It had been exactly three days, seven hours, and twenty-six minutes since Alex Dunphy left to go build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Not that Jasper was counting.
(He totally was.)
It wasn't like he was obsessed. He just liked checking his phone every fifteen seconds. That was normal, right?
It wasn't like they were dating or anything. She wasn't his girlfriend. Yet. But they had kissed. Once.
And now she was off being noble and hammering nails for charity while he was... staring at his phone like it owed him money.
Apparently, building houses was a phone-signal-obliterating job, because he hadn't heard a single ping from her. No texts. No memes. Not even a sarcastic "don't burn down your kitchen." Nothing.
By day two, he'd dramatically collapsed onto his bed like a Victorian widow. "Woe is me," he mumbled into his pillow. "My beloved hath abandoned me for drywall."
By day three he was watching 10 Things I Hate About You on loop and dramatically sighing into his cereal, Jasper decided he needed a distraction.
He gave up on the whole tragic heartbreak thing and decided to be productive. A Summer Glow-Up, as he called it. New skills. New vibes. Less lying in bed dramatically eating cereal at 2 a.m.A hobby. A glow-up. So, he got a job.
At The Lux.
The Lux was a new coffee lounge at the mall—part café, part live music venue, and 100% aesthetic. It had twinkly lights, overpriced espresso, couches you could disappear into, and a stage that looked like a Pinterest board threw up on it. Jasper had been working there for a week , and so far, he hadn't set anything on fire. A win.
He got hired as a barista, mostly because he said "I've seen three TikToks about latte art" and Dave, the owner, replied with, "Good enough."
Jasper was actually having a good time. Sure, his swan latte art still looked like a decapitated goose, but he was improving! People loved his charm. One lady even called him "An irresistible charming young man." Jasper absolutely did not cry about that in the storage closet.
But then—plot twist.
The band's lead singer called in sick. Dave, the manager who constantly looked like he was one wrong order away from quitting life, turned to the staff with slightly panicked look in his eyes.
"Anyone here sing?" he asked.
There was a beat of silence. The sound of someone frothing milk. A cricket might've chirped.
Then Jasper, casual as ever, said, "I mean… I can sing."
Dave lit up like he'd been handed a free therapy session.
Ten minutes later, Jasper was standing on stage. Still wearing his barista apron. Guitar in hand. Microphone in front of him. Heart doing somersaults.
There were about fifty people in the café, all sipping coffee and chatting. Until the lights dimmed.
Jasper cleared his throat.
"Hi," he said. "I'm Jasper, your part-time barista, full-time accidental performer.I usually just serve the drinks, but I guess today I am the drink. The emotional beverage of the evening."
A few people chuckled. Someone raised a glass. Encouraged, he strummed the opening chords of "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls.
And suddenly, the nerves melted.
"And I'd give up forever to touch you…"
His voice floated through the speakers. Smooth. A little shy, but steady. He didn't dare look at the crowd.
"'Cause I know that you feel me somehow…"
He thought about Alex. Her sarcasm. Her ridiculously pretty eye-rolls. That kiss.
"You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be…
And I don't wanna go home right now."
The room began to quiet. People turned. Listened.
"And all I can taste is this moment…"
His voice grew bolder.
"And all I can breathe is your life…"
He pictured Alex with dirt on her face, probably bossing around some poor volunteer while perfectly aligning bricks like it was an exam.
"…And sooner or later, it's over,
I just don't wanna miss you tonight."
He leaned closer to the mic.
"And I don't want the world to see me,
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand…"
He looked up—and someone was crying. Like, real tears. A dude in a hoodie was swaying like he was having a moment.
"When everything's made to be broken,
I just want you to know who I am."
The music swelled. Jasper lost himself in it.
It was weird. He could feel the room shift—like the music was pulling them all into this little bubble.
A couple in the back leaned closer to each other. Someone put their phone down to just listen.
"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming,
Or the moment of truth in your lies…"
A group near the back started singing along softly.
"When everything feels like the movies,
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive…"
Jasper smiled and gave the song his all.
"And I don't want the world to see me…"
"…'Cause I don't think that they'd understand."
The guitar pulsed under his fingers.
"When everything's made to be broken…"
He closed his eyes.
"…I just want you to know who I am."
The last chords faded into a hush.
Silence.
Then—applause. Real, wild, enthusiastic applause. Cheers. A standing ovation from a girl holding a caramel frappuccino.
Jasper grinned, taking a dramatic bow. "Thank you, thank you. Your coffee is emotionally available. Just like me.I'll be here until my shift ends at 9:00."."
He stepped off stage, heart pounding in the best way.
As he grabbed his phone, it buzzed.
@TheLuxLive tagged you in a video: "Our barista just turned into a rock god. Please send tissues. And a record deal."
The video already had 300 likes. One of the comments read: "Who is this singing latte prince and does he have a Spotify?"
Jasper laughed, flopping onto a beanbag in the breakroom.
"Alex," he whispered to the ceiling. "You are so missing this."
He paused. Thought. Then typed a text:
"Hey, hope you're not buried in drywall. I may or may not have just become a lounge singer. Accidentally. Miss you."
He stared at the screen.
No response.
Yet.
But maybe—just maybe—when she came back, she'd be proud. Or at least impressed enough to let him kiss her again.
A/N: I manage to remember some chapters. So I will try working on it and the v0.2