Best For Last || Jacob Elordi AU

last flight

      TSA wasn't as much of a nightmare as you'd imagined it would be when Drew dropped you back off at the airport. You'd gotten through it and off to your correct gate with thirty minutes to spare. When you and your cousin said goodbye, she made you swear that you'd come back to visit within the next year. You did, and she in turn promised that she'd have something fun for the two of you and Raelynn planned; you were already looking forward to it. With a couple last selfies, you were inside again and soon enough back in the waiting area to board your final flight. The internet there had been shit earlier, so you didn't have much hope when you mindlessly opened a random social media, but to your delight it actually worked. You were only scrolling for a few seconds before the idea of checking on Jacob drifted in... you had an inkling that things may be a little different now.

A few clicks later, and your suspicions were confirmed: you were unblocked and fully able to see his profiles. His picture was already one taken at the wedding, a cheerfully goofy grin on his face and an arm around Dante's shoulders. You smiled to yourself at how adorable you found him, wishing he had let you see those knee-weakening dimples one last time before the two of you parted.

And there were the thoughts of that again.

You twisted the locket at your neck, and wondered how it would've gone had he given it to you in person. Would you have cried just as hard? Would he have taken you immediately into his arms? You wondered what was going through his head as he wrote the note he'd left on the sink, which was now folded and deep in your pocket. You entertained the idea of sending him a friend request for a moment, but thought the word friend a little harder, and remembered where you two stood. You couldn't be friends, you couldn't be anything. Why he'd unblocked you, you had no idea, but you were thankful. You would surely be checking in on him from time to time, and a piece of you in the back of your mind hoped he would be doing the same for you.

You looked up at the time until boarding, 12 minutes, and thought of everything you were going back to. Michigan, the place you'd originally run away to. Eden, your entitled roommate who had a week or less of being such, but would still be there when you returned for a least a few more days. No job, only what you were sure would be the beginning of a tiresome search for one, and worst case scenario, you wouldn't find one in time and would have to go grovel to your shit head ex-boss. No pets to greet you when you'd walk in. No solid friends made in all the years you'd been there.

Then, you thought of everything you were leaving here. Your childhood home, all the people and places familiar to you. Drew, Rae, Dante, Sid, ...Jacob. You remembered how warm and safe it was to be wrapped up in him, his touch and kisses that truly felt like home. How gentle and considerate he'd been with you the entire trip, wanting so much but never pushing your comfort. Your witty back and forth, slipping into little spats but having them immediately forgotten because you two just couldn't stand to not flirt and talk and laugh together. He said he loved you. Over and over again; unabashedly, fearlessly. And oh god, how you loved him too.

The uniformed woman at the podium announced over the speakers that boarding would now begin, and you stood.

//

𝓙 𝓐 𝓒 𝓞 𝓑

He couldn't bear another goodbye, not one more. Though it was only really once, it felt like he'd lost her three times by now. Once, as a stupid teenager who couldn't handle all the new emotions and twists and turns life was throwing at him, and made a life altering mistake. Twice, when he poured his heart into that email they used to spend hours on, and she saw it only to disregard it and move further away than he had. And now three times, having to force himself to drop her hand and walk away at Dante's wedding. He was honored she'd let him touch her, kiss her, lay with her... but no matter how much time he spent with her, it'd never be enough. Each time she walked away hurt just as bad, if not worse than the last.

So when she turned from him and he watched that blue dress that clung so perfectly to her get further and further into a crowd, and away from him, he knew he couldn't take anymore. He refused to stay that last night in the house in Georgia, knowing they were under the same roof-- so close but still so far away. It killed him not to kiss her one last time, but how many would be enough? He only hoped that any sorrow or guilt she may have had that night would be wiped away by the locket he left on the sink. The one he'd sought out the moment Dante told him he'd be seeing his first love again. His only love.

That night, alone in a less than satisfactory motel, he found himself unblocking her from all his profiles. He knew he'd wanted all or nothing, but maybe for a while he could keep watch; maybe a picture of his favorite smile on his favorite girl would suffice.

He second guessed his decision on the way to the airport in a Lyft, separated from the rest of the wedding party. For a moment, he thought of asking the driver to turn the car around, and stopping her at the airport like the end of a RomCom.

But it wasn't what she wanted, and he knew that. He'd never pushed or pressured her and he wouldn't start now. So he went. And thought of her the entire flight to Philly. He pictured her sound asleep in the bed they'd made love in, able to see perfectly how she slept with her hand tucked under her chin with a fistful of blanket. When the plane landed, there was no sign of her anywhere in his phone. He could only assume she'd gotten the locket-- maybe one day he'd be bold enough to reach out and ask what she thought of it.

The hours passed slow, dragging on, reminding him how empty this big house of his was, how lonely. He distracted himself with mindless TV and video games, preparing mentally for the week of work ahead. At 8pm when his eyes couldn't stay open anymore, he shuffled to bed where he knew he'd dream of her for many nights to come.

He ignored his phone the first time it buzzed. The second, his eyes fluttered open, and by the third he finally sat up. It was an unsaved number, but his heart dropped to his feet because he knew.

-jacob?
-it's me.
-please don't be upset

His fingers typed back a response at lightning speed, Y/N? What's wrong?

-i'm at the airport. the philly airport
-would you come get me?

He was out the door, keys in hand, before he could even notice he was still barefoot in his pajamas.