Work Text:
2:34 AM
JAKE: Hailey
JAKE: Haiiiiiillleeeeeeyyyyyyy☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️
JAKE: Are you awake?
She froze. Her thumb hovered above the screen in her hand. Gazing over to the digital clock on her bedside, the red numbers glared back.
She let the time escape from her again. And, it seemed, so did he.
Hailey stared at the messages on her phone, the blue light emitting onto her face in the dimly lit room.
Ever since the band competition, the two have been texting pretty much non stop. Previously, their chats consisted of just ideas for song lyrics, plans for next rehearsals, or occasional irritated reminders from Hailey to show up to them when Jake lost track of time. There’s been a shift though, ever since that day, when they sang together and gained victory. All because of a text from him, that he sent to her late that night after everyone had gone home.
Hailey’s thumb skipped across her screen, rapidly scrolling through past conversations to find it so she could read it again. Something she found herself doing a bit too often recently.
October 11:47 PM
JAKE: Hey Hailey I’m sorry if this is random but I didn’t really get a chance to say this earlier and I really want to. I just wanted to say how proud I am of you for tonight. You sang really beautifully. I knew your voice was amazing, but the way you shone on that stage was really something else. You’re amazing. And thank you, again, for giving me a second chance.. again. I’m so sorry for everything, you’re way too kind and sweet to me and I don’t deserve it at all. So thank you ❤️
11:50 PM
JAKE: And also you looked really beautiful tonight
JAKE: Like genuinely
JAKE: I mean you always look beautiful but
JAKE: Okay i’ll shut up now sorry shsisndjsubf
Hailey couldn’t help the tug at the corner of her lips that appeared every time she saw that message. It was so oddly endearing, the way it appeared out of nowhere, late at night too, when they normally text during the daytime. It meant he had been thinking about her. And Hailey wasn’t sure why that thought made her giddy inside.
She scrolled back to the present day, her eyes landed on the message Jake just sent. He never usually texted this late. Something was on his mind, she could tell.
2:36 AM
HAILEY: yeah what’s up
JAKE: Oh wow you really are
JAKE: Go to sleep 😡
HAILEY: ??? why did you text me
JAKE: I wanted to talk to u abt smth
JAKE: But I didn’t think you’d actually be awake
JAKE: A princess needs her beauty sleep yknow
Hailey audibly scoffed, rolling her eyes as if she couldn’t feel the heat rising to her cheeks.
HAILEY: it’s fine i always stay up late haha
JAKE: Me too!!!!!!! 😁
HAILEY: so what’s up
Instead of immediately typing back, the Seen below her message lingered for a little while longer.
Bubbles continually appeared then reappeared, reflecting Jake’s hesitancy as he typed, Hailey could see. She waited patiently, her mind starting to race a little in anxiety.
JAKE: So uh I’ve been thinking about finally asking Daisy out now
JAKE: But I’m not exactly sure on how I should go about it
Oh.
There it was, that familiar feeling. Every time Daisy was brought up around Jake, Hailey’s heart sank a little. And she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why.
HAILEY: oooh i seeeee
HAILEY: how long have you liked her??
JAKE: Since middle school
JAKE: But I’ve genuinely never been able to form a coherent sentence around her it’s actually a problem
HAILEY: yeah we know
JAKE: SHUT UP LEAVE ME ALONE
JAKE: What do you think I should do??????
A deep breath. Just one to ease away the hole forming in her chest as she typed. Minutes passed as the two exchanged ideas and suggestions for all the ways Jake could finally win over his lifelong crush. On the screen, Hailey was supportive, encouraging, she was rooting for him, she said.
In her mind, she was screaming into the void.
She knew what this was at this point. She had figured it out by now. The pit in her stomach, the hole in her chest, the sink of her heart. But she could never say it out loud.
3:09 AM
JAKE: OKOK THAT SOUNDS GOOD
JAKE: I think I’ll do that now
HAILEY: finally you decided on an option
JAKE: HEY IT NEEDS TO BE SPECIAL
HAILEY: of cooouuurseee my bad haha
HAILEY: good luck!! you got this <3
JAKE: Thank you so much Hailey like genuinely idk what i’d do without you
HAILEY: anytime silly
JAKE: I’m gonna go to sleep now!!
HAILEY: yeah me too :)
JAKE: Goodnight princess
JAKE: I love you!!!!!
The knot turned tighter in Hailey’s throat.
HAILEY: i love you t
She paused, not sending it quite yet. Her eyes skipped over those three little words.
She couldn’t bring herself to send it.
He said he loved her. But not how she loved him.