Tagging: @buryache

It wasn’t the first time Hector had run into Jaylin during his shift but it was the first time in a while that he actually felt like talking to her. It was petty and honestly when he thought back to high school, he knew they brought both the best and worst out of each other. And yet there was still a deep part of him that cared for her, it was hard not to. Even with all their on and off there were moments of real connection, or so he’d like to think. He knew enough to know that he had missed her when he was gone. That on some nights, especially his best ones, he wondered what it would be like to have her there to party with him, to take in the laughs and the big lights, to be his steady person amidst all the chaos. 

When he had come home, Jay was in a relationship and Hector was too down on himself to event entertain the idea of spending time with her so he had avoided it at all cost. But since the last attack he realized he couldn’t avoid it anymore. So this time, when she walked into the bar, he met her at her seat from behind the bar and met her eyes for the first time in what felt like forever and no time at all. But he didn’t say much, instead turning around to make exactly what he knew she would order and after a moment he turned back to her and gently placed a long island iced tea in front of her. “You know, not that I’m a life coach or anything but I still can’t believe this is your go to. Your liver must be begging for an ounce of hydration.” His tone was soft, probably more than he meant it but he was feeling soft lately and maybe, if he had a couple long island iced teas himself he’d admit just how lonely had had felt after the attack but he did his best to stay sober while he was working. “You uh, want to order anything else or you good? I should probably go clean up that table over there or..something.” He didn’t need to immediately, he could talk to her and probably would if she spent enough time there but he didn’t exactly know where to start. 

Inviting Jaylin over to watch Netflix and play a drinking game with her again was probably a bad idea, and Bailey knew that. She just didn’t want to deal with her emotions and anxiety in regards to what Blake had just told her. Despite that, she couldn’t stop rereading the texts from her notifying her of what was going on. If there was something going on between Ryan and Peyton, why would Peyton ask her to be her girlfriend? She was confused and hurt and upset and she knew she should talk to the blonde in question about it, but she wanted time to cool down... or not cool down. Time to gather her thoughts, to think of what to say. But rather than taking a walk and getting fresh air or anything rational like that, she had chosen to get drunk. Again. Blake had a point when she told her to stop drinking the other day, but she didn’t think it was an issue-- it wasn’t a common occurrence... until now. Knocking at the door pulled her out of her thoughts and she was thankful for that. She got up from her bed and walked over to the door, opening it and tried to put on a smile for Jaylin. “Hey. Come in,” she murmured.

I might be half responsible for that.