You left."

"I'm sorry." He apologized, "It was stupid."

"Yeah." Jasper chuckled, unable to hide the pain in his voice. Not from him. "It was."

"Can I come back?"

"Always."

"Not always." Colby shook his head in protest, "Because I'm not gonna leave again." He cringed because it began to sound like some sort of romcom — but then he found, he didn't care. "Not- not like that."

"I'll hold you to that, Colby Brock."

He found himself smiling as he slipped out of bed and into a pair of sweats and shoes. "Good." He responded sternly, and then, after he grabbed his keys, "Hey Jasper?" Jasper hummed in response, "It's not too late."

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*＊

1,225 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬

late night update, hope you enjoyed <33

— I do want to make it clear that Ethan was not physically abusive however he was toxic and the relationship between Ethan and Jasper was not healthy.