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idealoblivion · 1 year ago

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soccer!gf pt.2

ted nivison and his offputting soccer!gf

will probably write a part three

requests r open

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

-just as tucker had planned, ted was successfully weaseling his way into the heart of the women's soccer team

(what, like it was hard?)

-and in all honestly, it's been a great time

-ted actually finds himself looking forward to his three weekly "Exercise and Sport Science" classes

-why wouldn't he?

-he basically gets to fuck around with tucker and practice some camerawork (and he'd managed to garner a considerable following on the team's social media page, which was pretty gratifying)

-he's also made a considerable amount of new friends in the process

-and ngl, it's a little bit of an ego boost when he's walking around campus with his friends and a small herd of girls all greet him by name

(he's noticed that you tend to travel in subunits, and knows that if he sees one of you, there's at least two more nearby)

-one downside (which wasn't even that bad, if he was being honest) was that tucker refuses to drop this whole weird thing about him and the team captain

-tucker is convinced that ted is "in"

-but ted wouldn't....... necessarily say the same thing

-sure, you've progressed beyond pretending he doesn't exist, which is cool

-and now you occasionally chip into their conversations on your rides home instead of sitting in complete silence

-but as much as he wishes he could,

-he doesn't really consider you his friend

-not because you're mean to him (any more) or anything

-it's more because he sees the way you act around people who you *do* consider your friends, and compares it to the way you act around him

-and pretty quickly came to the conclusion that you just don't like him

-he's been paying close attention to you, trying to figure out what makes you tick

-and figure out what he could POSSIBLY do to change your mind about him

-he's a people pleaser at heart, and knowing that he's basically won over the entire team except for you just makes him itch

-he understands that you're just not very talkative

-tucker's reminded him countless times whenever he comes home moaning about the coldhearted captain

-and sure.

-quiet is fine.

-he LOVES a good introvert

-but he KNOWS your ass is capable of speaking more than three words at a time.

-he SEES you do it

-he sees literally fucking sees you.

-he was watching you interact with some of the players from afar the other day, only able see your back (which gives him NOTHING), but your teammates standing across from you are laughing so hard they have to lean against each other to keep from collapsing to the ground

-talk about fomo

-there's also been a few times when he's walked into the office where him and tucker usually hang for the first half hour of the period, finding you and tucker sitting cross legged on the floor, both of you intently watching some obscure video on his phone

-and there was this other time when coach took the team out to chili's after an especially long practice spent conditioning

-you're nestled comfortably in the corner booth between your vice captain and one of the goalies

-he's seated at a chair that had been pulled up to the table across from you

-and he's *trying* to pay attention to whatever the fuck tucker and the coach are talking about next to him,

-but the three girls seated across from him are involved in what seems to be a very intense conversation, poorly hidden behind the menus that all of you are very clearly not actually reading

-and he's lowkey trying to eavesdrop but there are about thirteen different conversations going on at the table at once

-PLEASE god he just wants to know that the tea is

-but the three of you are talking at a volume where he can just barely hear the low murmur of your voices, but not make out what you're actually saying

-he watches as you lean down towards the vice captain, and she delicately tucks some of your hair behind your ear before leaning in to whisper sth to u

-and freezes when your eyes flicker to him for a moment

-catching him being a nosey bitch

-he flushes when you subtly raise a single brow, and your lips twitch the same way they do when he or tucker says something that almost makes you laugh

-not that he pays attention to your lips enough to pick up on your behavioral patterns or anything like that

-ahaha

-you only break the eye contact when the vice captain pulls away, and you turn to look at the goalie with wide eyes before leaning in yourself to whisper something that makes her gasp and slap your shoulder

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

-after a tedious day of classes he actually has to work in, ted's a little exhausted.

-as anybody would be

-on his walk home he's distracted, brain filled with thoughts of what he should make for dinner, or if tucker had any left overs he could steal

-he finally makes it to the door of his apartment, fumbling for his keys for a moment before pausing with a frown

-is that a,,,, female voice??? in *his* dorm?

-that WASN'T tucker's girlfriend?

-are they being robbed???

-he presses his ear to the door, frown deepening when he hears a female voice that *definitely* wasn't tucker's girlfriend's, along with his friend's familiar laugh

-and without thinking, he dramatically flings the door open, and the conversation comes to a screeching halt as both participants look over to him awkwardly looming in the doorway

-tucker is standing in the kitchen, fucking COVERED in glitter

-and you're on your hands and knees on the floor of the living room, looking at him over your shoulder, surrounded by posterboards and craft supplies

-and he freezes

-good GOD

-GYATT

-why him.

-his eyes rapidly darting between you and tucker

-and he's actually malfunctioning, his brain glitching, unsure if he's elated or devastated

-why are you in his HOME

-HIS SAFE SPACE

-first you haunt his dreams, and now this shit

-he opens his mouth to speak but only manages to make a few sounds, floundering

-until tucker claps his hands together with a cloud of glitter (which quickly dissipates all over the kitchen for them to clean later), snapping him out of it

"Oh, dude! You're right on time, get in here!"

-he quickly comes over to clap a glittery hand on ted's shoulder and lead him to sit on the couch

-ted glances up at him when his friend doesn't remove his hand, and sees tucker give him a severe look before giving his shoulder a hard squeeze before getting on the floor and crawling to sit next to you

-you've already moved, tucking your legs under you as you begin to rearrange your setup to accommodate for your new recruit

-“She’s kinda in charge of this whole thing, so I’ll let you take it away,” tucker says with a grin, motioning to you and leveling u with an expectant look

-so ted's eyes travel from tucker to you with a similar expression

-and he notices you go a little red, shifting uncomfortably and nervously wiping your hands over your leggings

"We're uhm... making posters for all of the players." you explain shortly, pressing your lips together and awkwardly glancing to tucker for approval, relaxing a little when he nods with a smile and looks over to ted, giving him a look similar to the one he gave you

“Oh, that’s cool.” he responds awkwardly, feeling a little like a child on a forced playdate.

-“Thanks.” and with a short nod, you return to your poster making

-he doesn’t notice you nervously fumbling with the elmer’s glue bottle in your haste to have SOMETHING to do with your hands

-and you pray to god he doesn’t notice, because you know he knows SOMETHING

-you just don’t know what

-all you know is that you've been catching him observing you from afar

-which is fucking nerve wracking, especially considering you've done almost everything to discourage it

-from being intentionally offputting (which COULD be argued to be staring, as tucker puts it) (you think it's a power move)

-to going quiet whenever he enters a room, as to not gain any attention

-to just straight up avoiding him

-but no matter what you do, you just can't seem to shake him

-it seems like every time you go to sneak a glance at him, he's already staring straight back at you (and it's not even like you can just look away and pretend he didn't catch you looking and let him think you're some kind of pussy)

-but with that being said,,,,,

-that shit makes you NERVOUS

-and that is the last thing you need this season

-you have something to prove this time around

-you refuse to allow your team to be humiliated their first season in a new division

-and if being a little standoffish to the new (painfully cute) social media manager is what keeps any new distractions at bay, then so be it

-unfortunately, it's a lot easier said than done

-the tense silence is interrupted by a loud cough

-you pretend not to jump, on edge now that ted is back in the apartment

-you fucking KNEW you shouldn't have trusted tucker, it was too good to be true

-well not really, because it's not your apartment covered in glitter rn

-but still

-you're so caught up in pretending busy, you don't see tucker aggressively mouthing something at ted that he couldn't quite decipher, until he points down at the supplies on the floor aggressively enough that ted's almost worried about him dislocating his shoulder

-ted gives him a confused look, and tucker looks like he wants to pull his hair out

-and then it clicks

"Oh!" he realizes out loud, choking up a little when your head pops up to look at him, "Uh, do you guys need any help?"

"I think we're goo-"

"YES!" tucker interrupts with a cheer, startling the both of you, "Get down here!" he says excitedly, reaching over to tug ted's pant leg, eagerly attempting to pull him off of the couch and onto the floor

"Jesus dude, breathe." ted laughs as he settles on the floor, careful to avoid any glue or open sharpies that lay open on the floor

-once he's sat, he looks around, a little clueless,

"Where do ya want me?" he asks, looking to you

"Everywhere." tucker snickers with a shimmy

"Dude."

-ted turns to you for help

-but you look equally clueless and a little exasperated, and just shrug with a sigh

-he can't help but laugh, knowing the feeling, having dealt with tucker's antics for quite a while now

"Umm, just make sure every player gets a poster. Don't spell any names wrong-"

"And *lots* of glitter." tucker finishes for you, using his sparkly hands to emphasize just how serious he was

"Right," Ted chuckles, "And do we have a system for all of... this?" he motions to the mess you and tucker have made on the living room floor, "Or is it a free for all?"

"We were kinda just getting started when you came in..." you mumble, unsure

"Alright, why don't we figure out somethin' so we can get this sorted out ASAP, yeah?"

-you assent with a nod and a quiet hum, before your lips twitch into a small smile,

"Trying to get rid of me, Nivison?"

-and if ted makes a weird face he cannot be blamed

-bc are you fucking.,.,.,., teasing him right now?

-making a joke??

-with HIM??

-IN HIS HOUSE? -WHATTHGEfuckisGOINGIN

-tucker interrupts his train of thought with another clap,

"Alright, Let's do this thing!"

-together, you and ted devise a system to efficiently get the posters made while tucker's off to the side sniffing glue or sth

-you decide that you'll be in charge of laying down the outlines of the posters, ted is responsible for filling in the lines, and tucker is in charge of laying down the glue before going OUTSIDE (ted emphasized this) to dump the glitter onto the wet glue and shake off the excess

-and the evening goes by without a hitch, at some point tucker put some music on the tv, but ted hadn't even noticed, far too invested in your minimal participation in the ongoing chatter as you guys work

-you usually respond with hums and nods, but occasionally you'll chip in with an opinion or a snarky comment, all of which ted soaked up in earnest

-all three of you end up laying on the floor on your stomachs as you work, idly chatting

-ted is very pointedly not acknowledging the way you absentmindedly kick your feet in the air

-or the way your hair is free to fall over your face when it's not tied back for practice

-or the way your tongue sticks out a little bit as you carefully outline the bubble letters for him to color in

-and he's ngl.

-maybe the conversation kind of turns into him just picking your brain

-but this is literally the most he's ever heard you speak at one and he will be DAMNED if he doesn't take advantage of your seemingly chatty mood

-because along with finally scratching the itch that was you,

-he was actually really enjoying your company

-tucker is currently on the front steps, aggressively shaking off the final poster

-Ted is sitting with his legs spread out, now that most of the space on the floor is cleared up again with all of the posters being completed, leaning back on his hands as he watches you scrub the floor where the sharpies bled through the posters with a wet wipe (the only cleaning supplies they had), and not making much progress

-he couldn't really care any less though, he knew that he wouldn't be getting his deposit back the first time he and tucker managed to stain the ceiling with ketchup

[key word here is first]

-"So..." he starts, and you glance up from where you're scrubbing,

"Hm?"

-and he's grasping for straws trying to remember what the fuck he was talking about

-"Was this like,, a required thing that nobody showed for?" he asks, laughing a little bit when he imagines the hell you're going to put the rest of the girls through if they ALL skipped a team event

-you only shake your head, continuing your scrubbing, "'s just somethin' nice."

-ted straightens at this

-"Wait, so you didn't *have* to do all of this?"

"Nope."

-ted pauses for a minute, his brain working hard, but probably a little scrambled after breathing in sharpie fumes for the past four hours

"... So you just did all of this, for fun?" he asks, cocking his head

-and he watches your shoulders shake with a short laugh before you sit up with a sigh, tossing the completely black wet wipe elsewhere

(either that's a lot of sharpie, or their floors are fucking GNARLY)

(and tbh its probably the latter)

"No. This wasn't fun. Was this fun? For you?"

-he finds himself struggling to find a response, mouth opening and closing a few times before he gets something out,

"I guess fun is a, uh, strong word." he stumbles over it, finding himself confused AGAIN

-DID YOU HAVE FUN OR NOT

-WHY ARe YOU SO WEIRD ABOUT EVERyTHING

-GOD

-before the conversation has the chance to go anywhere else, tucker comes back inside, placing the completed poster in the designated pile before putting his hands on his hips, looking around the apartment that you and ted had already cleaned with a sigh,

"Alright guys, I'm gonna finish cleaning up here. Ted, do me a favor and give our friend a ride home."

-you both send each other a confused look before looking back at tucker

"We literally just cleaned."

"I live like, a five minute walk away."

-tucker purses his lips, nodding yes, before shaking his head no?

-"No, no."

-he shoots the two of you down with enough confidence that the two of you are too bewildered to get a word out

- he walks over to stand over where the two of you are sat on the ground

-and pulls ted's keys out of his pocket (??????) and drops them into his lap

-"I'll hand over these, and you-" he turns to you and tries to ruffle your hair, but you dodge him, and he lets his hand fall to his side, unbothered,

"text when you get in."

-and with a satisfied nod he makes his way to the bathroom and slams the door behind him (fully intending on staying there until he hears the two of you leave)

-you two are left on the floor for a minute, before you speak up,

"You don't have to worry about it, I'll be fine walking home."

-He sighs, reaching up to run a hand through his hair with a sigh as he looks at the clock

-and you have to look away from him

-good GOD

-you need to be chained to a tree like a werewolf

-in a very real and serious way

-"I'm not gonna make you walk home at this hour. Plus, we can't risk all of these getting ruined, can we?" he asks, motioning to the large pile of posters that would definitely be a bitch to get back to the dorm on your own

"... Are you sure you don't mind?" you ask, still a little guilty

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to." he reassured, pushing up off the floor, offering a hand to you once he's up

-and you take it this time

-and he's lowkey giddy

-bc this is HARDCORE progress

-and your hand fits so perfectly in his :')

-he pulls you up without any significant effort, and you give him a quick nod before skittering off to gather your belongings scattered around the apartment

-not wanting to linger for too long

-you could smell his cologne from that close

-and that was the last thing you needed before getting into a car with him

-ALONE

-stranger danger??????????? (you've known him for the better part of a month at this point)

-it becomes a race to gather your things around the apartment, and ofc you win

-you're proud, but a little strained as you walk out of the apartment, attempting to balance all of your belongings

"I'm not letting you carry *shit* up to your dorm. I'm serious. You're actually ridiculous." he gripes as he walks behind you, shooting out a hand just in case every time something wobbles a little precariously

-you only roll your eyes with a lil smile as you load all of your shit into the back seat, apologizing for all of the glitter that's going to be in his car for the next three to five years before getting in the front, buckling in before turning to him

-and he's already looking at you

-of course.

-you're not too sure what else you expected

-but you're still frantically praying to whoever will listen that he can't see your face light aflame in the dark truck

"Do you need the address?" you ask awkwardly, desperate to break the silence

-and he coughs, a little embarrassed at being caught, fumbling to get his key into the ignition

"Right! Yeah, no, umm, yeah. Don't worry about it."

-the tacoma jolts to life and he coughs into his fist

-but from the corner he sees you hide a laugh in your hand, turning away

-smooth.

-very smooth.

-the ride back is a little awkward, almost completely silent except for the music that ted put on

-and he curses himself for not putting on one of his curated coolguy playlists

-because now the two of you are sitting in silence with LMFAO's magnum opus, Party Rock Anthem

-but you don't seem to mind, looking out the window as per usual

-he pulls up to your building, puts the truck into park, and fucking LUNGES into the back seat to grab all of your belongings before you could get the chance

-but when he re-emerges with all of your belongings and a proud smile, he sees you're standing outside, giving him a strange look

-you come closer and silently hold out your arms, but he stubbornly shakes his head no

-after a few minutes of back and forth, you roll your eyes and wordlessly lead him into your building, and he follows with a self-satisfied smile

-he follows you past the building's security, knowing if you look confident enough they won't ask any questions

-you take the elevator upstairs, still silent, but you note that ted has begun to hum party rockers to himself lmao

-once the two of you finally make it to your door, you turn to him, a little sheepish

"Thank you again, seriously," and move to start taking your things back but he takes a step back, stubbornly shaking his head no

"I *told* you I'm carrying your shit in, I can't give up here." He insists with a laugh that you don't return

"Well, I'm not letting you in, so...." you start with a shrug

-instead of becoming discouraged, he returns your energy with a shrug of his own,

"Guess you're not getting your shit back."

-he watches your jaw tick as you narrow your eyes

-before the conversation could go any further, the door swings open, three girls crowding the doorway

"No fucking SHOT you're with a man right now."

"WHO IS THIS STRANGE MAN??"

"Ooo, is that a boy?"

-all you can do is release a defeated sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

ermmm not too sure how i feel abt this one

but it needed 2 be done so i can get to the chapter i actually wanna write, if u guys wanna stick around for that 🤓

also tysm for all the love my works have been getting?? this is madness

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idealoblivion · 1 year ago

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POP PRINCESS °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ !

summary: ᯓ˚࿔ you're a world famous pop star; you and schlatt start off on the wrong foot

notes: ᯓ˚࿔ rollercoaster of both angst and fluff ᯓ˚࿔ ultra fem!pop star!reader (she/her prns) ᯓ˚࿔ reader: has hair that's can be put in a ponytail, is implied to be shorter than schlatt, and is implied to be able to fit into his clothes ᯓ˚࿔ use of y/n ᯓ˚࿔ asshole schlatt (who lives in austin, but is visiting la for chuckle week!) ᯓ˚࿔ ted is so cutesy ᯓ˚࿔ i hope you guys love reading this as much as i loved writing it! ᯓ˚࿔ if anybody wants to see some of the things ive created for this fic (#lore) please lmk and ill be happy to share! ᯓ˚࿔ so much thanks to my lovely mutuals who helped me work on this and give me ideas and such! ᯓ˚࿔ not proofread! ᯓ˚࿔ this is not the end of pop princess! there are mini fics to come! :D

wc: ᯓ˚࿔ 6.8k

Schlatt isn't sure how he got here, but he's stuck in a cramped house that's blaring shitty music, wondering where Ted wandered off to.

Then somebody bumps into him, and his drink nearly sloshes out of the red solo cup in his hand.

"Watch where you're going!" He yells, looking down at you with a scowl.

As you meet his eyes, a weird spark ignites in your heart. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," You frown, feeling the tension between you two.

"Well, maybe use that brain of yours next time, huh?" He sneers before turning around and walking away from whoever the hell you are.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

This party sucks, you determine. You've been here for two hours, and the most exciting thing that's happened is mystery man yelling at you. You keep looking around the crowded house for him, but he's nowhere to be found. Shaking your head, you decide to focus on your upcoming concert. You're going to perform a new, unreleased song, and you're nervous about it. So nervous that you accidentally bumped into mystery man.

Your head was running wild with thoughts.

What if you mess up the words?

What if they all hate it?

What if you start trending for all the wrong reasons?!

You sigh, taking a swig of the drink in your hand—you can't afford to psych yourself out like this.

Backstage, you're seated in the makeup chair, your nerves palpable. The anticipation is almost suffocating.

"Tonight's the big night," Your manager calls out, and you let out a measly squeak in response.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Remind me why I'm here again?" Schlatt spits out at Ted, who is thoroughly enjoying himself with a drink in his hand, face slightly red because he's forgotten to wear sunscreen.

"Because I won tickets on the radio!" He smiles, "Also, I have a surprise for you!"

Schlatt scowls, "What."

Ted pulls out a shirt with your album cover on it. The back reads: "The Candy Coated Love Tour, SoFi Stadium."

"You bought me a shirt?" Schlatt's jaw is wide open.

Ted smiles, "Wear it."

"Wear it?"

Ted gives him a playful death stare, "Put the shirt on. Now."

Throwing his head back, Schlatt groans before taking the shirt and putting it on over his sweater, "There. Ya happy, Ted? Ya happy I'm wearing the pop princess's fifty-dollar t-shirt?"

Ted grins, "Why, yes, yes I am, my good friend. I am thrilled."

Then the lights dim, and Schlatt is surprised to hear an electric guitar.

"I thought you said this girl was a pop artist, Ted."

"This is her opener, Pretty Little Picture. They're pretty hardcore," Ted shrugs.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

The stage is bathed in a warm, pink light, and the air is filled with the excited chatter of the audience. About another half-hour goes by before you come out on stage. You can hear your heartbeat as you stand behind the stage curtains. As they begin to open slowly, you reveal one leg, and the crowd roars as they spot your signature pink heel.

Schlatt's eyes go wide as he studies your face, realization dawning on him.

"Ted," He mutters to his friend, "Ted, I yelled at that girl."

Ted looks gobsmacked, "You yelled at a world-famous popstar?"

Schlatt nods, "Remember when you dragged me to that party? Well, she bumped into me, and I might have yelled at her."

You're performing Corner Store when your eyes scan the front row. A little girl sits with her mom; her pink tiara matches the rest of her fuschia ensemble. You wave at her with a smile—feeling warmth fill your heart as she giggles and waves back with the biggest grin.

After Corner Store, you address the audience.

"Thank you all for being here tonight," You begin, and Schlatt scoffs.

Ted gives him a stern stare, "What's that for?"

"She's so full of bullshit. I can tell."

Ted groans, "Just try and have some fun?"

Schlatt glowers, "I just don't see the appeal. She's just another pop star. What's the big deal?"

As you reach the part of your set where you perform your new song, you're determined not to falter. But fate has other plans. You spot your mystery man in the audience, and his harsh words flood your memory, causing your hands to shake. You miss a beat, your voice faltering. A murmur of confusion ripples through the crowd, and you feel your eyes begin to sting.

"She can't even sing right," Schlatt scoffs, and Ted wants to slap him.

"Dude, she had a slip-up. Give her some grace." He focuses on you, willing you to recover.

You regain your footing as you look at the crowd, decked out in their fabulous outfits. But, when the night is over, you stand backstage and begin to cry. Your manager comes up to you, blissfully unaware of your tears.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"What was up with that?" Your manager asks.

And you know exactly what Chris is referring to.

"He was in the crowd," You sniffle, "And it threw me off."

Your manager looks at you confused, "Who?"

You throw your head back and groan in frustration, "Whatever. It's fine. I'll do better tomorrow night," You promise.

"You better be."

The next night unfolds seamlessly, and as the crowd sings along to your songs, all your fears and worries dissolve. The joy and relief are overwhelming, and you're reminded of why you love this in the first place. The smiles you see are blinding, and your cheeks hurt from smiling back at them.

You go on your phone and open social media, flooded with pictures of yourself—captions about your performances at SoFi Stadium and how you did fantastic. You smile to yourself.

On your way to brunch, you run into dozens of fans, stopping to talk to and hug each one, signing papers and t-shirts. Schlatt spots you from the restaurant he sits in, rolling his eyes. Ted turns around to see what his friend is looking at. "Oh my god! She's here!"

Schlatt scoffs, "Yeah, unfortunately."

And to Ted's surprise, you make your way over to their table.

When you arrive, you stop and smile at both of them.

"Hi!" Ted greets, "I'm Ted." He reaches his hand out and says, "Huge fan!"

You smile at him, "Y/n, nice to meet you, Ted." And then you turn to your mystery man, "Hey," You timidly smile. Schlatt doesn't acknowledge you until Ted kicks his shin under the table.

"You're here," He scowls.

You smile at him despite this, and it makes something in Schlatt burn with anger, "Look, we got off on the wrong foot the other night. I'm truly sorry for bumping into you, and I'd like to start over."

Schlatt cocks a brow at you, "And why would you like to do that?"

"Because," You say, reaching your hand out, "I think there's more to you than the grouch who yelled at me. My name is Y/n. It's nice to meet you..."

Schlatt chuckles, "You're persistent, I'll give you that. He reaches his hand out, accepting your handshake, "Schlatt. It's nice to meet you, too, Y/n."

"Would you..." Ted pipes in, "Would you like our phone numbers?"

You pleasantly gasp, "I would love to be in contact with you two!"

You walk back to your table after exchanging numbers with Ted, giddy that you've made a new friend and that your mystery man doesn't completely hate you.

Teddy🧸: Hey, we're having a party. Interested in coming over? I can introduce you to some of my friends!

You: Sure! Send me the address, and I'll be there ASAP!

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You walk into the apartment and immediately spot Ted playing cup-pong. Trying to ignore the murmurs, you approach him and tap him on the shoulder. Turning around, Ted practically shouts at your arrival. He shouts your name and attempts to dap you up. You giggle as he drunkenly misses your hand. Schlatt swears he can hear the shrill noise from miles away, and he rolls his eyes as he spots your pretty pink outfit. Despite this, he lumbers over to you and Ted.

"Pop princess, what're you doing here?"

You turn to see Schlatt, smiling as you do, "Schlatt! How are you?"

"You've got a lot of makeup on. You really get somebody to do your hair and makeup for a stupid party?"

You shake your head, "No. I did it all myself!" You smile at him.

Schlatt lets his guard down for a split second, looking impressed over anything, "Well... You look like a clown. You should tone it down next time."

Ted glares at Shlatt, "Stop being mean."

Schlatt stares down into his cup, "Sorry," He murmurs.

It's truly a bad habit, but you can't help yourself from opening your phone right when you wake up. Your Twitter feed is filled with pictures of you at last night's party—captions suggesting that you have a new boyfriend, popular streamer Ted Nivison. You cock your head, muttering, "Ted's a streamer?"

Opening Google, you enter Ted's name and thousands of results pop up. Not only is he a streamer, but he has a YouTube channel, and then you find out he has a podcast. You binge them the rest of the day.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You: Hi Teddy! How are you?

Teddy🧸: I'm good! How are you?

You: I'm good. Kinda tired. Those shows are no joke.

Teddy🧸: I believe it! But I'm sure you're killing it each night!"

You: Thank you, Teddy! You're so sweet! Have you seen the stuff on Twitter about us?

Teddy🧸: I try and stay off the cesspool. What are they saying?

You: Fair! And they're saying that we're a couple. Isn't that funny?

Teddy🧸: It is! Also, I GTG, talk later!

Schlatt clears his throat, "What's so funny, Tedward?"

Ted looks up at his computer screen, "Y/n is texting me. Apparently, we're all over Twitter."

Schlatt rolls his eyes, "You're really seriously ignoring me and this wonderful podcast for Pop Princess?"

"She has a name, Schlatt."

"What was it again? I forgot."

Ted rolls his eyes.

You groan as your alarm blares, hiding your head under your pillow. After snoozing it about five times, you decide to get up. As usual, you check your phone. You have a missed call from Ted. Furrowing your brows in confusion, you call him back.

"Y/n!" He exclaims, half shocked that you called him back.

"Teddy! Did you need something?"

You hear Ted release a deep breath, "So, Schlatt and I have a podcast—"

"I know!" You light up

"You... know?"

You giggle, practically able to hear the gears turning in his head, "I looked you up. And maybe I watched a ton of episodes of Chuckle Sandwich."

Ted is speechless; not only does he have the phone number of a world-famous pop star, but you have watched his stupid podcast that he makes with his idiot best friend. "Well... did you like it?"

"No, Ted. I hated it, so I watched almost every episode." You say, words drenched in sarcasm.

"You scared me for a second. Almost had a heart attack! But, back to why I called, do you want to be on an episode?"

You beam, "Of course I do!"

"Great! That's... great! Does tomorrow work?"

You nod furiously, "Yes! What time would you like me?"

"Does twelve work? We can grab lunch and then film?"

"That sounds amazing, Teddy! Thank you!"

"It's entirely my pleasure."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You arrive at the restaurant, and you see Ted waiting in excitement. Across him is Schlatt, who is looking down at his phone.

Schlatt looks up at the sound of your heels clacking on the linoleum flooring.

"Teddy!" You greet as he stands up to hug you. Beside him is a man you recognize as Tucker. You outstretch your hand and introduce yourself.

The only open seat is next to Schlatt, who barely acknowledges you.

"Hi, Schlatt. It's nice to see you again," You smile at him.

He glances at you, "You know, Ted didn't tell me you were our guest until about ten minutes ago."

"I only did that because I knew you wouldn't agree if I told you beforehand," Ted clarifies before looking at you, "Don't mind him. He had a bad morning."

Schlatt throws his head back, "Oh, don't even get me started. But I think this afternoon is going to be better," He turns to look at you, "Not because you're here, but because we're at Korean barbeque. Beef bulgogi, here I come. You like Korean barbeque, right?" He's testing you, trying to determine if he should trust you.

"Who doesn't?" You answer, flipping the menu open.

Schlatt looks at Ted, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide open. "She likes Korean barbeque," He mouths with a thumbs-up.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Schlatt almost walks into a pole, too enamored by the swinging of your ponytail as you walk to the studio. He cocks his head, almost admiring you.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Once you're settled in at the studio, Schlatt finally asks his burning question.

"So, Pop Princess," He lets out a sigh, "What's in the fucking bag?"

You smile, "Well... You were at my concert the other night, so you might have noticed all the pink tiaras."

Schlatt looks wary, "Yes, unfortunately, I was at your concert. And, yes, I did notice all the pink tiaras."

"Well, I brought some for you!" You beam, and Schlatt hates how happy you look. He's so furious, in fact, that he can't stop staring at you. You pull one out and give it to Ted, "And I'd really enjoy—" You duck down again to pull out the second tiara. Getting up and handing it to Tucker, you continue, "If you wore them right now!"

Finally, you pull out a third tiara. Schlatt looks at you, then at the tiara, then back at you again, "I am not wearing that."

"But I even brought one for me," You pout.

Schlatt wearily takes the tiara, and he hates how you light up, "Don't get too excited. I'm not putting this shit on," He scowls.

"Welcome to Chuckle Sandwich," Ted says as you and Schlatt stare at one another. You're visibly sad, and something in Schlatt hates it more than when you're happy, but he doesn't admit it to himself—not yet.

"Okay. Thank you for taking it, at least," You sadly smile at him.

When you turn away from Schlatt, you see Ted and Tucker wearing the tiaras, and you gleam with excitement—a childish giggle escaping your lips.

Ted joyfully laughs as he notices your delight, "Hello, Chucklers, welcome back to another episode of the podcast."

Schlatt places the tiara on one of his legs. Clapping his hands together, he introduces you, "Today, we have a very un-special guest. Uh, you might recognize her—she's a Pop Princess who goes by the name of Y/n L/n," He turns to you, "Welcome to Chuckle Sandwich, I guess."

You beam, "Hi!" Schlat hates the little wave you do at the camera as you put your tiara on, "I'm very excited to be here!"

"That makes one of us," Schlatt murmurs.

"Schlatt," Ted puts on his low, warning voice, "Play nice."

Schlatt just childishly crosses his arms and slumps down in his chair.

"I brought something else for you, Schlatt."

That gains his attention, "What?"

You reach back into the bag and raise your middle finger. Schlatt's mouth gapes as you reveal your hand. He looks at the camera, takes the tiara, and places it on his head.

"Audio listeners, love you to death," Ted begins, "Our Pop Princess has just flipped grumpy 'ol Schlatt off, who is now wearing a tiara."

After a good ten seconds of staring at the camera with his mouth wide open, you speak, "You're going to catch flies."

He shuts his mouth immediately and turns to look at you, "Oh, shut up."

"No, you shut up." You retort.

"Oh, we got a real clever one over here," Schlatt points his thumb at you while looking at the camera, "Honestly, Ted, thank you for bringing Pop Princess here. It's so nice to hear her genius."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Your smile is saccharine.

Ted nervously runs his hand through his hair.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Hey, Schlatt, I have a question for you."

Schlatt wearily side-eyes you, "What?"

"Look, it's a would-you-rather question, okay?"

Schlatt slowly nods.

"Okay," you take a deep breath. "Would you rather have unlimited bacon but no more games, or games—" You turn to face him fully, "Unlimited games, but no more games?"

Ted stares in shock, while Schlatt just sits and stares at you with a dumbfounded look.

You try to hold in your laughter, "Well? Which one?"

"I guess I'll have to go with the bacon," He shrugs.

"Really?"

"Well... yeah. You get unlimited bacon."

You tilt your head, "But no more video games."

"But, unlimited bacon." You stare at each other for a few beats of silence before he speaks again, "What would you choose?"

"Unlimited games, but no more games."

He looks gobsmacked, "But you get no more video games."

"Wrong," You smile, "Saying "no more games" implies that I'm allowed to have unlimited games and no more than unlimited games."

Ted smiles so hard his cheeks hurt.

Schlatt shakes his head, "No. That's not— no! No."

"Do you know what a pleonasm is?" You ask.

Schlatt shakes his head.

"The latter half of your question—or, rather, the question from inbox—is simply that, a pleonasm. A pleonasm is when you add more words than needed to make the question or statement more confusing."

Schlatt looks impressed more than anything, "Maybe you do have some brains."

You smile, "I do."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Okay, so the podcast is coming to an end," Ted announces, "So we have a very special question that we ask all of our guests," He looks to Schlatt, "Care to ask the question?"

"So... The Chuckle Sandwich is made of two things. I am the mayo."

"And I am the butt ends of the bread holding the sandwich together," Ted adds.

"So, Pop Princess, what part of the sandwich are you?"

You look at the camera, "You know, I've been thinking about this question, and I think I came up with a definitive answer. I am the pink heart-shaped sprinkles."

Schlatt furrows his brows, "You don't put sprinkles on a sandwich."

"I do." You respond.

Schlatt pretends to spit, "Nobody wants your stupid sprinkles on our sandwich."

You scowl, "Your sandwich is literally mayo on bread. You need something fun."

Schlatt looks around the room, "Somebody call security! This woman is going mad!"

"Oh, I'm the mad one?"

Ted looks into the camera, interrupting you and Schlatt bickering, "And that's all we have time for, folks. See you next episode, chucklers! Bye!"

You and Schlatt are practically yelling nonsense at each other at this point, but then you start to smile, and so does he, and you feel your heart rate pick up because he looks so beautiful with this genuine smile on his face—the one that's never been directed at you before.

"You..." You bite the inside of your cheek, "You have a nice smile," You whisper.

Then his smile falters, and you're worried that you've said something wrong—worried that he hates you now.

But then he smiles again, softer, "Yours isn't bad either."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You're back at the hotel room, ready to unwind, when your phone dings.

Unknown number: Thanks for the tiara

You: Who is this?

Unknown number: Schlatt. Ted gave me your number. You aren't half bad.

You stare at your phone for a second in shock, unsure of what to say.

You: Neither are you. Talk later?

Unknown number: Yeah. We'll talk later.

You: Bye, Schlatt :)

Unknown number: Bye, Pop Princess.

You: I'm leaving in two days.

Teddy🧸: I have to say, this is rather upsetting.

You: I'm really going to miss you guys. Do you wanna meet up tomorrow before I leave? Because the following day, I'll be up super early to catch an early flight.

Teddy🧸: Let me check with Schlatt!

You: Sounds good!

Desperate to soothe your nerves, you scramble around your hotel room, continuing to pack up. Your heart jumps with each notification you get.

Then you get a call.

"Teddy?" You answer.

"Schlatt can't do tomorrow, but he can do later today. Does that work?"

"In how long?"

"A couple hours. He said we could go for ice cream. You in?"

You gleam, "I'm so completely in."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You sigh as your hands flitter around in a rush, messing with your hair for the fifth time in the past three minutes. It's just not cooperating with you today, and you frown.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You stride to Ted and Schlatt with a warm smile, "Hi!" You greet.

Ted smiles back, standing to engulf you in a hug, "Nice to see you again."

You walk over to Schlatt, extending your hand to him, "Schlatt."

Shaking your hand, he's focused on your hair, "Your hair looks nice."

Your body fills with warmth, "Thank you. It was being difficult, and frankly, I don't like how it turned out, but I'm glad you enjoy it!"

Schlatt laughs a little and looks down at your hands, still in a handshake. Upon the realization that you've been shaking hands with him for well over a minute, you quickly pull your hand back to your side.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"I'm going to miss you guys," You frown as you say goodbye to your new friends.

After hugging Ted, you go to shake hands with Schlatt, but to your surprise, he hugs you.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Pop Princess," He whispers, and you feel like you're going to tear up.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

As you board the plane the next morning, you decide to text Schlatt and Ted.

You: Boarding the flight now!

Teddy🧸: Have a safe flight!

Schlatt: Yeah, have a good flight!

You smile down at your phone when you get a separate text message.

Schlatt: Text me when you land. Have to make sure our Pop Princess gets to her destination safely.

You smile until you fall asleep.

Your episode of Chuckle Sandwich is uploaded during your first day in Austin. It's titled: "The World's Pop Princess Did WHAT To Schlatt?" And the thumbnail is a picture of Schlatt with his mouth wide open in the typical YouTuber clickbait pose. You laugh as you click on the video. It's weird seeing yourself sit there, and you fear the look of adoration as you stare at Schlatt is obvious.

Your suspicions are confirmed as you scroll down to the comments. Half of them are talking about you and Schlatt—how you look at each other, how he bickers with you, how you banter back.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You've felt so alone in Austin the past couple of weeks, so your manager decides it's time for you to go to a party. You're not thrilled as you walk into the venue; the lights too bright, and the music loud enough to give you a headache. After about ten meaningless conversations, you decide you need a drink. You're about four drinks in when you see a familiar figure. Stumbling over, you tap the person on the back.

"Schlatt?" You slur.

He turns around, a confused look on his face, "What're you doin' here?"

"It is you!" And the look you give him makes part of his heart melt.

You swear he looks concerned, "Are you drunk?"

"Maybe," You giggle out.

Schlatt rolls his eyes, turning away from you for a second. He whispers something to the person he was talking to, then turns back to you, "How much have you had to drink?"

"It's so good to see you," You smile, tears welling in your eyes, "I know we text, but it doesn't feel the same," And that's when the first tear falls, "And—"

Schlatt looks at you with so much adoration that you wonder if your drunk mind is playing tricks on you, "Don't cry. 'M not worth cryin' over," He wipes your tears away with his thumbs, "It's okay."

You shake your head with a pout, "No, it's not. I've missed you so much."

"Doll, I swear it's okay. Let's get you to your hotel room, okay?"

You frown harder, "Don't wanna be alone."

"I'll take you back to my place, and you can sleep there. How does that sound?"

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

As you talk on the phone, Schlatt's arm is around your waist, guiding you to his car.

"Chris, I'm leaving the party. And I don't need a car to pick me up. 'M goin' home with a friend."

Schlatt can't hear what your manager is saying, but based on your reaction, you're not a fan.

"He's the one I met in L.A., Chris. Stop being dramatic," You sigh, "No, the grouchy one."

Schlatt smiles at your description of him.

"I'll be fine. I'll call you in the morning," You pretend to gag, "He's the worst sometimes."

"Okay, pretty one, let's get you in the car."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Schlatt," You whine, looking at him with those sad eyes—bottom lip jutted out.

"Yes?" He murmurs.

"Can't take my shoes off," You look down at your strappy heels, then back to him, "Will you do it?"

You watch as he crouches down, uniting your heels and softly removing them.

"Your feet must hurt," He frowns.

"'M sore all over," You pout.

"Do you want to have a bath? I've got the salts and everything."

You giggle, "Been sniffin' 'em?"

Schlatt nods, "You got it exactly right, doll."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You sleepily walk out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fuzzy robe. "Schlatt, I keep a mini hairbrush in my purse. Can you get it for me?"

He rummages through your purse to grab it, "You can just..." He looks at you, "Just call me Jay."

"Jay," You mutter, the name feeling slightly unnatural as it rolls off your tongue.

"You want me to brush your hair, doll?" Schlatt says, hairbrush in hand.

You nod sweetly, "I'd love that, Jay."

He instructs you to sit on the bed, facing away from him. He brushes your hair with expertise, starting from the bottom and working his way up. You hum with delight, and Schlatt is sure it's sweeter than your giggle.

"There you go, pretty girl. Hair's all brushed out."

You look back at him, "Can you braid it?"

"I don't know how to braid, doll."

Your heart flutters for the umpteenth time at the pet name, "It's easy. I can show you how?" You offer.

When Schlatt finishes braiding your hair, you ask for clothes you can wear to bed.

Schlatt runs a hand through his hair, "Yeah. What..." He swallows nervously, shaking his head to try and get out of his anxious haze, "What kind of clothes? I've got some sweats you can wear—or some shorts. Really, whatever you want, I've probably got it," He rambles.

"Shorts and a sweater would be nice," You smile.

He leaves you to change, and when he comes back, he's sure he sees an angel lying on his bed.

"I'm gonna head to bed, doll," He says, but he's met with your sad pout,

"Where are you going?"

"To the couch," He shrugs like it's obvious.

You look like you're about to burst into tears, "But why?"

Schlatt tilts his head, confused, "So I can sleep."

"You can just sleep here—in the bed with me."

You take his silence as rejection, sniffling quietly.

"Don't cry, pretty girl. I'll— I'll sleep here with you. Okay?"

You look up at him, "Really?"

He nods, peeling the bedding back and laying down beside you.

After a few moments of silence, you hum, "G'night, Jay."

"Goodnight, pretty girl. Sweet dreams," He mutters back.

You wake up the next morning with a raging headache. Groaning, you rub your eyes, and the night before comes flooding back into your memory. You open your eyes, turning to see Schlatt softly snoring.

"Jay," You mutter, to which he groans unintelligibly.

"Jay, get up," You mumble a little louder.

He grumbles again.

"Jay, I told Chris I would meet him at the hotel in half an hour. You need to get up."

Schlatt sits up, attempting to blink the exhaustion away, "Who's Chris?"

You squeeze your eyes shut, "You're being very loud."

"Sorry," He whispers, "Who's Chris?" He repeats.

"My manager."

Schlatt nods, finally looking at you, and he hates himself—he hates himself because he let you stay the night, and now he can't stop imagining what it'd be like to wake up next to you every day.

"Do you need me to drive you to the hotel?" He asks.

"'S okay, Jay. I'll have a car pick me up here. Can I return your clothes another time?"

"Yeah," Schlatt nods, but deep down, he wants to tell you that you can keep them—that you can take every single piece of clothing he owns and keep it, and he would only buy you more.

Schlatt calls Ted the second you've left.

"I'm in deep shit."

"What?" Schlatt can hear the confusion in Ted's voice.

"I'm in love with her, man," He rubs a hand over his face, "I'm so fucked."

"Slow down. Who are you in love with?"

Schlatt deadpans, "Who do you think?"

"No shot," Ted laughs, "You're in love with her? Seriously?"

"She came up to me drunk last night, and I took her back here and took care of her. I—" Schlatt sighs, "I'm in love with her, man."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Chris tells you to meet him in your room, and when you open the door, you're met with him pacing the length of the bedroom.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He brazenly shouts.

You pinch the bridge of your nose, "Stop yelling. I have a headache."

"I don't care! You and that guy are all over the press!" Chris sighs.

You glare at him, "His name is Schlatt, and he's a very nice man."

"Well, say goodbye to him."

Your heart drops with your expression, "What?"

Chris looks at you like you're stupid, "Say goodbye to him. He's not good for PR."

"What?"

"Are you deaf? He's not good for PR. Besides, I have a boyfriend lined up for you already."

"A boyfriend? I don't need a boyfriend!"

"I'm doing what's best for your career. I don't want you to be seen with him again. Do you understand me?"

You feel defeated, "Yeah, I understand."

"You're a good sport. Now, get ready. It's time to meet your boyfriend."

You slump your shoulders, "Give me an hour."

"A car will be waiting for you downstairs."

You turn to look at Chris, "What's his name?" You whisper.

"Kaleb, Nelson."

And you feel dread and begin to eat away at your exhausted body. "Like... the movie star?"

"Yes. The movie star," Chris says before walking out of your room, leaving you to wallow in pity.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Jay <3: You get there safe?

You look at your phone and frown.

You: Yeah. Thank you for last night.

Jay <3: No need to thank me.

You: I have a question.

Jay <3: And what's that?

You: You kept calling me 'pretty girl' last night.

Schlatt grows nervous; he was sure you wouldn't have remembered.

You: Did you mean it?

Jay <3: Yes, I did, pretty girl.

Your eyes sting with tears as you read the message over and over again.

Schlatt smiles, feeling at peace, seeing the little heart bubble pop up at his message.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You don't want to meet Kaleb. You don't care about Kaleb. Kaleb can go die in a ditch for all you care! You slam your hand down on the bathroom counter in frustration. This is stupid, you think. Chris has your best interest in mind, so why are you so upset? Shaking your head, you re-focus on your makeup.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Don't look so happy," Chris jokes as you get in the car—you don't find it funny.

"Out of everybody in the world, you had to choose him."

"You're a good match! Lighten up!"

You glower at him, "A good match? Nobody's buying that. Nobody's going to buy this stupid relationship. For Christ's sake, I've never even interacted with him before!"

"That's why we're taking it slow," Chris explains. You're going to lunch with him today, and tomorrow, you'll be spotted out and about."

"I don't want to do this, Chris."

"It's what's best for your career."

You're silent momentarily, trying to decide what to say, "What if I want what's best for me?"

Chris only laughs, patting your leg.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Kaleb is there to greet you when you step out of the car, and you feel like you'll be sick when he goes in for a hug. Reluctantly, you hug him back with a weak smile.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Schlatt feels his phone ding.

Theodore Kennedy Nivison: Check Twitter. Look who's trending.

He furrows his brows, clicking the app open. He smiles when he sees your name trending, proud that you've created such a buzz again. Then, he reads the rest of the tag.

"Kaleb fucking Nelson?"

He's sure that Kaleb isn't your type. In fact, Schlatt's sure he's your type, and Kaleb looks nothing like him. He's bleach-blond with stark blue eyes, and Schlatt recalls something you said on the podcast.

"Some people with blue eyes and blond hair scare me," You giggle.

He remembers how you looked at him when he agreed with you—how could he be so stupid? Your pupils were practically hearts.

You don't text Schlatt for a few days, the guilt that's eating at you growing by the second.

Schlatt is obsessively checking Twitter and Instagram. He opens Kaleb's profile and clicks on his story. There's a picture of you smiling with a bouquet—it's captioned: My girl <3

You: Hi, Jay :)

Jay <3: Hey.

You: How are you?

Jay <3: Fine.

You frown at the text. And it goes on like this for a few more days. His responses are short—they're dry. You don't like it.

You: Is Schlatt okay?

Teddy🧸: Yeah, he's doing okay. Why, what's up?

You: He's been weird.

Teddy🧸: How so?

You: One-worded answers, void of emotion, etc etc. Did I do something wrong?

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Theodore Kennedy Nivison: [Attatchment: 1 Image]

Theodore Kennedy Nivison: Dude. You're hurting her feelings.

Schlatt sighs, throwing his phone on his bed.

It's the week of your shows, and you feel like absolute shit. You don't like Kaleb. He's touchy and... offputting. But you have a show to put on, so you scroll through your tag on Twitter to see everybody's amazing outfits, and it brings you some peace. At least you'll be out there doing something you love.

Schlatt checks Kaleb's Instagram story again, and his heart squeezes as he sees a picture of you on stage with your million-dollar smile. He shuts his phone off and takes a sip of whiskey.

As well as night one went, you're equally, if not more, nervous tonight. Kaleb was being particularly annoying tonight, and you nearly lost it. So, you decide to check your Twitter tag again. You smile at the sea of pink, and then you see his face. He's front row, wearing the tiara you gave him weeks ago. You feel your heart jump as you see his million-dollar smile.

Schlatt is annoyed by the amount of people who have come up to him, and he denies a picture with all of them. He's here to see his Pop Princess, not to be pestered. There will undoubtedly be posts about how rude he is on Twitter, but he doesn't care. He only cares about seeing you perform. Part of him is restless, bouncing his leg. You haven't had a real conversation in about a week and a half. What if you hate him now? Then, his phone buzzes.

Pop Princess: Nice tiara, doofus <3

"Fuck yeah," He mutters.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

As the lights dim and the first notes of your opening song play, you hear the crowd roar, their cheers intensifying as they spot your signature pink heel.

You scan the front row for Schlatt—he's not hard to spot, especially with the tiara. He grins at you, and you feel yourself smile a genuine smile for the first time in what feels like forever.

At the end of the concert, Schlatt is sad to hear your final goodbye. He sits in his seat for a moment, thinking about all his interactions with you. Then he feels a tap on his shoulder, and all of a sudden, a tall man dressed in all black is escorting him away from the crowd.

"Dude, look, I know I joke about bombs a lot, but I swear I don't have one!"

The security guard gives him a look of confusion.

Then Schlatt realizes where he's being taken.

As soon as he sees you, you light up.

"Jay!" You run over and hug him like he's about to disappear.

He laughs, embracing you, "I still don't get how you dance in those heels."

You see Chris making his way over to you, "Go to the bathroom."

Schlatt looks at you, confused, "What?"

You point to the bathroom, "Go. Now!"

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Who was that?" Chris asks.

"Nobody. There was nobody here."

He narrows his eyes at you, "Who was that?"

You ignore him, making your way to the bathroom.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

"Why are we in the bathroom?" Schlatt asks.

"I have a boyfriend," You spit out.

And, just like that, Schlatt is snapped back into reality, "Yeah, I saw that."

"We're not actually dating. It's all for PR, and—" You shake your head, "I hate him. I'm so miserable, Jay."

And Schlatt feels horrible. You've needed support this whole time, and he's been doing what? Wallowing in self-pity? Drinking his feelings? Ignoring your texts?

He feels like an asshole.

His brows crease, "Why didn't you tell me?"

You frown, "I was scared you'd hate me."

"Why would I hate you?"

"Well..." You're unsure what to say because your thinking was utterly irrational. There's no logical reason Schlatt would hate you after you got a PR boyfriend, "I'm not sure."

He looks at you so soft and sweet, "I could never hate you, pretty girl."

You stare at each other, and right when he's about to say something else, you hear Chris shout for you from outside.

"I have to go. So do you," And you want to say more, but you can't, and you suddenly understand what Juliet felt like.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You: It was nice seeing you today.

Jay <3: I've missed you, Pop Princess.

You: I've missed you, too.

You: Come to tomorrow's concert. There'll be a car at your place at 3.

Jay <3: Will do, pretty girl.

Schlatt is relatively familiar with your set, and he looks on in confusion as somebody brings a stool on stage. You're doing one of your outfit changes, and you're supposed to perform your unreleased song. Instead, you walk out with your guitar in an outfit he's never seen.

Sitting down, you don't address the audience; you simply begin to sing.

We stand worlds apart, bound by chains only we can see

I fight fate with trembling hands in hopes of what could be

You think back to the fight you had with Chris this morning.

"I like him!" You yell, "I don't care if you think it's bad for my image—it's what's good for me. He's what's good for me."

"What about Kaleb?" Chris argues.

"What about Kaleb?"

"He's your boyfriend!"

You angrily throw your hands up, "He's not my boyfriend. He's a douche that I can't stand! He makes me miserable!"

"He's what's best for your career!"

You feel something ignite in you, "No, he's not! How can I further my career if I'm miserable?"

Chris stares at you, "Your streams have increased since you started dating Kaleb. He's good for money."

That's when it clicks for you. Chris doesn't care about you—he never has. Your career has always been about money for him.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

My forbidden love, they say you're wrong My forbidden love, they say we don't belong

"Look," Chris sighs, "I've looked into this 'Schlatt' guy. He's bad news."

"No, he's not!" You dispute.

I would give my life, I would take the fall I would risk it all, for my Forbidden love, my heart skips a beat Beneath the moonlight where I meet

"He's kind and caring!" You continue.

My forbidden love, they say you're no good But I would risk it all if it means we could

"He's not a good fit! He's crude and not what you need!" Chris yells.

"How would you know what I need?!" You shout back.

"I'm your manager! I know what's best for you!"

I would risk it all if it means we could I would risk it all if it means we could

"Not anymore. You're not my manager anymore. If you actually cared about anything other than money, you'd understand. You'd listen."

My forbidden love, they say you're wrong My forbidden love, they say we don't belong

Chris scoffs, "Fine. Have fun running your career into the ground with him."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

You stand, tearing up as you lock eyes with Schlatt, who looks equally ruined. The crowd's cheers fade into background noise as you stare at one another.

thank you so much for reading <3

if you liked this, please reblog it! im hoping to reach my true and final form of a gummy shark, and i grow stronger with each reblog!

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