As It Was - Jschlatt x Reader

chapter three.

You sighed as you left your apartment four days after the initial text thread. You were due to meet the group at a restaurant, then you'd all go back to Wilbur's AirBNB to hang out more. Your mind was in the clouds throughout the rest of the week, only focused on seeing him.  

Now that you thought about it, did you even want to see him? Was he even invited to the hangout in the first place? You bit your lip, turning your phone on to ask Calico, but you turned it off.

You'd prefer to be surprised in this scenario.

You closed and locked your door, stifling a yawn as you pressed the elevator's down button. You were lucky the place that was picked was close by, just a single metro-stop away. You hopped onto the train and immediately got off, being so fast that you didn't even get halfway through the Lovejoy song you chose.

Yes, even despite being friends with the frontman, you were a big fan of the band.

Once you walked up to the restaurant, you got a text from Calico, telling you where they were seated. Butterflies swarmed into your stomach as you approached the table, seeing Calico and Wilbur first, laughing with a third person. It took you a moment for the recognition to hit, but once it did, it was like you were struck by lightning: They secretly invited your best friend.

The same one you used to crush on.

"Ohh shit," you whispered as you dragged yourself over, "hey! What's going on?"

Calico looked up from her drink, blue eyes lighting up with happiness, "you made it! Good to see you!"

"Good to see you guys too," you forced a smile as you sat beside Schlatt, since that was the only empty seat. Your nerves were already forcing you to feel awkward and embarrassed. You just hoped that it wasn't obvious at all.

"I can't believe you'd abandon us for a job that pays you pennies and doesn't even respect you!"

You forced the memories away. Focus on the here and now.

"So how have you been, Y/N?" Wilbur asked lightly, stealing a sip from Calico's drink and wincing from the sweetness, "how's the job?"

"Terrible," you admitted tiredly, sipping the water that the waiter brought for you, "my boss fucking sucks. He yelled at me for taking your call, I had to lie and say Cal was pregnant."

"Dude doesn't let you take phonecalls?" Cal rose a brow, shaking her head, "see, that sucks. I'm glad I left my job everyday. Students just kept being more and more entitled and demanding. Never doing their work, expecting As, it was terrible."

"Yeah, now I carry you through life on a silver platter," Wilbur joked lightly, "but really, Y/N, that sucks. Is that really what you want?"

"Not even close," you huffed. glancing to Schlatt from the corner of your eye nervously, "but, it pays well and I get what I need from it."

"Do you really?" Schlatt asked dryly, "because this is the same information we got from when you interned at this job. No respect and it wasn't what you wanted, but you stuck with it anyway."

You could feel the tension growing thicker and thicker the second he finished speaking. Calico and Wilbur exchanged a nervous look, shrinking back and away from the two of you. To say it was uncomfortable was an understatement; it was wholly rancid.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," you answered coolly, sipping your water, "thank you."

"Well, you're saying the same stuff that I knew you'd say-"

"Cut it out. Both of you," Cal cut Schlatt off, "we came to have fun and have a whole reunion, not argue and bring up stupid petty arguments from the past. Schlatt, cut the shit. Y/N, ignore him. He's just bitter."

"I am NOT bitter-"

"Schlatt, stuff it."

You felt a tingle of smug satisfaction as you watched Schlatt shut his mouth. Cal was good at making people quiet.

"Anyway," Wilbur grinned awkwardly, "my band has a new EP coming out this Friday... It was written to be based around our college days, one is just full of quotes from Cal."

"I can still taste the beer on every guy who talks to me at your gigs," she wrinkled her nose, "why was that a line you chose?"

"You haven't heard the full thing, Cal, just wait."

You sighed, looking between the pair of best friends fondly. You wish you had what they did, the everlasting closeness that they had since the NSO from so long ago. They fed off of each-other's energy.

Of course, you and Schlatt had been like that at one point. Close enough to basically be stupidly in love with each-other, inseparable. 

Alas, it wasn't the same as it was anymore.

The night continued with Calico and Wilbur being the heads of conversation, trying to keep the night fun and light. After a while though, they knew it wasn't working and slowly became withdrawn. It crumbled entirely when Schlatt left. He wasn't always a man of few words, he used to be fun.

"Sorry, Y/N," Calico said softly as the rest of you left, "I thought it'd be more fun."

"It isn't your fault that he became an ass once he hit a million," you crossed your arms, "don't blame yourself. I wish we were still as close, though. I don't think it'll ever happen."

"It could," Wilbur hummed, "it's just up to you two to mend the bridge. You were just as cruel as he was when that argument happened, you know, it isn't fair to push the blame all on him."

"Wilbur's right, besides... He did love you at one point."

Your world froze for a split second, "he did? And didn't tell me?"

"He didn't want to fuck up your friendship," Calico said, "I'll explain it when we're back at your place. It was a disaster."

"Ironically, he-"

"Y/N, both of you were at fault, end of story."

You huffed, unlocking your door, "I don't need to be reminded."

"You clearly do," Cal rose a brow, "because you keep trying to say it was all him."

You rolled your eyes, leaving your shoes at the door and collapsing on the couch. Calico and Wilbur took the loveseat, watching as your rabbit hopped from the bedroom.

"Alright," you said, "hit me with the story. How did you learn this?"

"Well," Calico grinned, "it's a doozy."