Jaren doesn't try to talk to John after the party. He doesn't text, call or play with him. He doesn't want to hurt every time he hears his voice because he just needs to get over him. He needs a break. No one else tries to contact Jaren either and he silently thanks them for the space.
Swagger calls two days after the party fiasco.
"Smii7y! Are you coming to the party tonight?"
The party John will be at that will inevitably end with Jaren witnessing John and Kasey making out. And then they'll go back to hers, or his, and-
"No, I have things to do."
"Aw come on dude. We'll all be there."
"No Eric, I'm not in the mood for parties. I've had enough of them."
"Alright, you buzzkill. Take care. See you later, loser," he jokes.
Jaren chuckles halfheartedly. "Bye."
He hangs up and, judging by the thin layer of dust he can see on the furniture, decides his house is due a deep clean so spends the rest of the day vacuuming, dusting and wiping everything he owns, his only company Octavia and his playlist of generally upbeat music.
He's enjoying dancing as he cleans, wiping his desk down. He comes across a small leather book and his heart drops. This is his album of photos. Despite wanting to avoid John, his curiosity gets the best of him. One little flick through won't hurt.
He opens it to the first page, being greeted by a photo of him, John, Cameron, Eric, Toby, Matt, Mason and Jay. They're all blowing kisses at the camera and one of John's arms is hanging over Jaren's shoulder.
He turns the pages, grinning at photos from two years ago of all of his friends: Craig eating pizza, Scotty kissing Anthony's cheek, Cameron carrying Mason. But as he gets to the more recent photos from the last couple of months, Jaren notices that the number of times his other friends appear decreases until the album becomes almost entirely John. John dabbing. John eating a waffle. John flailing in a pool. John flipping off the camera. John hugging Jaren.
His favourites, though, are the ones they took together in a photo booth at a funfair they went to. There had been options for themes and, John being John, chose 'romance', making hearts appear on the screen. Jaren had laughed and asked him why he'd chosen it.
"Because you're my one and only, baby." He'd made as if he was going to kiss Jaren's cheek but had instead licked his face from chin to temple as the camera flashed. The proceeding photos immortalised Jaren's realisation and disgust, as well as the punch he'd given a hysterical John.
Those were the times. Now John can't even speak to him. He can't stand him when he's done nothing wrong. Jaren feels the tears threatening to spill. He just wants him back. He's sorry for wanting more than friendship from him but right now just wants his friend.
He wipes away the tears that fall onto the album and watches the paper form damp circles from the moisture. As he's putting the album away, he hears a knock. Weird. He's not expecting anyone so late at night. He quietly tiptoes down the stairs and towards his door. On the other side he can hear a faint voice he knows all too well and swings the door open.
John is lying on his front yard, laughing at the sky, it appears. Once he hears the door open, he looks to it and upon seeing Jaren, gives him a beaming smile.
"Smii7y! I wanted to see you," he slurs as he tries to pick himself off the ground. He fails, falling backwards and Jaren sighs as he walks down his steps.
"Why are you here? What happened to the party?" he questions as he approaches a giggling John looking up at him from the grass.
"I didn't like it anymore. No one fun was there." John's eyebrows furrow as he looks straight ahead.
"Why didn't you go and find Kasey instead? She's at the party, isn't she?" Her name falls from Jaren's lips in a sneering manner. Though he's drunk, John clearly notices the malice because he flinches and blinks at Jaren. The hurt is short-lived before his drunken mind forgets and he starts smiling again.
"Because I wanted to see my most bestest friend." John finally manages to stand and stumbles past a dazed Jaren and into his house. This is the nicest John has been to Jaren in a while. Of course it's when he's drunk. Jaren sighs and walks into his house.
John is sprawled on his couch, staring at Octavia, who is asleep in the corner. As Jaren walks in, John looks to him in bewilderment.
"When did you get a dog?"
Jaren waits for him to start laughing at his own joke but his expression remains grave. He can't help but laugh at John's drunken stupidity.
"I've had her for years, you nutjob. Let me get you home."
John pouts at him. "I can't stay here?" He looks at him with hopeful eyes.
Jaren isn't prepared for the innocence in his face as he realises that drunk John doesn't know that they're not on speaking terms.
"No, Johnny. I have to take you home," he states softly.
"Okay, Smii7y. Take me home." He lifts his arms and leans back against the couch. Jaren rolls his eyes and walks towards him, pulling at his arms. Being smaller than John does him no favours as he tugs futilely at his half-conscious friend.
Finally managing to get a blabbering John up, Jaren pulls him towards the door and to his car. John is leaning against him as he unlocks the car but he feels his weight shift and suddenly the drunk man is lying on the sidewalk. Jaren grunts as he puts all he is worth into picking him off the floor. The blonde is no help at all as he tries to move. He's too intoxicated to have any accurate judgement of distance or depth so bumps into Jaren who stops him from falling again and finally bundles him into the passenger seat. Jaren leans over him to put his seatbelt on when John unexpectedly tilts his face into Jaren's hair. He pulls away and smiles.
"You smell like peaches. I like peaches."
Jaren feels his face heat and he pulls back and walks towards the driver's seat. He exhales, reminding himself that John is incredibly drunk right now and doesn't mean anything he's saying.
Climbing in, Jaren starts the engine and looks to his friend, who is staring right back at him, eyes wide and clearly ready to talk his ear off. Jaren sighs. This is going to be a long-ass drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am aware that Swagger's name isn't actually Eric but honestly at this point it might as well be and it's what I'll use XD
Thanks for reading!
~LC
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You || Krii7y
Short StoryJaren and John are as close as two people can be. That is, until John gets a girlfriend and starts to distance himself from Jaren, who realises he doesn't just miss his friend, but the way he treated him, the way he made him feel. He finds the threa...
