all things considered, avoiding jinx since their breakup a whole ass year ago hasn’t been difficult. first it was because nix was hardly going out in overly-public places anyway, lost as he was in his endless and all-encompassing world of drugs; then it was because he was in rehab, all the way across the country at the betty ford center in rancho mirage; and then, for the past five or six months, it’s been luck. he’s always supposed he doesn’t really need that much luck to avoid someone in a city as big as miami, and really, his chances of running into her can’t be any higher than that of a fan desperately hoping for that to happen. it’ll happen eventually--he knows that--and he’s pretty much readied himself for it finally happening one day because of the connection through margo. and of course because he’s been trying to prepare himself for it happening that way, it doesn’t.
it happens at a fucking ice cream shop, and not even one of the more popular ones (which is maybe the point for both of them). high as usual and with time to spare before he’s supposed to meet with the rest of his band to show them some new stuff he’s written, nothing could have seemed more innocent than getting a mint chocolate chip cone to bring with him. but that’s how the world works, isn’t it? at least for phoenix campbell it is. he sees her walk in and feels a helpless resignation come over him as he takes in her appearance. she’s as beautiful as she’s always been, and not for the first time it occurs to him that here’s a woman who was made for the spotlight. it seems almost impossible to believe that once--back in another lifetime--they might have come here together as a couple. until he’d chosen drugs over her, of course--that had put a quick end to it. one day, he thinks, he’ll find the courage to apologize to her like she deserves, but that day isn’t today. instead, the best he can manage is a weak “hey, jinx,” even as he avoids the eye of a gaggle of teenagers who seem to have recognized her. he’s almost certain they’d know his band’s name and probably a few songs, too boot, but as far as in-person recognition goes, he can still get ice cream at small ice cream shops without running into too many fans. “been a minute, hasn’t it?” he cringes inwardly, and then digs his hole deeper by adding, “how’re you?” ( @ofajinx )