Monty took a sip of the wine a waiter had given to him.
He hadn't seen his friends from high school in years. He was in his third year of college at NYU studying to be a chemist. He hardly heard from his old friends anymore so when Clarke sent him an invitation to her mothers wedding he flew back to his hometown without even taking a minute to think about it. Usually he was very put together, and not a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy. He had had enough time to catch up with all his friends. It was nice to see them all dressed up for a wedding and happy, but nothing really was what he thought it would be. Clarke was busy drinking and flirting with the brunette bartender which was very unlike her. She was smiling, but her eyes were glossy and red like she was trying to keep from crying. Bellamy would sneak glances at her whenever he thought no one was looking, but Monty definitely saw. Bellamy had been in love with Clarke for years and everyone had known that. He told Clarke he loved her, and the next morning she left to help go build houses in Africa. That was the last time he had seen her until today. Bellamy started drinking pretty heavily until Octavia got him sent away to rehab. Bellamy gulped down the rest of his drink and joined a group of younger girls on the dance floor. It didn't seem like rehab had worked much. Monty had said hello to his old friend Raven, but she hardly talked to him. She had just lost her fiancée Finn in a car crash. The waiter Wick kept trying to cheer her up, but she wasn't going for it. Lincoln sat alone in the corner, after he congratulated the bride. Monty watched to see if Lincoln would sneak glances at Octavia but he never did. Lincoln was never one to show vulnerability. The couple had broken up when Lincoln accused Octavia of cheating. Lincoln saw Monty across him and gave him a subtle nod, meaning he didn't want to talk to him. Monty understood. His boyfriend was the one Octavia cheated with. Or accused of cheating. The pieces all fit together, but somewhere in the back of his mind he still had hope it wasn't true.
He took another sip of his wine.
"Hey, Monty," Clarke said, approaching him, and he smiled as he pulled her into a hug. Clarke gave him a lopsided grin and he could tell she was very drunk. "I missed you...a lot. Everyone does! You never come around anymore. Jasper misses you."
Montys heart sank at her drunken confession. He hadn't spoken to his ex-boyfriend and best friend for years. Clarke clung to him, and he could hear her soft sniffles.
"You remind me of him. Of Bell," she whispered. Monty frowned.
"Sorry," a brunette said, tugging on Clarkes arm to get her off Monty.
"Its fine," Monty nervously laughed.
"I'm Lexa, by the way, her girlfriend. I didn't want you to think I was just some creep." the brunette, Lexa, laughed, finally getting Clarke off of Monty.
"Yeah, I know. I'm Monty. Clarke has mentioned you in her emails. You guys met in Africa, right?"
Lexa nodded, and smiled, obviously happy with the fact that Clarke had mentioned her. Which was a lie. Clarke hadn't mentioned her. Bellamy did. Monty still talked to Bell very often. He talked to him more than anyone.
"See ya, Monty," Lexa waved, and carried Clarke around the corner of the hall, probably taking her up to a hotel room. Monty frowned when he remembered all the times he had to do that for his boyfriend. He didn't mind of course. Jasper was a mess, but Monty loved taking care of him. He loved when Jasper was drunk because then he become clingy and he would just keep whispering how much he loved Monty.
"She's not acting like herself," a deep voice came out of nowhere making Monty jump.
"Jesus," Monty said, putting his hand over his chest when he saw Bellamy standing next to him. "You scared the shit out of me."
Bellamy gave him a half smile, and gave him a firm handshake. "How have you been?"
"Fine," Monty said, taking a sip of his drink, he wasn't much of a drinker, but it was there, and he needed something to numb the ache, "You?"
"Fine, yeah." Bellamy lied, nodding, and Monty looked down not wanting to call him on his lie, "How's your girlfriend?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Monty said, as a reflex. It was true he did live with a girl back in New York, but it didn't mean anything, and she knew that. He couldn't bring her to this. It would hurt too much.
"You still think about him, don't you?" Bellamy said, and he didn't have to say a name. Monty knew who he was talking about.
"Do you still think about Clarke?" Monty said, a little more rudely than he intended. He just hated being asked questions about his best friend.
Bellamy nodded, and stared blankly at the hall where Clarke left. Monty remembered the last day he saw his boyfriend. He remembered breaking up with him in their favorite coffee shop, and he stared at the door Jasper left out of for hours until one of the workers told him that it was closing time.
"You miss him. You love him." Bellamy finally said, and Monty snapped his head up. He was about to lie and say he didn't when Bellamy spoke again, "I know how you feel."
Monty pulled his old friend into a hug, and let a few tears fall past his eyes. It's okay. He told himself. No one can see you cry. He buried his head deeper in Bellamy's chest when he heard Jaspers words repeated in his head. Its okay. You can cry. You're safe wrapped up in my arms. I'll keep you close.
"Am I interrupting something?" Monty heard a voice say, and he tensed. Bellamy unwrapped his arms from around the smaller boy. Monty turned and saw his best friend for the first time in forever.
"Hey," Monty breathed, "Its been awhile."
"917 days," Jasper smiled. His eyes darted between Monty and Bellamy. He shrugged, "But who's counting?"
Monty shifted uncomfortably, and Bellamy opened his mouth to speak, but a loud voice came over the speaker. They turned their attention to the front, but Monty could still feel Jaspers eyes on him. He used to do that a lot. He would watch Monty while he was sleeping or when they were grocery shopping or when he was driving. Monty got so used to Jasper watching that he could feel his eyes on him without even looking. His hands tightened around his glass, and he flushed, hoping Jasper wouldn't notice. He did, of course. Jasper always noticed those sorts of things.
"Alright," Abby, the bride, smiled up onstage, "we need all the singles to come right up here in front because we are going to do the bouquet toss!"
Girls squealed and rushed to the front where Monty and the other two boys already were. Monty stepped forward a little because he couldn't stand being next to Jasper any longer. He hated not being able to reach out and touch him. Tell him he was sorry, and that they could be together. He missed the way Jasper used to look at him.
"1..." The bride said, turning around and getting ready to throw the bouquet, "2......3!"
The bundle of flowers flew through the air, and Monty felt the air breeze and he lifted his arms up to catch the bouquet before it fell. It all happened so fast, his vision blurred for a few moments.
So he missed Jaspers small smile, and the way his eyes widened when Monty stepped forward to catch the bouquet. But Bellamy saw, and whispered something in Jaspers ear. Monty was too oblivious to notice as he walked to the bathroom. He needed to run his hands under cold water to calm down. He would say goodbye to Bellamy and hopefully sneak out before Jasper noticed him.
He stared at his flushed cheeks in the mirror, and shook his head when he remembered the way Jasper used to tease him and pinch his cheeks. Monty would pretend to be annoyed and Jasper would smile at him and kiss his cheeks until Monty caved in and kissed him back.
He didn't miss him.
He splashed cold water on his face, and took a deep breath. Wiping the water off his face with a paper towel.
He didn't love him.
"That's weird tradiotnally only single people line up to catch the bouquet," Monty heard, as soon as he walked out of the bathroom. He sighed and turned towards Jasper.
"I am single," he said, matter-of-factly.
"You live with a girl," Jasper said, smiling, "Bellamy just told me."
"Have you been drinking?" Monty asked, because alcohol seemed to make Jasper pretty courageous and incredibly stupid.
"You know, you're the one who told me to stop moping around and being such a sad sack and it got me thinking about Kane and Abby. About how relationships are a lot like flowers. If you find the right seed, put it good soil, give it water and sunlight, bam. Perfect bud. And then comes winter and the flower dies, but if you tend that garden spring will come along and that flower will bloom again."
"Are you telling me that you want to be a gardener?" Monty laughed, raising an eyebrow, and he picked a flower out of Monty's bouquet and twirled in in his fingers before pointing it at Monty's chest.
"I'm asking you how you can live with a girl but still be single."
"C'mon, its New York, okay? Haven't you ever seen Sex and the City? Her and I had a very mature conversation and we just decided that we're not going to put any labels on anything or worry about what we are." Monty said, he expected his voice to falter because he could hardly keep it together being around Jasper, but then again Jasper brought out the best in him. He made him more confident.
"So do you really believe all that stuff you tell yourself about, you know, labels and mature conversations, Sex and the City, really?"
"You think im lying to you?" Monty said, a lot quieter this time, because Jasper could always tell when his best friend was lying. It was the best and worst thing about him, because Monty couldn't lie to him, but it meant that Jasper always knew so Monty didn't have to lie.
"I think you're lying to yourself and the reason you won't really commit to her is because you're still in love with someone else," Jasper said, inching closer to Monty, but he didn't move away. He stood his ground and looked Jasper right in the eye.
"You?" Monty whispered.
"You and I both know how this thing ends. I-I don't know how or when. I don't care where you're living or-or who you're shacked up with. You're my boyfriend. We are end game and we both know it." Jasper said, softly, meaning every single word.
Even though sometimes he could be a jack-ass he always knew exactly what to say to make Monty weak at the knees. Jaspers lips curled up into a smile, and he leaned forward. It had been so long since Monty had felt Jaspers warm breath against his skin. Jaspers face was smooth, and he still smelled like that lotion Monty would buy him every Christmas. His lips were barely brushing against Monty's when the younger boy pulled away.
"We better go," Monty breathed, not wanting to walk away, "They're doing toasts soon."
He said, turning around to walk away. He would let him in eventually. He always did. He had to.
You miss him. You love him.
"I love you too," Jasper whispered, smiling as he watched his best friend walk away.
Jasper knew how stubborn Monty was, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.