"'Let's go stargazing'," Jeff said mockingly. "'I'm Britta and I come up with the stupidest ideas when I'm high."
Annie rolled her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time in an hour, tired of hearing Jeff whine about the current situation.
"'Yes, Britta, let's go stargazing'," he continued. "'I'm Annie and I'm stupid enough to agree with Britta when she's high!'"
"Well, excuse me for thinking it might be fun for the group to do something different on a Saturday night than watching movies and fighting about the Terminator movies again," Annie snapped, trying to read the map and hold the flashlight on it at the same times.
Jeff scoffed and Annie shot him a sharp look. "I'm just saying, if Troy thinks the T-X is scarier than the T-1000 then he's crazy," he grumbled in response.
"And for the record, it's your fault we're stuck in the middle of woods. You're the one who decided to storm off by yourself," Annie accused, shining the flashlight into Jeff's eyes.
"Well, I'm so sorry that I didn't really feel like listening to Troy and Britta wax poetic about how much they love each other," Jeff growled, shoving the flashlight away from his face and out of Annie's hands.
"Jeff!" she cried as she dropped to the ground, trying to find the flashlight that had shut off on impact. "It's bad enough you got us lost out here, now you lost the flashlight!"
"Sorry," Jeff mumbled as he watched her on her hands and knees, feeling around for the small flashlight. He really did feel bad. But he was angry, too. And frustrated. And confused. All things he had felt since everything had gone down in Borchert's lab three months earlier. It had just reached a boiling point tonight.
"I know you're upset that Britta left you to get back together with Troy, but it's pretty ridiculous that you're going to let us die because of it," Annie huffed out as she stood, still feeling around on the ground with her foot.
At first Jeff just shrugged, his brain only registering the fact that Annie was still chastising him. It took him a moment to catch up to exactly what she was chastising him for. "Wait, what?"
It was too dark to see her clearly, but he could almost feel the awkwardness coming off of her. "Nothing. Forget it. We lost the flashlight. Let's just keep moving."
"Annie, what are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying that the woods aren't that big. If we keep moving we'll eventually find either the group or a road."
"No, I meant before that." Frustrated, Jeff stopped and reached out, grasping for Annie's arm. "Britta didn't 'leave me' for Troy."
They had come to a small clearing in the woods, and without the cover of the trees the moon provided enough light that they could see each other. Annie looked angry. "You guys were engaged, and then Troy came back and he and Britta got back together again."
"Annie, Britta and I weren't engaged when Troy came back to town."
Confusion came in, warring on her face with her anger and frustration. "What?"
"We called off the engagement about 30 seconds after we saved Greendale from Subway," Jeff explained, finally realizing her was still holding onto her hand.
He watched he face as she tried to put the pieces together, marveling at how expressive her face was and how many emotions it could display at one time.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Annie finally asked quietly.
Dammit. Jeff had hoped she wouldn't ask that because he still didn't have an answer. At least not one that he was ready to say out loud. "I mean… I didn't think I had to. Everyone kind of already knew."
"But why didn't you tell me?" She sounded so sad and so angry at the same time, and he wished he could tell her the real answer.
Because if I told you we weren't getting married I'd have to tell you why. Because if I told you why I'd have to tell you that I realized exactly why I was going to marry Britta in the first place while we were trapped in Borchert's lab. Because if I told you how I realized that I'd have to tell you what else I realized down there.
Jeff looked at her, standing so close to him, the moonlight illuminating her face with a soft, fuzzy light. If he was a better man than he was, if he wasn't such a coward, he could take advantage of this romantic setting. He could give her the storybook scene he knew she'd always wanted.
Instead he shrugged and said, "Honestly, the whole thing with Britta was so stupid that as soon as it was over it was like I forgot all about it."
Annie rolled her eyes and looked at him with what seemed to be practiced pity. "Come on, Jeff. You don't have to act like you don't still have feelings with her."
It was Jeff's turn to be confused and frustrated. "Annie, what are you talking about? I don't have feelings for Britta. I didn't even have feelings for her during the whole half hour that we were engaged."
"Then why do you always get so upset whenever she and Troy talk about how much they love each other?" she asked with that smug and satisfied look she always got when she made her point using tangible proof. Usually the look was adorable, but this time it was tinged with sadness.
Because every time I see Britta and Troy telling each other how they feel it just reminds me how much I have constantly failed to do the same for you.
"Annie, when have I ever enjoyed listening to people be all mushy and emotional?" he deflected.
The look of pity remained on her face for a moment before she tilted her head slightly and squinted, like she was starting to figure something out. Jeff felt like she was seeing right through him and briefly thought yes, please. Figure it out. I want you to know, but I can't tell you. Make it easier for me and just figure it out.
But after a moment Annie shook her head. "Forget it," she said, turning away from him.
Jeff followed, hating himself for every step he took that he didn't tell her how he felt.
THE END