Best For Last || Jacob Elordi AU

goodbyes

       You were seeing red by the time Jacob picked up. His voice sounded no different than normal, but it still felt disdainful when he answered, as if he hadn't ruined everything.

"Are you serious?" you began, completely skipping any hellos.

"What?"

When you said nothing for a few seconds, gathering your thoughts, he repeated himself. You wanted to throw up and disappear; you knew once you spoke, there was no going back. There already wasn't. "You don't know who to choose?"

Now it was his turn to be silent. You waited in raging anticipation for a response. It came a moment later.

"Y/N, I don't know what you heard or what you think you know, but please, we need to see each other."

"For fucking what?" you spat. "I know everything I need to know. You don't know who to choose -- didn't you say that?"

"Listen, I was just vent--"

"Answer me!" your voice finally broke, but anger was still the overpowering emotion. "Did you say it or not?"

You heard him swallow, and then, "Yes."

You were on your knees instantly with your free hand now covering your face as it crumpled. You faintly heard one sorry excuse after another on the line, but you couldn't have paid attention if you wanted to.

"After everything?" you wailed.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it--" Jacob's voice was desperate. "Please, I'm coming home this weekend. Please see me. Please can't we just talk this out?"

"Not this time. So let me make it easy for you," you sobbed. "Choose her."

You ended the call before he could respond, and immediately put it on Do Not Disturb. You let yourself have that moment, not caring how you looked to the rest of the world. You rolled side to side in the grassy spot you'd collapsed in and let yourself weep as dramatically as you needed to. There was a physical ache just as painful as the emotional one: you could've sworn your chest was caving in, and your brain was pounding against the walls of your skull.

You didn't quite know how long you laid there shaking before you could finally get up to fulfill your obligation of getting more of your mother's favorite soda.

//

You didn't know that you were going to meet Jacob that weekend at the Froyo shop until you were already in the car. You'd had a few days to let everything settle, ignoring him the entire time. His profusion of texts to you swore he'd be there waiting whether you showed or not, but that he hoped you would. You never responded. Sid had sent you screenshots of Jacob sarcastically thanking him for 'ruining his relationship with you', but you assured him it was no one's fault but his own.

Not wanting to add any more stress to your poor mother, you only told her you two were arguing when she noticed how upset you'd been as of late. A look in her eye told you she knew it was a little deeper than that, but she didn't push. She let you use her car whenever you needed or wanted, and now it was parked in front of the shop, right next to Jacob's. You ran a hand through your hair and popped a piece of Doublemint gum in your mouth, hoping the mint would help ease your nausea. You breathed out one last distressed sigh before exiting the car and making your way to the building.

You saw Jacob before he saw you, even the back of his head so familiar to you that you could pick it out of a crowd. When you walked close enough to be in his peripheral vision, he jumped from his seat and released his bottom lip from between his teeth.