[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/gTtZGLk/Fireball-2.png[/img][/center] [hr] [center][color=gray]A Collaboration between [@ineffable] and [@Moro] featuring [b][color=#40733d]Sawyer Lockwood[/color][/b] and [b][color=slateblue]Georgia Fielders[/color][/b] [sub]with a sprinkle of [b][color=#f5794c]Gavin Lockwood[/color][/b][/sub][/color][/center] [hr] [color=gray]Gavin had managed to get himself in the middle of some other party-goers conversation, his interests suddenly peeked elsewhere as he caught his brother out of the corner of his vision. He looked pissed. [color=#f5794c][i]Shit.[/i][/color] Gavin began to pull away from the group before being grabbed up into a massive hug. [b]”Heyyyyyy !”[/b] Gavin groaned to himself but plastered a huge smile on his face for his friend, hugging her back with equal force. Sawyer had made his way over to the bar, a long stretch of many choices to choose from. The boy thought of just snatching a whole bottle to himself, but he knew he had to hold back on things tonight or he’d have to deal with the disappointed brother looks the following morning. Sawyer snagged a bottle of Fireball from the selection and poured it into a cup, tossing it back with ease. He stood there a moment contemplating another cupful, staring down at the bottom of the plastic cup. Georgie was heading over to the booze table when she saw a flash of a white toga pass her. Instantly her head snapped around to look. It was Max, his hair all tousled and his muscles fully on display through the fabric. She almost walked up to him to say hi but in another terrifying instant she caught his hand tangled up in another girl’s. Georgie followed the interlocked hands up to the face of Kellie Anne and her heart stuttered. Of course, Max was back with her. She was perfect and far from anything Georgie would’ve seen in herself. Georgie really had believed that was going to be able to move on from Sawyer with someone else. Some distraction that wouldn’t keep reminding her of something that could’ve been. But the plan had failed and she would have to come up with something else, a way to nurse back her heart after too many times broken and partially mended. Much too late Georgie realized that her eyes were shining with tears. God, was she really that weak? What was one failed dream after another? She shook her head mournfully before surveying the alcohol on the table. Fireball. That sounded like a good idea. She saw another hand put it down and instantly reached out to grab it, not even bothering for a cup before pouring some of it straight down her throat and feeling the miraculous burn it left. Sawyer sucked on his upper lip, still staring down into the cup when he finally decided on another fill. The boy went to reach out for the bottle and missed, his brow furrowing as he focused his eyes on the bar where he could have sworn he left the bottle at. He slowly pulled his eyes up to scan for whoever had taken it from him. His eyes found the prize, and had he had any drink in his mouth he’d have spit it out right then and there. [i]Georgie[/i]. The poor boy felt his chest get tight, swallowing anxiously. Part of him wanted to get the hell out of dodge and avoid whatever could happen in the next few moments, but the other part? The hopeless romantic who still had a lot to apologize for? He wasn’t letting the former half move his feet. As if wearing cement shoes, he was stuck in place. The boy slowly placed his Darth Vader helmet on the bar and tapped Georgie’s shoulder lightly. [b][color=#40733d]”Hey, um.. Miss? Do you mind? I kind of had a claim on that first.”[/color][/b] he kept his tone light and joking, throwing his charming smile in for added friendliness. Georgie felt the tap on her shoulder and burst out indignantly [b][color=slateblue]”Can’t a girl get over some heartbreak here? Or do you have to interrupt me?”[/color][/b] she turned to look at the offender before tilting her head to the side. By god she was hallucinating. And her brain had come up with some strange things too. Sawyer was dressed in...well...practically nothing and he was [i]smiling[/i] at her. The smile she’d been on and off dreaming about ever since their fight. There was no doubt about it. She had gotten way too drunk for tonight. She huffed before she addressed Sawyer loudly [b][color=slateblue]”Really brain? Are you messing with me right now? This?! This is what you come up with.”[/color] [/b] and with that she pushed what she thought was an imaginary Sawyer on the shoulder roughly. Huh. She actually felt skin under her fingers. What the hell? Georgie reaches up a hand and ran a finger along his cheek. Okay so her brain had conjured up some kind of physical deity here. Or was she touching someone else and thinking it was Sawyer? What was going on? Sawyer’s smirk only spread when she began talking loudly to herself, his brow shooting up as she shoved his shoulder and kept his eyes on her. As she reached a hand up, his smirk faltered and his expression changed. A slight confused panic spread to his face as he tilted his head, his face burning red hot as her finger traced his cheek tenderly. Sawyer grit his teeth tightly, keeping eye contact with Georgie. The boy fought reaching his own hand up to grab hers, taking a deep breath before speaking softly as he always had to her. [color=#40733d][b]”If you wanted a drink that badly, luv, all you had to do was say so.”[/b][/color] The boy let a bit of his previous smile return, soft and charming. [color=#40733d][b]”Would hitting me over the head with the bottle help further solidify this hallucination you think you’re having of me?”[/b][/color] Now that he thought about it, he was glad she was thinking she was hallucinating him. But..wait.... [i]heartbreak?![/i] Sawyer’s smile faltered slightly as a small flame burned inside of him. He knew from Gavin’s spilled gossip that Georgie had a crush on his teammate Max, but Max knew quite well that if he ever hurt Georgie there’d be hell to pay. Sawyer’s eyes scanned the crowd around them a moment. He had just been with Max. [i]How could he have fit interaction in with Georgie between the beer pong table and the bar?[/i] Sawyer put it out of his mind and returned his gaze to the obviously drunk girl before him, smirking a bit. Georgie listened to her hallucination speak to her before she startled back to reality. The way he spoke, the way he acted. This seemed real. And if this was real then...she was touching him. As in the actual Sawyer. Georgie gasped and withdrew her hand from his cheek quickly, her own burning up in embarrassment. She hadn’t met Sawyer face to face in such a long time and just looking at him now hurt more than she would ever openly claim. [b][color=slateblue]”Sorry, Sawyer. I...um...I’m just too drunk. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push you...or touch you...or anything.”[/color][/b] She knew it was him now, and she was talking to him. [i]This was good[/i] Sawyer let out a heavy sigh and half-smiled, rubbing the back of his neck firmly. [color=#40733d][b]”No need to apologize, Georgie. I-it’s okay. Really.”[/b][/color] Sawyer presses his lips into a thin line, looking down at his cup before taking a glance around at the rest of the partiers, then back to the girl before him. [color=#40733d][b]”Georgie, I uhh-“[/b][/color] the boy’s words caught in his throat, giving the girl a look-over. Charlie Chaplin. Hmm. He nervously laughed, suddenly remembering what he was wearing before picking up his helmet to hold it, hoping to cover up a bit more. It took a moment for Sawyer to collect his thoughts, slowly holding up his cup. [color=#40733d][b]”I—I don’t think I’ve had enough yet. D-do you mind..?”[/b][/color] He was mentally kicking himself. [color=#40733d][i]WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT, LOCKWOOD?![/i][/color] he angrily thought at himself. She had to be more angry. That was what she would have to muster in order to get past Sawyer but she couldn’t help letting loose a small smile of her own. This was familiar. This was [i]home[/i]. And she couldn’t help but lean in slightly as he started to talk. It was up to him to bring this in whatever direction he desired and she sure hoped that maybe they’d be able to cross a small bridge. But that was the other weaker Georgie talking. [i]This[/i] was the guy who had given up their friendship for a never ending supply of drugs and the droppable happiness that came with a high. As the next words fell out of her mouth Georgie was reminded [i]again[/i] how his words could hurt her, and she recoiled away from the bottle of alcohol that she had placed down already on the table. Her features hardened and she stepped away from him slightly, gesturing with a sour expression to the Fireball. [b][color=slateblue]”Go ahead.”[/color][/b] As his words left his mouth, he could practically feel the air around them turn cold and dense. Her body language changed as she pulled herself away from him, his heart dropping, along with his smile. [i]Fuck.[/i] He immediately set the cup and his helmet down and took a half step closer to her, pushing past the feeling of a lump in his throat to speak to her. [color=#40733d][b]”Georgie wait, please.”[/b][/color] The boy looked down at the hand that had sprung up to reach out to her, slowly retracting it. He didn’t want to touch her and anger her further. Sawyer grit his teeth as he forced himself to take that step back, giving her space. [color=#40733d][b]”Georgie, I..what I’d meant to say before, is....”[/b][/color] He couldn’t help but stop in his tracks. He felt weak in the knees and sick to his stomach. In a rush, the boy mushed all the words together, [color=#40733d][b]”GeorgieImsorryforeverything.”[/b][/color] Sawyer ran a shaky hand through his hair, taking an even shakier breath as he held her gaze, trying to fight the tears that threatened to come pouring down. He could cry in front of her, but not here. Not in front of all these people. Especially if that prickhead Aiden decided to show his face again, it’d be all over. Georgie stopped when she heard his voice again and mentally berated herself for following in what Sawyer said. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the hand that he had in the space between them and she wanted more than anything to hold it but she stopped herself before everything got worse. Swaying on her feet and watching the world blur around her, Georgie tried to capture all her thoughts. She watched his face carefully as he apologized and was shocked to see his eyes glistening somewhat. Was he crying? Watching him upset had always caused a pang in her heart and now her heart thudded in her chest. [b][color=slateblue]”Sorry...sorry for what? What [i]exactly[/i] took you two years to say sorry? What happened to you?”[/color][/b] Georgie realized she was shaking and combined with her drunkenness she was sure she was close to falling over. Her vision was starting to get splotchy and the world spun on its axis. This really was the worst moment for an apology. Sawyer visibly winced at her words, holding himself up on the bar. He too was feeling a bit woozy, doing everything in his power to keep his balance. The room seemed to be doing summersaults, and the heightened emotion going on between them wasn’t helping the matter. His voice dropped a little lower, stepping a bit closer to Georgie to close as much distance between them as possible without intruding on her personal space. Although, that seemed a bit tough to do as he was swaying slightly. His footing not as firm as he initially thought it was. [color=#40733d][b]”Georgie, y-you..”[/b][/color] the boy held his arms out to the side, nearly stumbling in the process. [b][color=#40733d]”Did’ju r’ly expect me to juss let you sit there on the sidelines so you could watch me go through that? You can’t ev’n imagine how hard that shit iz to quit! You don’ know how hard it was fer me to do what I did! To myself, but most especially t-to you.”[/color][/b] the last bit was nearly a whisper as Sawyer dropped his arms to his sides again. [color=#40733d][b]”I tried... [i]so[/i] hard to quit. [i]For you,[/i] Georgie. You know that?”[/b][/color] Sawyer laughed humorlessly, shaking his head as he took a step back away from her. The boy’s gaze fell to his shoes as he grit his teeth and focused on a pattern on the floor to help him stay in place. [color=#40733d][b]”[i]What took me two years[/i]... well, for starters.. my best friend was gone, my brother and I’s mother died, and I pushed away the only girl I ever [i]loved[/i]!!”[/b][/color] as he spoke, his voice grew increasingly louder, his fists that had balled up tightly in the midst of his momentary anger slowly unfolded and his shoulders dropped. He looked around at a few people who had turned to stare, glaring a moment before his expression softened as he turned his attention back to his feet with a heavy sigh. With a more defeated tone to his words, he added softly, [color=#40733d][b]”—because I didn’t wanna hurt her, and yet... that’s exactly what ended up happening anyway because I literally can’t do a single damn thing right except fuck [i]everything[/i] up.”[/b][/color] It took a moment for Sawyer to realize tears had begun pouring down his face, quickly brushing the evidence away as he looked back up at Georgie, a hardened expression returning to his features. [color=#40733d][b]”I’m sorry, Fielders. This was a mistake. I should have just stayed..stayed away. Good luck with… [i]Prince Charming[/i], or whoever it was you were so broken about before you ran into me. Hope it w-works out for you.”[/b][/color] the boy pushed himself off of the bar and began to shuffle off towards the door. He’d had enough. He was going to go home to wallow in his self-pity. Georgie listened as Sawyer slurred his words. She hadn’t really begin to digest much of what he was saying before he’d started talking about how he [i]loved[/i] her. Did that mean that she hadn’t imagined it all to herself? That all the games of What if... weren’t for nothing? And he quit because of her, right, but he hadn’t decided to quit when they’d come face-to-face to it earlier, did he? She’d told him so many times that he should quit, that it would ruin him but he’d just never listen until she’d told him to choose and in the end it seemed like he had chosen the high. Not her. But he was apologizing now and he had gotten over the addiction. He was better. Georgie remembered when she heard about Mrs. Lockwood’s death and how her heart hurt for both of them, not just Gavin who’d she’d taken care of day in and day out. She’d always wished she could’ve brought the soup she made to Sawyer as well, to give him a hug and tell him that everything would be okay. She wished she would’ve been there for him but she couldn’t because of the rift between them. Thinking of everything now, it just seemed like she had been a total and utter asshole. She’d never really made it up in her mind to actually talk to him...but maybe that was because she already knew that he didn’t value her opinion. Georgie didn’t know that she had it in her to hand him the forgiveness he deserved or not. They’d been fighting for so long and maybe he was really better off without her. She didn’t know what to say or do but she knew, even though she was out of her mind, that the right thing to do here was to talk it out with him. When she’d done something wrong in the past she had always called him, late at night when the stars were out and she was wallowing in how she’d managed to break yet another relationship. And he’d always been there to answer her, to talk to her about everything and to tell her that maybe sometimes an apology was always the best thing. She needed to apologize to Sawyer for not being able to stick it out with him. For not being more encouraging instead of offering an ultimatum. And she needed to tell him it back, the words she’d been waiting to say for such a long time. This was what she was going to do as she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her, albeit shakily because the world had started to spin again. The words were cobbled together lazily but they were already spilling out. [color=slateblue][b]”Sawyer! Wait! I need to tell you...I just need to tell you that I’m sorry and that I lo-”[/b][/color] If not for the vomit that spouted out of her mouth and sprayed all over him...it would’ve been a perfect moment.[/color]