Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Why did you come here?

You just arrived at Hillmount High, your former high school, yet you already feel a strong urge to turn around and head home.

"Come on, quit being a coward and move your feet," you scolded yourself as you stood outside of the venue. "Are you really going to waste the three hours you spent prepping just to change your mind at the last minute? You're better than that."

You took the time to clear your head, to remove the negative thoughts and pessimistic views that you harbored. Instead, you decided to think of something nice. Maybe you'll end up enjoying yourself tonight here at this stupid high school reunion?

"Woah, look at that ugly-ass car," you heard someone say, followed by some murmurs and giggles.

Out of curiosity, you turned towards the parking lot and found a car, painted with one of the most hideous shades of green that your eyes have ever laid upon, driving slowly before coming to a halt. You chuckled, your lips curling to a grin. Your former schoolmates are right— the car is hideous. Whoever owned it must lack taste or class.

Then, your smile dropped instantly as soon as the car owner stepped out.

"Yasper in the house!"

You immediately turned your head away from the parking lot and walked inside the venue in quick strides. Of course he owns that car, of course he does!

"Why are you running away? He's literally your friend in high school," you scolded yourself. "You can come up to him and say hi. Where's the harm in that?"

— 2006 —

"The difference between pyrimidines and purines lies in their structures. You see…"

You let out a dramatic sigh as you continue to listen to your professor's ramblings. You were never really a fan of chemistry. You can't understand shit, it's all complex, and some experiments can lead to accidents if you're not careful enough. Still, you forced yourself to pay attention.

Unlike your lab partner beside you.

"Yasper, can you quit texting?" you whispered, subtly turning your head towards him. "Before the prof busts your ass and takes your phone away."

Yasper lets out a frustrated groan before following your advice and turning his phone off. He turned towards you, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Sorry, Xavier's been bothering me," he whispered aggressively. "He was telling me about a song that he wrote and said that he cannot wait to see my reaction to it."

You rolled your eyes, your professor's voice fading in the background as your attention was fully on Yasper.

"My god, he's always our topic every time we talk, and it always feels like I'm listening to you rant about your toxic boyfriend," you replied. "You've gotta break up with him, man. Break up the band, I mean. Go solo."

Yasper and Eugene, who goes by Xavier now apparently, are in a band together named Ska-Pe Diem. The band is a mess, their music is hot garbage, and their stage presence is questionable at best. Still, you continue to support your friend-slash-lab partner anyway since he's really passionate about music and what he does.

However, recently, Xavier has been leaning more into pop, which Yasper doesn't like one bit. You see, Yasper is a ska guy. The ska genre has his heart, and he will always be loyal to it. So, he's been considering disbanding Ska-Pe Diem since Xavier betrayed him and chose pop. It's insulting to his craft.

"I know! I know!" he replied before running his hand through his hair in frustration. "I just need the right time to tell him, okay?"

"Mr. Lennov!" the professor suddenly exclaimed, making the two of you turn towards him. "Can you tell me which nitrogenous bases are pyrimidines and purines, please?"

"Uh…" Yasper squeaked before turning towards you for help.

— 2021 —

Nope, not just yet. Not after what happened on Saint Patrick's Day.

The school pathway is decorated with arches of white and green balloons along with pictures of the 2006 batch of students attached to an easel for support. You stopped in your tracks when you saw yours and stared at your old self.

"Damn, I really peaked in high school, didn't I?"

You suddenly felt melancholic, missing the days when you were young, wild, and free. You missed the banter, the parties, and the achievements you received in high school.

Now, you are a sad and pathetic adult who is barely holding it together. An adult who's constantly stressed, overworked, and has had too much caffeine in their system.

"Oh my goodness, are my eyes deceiving me?!"

You froze as you heard a familiar voice behind you. "Shit, there's no escaping now," you groaned internally before slowly turning towards the voice with a faux smile.

"Oh, hey, you guys! It's been a long time!" you exclaimed as you looked at the two men. "Aniq and…"

You stared at Yasper and observed his appearance carefully. He looks the exact same since you last saw him, except he lost his curls and has his fluffy hair a bit neater. He still looks like a dork, but an adorable one at that.

He was still the man who captured your heart in high school.

"Yasper," you said his name softly. "You still wear green clothes, I see. Good to see you again, old friend."

"Hah, you know me. I love my greens!" he replied enthusiastically before stepping closer to you. "How are you? It's been a while since I heard about you."

"Oh, just some boring work stuff, really," you replied awkwardly, shrugging the topic off. "And you? How's the music career?"

You noticed that Yasper's expression deflated for a quick second before returning to his usual self. "No luck," he simply answered with a tight smile. "BUT!  I'm going to convince Xavier to bless my tracks tonight."

Oh, right... Xavier. THE Eugene Xavier Duckworth Jr. You almost forgot that you are schoolmates with that arrogant douchebag.

Before you had the chance to reply, the conversation was interrupted when you heard the sound of balloons popping. Startled, you and Yasper turned towards the source of the noise.

It's Aniq and Zoe, the woman who Aniq is in love with, tangled in strings of decorative balloons. They giggled together at their silliness, looking like a couple straight out of a cheesy romcom.

"They're totally hitting it off," Yasper whispered to you, and when you look at him, he's grinning from ear to ear, happy for his friend.

You smiled as you continued to stare at him.

Yup, you definitely still have feelings for this guy.

Chapter Text

— 2006 —

It's Saint Patrick's Day. You don't usually care much about holidays, but today you cannot contain your excitement.

"Yasper, my man!" you greeted your friend enthusiastically.

"Oh my golly, you are rocking the green!" Yasper exclaimed as he looked at your green-colored outfit from top to bottom.

"Aw, thank you! Glad you like it," you replied, doing a little spin for him so he could see the outfit from all angles.

Yasper laughed at your antics. "You seem energetic this morning," he commented with a grin. "What got you this excited, huh?"

"I'm sure you've heard of it," you replied as you composed yourself. "The party at Brett's uncle's house tonight?"

"Actually, it's at my house."

You and Yasper turned towards the tall, weird-looking, lanky dude that just interrupted your conversation.

"Uh, who are you again?" Yasper asked, genuinely puzzled and a bit annoyed at the interruption.

"Walt," the man replied. "We have chemistry together."

You didn't recognize him, but you decided to just go with it. "Ah, right! Walt! Nice to see you, dude! Can't wait for the party!"

Walt chuckled in response before scratching his nape, feeling shy.

"Right, can't wait for the party, man," Yasper added, giving him a quick fake smile, before putting an arm around your shoulder and walking off with you.

"I have no idea who that was," you told Yasper once you were at a safe distance away from the strange man. "Do you?"

"Zero clue," he answered briefly before diverting the topic. "Anyways, I assume you're gonna be at the party?"

You grinned, your excitement coming back, as you leaned closer to him. "That's correct!" you exclaimed. "This whole college shit has been stressing me out, and I need to unwind! Besides, everyone's gonna be there."

"But most importantly," Yasper said with a cocky smirk etched on his face. "I'm going to grace that party with my presence. They all should get ready for the Yasper Lennov!"

— 2021 —

After getting past the Jennifers in the reception, unpleasant and judgmental women as always, the three of you sauntered your way into the school's gymnasium.

"It's like we never left," you commented as you looked around, the gymnasium in the same condition as when you left in 2006.

"I'm gonna stick by you. I know how you're nervous," you hear Yasper say to Aniq before quickly getting distracted by a familiar schoolmate. "Are you serious, Janet? You're here?!"

And just like that, you are left with Aniq, who is not even paying attention to you since he was mesmerized by Zoe, who was singing a song about turning back time while looking directly at him.

You let out a sigh, shaking your head, as you head towards the makeshift bar for a drink. The night just started, and you already feel out of place.

As you were waiting for your shot, you turned your head to the left and noticed Chelsea, one of your colleagues who you used to look up to but is now a total train wreck.

"Chelsea, hi!" you exclaimed, greeting her even though she seemed distracted. You looked at who she's staring at and spotted Xavier.

Then, she left, not even glancing at or talking to you. You clenched your jaw as you took your drink and swallowed it in one go.

"I was wondering where you went!"

You choked and coughed in surprise as you heard Yasper's voice behind you.

"Woah, are you okay?" he asked in concern before patting your back.

"I'm fine," you replied, your voice a bit hoarse. "I was just surprised, that's all."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "I should've given you a heads-up."

"No, no, it's alright," you dismissed, finally making eye contact with the man. "Just trying out their drinks to see if they're good."

"Well, are they?" Yasper asked with a grin. God, that grin just suits his adorable face so well.

"Eh, it's alright," you replied with a shrug, trying to play it cool. "Not too phenomenal, but really, what do you expect in a local high school reunion?"

Yasper chuckled before taking two glasses of alcohol. "I'm gonna give one to Aniq right now," he said. "Look at him, looking at Zoe like a lovestruck puppy."

You didn't look. Instead, you kept your eyes on Yasper, admiring his face. Luckily, his attention was fully on the glasses of alcohol before taking them to Aniq. You quickly asked for a refill before following Yasper.

"You should sing a song back to her," you heard Yasper tell Aniq.

Aniq took a sip of his alcohol before scrambling towards the DJ.

"Damn, Aniq is really upping his game tonight," you commented as you stood beside Yasper.

"I am so hoping for things to work for them," he said as he drank from his glass. "Aniq has been yearning for so long."

You took a quick glance at Yasper, thankfully distracted, as you subtly scooted closer.

"Uh, this song is dedicated to my former chemistry partner," Aniq said through the mic before raising a glass for Zoe. "Here's to reconnecting old covalent bonds."

Then, your grin faded and was quickly replaced by a horrified look as Khia's "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" played on the speakers.

"Ooh, that's a great song!" Yasper exclaimed as he started bouncing around while vibing to the song.

"Wow, a song about licking pussy and ass crack," you said in a teasing manner as you looked at the man beside you. "How romantic."

Yasper let out a laugh at your words. "That's the thing, Aniq is a genius," he told you. "He's being direct to Zoe. And well, girls like it direct, don't they?"

You playfully rolled your eyes as you emptied your glass in one gulp. Thankfully, Zoe showed mercy to poor Aniq by unplugging the speakers.

"Aw, I was vibing to that," Yasper complained when the music came to an abrupt halt.

"Hey, you can sing," you suddenly said. "And well, the stage is now available."

Yasper's eyes widened, and he gasped dramatically, immediately getting what you're hinting at. "No! Are you suggesting that I… sing?"

You nodded with a smile. "Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?" you replied. "You can also plug your socials while you're at it. Promote your stuff."

It was your turn to be surprised when he suddenly engulfed you in a tight hug. You froze, your brain short-circuiting and your heart doing backflips in your chest.

"Oh, you're such a genius!" he exclaimed before pulling away before you could process what just happened.

"Hello everyone!" Yasper exclaimed through the microphone, pulling you away from your thoughts. "Some of you may know me from my ska band, you know, Ska-Pe Diem. I was with… Xavier."

You looked around before spotting Xavier talking to Aniq and Zoe. He briefly glanced towards the stage at the mention of his name before turning away with a look of disgust on his face.

Yasper laughed awkwardly before clearing his throat. "Anyways, check me on my socials. That's @Yazzmatazzsixtynine, with the sixty-nine spelled out."

Chapter Text

— 2006 —

"Hey, everyone! How great is this party?!"

You grinned as you watched Yasper and Eugene bouncing on stage as they sang, looking like absolute losers. Earlier, he begged you to attend their little concert in the campus' quadrangle.

"Spread the word. Tell everyone that you know that Ska-Pe Diem is about to rock their world!"

You looked around, spotting a few people listening to them. Most of these people are Yasper's other friends and colleagues who you assumed were also coerced into attending this concert.

And you? Well, you managed to invite one person.

"So, Chelsea, what do you think?" you asked as you turned your head towards the girl beside you.

Chelsea was one of the brightest women that you know. You were a bit envious of her because she's a role model, the person with a bright future ahead.

The woman in question turned to face you. "Can I be completely honest?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," you replied, curious about her thoughts.

Chelsea leaned closer to you as she whispered "they suck" in your ear.

You let out a giggle. "I know. They're so bad," you replied, which made her laugh. "But don't tell Yasper I told you that."

"My mouth is shut," she replied playfully.

After the concert, the crowd began to disperse. You bid farewell to Chelsea before approaching Yasper and Eugene, busy with fixing their equipment.

"Oh, hey!" Eugene exclaimed when he saw you walking towards them. "Did you enjoy the show?"

You gave him a grin in response. "Yes, I did," you answered. "And Chelsea too. She loved it."

"I'm sure she does," Yasper suddenly commented in a snarky tone while putting his electric guitar in its case, which made you and Eugene look at him.

"Yasper, you good bro?" Eugene asked, concerned about his band mate's sudden sour mood.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why would you think I'm not?" Yasper replied defensively before slinging the guitar case on his shoulder. "See you later, man."

Then, he walked off without even waiting for you. Baffled, you looked at Eugene, who was just as confused as you, before chasing after Yasper.

"Yasper, hey!" you exclaimed as you walked beside him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," he grumbled as his steps quickened, eager to get away from you.

"Man, you are so bad at lying," you said, matching his pace. "Just tell me what's bothering you."

Yasper halted before looking at you with his face contorted in restrained anger.

"I don't appreciate you flirting—"

"Flirting?"

"Let me finish," he said calmly, shushing you as he continued. "I don't appreciate you flirting with Chelsea the entire concert. You are there to see Ska-Pe Diem, to see me! But whenever I look in your direction, you're talking to her. You were barely paying attention!"

"Dude, what the fuck are you on?" you replied, your eyebrows furrowing. "I know I was distracted, and I'm sorry, but to jump to conclusions and accuse me of flirting when it's just a friendly conversation genuinely baffles me."

"Oh yeah? What about when she leaned in to your ear and whispered something, huh?" he asked, crossing his arms and demanding an explanation. "What was that about?"

"Chelsea was just telling me how great you guys are," you lied. "I asked about her opinion, and she went, 'they're great', that's it!"

Yasper scoffed. "Yeah, right, that's totally what she said," he replied before walking away once again.

"Jesus, you are being irrationally jealous right now," you argued as you continued to follow him.

"Jealous? Psh, absolutely not," he denied.

— 2021 —

"It's my fault. I let it happen," Aniq said somberly as he watched Zoe and Xavier chatter from across the table.

"Stop, what are you doing?" Yasper replied, turning to look at Aniq. "You're a pleasant, wonderful man."

"Yeah, Aniq, it's not like Xavier has anything that you don't have," you added, Yasper agreeing by nodding his head.

"Uh, a Grammy?" Aniq replied, his eyes glued on Zoe, who was giggling and having a wonderful banter with Xavier.

"Yeah," both you and Yasper said in unison.

"People's Choice Award?"

"Mm-hmm, he's got that," Yasper agreed, turning to look at Xavier.

"MTV Movie Award for Best Comedy Sex Scene?"

You raised an eyebrow at that. You were not aware of the existence of the particular award. Well, it's not like you track Xavier's career anyway.

You spaced out, your mind snapping back when Brett, Zoe's ex-husband, sat beside Aniq. The three of you fell quiet, intimidated, as he ranted about how much he hated Xavier while holding a knife.

"Yeah, maybe don't gesture with the knife so much," Aniq said, visibly nervous but remaining calm.

"If anyone touches her, I'm gonna kill them!" Brett exclaimed before stabbing the knife on the wooden table and exiting dramatically, leaving the three of you horrified.

You stood up. "I'm gonna head to the restroom," you said, feeling overwhelmed. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

When you got out of the restroom, the two men were not at the table. You looked around and spotted Aniq with Zoe, which made you grin. You decided to leave the two alone.

Then, you saw Yasper talking to Xavier at the makeshift bar. You decided to approach them sneakily, afraid you'll interrupt something important.

"…You're nobody, you're a loser," you heard Xavier say aggressively, which made your jaw drop. You decided to wait it out and see what happens. "I am me. You are my A/V guy."

"I'm not a loser," Yasper murmured, his voice filled with shame.

"Just keep telling yourself that, man," Xavier replied sassily.

Then, they fell silent. Despite the lively music playing in the background, you felt an unnerving tension in the air, giving you goosebumps.

"Can you just not tell anybody this happened, please?" Yasper said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Xavier replied in an instant. He stormed off, rudely bumping his shoulder against Yasper's.

You stood frozen at your spot after witnessing the whole interaction. You didn't know what happened before you decided to approach, but you are positive that Xavier did not bless Yasper's songs.

You quickly turned towards the bartender. "Can I have two shots, please?" you asked. "Fill the glass, actually."

After getting served two glasses filled to the brim with alcohol by the bartender, you slowly approached Yasper, who had his head down, eyes closed, and his hands tightly gripping his hair, his fingers digging in his scalp.

"Yasper? Is this a bad time?" you asked softly, causing the man to open his eyes and compose himself. He put on a faux grin, pretending to be his normal self.

"No, not at all," he denied, but his voice lacked enthusiasm despite grinning.

You handed him a glass of alcohol. "Liar," you said bluntly. "We've been friends for years, and I know your ass is not fine."

Yasper's smile vanished, quickly turning to a frown. He stared at the glass for a moment before downing all of its contents in one go.

"You're right," he replied, his voice hoarse from the alcohol. "Ugh, I feel so shitty."

You fell silent, drinking from your glass as you observed Yasper in a depressed state.

Then, you placed your half-empty glass on the counter. "Do you want to get out of here?" you suggested before patiently waiting for his response.

Yasper turned his head to make eye contact with you. "Okay," he replied, staring at you. "Let's get out of here."

Chapter Text

After walking for a few minutes, the two of you ended up in the school's mini stadium. You noticed that the grass seemed freshly trimmed and well kept.

"Dude, keep off the grass," you told Yasper, who was stomping on the fields.

"Psh, when did you become the fun police?" Yasper asked with a smirk as he kicked the grass. "Come on, no one's gonna see us anyway. It's just you and me here."

You grinned as you watched him desecrate the field with his dirty shoes. "What about CCTVs?" you asked.

"Oh, you're right," Yasper replied before getting off the grass as quickly as he could. You giggled at his antics before the two of you settled on the bleachers.

"So," you began, looking at the quiet field in front of you. "I assume Xavier didn't 'bless' your tracks?"

Yasper let out a long sigh, throwing his head back dramatically. "That ungrateful jerk," he groaned. "I gave him his name, didn't I? He wouldn't be Xavier now without me."

"Yeah, you did suggest to change his name," you replied quietly, agreeing with him as he continued to rant.

"And you know what the crazy thing is?" he asked, turning his head to look at you. "I installed his A/V system months ago, and I saw one of his wips with the title 'How Great Is This Party?'"

You gasped. "No way," you replied in disbelief. "Isn't that your line?"

Yasper nodded aggressively, his nostrils flaring. "The audacity of that man is astonishing!"

"Okay, let's just calm down for a moment," you said since you're processing the newly acquired information in your head.

"Calm down? Not when my future career is at stake!" he exclaimed angrily. "That was my second shot to be a star, and now it's all fucked!"

You blinked in surprise as you stared at the man beside you, speechless. This is the first time Yasper has raised his voice. Back in high school, even when he was absolutely fuming, he always talked calmly.

Yasper noticed your look of concern, his expression softening. "Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you," he apologized. "You're right, I should cool off."

You quietly observed him. He looked dejected, depressed, and absolutely out of it. You felt unsettled and a bit intimidated since you are not familiar with this version of Yasper.

"How about we remember the most notable moments we had in high school?" you suggested, trying to lighten up the mood.

Yasper's lips curled into a small grin. "Saint Patrick's Day," he replied while looking at you. "Do you remember what happened?"

Your heart suddenly raced at the mention of that specific event. "Yes," you answered, maintaining eye contact. "How could I forget?"

— 2006 —

"Dude, where is he?" you asked, feeling anxious that Aniq isn't at the party yet.

"Earlier, I told him to make a mixtape for Zoe as a suggestion, but my god, he is taking his time," Yasper answered, leaning at a wooden pillar while holding an empty cup, acting nonchalant. He is just as anxious as you.

"Hello, you guys!"

"Zoe, hey!" the two of you exclaimed in unison, your heart beating fast in nervousness.

"Is, um, Aniq here yet?" Zoe asked, her fingers toying with the tips of her hair.

"No," Yasper answered. "But you know what? He just talked to me. He's gonna be here any minute."

Zoe grinned. "Cool," she replied before slowly walking away. "Well, when you two see him, tell him to come find me?"

"Yes, of course!" Yasper replied, a bit hesitant. "You kidding me? Good to see you."

As soon as Zoe is out of sight, you quickly turn your head to Yasper. "Go call him, man. This is making me anxious as hell."

Yasper threw the cup that he was holding and headbutted it in mid-air. "Yeah, yeah, hold on," he replied as he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Aniq's number.

The two of you waited impatiently for your friend to pick up the goddamn call. Once he did, Yasper just vomited out the words.

"Where are you? Zoe is here. She was asking about you. She literally just said, about you, to 'tell him to come find me.'"

A brief moment of silence passed before Yasper said, "You gotta get here right now!"

Then, a long moment of silence passed once more. You noticed that Yasper began swinging his hands impatiently as he listened to Aniq's response.

"God, you're wasting my minutes! What are you talking about?" he said, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Get those beautiful thighs and that nimble tongue over here right now, or you're gonna miss your shot."

Then, after a quick second, he let out an "Okay, bye!" before hanging up.

"What did he say?" you asked curiously.

Yasper put his arms around your shoulder as he let out a dramatic sigh. "He's on his way," he answered, leaning close to you. "He was mumbling about letters and stuff. Must be about the mixtape."

You smiled in relief, your anxiousness slowly dissipating. "Okay, while we're waiting for him, what do we do?"

Yasper looked around the yard. The water in the pool is green, which made it look like swamp water. Then, there are pool noodles floating on it saying "Malt" for some reason.

"Woah, look at that!" Yasper exclaimed, pointing at the keg near the pool. A group of people who were surrounding it sprayed copious amounts of beer in their mouths while in a keg stand position. "Wanna see me do that?"

"Hell yeah!" you exclaimed. And before you knew it, the two of you were sprinting towards the keg.

"Hey folks," Yasper greeted, causing the group to focus on him. "Mind if I have a turn? I'm tryna impress my good friend over here."

Your schoolmates looked at you and let out an "oooh~," followed by some teasing words and whistles from the boys.

"Oh, shut it everyone," you said, trying to suppress a smile at their teasing.

All of them laughed, including Yasper, before lifting him up in the air. You watched in fascination as they began spraying beer in your friend's mouth.

Despite looking demented, you cannot help but swoon over the sight of Yasper being silly. The fact that he did this to impress you made your heart sing with joy.

After taking the beer like a champ, the group put Yasper down and applauded him while he danced. You joined in, clapping proudly with a dumb grin on your face.

"Yasper! How great is this party?"

You turned your head towards the familiar voice and found Xavier, who showed up wearing a hideous jacket and his hair bleached.

"Hey, looking good," he said, acknowledging you. You gave him a polite smile and a little wave in return.

"You bleached your hair?" Yasper asked, making you focus on him as you watched in the background.

"Oh, yeah! Yeah— Uh, it's... it's not bleached actually," Xavier stammered with a grin on his face. "It's called char—"

"Oh, cool," Yasper interrupted, clearly not interested. "Cool, um..."

You tensed. This is it. This is the opening that Yasper has been waiting for, the opportunity to finally break up with Xavier.

"Listen, you and I have had some incredible moments together, right? We've made some incredible things," Yasper started, and you noted how Xavier's smile dropped as he continued to listen.

"But the truth is, pop is just a fad, dude. Ska is forever," Yasper continued before gesturing his hand towards Xavier's clothes. "And look at you. Look how you're dressed. You are pop from top to bottom."

"You can't do this," Yasper added while making a quick dancing gesture, "in those clothes. Dude, we obviously just want two different things."

Xavier stammered, but Yasper quickly cut him off before he could produce a coherent response.

"I think we've gotta break up the band," Yasper said, finally airing out his true feelings.

"What?" Xavier asked, glancing at you for help, but you simply shook your head as a way to tell him that it's over.

"I'm gonna go solo."

"So… just like, you?" Xavier questioned, his tone pleading and desperate.

"Aniq was right," Yasper replied. "Our vibes are just way too different."

Xavier paused. "Wai— Aniq said that?"

"But listen, promise me we'll remain friends, okay?" Yasper said, ignoring the other man's question. "Because this means too much. Okay?"

Then, Yasper gave Xavier a hug to try and reduce the emotional damage that he caused. "We're gonna be friends forever. All right, brother?"

He quickly pulled away, leaving Xavier standing there with a devastated look plastered on his face.

"Come on, let's go," Yasper whispered to you as he grabbed your wrist before dragging you inside the house.

"I feel bad," you told him as you continued to stare at Xavier's sorry state.

"I know. Me too," he replied. "But it had to be done. Besides, you're the one who kept telling me to 'break up' with him."

"I know, but ugh," you sighed in frustration as the guilt ate you up inside.

"Hey, don't be like that now," your friend said as the two of you settled in the kitchen, where different bottles of alcohol were displayed. "Focus on me."

You looked at Yasper, who was pouring alcohol into two shot glasses.

"We're at a party. And what do you do when in a party?" he asked as he gave you a shot glass. "You have fun."

You grinned, accepting the glass. "What's this?" you asked him as you swirled the liquid, toying with it.

"I don't know," he replied with a grin. "But we're about to find out!"

The two of you clinked your shot glasses together before gulping the mysterious alcohol. You winced, feeling it burn your throat and leaving a bitter aftertaste.

"Ew, this is fucking ass!" you exclaimed, which made Yasper burst out laughing.

"Well, you choose then," he replied, encouraging you to open other bottles of alcohol.

"Alright, let's see."

The two of you ended up fooling around the kitchen counter and trying different flavors of alcohol. Some are bad, while some are tolerable. You giggled, feeling a bit tipsy, as Yasper mixed three alcohols together in a single green cup.

"Your drink," he purred, handing you the deadly concoction.

"Oh god," you said, concerned, as you stared at the cup's contents. "I hope I don't die of alcohol poisoning!"

After 1 millisecond of the liquid hitting your tongue, you quickly spat it out, Yasper cackling maniacally in response.

"Nah, you drink it," you manage to say, handing him the cup.

Yasper was about to bottoms up the whole cup when his eyes suddenly widened. "Oh no, I see Xavier on his way here! Let's bounce."

Once again, he grabbed your wrist, and he dragged you into a cramped hallway of the house, barely managing to hide from Xavier.

You peeked your head in the doorway and saw Xavier conversing with Chelsea. Then, you looked back at Yasper with a devious smile.

"Let's get out of here!" he mouthed before pulling you outside of the house.

You breathe in the polluted air with your eyes closed before exhaling it with a grin. You opened your eyes, and Yasper is staring at you.

"You know," you began as you leaned closer to him, the alcohol in your system giving you courage. "This is actually a fun party. You got to end your toxic relationship with Xavier, and I get to drink several alcohols with you without adult supervision."

Yasper laughed before putting his arm around your shoulder. "Yeah, this is honestly the best party I've ever been to," he agreed. "Kudos to Brett's uncle."

You nodded in response. Then, Yasper suddenly took a massive gulp from the cup.

"Woah, chill," you said, concerned about his well-being.

"I have something to confess," he blurted out, which had you stunned.

"Hmm, what's up?" you asked softly as you noticed him slowly leaning his face closer to yours.

Your heartbeat quickened, and your thoughts raced. It must be the alcohol that's making him act up, right? You should probably push him away before he regrets it.

But despite the remaining rational thoughts in your mind screaming at you to stop, you found yourself slowly leaning closer, your lips inches away from Yasper's.

"Hey, guys."

The two of you quickly pulled away from one another, like the two of you had been caught doing something malicious.

"Oh, hey, Aniq!" Yasper exclaimed, removing his arm around your shoulders.

"Where have you been, man?" you added, your voice a pitch higher than usual. "And what are you wearing?"

Chapter Text

— 2021 —

The two of you giggled as you recalled the events that happened on Saint Patrick's Day fifteen years ago.

"You looked like a deer in headlights," Yasper said in between laughs.

"Aye, so were you, pal," you pointed out with a smile. "You were so quick to remove your arm around me."

"Gosh, I cannot believe how obvious we were back then," he said, shaking his head before leaning back, feeling more relaxed.

"Wait, actually?" you asked, surprised.

Yasper smirked in amusement as he looked at you. "Yes. Basically everyone on the campus can sense it," he answered. "Even Aniq."

"Well, obviously," you replied. "He caught us almost kissing."

"But," he interjected, playfully wiggling his eyebrows. "He didn't catch us actually doing it. Nobody did."

Your lips curled into a mischievous grin.

— 2006 —

"Dumbass Eugene," Aniq grumbled as he looked through the window where Zoe and Brett, a man who is a total player, could be seen. "This is all his fault."

You and Yasper shared a look, feeling pity for your friend for missing his shot. Aniq told the two of you that Xavier suddenly pushed him in the pool earlier, and then some strange guy handed him the gray tank top that he's currently wearing.

"Okay, you know what?" Yasper said, trying to distract Aniq. "Let's not play the blame game, all right? He's had a weird night as well."

Aniq suddenly pulled out a huge pitcher containing a light blue alcohol. How the hell did you not notice that he's been carrying that the whole time?

"Woah, Aniq! Slow down," you said, voicing your concern before nudging Yasper using your elbow, a silent way of asking him to back you up.

"Big bubbles," Yasper commented as he watched his friend take big gulps of alcohol, causing some bubbles to appear in the liquid. "Those are big bubbles. Make them tiny."

Aniq finally stopped, closing his eyes and letting out a big burp, which made Yasper grimace.

"Ugh, you okay?" he asked.

"I just wanna head home and cry myself to sleep," Aniq replied before looking at the two of you. "I've had enough of this party."

"Yeah, let's bail," you agreed, glancing at Yasper for a moment before gazing back at Aniq. "I need to sober up anyway."

Before either of the two men could respond, you hear Jennifer 2, one of the Jennifer twins with a foul attitude,  talking behind you.

"Oh, there she is," she hissed, which made you turn around. There, you saw Chelsea stumbling outside of the house. "Hey, you hoe-bag. I heard you had sex with Eugene."

Jennifer 2's directness had you floored, your mouth slightly agape. You stood frozen, forced to watch the argument that was about to ensue.

"Oh, my God, what are you saying? Shut up," Chelsea replied, her movements wobbly.

"You shut up," Jennifer 2 snapped. "You shut your lying Monica Lewinsky mouth."

You, Aniq, and Yasper quietly watched the two women with fascination. Other people stopped and observed as well, interested in where the confrontation was heading.

"You stand here, in front of a jury of your peers, and you try and tell me you didn't just hook up with Eugene in front of all the most important people—"

"Oh, my God, what?" Chelsea replied, confused. "Oh, no..."

"—in your life, Chelsea!" Jennifer 2 continued, talking over the other woman.

You dissociated, your head hurting from the alcohol you consumed earlier along with the argument in front of you. You were only pulled back to reality when Chelsea projectile-vomited on Jennifer 2's chest, making the crowd, including your friends, gasp in horror.

Yasper gagged, looking away from the scene. "I can't watch people puking," he told you. "Makes me sick."

"Man, what the fuck is happening?" you questioned, lost in the sequence of events that just occurred.

"I don't know, but I felt like my stomach just turned inside out," Yasper replied before clinging to you. You placed a hand on his back, caressing it to offer comfort.

"Oh, come on. You're being dramatic," Aniq protested as he looked at Yasper. "Let's just go home, you guys."

Then suddenly, a music familiar to Aniq's ears started playing inside the house. "Yasper!" he gasped. "What are the odds?"

The two of you looked at him. "Of what?" Yasper asked, still close to you.

"This is Zoe's favorite song," Aniq answered, his expression hopeful.

"Woah, crazy coincidence," you replied with a grin.

"This is a sign," he said with a huge smile on his face.

Yasper laughs. "You're drunk, dude," he responded, snapping the other man from his fantasy.

As the two of your friends chatted, you glanced at the doorway and made eye contact with the man you and Yasper had been avoiding: Xavier.

Xavier sneered at the sight of Yasper clinging to you, which caught Aniq's reaction.

"Stay away from me, Eugene," he warned as he glared at the man.

"It's Xavier," Xavier corrected him before turning towards the window. "Hey, not sure if you noticed, but Brett's eating your girl's face in there."

There, the three of you saw Brett and Zoe passionately making out on the sofa.

"Yeah, I guess if you hadn't slipped and fallen in the pool that would be you right now," Xavier added with a mocking pout. He shot one last nasty glare at you and Yasper before patting Aniq's chest and walking away.

You ignored Xavier and focused on Aniq, who stood still and quiet, watching Zoe and Brett kiss with an unreadable expression.

"Hey Aniq, ignore what that dick just said," you told your friend. "He's provoking you."

"Don't listen to him, man," Yasper added in a low and serious tone. "You okay, dude?"

It seemed like Aniq didn't register what you and Yasper just said as he stormed inside the house, leaving the two of you alone.

"Aniq," Yasper called out, but the man in question didn't look back. "Aniq."

"High school."

The two of you looked at the weird man who spoke, wearing nothing but a bathrobe, that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Why are you wearing a robe?" Yasper questioned, to which the man struggled to respond.

Before letting the dude have a chance to reply, you placed both of your hands on Yasper's shoulders, catching his attention.

"Yasper, we gotta shake some sense into Aniq before he gets himself into trouble," you told him.

You hear commotion inside of the house, which makes you and him panic. The two of you quickly shared a look before sprinting towards the front yard.

Your eyes widened as you saw Aniq carrying a bat and walking towards Xavier's new car.

"Aniq, what are you doing?" Yasper called out, the panic in his voice evident. "Buddy? Hey, bud?"

"Aniq, oh my god, stop!" you exclaimed as you ran to him, but Yasper held you back. "Dude, let go! He's about to destroy an expensive car! He cannot afford to pay for damages!"

"He has a bat and he's blinded by rage," your friend replied calmly. "As much as I love him, he might end up hurting you."

"No, no, no," you heard Zoe's voice. "Wait, no!"

But it was too late. With one big swing, Aniq hit the car's hood, causing a massive dent. Everyone collectively exclaimed a loud "ooh!"

Yasper buried his head on your shoulder, refusing to look, as your other friend continued to bash and wreck Xavier's car.

"Aniq, enough, please!" you yelled, Yasper's grip preventing you from coming closer. "Even with me, you, and Yasper's money combined, we cannot pay for that shit!"

No one dared to stop him, not when he was aggressively swinging the bat. All of you, with Yasper peeking at your shoulder, watched as Aniq destroyed both side mirrors of the car.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!?!"

Xavier sprinted and jumped on Aniq's back, pulling the man away from his beaten car.

Yasper pulled away from you as he watched in horror. "No, no, no, don't fight! Don't fight!"

Only you, Yasper, and probably Zoe protested. The rest of your schoolmates chanted "fight!" on repeat as the two men stumbled on the grass. Xavier got off of Aniq's back and placed his fists in front of him, ready to throw some punches.

"Wanna do this?" Aniq said, in his fighting stance as well.

"Yeah!" the other man replied before kicking in the air pathetically. "You ready for this?"

"I'ma jack you up!" Aniq exclaimed.

It was your turn to hold Yasper back as he was getting too close to the two men, afraid that he might hurt himself.

"Yo, make contact, you pussy," you heard Brett say. "If you're gonna fight, fight."

Then, Aniq started spinning with his arms wide open, which left you baffled.

"No, that's my move! You know that's my move!" Xavier exclaimed before following Aniq, spinning wildly.

"Are you dancing or fighting?" Yasper questioned, just as puzzled as you are.

"AAAAH!" the two men screamed loudly before slapping each other's hands like how children would fight.

"Hey guys, this fight sucks," Brett commented. "Fucking hit him!"

Meanwhile, you just stood there, completely bewildered and wondering how you got in this situation.

"Guys, come on! We're friends," Yasper said, desperately trying to break up the fight. "Everybody's friends."

Suddenly, you heard a loud siren blaring in the neighborhood. You and Yasper looked up and saw a police car approaching the house.

"Cops," Yasper said, unsure if he wants to run away and hide or save Aniq from getting caught by the police. "Aniq, cops!"

The crowd quickly dispersed, running and hiding in different directions. You grabbed Yasper's hand and dragged him away from the scene.

"I'm sorry, man, but we tried stopping him multiple times!" you told him while the two of you were running away, finding a hiding spot.

You and Yasper managed to hide inside a group of comically large bushes, both of you panting from exhilaration.

"Man, what a night," you whispered, trying to look at what's happening to your friend Aniq, but the leaves and branches were too thick to see anything.

Then, you stopped and realized that your face is extremely close to Yasper's. One wrong move and your lips would touch his.

He whispered your name, which made your heart jump. "About earlier when I said I want to confess something..."

"Mm-hmm?" you replied, swallowing nervously.

Yasper didn't utter any more words. Instead, he closed the gap between the two of you and planted a quick kiss on your lips before pulling away.

"I—" he said, but fell silent when you leaned in once again, silently asking for more. He slowly closed his eyes, and both of your lips touched.

It was unlike Zoe and Brett's extreme makeout session earlier. The kiss you shared with Yasper felt pure and innocent, which you adored.

— 2021 —

You grinned as your memory reminded you of the intimate moment you shared with Yasper. You didn't realize that the two of you had been sitting closely.

"Good times," you whispered, looking at the empty field in front of you. "I just wish we never drifted apart after high school, you know?"

Yasper stretched his arms before putting one of them around your shoulders. "Well," he said casually. "We could start over, if that's what you want."

Your head snapped towards the man beside you, your eyes wide at his statement. "Huh?"

Yasper chuckled before leaning his face closer to yours. "You know what I always say to myself?" he asked, looking into your eyes. "We all get one shot twice, and well, this is me shooting my second shot. So, what do you say?"

"Yasper?"

Startled, you and Yasper pulled away from one another, the romantic tension quickly dissipating. Both of you turned your heads to the source of the voice in unison.

Zoe and Aniq stood three benches away from the two of you. You noted that Aniq is carrying a bottle of alcohol while Zoe holds two glasses.

"Aniq, buddy!" Yasper exclaimed enthusiastically, returning to his earlier state, cheerful and full of energy. "Nice to see you as well, Zoe. Nice dress, by the way."

"Sorry, was this a bad time? We hope we're not interrupting something," Zoe asked, her voice apologetic.

"No, no," you quickly denied before holding Yasper's hand, wrapping your fingers around his. "We were just catching up, but we're about to head out anyway."

"Yeah, see you later pal!" Yasper exclaimed as you pulled him away, leaving the two lovebirds alone.

You and Yasper walked in an empty school hallway while holding hands, unsure of where to go.

"So, do we head back in the gymnasium?" you asked, looking at Yasper for his opinion.

"Eh, to be honest, I don't have the energy to mingle anymore," he replied before pulling out his car keys using his free hand. "Wanna see my car instead?"

"Okay," you answered with a grin, as if you didn't think his car was ugly earlier. "Lead the way."

Chapter Text

You and Yasper walked towards the school parking lot to retrieve his car. His hand toyed with his keys while the other held your hand.

"Have you spoken to Chelsea tonight?" you suddenly asked out of curiosity. "Saw her at the bar staring at Xavier earlier, but other than that, we never interacted."

"Hmm?" Yasper hummed as he recalled earlier events. "No, not really. I greeted her earlier before me and Aniq bumped into you, then I never saw her again."

You nodded, your lips pouting slightly. "I guess I'm worried about her," you told him. "Rumors say that she became an alcoholic."

Yasper suddenly let go of your hand, which made you look at him.

"Speaking of the devil," he said before sprinting towards his car. "Chelsea? What are you doing?"

You turned to Yasper's car and saw Chelsea prying the door open, her movements shaky, indicating that she's drunk. You followed your friend and assessed the situation.

Chelsea stopped smudging her lipstick on the car window and turned to the two of you.

"Oh, heeeeey~" she said with a playful grin, her speech slurred. "I was just... trying to get into my car, buuuuut it's not opening."

"Uh, that's my car," Yasper replied. "And those aren't keys. That's your lipstick, and you've ruined it."

Chelsea cackled maniacally, which made you and Yasper share a brief look of concern before turning back to the drunk woman.

"He's gonna be sorry," she said.

"Um... who's gonna be sorry?" you asked, but Chelsea stumbled on her feet, Yasper catching and supporting her.

"I gotta get to the after-party," she managed to say after standing upright.

"Yasper can get give you a ride, am I right?" you replied with a grin before nudging your friend's side.

"Yes, absolutely," Yasper agreed. "You're in no condition to drive, Chelsea."

The woman's gaze went from him to you and then back to him.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," she shrugged before walking towards the passenger seat.

You wanted to sit next to Yasper, but you didn't want to deal with Chelsea's drunken shenanigans. So, you settled on the backseat.

"Alright, Xavier's mansion it is," Yasper announced before putting a seatbelt on.

"Hey Chelsea, I've been meaning to talk to you," you greeted, leaning forward so she could see you. "How are you?"

Chelsea turned her head to face you. "Doing fine, I guess," she replied before letting out a sigh.

"You okay?" Yasper asked in concern.

Her joyful facade faded for a moment as she succumbed to the vulnerability, choosing to be genuine with the two of you.

"It's just… there's a lot going on," she answered as she stared at her shoes. "I'm processing everything."

"Hey," you called out softly, causing the woman to gaze at you. "Me and Yasper, you can tell us everything. We're friends, aren't we?"

Chelsea smiled. "Yes, we are," she answered. "Thanks… for being real ones. I felt judged by the others out there."

"You know what? Screw it," Yasper said which made you and Chelsea turn towards him. "It doesn't matter what happened in there. We're gonna fix everything at this after-party, right?"

You gave him a grin before looking back to Chelsea. "Yeah, let's just have fun at Xavier's mansion. Really let ourselves loose without giving a single fuck about anyone's opinions."

Chelsea giggled. "Sounds nice!" she exclaimed excitedly, her cheery self returning.

Yasper drove forward, but the three of you didn't make it out of the parking lot.

"Oh my god!" you exclaimed as the car quickly halted. "What the fuck?"

Yasper had run over someone.

"Holy shit, holy shit," he cursed, hopping out of the car and rushed towards the person he managed to hit, who happened to be Aniq.

You rolled down one of the windows in the backseat and stuck your head out to eavesdrop.

"I gotta get to that party," Aniq said as he swerved around, disoriented.

"No, we gotta get you to that hospital, okay?" Yasper replied, voicing his concern.

"No," the other man replied stubbornly.

Your friends continued to converse while Chelsea rolled down the window. You thought that she was just copying you, but your jaw dropped when she turned her head behind and spoke loudly.

"Brett!" she exclaimed, catching the attention of your friends. "Aniq made out with your ex-wife, and now he's going back for more!"

"Chelsea! Do you have a death wish?!" you yelled, but she just giggled maniacally.

Aniq quickly got in the backseat with you while Yasper hopped in the driver's seat and floored it, leaving Brett behind.

"Hello again, Aniq," you greeted him.

"Oh, hey!" he greeted back. "Sorry, didn't notice you were here."

"Wooo!" Chelsea exclaimed, enjoying the ride.

Aniq leaned forward and inspected the dashboard. "Whose car is this?" he asked.

"This is my car that I purchased because of my incredible business acumen," Yasper proudly answered as he continued driving.

You saw Aniq pick up the car keys. "Luxury Prestige Rentals," he read.

Yasper quickly swatted his friend's hand, causing him to drop the keys. But it was too late. You and Chelsea started laughing.

"Oh my god, luxurious," she said teasingly.

"Woah, prestigious!" you added.

"No, that's a fake keychain, my dear friends," Yasper denied, laughing nervously.

"I need a drink," Aniq said before fishing inside Chelsea's open bag and pulling out a flask.

"Dude, you don't even know what's in there," you warned him, but he opened it and took a sip. "Aniq!"

Chelsea turned towards the two of you before quickly grabbing the flask and shutting it tight.

"Aniq, that's not for you. Those are my personal things. You're nuts."

The car halted due to the traffic light in front of the pedestrian lane flashing a red. This proved to be a disadvantage since Brett's car quickly caught up, stopping beside Yasper's.

The four of you looked at Brett, who was saying something, but you couldn't understand.

"Oh my god, what is he saying?" Chelsea and Yasper asked in unison.

Brett gestured to roll down the window, which Chelsea did.

"I'll kill all of ya!" Brett yelled once the window was down.

"Oh, is that Brett? Hey, Brett."

You turned towards your right and saw an unfamiliar man in the car with you. Was he here the whole time?

Before you could even have answers to your question, Yasper sped off, leaving Brett behind once more.

"Oh, my god, he's right behind us. Can't we go any faster?" Aniq complained.

"It's a rental! You got me, I lied," Yasper confessed, his foot fully pressing on the gas pedal. "I did it to try to impress you guys. If I scratch it, I'm screwed."

"Aww Yasper," you cooed. You found his attempt at impressing his friends adorable.

"If anything bad happens, I promise I'll help pay for it, okay?" Aniq said before leaning forward and taking the wheel, making you and Yasper scream in terror, while Chelsea shrieks in excitement.

The car swerved uncontrollably, causing the other cars to honk and yell profanities at you. Aniq turned to an alley, your hands gripping the driver's seat tightly for support.

"Oh my god, I'm gonna throw up," Yasper groaned.

Chapter Text

"You guys go ahead," you told Aniq and Chelsea, gesturing for them to walk inside Xavier's mansion.

Once the two were in, you turned towards Yasper, who was leaning on you for support.

"You alright?" you asked softly as you gazed at his face. "Do you not have the urge to throw up anymore?"

Yasper grinned. "So caring," he commented as he held your hand and kissed the back of it. "One of your many lovable traits."

Your lips curled into a smile before playfully pushing him off. "Stop it," you replied, even though you wanted more. "Come on, let's go."

As the two of you sauntered into Xavier's mansion, you noticed that Yasper was on his phone, nibbling his lower lip.

"What's that, huh?" you asked in a playful and lighthearted manner, peeking at his phone.

Then, your face dropped when you saw that he texted Xavier.

"I'm here, R U DTB? (BLESS)" the text said.

"Yasper," you said as you pulled away, the disappointment evident in your voice.

"What?" he replied, turning his phone off and focusing on you. "What did I do?"

"You've gotta let him go," you told him. "For Christ's sake, stop groveling at his feet, begging for a collab. He made it pretty clear that he does not want to."

"I know, but just one more, and then I'll stop," Yasper said, making you sigh out loud.

You walked away from him, extremely disappointed. Sometimes, Yasper's inability to give up irks you.

"Hey! Wait up!" you hear him calling after you, but you ignore him and quickly pour yourself a glass of alcohol before downing it in one go.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked softly, and in response, you slammed the empty glass on the table, making him flinch.

"Yes, I am," you answered as you made eye contact with him. "Because I want what's best for you, Yasper. And what you're doing? It's unhealthy. It's toxic."

You didn't wait for him as you entered the living room, the place crowded with your former schoolmates. Some you recognize, some you don't.

Then, behind you, you heard the strumming of a musical instrument. You turned around and saw Yasper holding a guitar.

"I'm sorry," he said in a singsong voice accompanied by the melodious sound the instrument makes. "Forgive me, my beloved~"

You cannot help but grin at his silly antics. "Where did you get that?" you asked, smiling softly.

"Oh, it was just lying around the corner," he replied as he continued playing. "Anyways, are you still angry?"

"Yes," you lied. "Unless you sing me a romantic song right now."

Yasper grinned. "Is it too late now to say sorry?" he sang, strumming the guitar. "Yeah, I know that I let you down. Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"

You burst out laughing at the song choice, which made him giggle in return.

"Hell no," you said. "I thought you were ska forever. Why are you turning to pop now?"

Yasper gasped dramatically, pretending to be offended. "Ah, excuse you! I would never turn pop," he replied. "I'm just singing you a romantic song, like you instructed."

"Justin Bieber is not romantic," you told him with a grin.

Yasper continued playing the guitar as the two of you walked towards the balcony, where Aniq was.

"Aniq," you called after your other friend, but he was busy looking at the second-floor balcony.

You looked up as well, out of curiosity, and saw Xavier flirting with Zoe. Then, you quickly looked at Yasper, who had stopped strumming the guitar after spotting Xavier.

For some reason, you felt intimidated by the man beside you. You observed his brooding expression and noted how intense his stare was.

If looks could kill, Xavier would be dead by now.

"Yasper," you called out, snapping him out of it. You shook your head, telling him to quit it.

"Sorry," he whispered, holding your hand and squeezing gently.

Then, Brett suddenly stormed in the balcony, said some words, and then pushed Aniq on the table. It happened so fast that you just stood there, processing everything.

"Aniq, are you okay?" Yasper asked, rushing towards his side.

Aniq got up, his movements uncoordinated. "I'm all aces, baby," he said while patting Yasper's face.

"Aniq, maybe it's time we head home, yeah?" you suggested, but he walked past you and went straight to the counter containing glasses of flaming Jell-O shots.

You swiftly followed him, leaving Yasper on the balcony. "Aniq, that's enough buddy," you said, trying to stop the man from consuming more alcohol.

"No, that's a candle! That's a candle," Yasper thankfully intervened, taking the glass away from Aniq and replacing it with the guitar he was holding.

"Oh, thank you," Aniq said before playing the guitar and walking away, leaving the two of you.

Yasper let out a sigh before blowing the flame off of the Jell-O shot and returning it to the counter.

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?" you asked, holding his hands and pulling him onto the sofa to sit.

"Nothing's wrong," he quickly denied as he settled down with you. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Now, you know damn well that's a lie," you replied. "If it's about Xavier, then I'm all ears."

Yasper suddenly pulled away from your grasp. "I gotta go to the bathroom real quick," he said coldly, excusing himself and leaving you alone on the couch.

You felt nothing but concern for Yasper. He was out of it the moment he saw Xavier, like something snapped.

You gazed at him from your location and saw him chatting with Chelsea before leaving, disappearing from your sight.

You frowned, your head swarming with thoughts. You shouldn't have let Yasper come here. You two should've been on a date by now, driving on an empty highway with his hideous rental car and the windows down, the cool air hitting your skin.

The sound of glass clanging pulled you away from your thoughts, your head instinctively turning towards the sound. You saw Xavier, with a stupid grin on his face, as he made a speech.

"X marks the spot, am I right?" he said, causing you to roll your eyes. Deep down, even with the expensive stuff that he owns, you still find him lame. "'Cause I'm X, and this is my spot!"

People cheered, sucking up to him. You crossed your arms as he continued.

"I head back to LA tomorrow for the Kids' Choice Awards, but for tonight, mi casa is..." Xavier paused, thinking of how the saying goes before giving up completely. "I mean, you know how the rest of that goes."

You looked away, ignoring Xavier and focusing on the hallway where Yasper disappeared from your sight. You stood up from the sofa, deciding to find the bathroom.

After getting lost in the huge mansion for a moment, you manage to find the bathroom.

"Yasper? You in there?" you asked, knocking twice, but no one replied.

You pushed the door open, and to your surprise, the bathroom was empty. No one, even Yasper, to be found.

Where did he go?

You quickly went back to the living room and spotted Chelsea about to follow Xavier, who's climbing the stairs leading to the second floor.

"Hey, Chelsea!" you exclaimed, blocking her way. "Real quick, I lost Yasper. Any chance he told you where he went?"

"Oh, um," Chelsea replied, startled by your sudden appearance. "To the studio, I believe. Told me that Xavier's going to record songs with him."

The information greatly surprised and confused you. Didn't Xavier deny Yasper the privilege to collaborate with him? Then why would he tell Chelsea that they're going to record a song together? Why would he lie?

"O— Okay, thanks Chelsea," you replied, forcing a smile, before stepping aside so she could follow Xavier upstairs.

With your eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched, you strutted towards the recording studio. You opened the doors, and sure enough, Yasper wasn't there.

However, there was a little girl wearing a blonde wig and stuffing her mouth with candy in the room.

"Hello, little one," you cooed, too busy finding your friend to even question why a little girl is in this party. "Have you seen a tall, scrawny man who's wearing a green jacket enter here?"

Since the girl's mouth was stuffed with candy, she shook her head in response, indicating a no.

"Alright, thank you angel," you said before stepping outside and closing the door gently.

Once outside, you cursed. Where the fuck did Yasper went? This was starting to feel worry you.

You returned to the living room and noticed that most of your former schoolmates had gone home. Only a couple of familiar faces are left. Yet still, Yasper is nowhere to be found.

You sighed in frustration, running your hand on your head. You need to clear your mind before you go insane.

Ignoring the people around you, you walked straight to the balcony and took a deep breath, calming yourself. You were the only one on the balcony, which you were thankful for.

Then, you started reassuring yourself by thinking positively. "Everything is alright," you told yourself. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

"How great is this party?!"

You jumped, the sudden video playing on the television screens startling you.

"Now, what the hell?"

But before you could turn around and waltz back inside the living room along with your peers, you witnessed something that you shouldn't have.

You felt time slow down as you saw Xavier falling off the second-floor balcony. You covered your mouth, eyes wide in shock, as you watched Xavier quickly descend before hearing a distant thud.

You peeked down and saw Xavier's body lying motionless on the rocky shore. Your heart raced and your body tensed, denying the fact that you just witnessed someone dying.

Then, against your better judgment, you decided to look up. You looked at the second-floor balcony and met eyes with the person you've been looking for all night.

Yasper.

Chapter Text

— 2022 —

"Alright, where ya headin', mate?" the taxi driver, looking at you, asked as soon as you put on the seatbelt.

"Oh, to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, please," you answered with a smile, securing the box of donuts on your lap.

"Ah, visitin' a loved one in jail?" she asked as she navigated through the city's traffic.

"My boyfriend," you replied, your eyes on the road in front of you.

The taxi driver simply nodded, not commenting any further, as she drove silently.

It's been a year since Yasper, who is now your boyfriend, pushed Xavier off a balcony, plummeting to his death.

Then, when he got arrested, the media went batshit crazy. There were instances where interviewers would suddenly approach you and Aniq on the streets, asking for a statement.

"You're Mr. Lennov's friend, correct? Can you tell us what he is like?"

"Do you suspect that he would do such a horrible thing?"

"Is it true that Xavier and Mr. Lennov were band mates? Is that why he killed? Because he was jealous?"

Yasper thrived in the attention, though. One time during a prison visit, he told you how ecstatic he was when he saw himself on TV.

"Every publicity is good publicity," he told you when you voiced your concern.

However, the worst thing that happened to your boyfriend was that he got life in prison. When you initially heard the verdict, your heart dropped and you almost fell to your knees by how devastated you were.

So, ever since then, you've worked hard with his attorney to form an appeal that could possibly reduce his time in jail.

"Here we are!" the taxi driver exclaimed, turning towards you.

You blinked in surprise as you looked outside. You were so deep in thought that you didn't notice you were already in front of the CDCR building.

"Thank you," you said, paying her and giving a generous amount of tip before shimmying out of the seatbelt.

"Tell ya boyfriend to hang in there," she suddenly said after you got out of the vehicle.

"Okay... thank you," you simply replied, a bit confused at her encouragement, but you appreciated it.

The taxi driver gave you a grin before driving off, leaving you alone.

As soon as you walked in the establishment, the staff immediately recognized you. You have been visiting Yasper weekly without any miss, so they've grown familiar with your face.

"Good morning, officers," you greeted with a warm smile before presenting the box of donuts to them. "I bought you guys some donuts to show my appreciation for the hard work."

The guards' eyes lit up as soon as you placed the box on their counter.

"Heh, these people are so easy to please," you thought to yourself as you watched them dig in, taking big bites of the food you bought.

"Alright, I'm gonna fetch him for you," one of the officers, Steve, you think is his name, said before walking off to get your man.

You turned towards the other guards as they continued to eat. "So, how is Yasper doing? Are the inmates treating him nicely?"

Befriending the prison staff proved beneficial for you. Not only could you ask some small favors, but they would also make sure that Yasper is unharmed and is well taken care of.

"He's doing great," a female officer, Rebecca, answered while chewing. "All he does is sing all day, and he's made friends. Overall, he's behaving pretty well."

You smiled in relief. "That's good to hear," you replied.

The guards quickly scanned and patted you down for any sort of contraband before escorting you to the visiting room.

You could see Yasper's eyes light up as soon as he saw you enter the room. You gave him an affectionate smile as you sat down on the chair in front of him.

"Hey, how have you been these past days?" you asked softly as you reached out and held his hands, which were chained to the table in between the two of you.

Yasper grinned as he held your hand tightly. Normally, the prison guards wouldn't allow any sort of physical contact with the inmate, but since you are buddies with them, they would simply turn a blind eye.

"I had a lovely week," he answered. "So, on Monday, they served my favorite food in the cafeteria. Then…"

Your boyfriend proceeded to tell you in lengthy detail about what happened to him in a week. You listened attentively, providing some teasing comments from here and there.

"…And oh! My album is almost done," Yasper told you with a proud smile on his face. "My cellmate has been very helpful, giving me some valid critiques and helpful insights."

You chuckled. "Alright, let me hear it," you said, encouraging him to sing.

He cleared his throat loudly. "These bars can't hold these bars," he sang, which made you burst out laughing.

"Pretty fire, right?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes. I love it," you answered with a smile.

"Thank you. I have more, but it's not finished yet," Yasper said as he lightly squeezed your hand.

"Oh, Yasper, never ever change," you told him as you leaned closer, eyeing him affectionately.

"I'm not planning to," he replied as he mirrored your doting gaze.

You intertwined your fingers with his. "I'll do my best to get you out of here," you whispered. "Or at least lessen your sentence."

Yasper grinned. "Your efforts are very much appreciated," he responded.

"Well, your attorney does most of the work," you pointed out, which made him chuckle. "So give him some credit too."

"Okay, fine. Him too," he replied, shaking his head playfully. "But mostly you for sticking with me and having my back."

"Of course, I would stick around," you answered with a smile. "I'm your partner."

"Alright, you lovebirds, time's up."

You and Yasper looked at the prison guard that interrupted you. The officer pointed at the wall clock, showing that an hour had passed, marking an end to your visit.

You sighed, gazing back at your boyfriend. "See you next week, Yasper," you said sadly.

Yasper leaned close and planted a kiss on your forehead. "Yeah, see you again, gorgeous. Take care of yourself."

You smiled softly. "You too," you replied as you slowly let go of his hands. "And remember, behave!"

He giggled. "No promises," he joked as he watched you get escorted out of the premises by the prison guard.

Just as you were at the doorway, you looked back at Yasper and blew him a kiss. He caught it with his chained hands, a playful grin on his face, before waving you a goodbye.

— THE END —

Chapter Text

"After you," Yasper said as he opened the car door for you.

You grinned. "Such a gentleman," you cooed before getting in and settling on the passenger's seat.

Once Yasper was comfortable on the driver's seat, he turned towards you. "Where to, my lovely date?"

You raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so this is a date now?" you asked playfully.

Yasper mirrored the smile on your face. "What, you don't like it? Because I do," he replied before driving in reverse, getting out of the parking spot. "But seriously, do you have a place in mind?"

"I don't know," you answered. "Just drive and see where it takes us."

"Hmm, a late-night drive in the neighborhood," he said as the car slowly made its way out of Hillmount High. "Sounds straight out of an angsty music video. I love it."

It was getting a bit late, so there were fewer cars on the road. You rolled your window down and let the chilly air hit your skin, making it tingle.

"So," Yasper said, breaking the silence. "Do you like my car?"

You turned to look at him, who currently had his eyes on the road as he drove, navigating through the road.

"It's green," you answered. "Which is very you."

"Is that a good thing?" he questioned, glancing at you briefly.

You swallowed nervously, thinking of a way to divert his attention. "How much is this car anyway?"

Luckily, it worked. Yasper smirked, acting cool as he relaxed in his seat. "I bought it with my incredible business acumen," he boasted. "Cost me lots of dollars."

You smiled, amused by his antics. "Well, I am certainly impressed," you told him.

That made him grin from ear to ear, which was a sight to behold.

Yasper continued to drive, now with his window down as well, the car's air conditioner long forgotten.

"I'm kinda hungry," you said as you looked at the closed establishments the car passed by. "Any chance there's an open diner somewhere?"

"I don't know. It is pretty late," he answered, "but I'll get you food because I'd be a bad date if I left you starving."

You scooted closer to him. "Thank you, Yasper," you said, expressing your gratitude with a sweet grin, which he returned. "You are a wonderful date."

"So, we are definitely on a date, then," Yasper confirmed, to which you responded with a playful giggle.

The two of you ended up in a tacky diner at the outskirts of the city. You got out of the car and inspected the neon sign that says "open 24/7".

Yasper followed, standing beside you. "Do you wanna look for another restaurant?" he asked as he inspected your expression.

You looked at him with an assuring grin. "No, this is fine," you answered as you held his hand. "I'm not a picky eater anyway."

Then, the two of you proceeded to enter the diner. Right away, you caught a whiff of their hamburgers in the air, which made your mouth water.

"What can I get ya, dearies?" a huge lady in her mid-50s greeted as she gazed at you and Yasper.

"A burger and a milkshake, please," you ordered before turning towards Yasper.

"Whatever they're having," he simply said, referring to you. "Oh, and throw in some fries."

The old woman glanced at your intertwined fingers before shaking her head. "Lovebirds," she muttered before disappearing in the kitchen.

You and Yasper shared a look before deciding to settle on an empty table beside a massive window.

"Honestly, this place is not so bad," you told your date as you looked at the window. "And their burgers smell promising."

"Sorry, I'll take you to a better place next time," he apologized, which made your head snap towards him.

"Aye, aye, no," you quickly said, shushing him. "This is perfect. I'm having fun."

Yasper grinned before taking your hand and kissing the back of it. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I really want to take you to a fancier place, like a fine dining restaurant."

"Okay, maybe next time," you replied as you held his hand, making you feel warm and fuzzy. "But tonight, let's just enjoy each other's company."

He stared adoringly in your eyes. Whenever you see moments like this in romance films, it always makes you feel sick by how cheesy it is.

But when Yasper does it, you feel giddy.

"Oh sweet," he suddenly said before pulling away from your gaze. "Wait, hold on."

Yasper stood up and walked towards the old jukebox at the corner of the diner. You watched as he looked at the song choices before inserting a quarter.

Then, Queen's "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" started playing.

Your date sauntered back to you, calling out your name in a playful tone. "I hope you can dance."

Your eyes widened. "What? Are you insane?" you asked. "We're dancing right here?"

Yasper smirked. "Well, yeah," he answered. "What better way to pass time than by dancing?"

"Yasper," you protested, but he pulled you from your seat and held you by the waist and hand.

"We're dancing," he said in a singsong voice as he swayed you to the music.

"Oh my god, this is so embarrassing," you whispered but kept your eyes on him as the two of you slowly danced.

"What? No," he denied with a smile on his face. "It's adorable."

"Ahem!"

You and Yasper flinched when the old woman suddenly exclaimed, making the two of you stop dancing.

"Two burgers, milkshakes, and fries," she declared before placing it on your table and leaving the two of you alone.

Yasper let out a loud burp as the two of you walked out of the diner. Once again, he opened the door for you, and you sat in the passenger's seat.

"Where to next?" you asked while putting on your seatbelt.

"Hod on, I know just the right place," he replied, giving you a wink, before turning the engine on.

After a few minutes of driving on empty roads, Yasper parked above a cliff.

"Come on," he said gently as he got out of the car, asking you to follow.

You stepped out and heard the waves quietly hitting the shore just beneath. The chilly breeze licked your skin, which made you wrap your arms around yourself.

Then, you heard Yasper call out your name. You turned around and…

"Oh my god, Yasper! Get down from there!" you exclaimed as you saw him standing on the roof of the car.

"Nah," he replied before offering you a hand. "The view is much better from here, trust me."

You hesitantly took his hand. "I swear, if I fall off this cliff, I will be haunting you for the rest of my life," you threatened as he pulled you up.

Yasper laughed. "Oh, come on," he said. "You know I would never willingly put your life at risk."

With his help, the two of you sat on the roof of Yasper's car. Even without the stars, the sight of the moon shining in the night sky made up for it.

Then, at the corner of your eyes, you saw that Yasper shrugged off his green jacket before wrapping it around your shoulders.

You hummed in content, placing your head on his shoulder as you leaned closer to him. He responded by pulling you close, his hand settling on your hip.

"You know, when I arrived at the school earlier, I was questioning why I even decided to show up," you told him, breaking the comforting silence. "But I'm glad I did."

"Thank you," he whispered softly. "For showing up and making my night better. I couldn't imagine what my night would've been like if you weren't here."

You looked at him with a teasing grin. "Probably murdered the hell out of Xavier," you joked, making him laugh.

"I could never murder someone," Yasper denied with a smile on his face. "Look at my handsome face. Does this scream murderer to you?"

"Well, you never know," you said, which earned you a giggle from him.

The laughter died down, and it fell silent once more, only the sound of the waves from below audible.

After a moment of peaceful quiet, Yasper whispered your name, making you look up at him. "I'm serious about earlier," he told you. "About rekindling our relationship."

Your heart melted, and you felt a warm and comforting feeling as you stared deeply into his eyes.

"So, what do you say?"

You gave him a genuine smile. "Yes," you answered. "Let's start over."

Yasper grinned in pure bliss before giving you a kiss on the forehead.