Hopeless Romantic - 2036
Celebrity Divorces: They were always… messy. Jordan Williams’s divorce was no different. It was the Angelina Jolie X Brad Pritt type relationship simply placed in a new decade. That being said, despite a year and a half passing since the divorce… it didn’t stop Jordan from loving Sadie. Nothing would ever stop Jordan from loving her. That was the fate of Jordan Williams… a man of many mistakes… though a man who still loved despite them.
As divorces went, fans took sides as they always did though Jordan always pushed back on fans and other celebrities who blamed Sadie. Jordan knew who was to blame, and it wasn’t Sadie Willi… Sadie Monroe. However, both Jordan and Sadie agreed not to let the public know the real reason for their divorce. It would only add fuel to the fire… though that didn’t stop Jordan from telling people it was his fault and that he lost the best thing that ever happened to him… which of course led to vicious speculation about what he did. Many assumed he cheated… stories came out about him in various situations that didn’t exist. On the other hand, others backed Jordan and blamed Sadie despite his constant mentioning of it being his fault… which he hated.
That was a year ago. Since then, Jordan had fallen away from the limelight. A few months after the divorce, Jordan just decided to stop: stop releasing music, stop using social media, stop anything that could be used against Sadie. He disappeared from everything - making only rare appearances for events that his close friends hosted… and even then, more likely than not, Jordan would simply send a gift and stay hidden away in his house which… for the first few months, he never left. Well… there were three people he would never disappear from: his kids. Despite leaving everything else behind, Jordan was 100% in his children’s lives… well… as much as 100% could be with his arrangement with Sadie where he was just… not trying to step on her toes. Sadie and Jordan had agreed on a… not seeing each other arrangement when switching turns with the kids, so usually a nanny would drop them off at his house… his new house that is. Currently, Sadie had them 3 months and then Jordan had them for 3 months and they simply switched off… was it the best plan? Probably not but… it’s what they came up with for now. They were young enough where it wasn’t much of a hassle but… they were getting older.
So… Jordan disappeared. He became a recluse and simply left everything… did that mean he still didn’t write? Still didn’t dance? No… those two things were the only things keeping him sane. Pages and pages of music was written by Jordan Williams during this time but none were released. Hours of choreography was created but would only stay with Jordan. It hurt… too much to give that to the world. It wasn’t until a year in when his manager begged him to do something that he… somewhat started getting back out there. Though… not under his own name. Any songs released from Jordan were… well… sold to another artist. Jordan made sure he had no writing credit on any of his songs so nothing would ever get back to those he cared about. Speculation was the weapon of choice from his fans and he wasn’t going to give them that.
That’s exactly how Jordan found himself sitting at a piano inside a sound booth, a close friend watching alongside his manager and the studio technician from the other side of the glass. “Whenever you’re ready Jordan,”
And with those words, his eyes closed as the melody flowed through him - reverberated through the piano in the small room. Jordan let his eyes close, and for the next few moments, let his mind wander to everything that had happened that led to this point.
I do it to myself
Fabricate a dream, reaching for what I see
In everybody else
It’s never what it seems
He recalled the moment he kissed Jezebel all those years ago, his lips meeting hers as he felt all the emotions she had been through over the years after the loss of their child… a child he had only learned about. Thinking back to that moment, he knew it was a mistake. He was lost in the memory of what they once had… a fabricated dream… one that likely shouldn’t have become reality but did due to his own idiocracy. He hadn’t talked to her since that moment. Jordan apologized to her after making up with Sadie and then… dedicated himself to his wife for the next four years before the divorce. And she understood… he knew Jezebel well enough to know that much… but it didn’t mean he would stop caring about her. Even after years of internal frustration at her for what he thought she had done… it didn’t mean he stopped caring. They had history… they would forever have history but it was nothing compared with what the future had in store for him and his wife… or so he thought before the divorce.
It seems like they’re happier than me
Seems like they’re where I wanna be
A strained smile met his lips thinking back to the pictures of Sadie and Griffin Gluck. He was… honestly happy for her. Happy that she had been able to push against the countless fans trying to push her down and succeed in her career nevertheless. Her strength had always impressed him and this was no different… even if it hurt him that she was moving on… he only hoped that she would be happier than she was with him. She deserved everything… she deserved more than him and whether Griffin could be that was her choice.
His mind went to one other person as he sang those words… a recent magazine noting Jezebel Parker and Chase Stokes being an up and rising it couple. Maybe the best thing to come out of everything that happened was that Jezebel wasn’t ever speculated in the Jordan/Sadie divorce affair. He wanted her safe… she deserved that and now she was happy and he just… he hoped Chase would give her the world.
Both of them… both of his past loves… both girls he would forever care about deserved happiness and he would never stand in the way of that even if a part of his heart would forever be pained by the thought that he was no longer a part of their lives.
It’s like I’m lying to myself
And hopelessly romanticizing, unwilling to compromise
With staring at the stars
While standing on the moon, instead of in this room
Nothing’s ever enough for me
I keep it buried underneath
Despite living in different homes, Jordan still lived close to Sadie Monroe. There were many times that he had almost accidentally walked into a cafe where she was getting something or ran into her on the street and honestly… there would probably be many more times, however, Jordan was skilled at making sure to… never bother her. Keeping his head down, he had avoided her gaze… even if sometimes he spent a minute too long looking after her before disappearing. He imagined scenarios where he would walk in there… or walk up to her and just talk to her… that maybe… maybe there was something that could be done to fix what had happened between them but it was likely just the hopeless romantic in him telling him that… and with a push, he always walked away. A memory met his mind of almost walking into a ice cream parlor only to see his beautiful Sa…
To seeing Sadie Monroe buying little Annie, Kyra, and Justin ice cream - and the little girls almost immediately wrap their arms around their mother. She was always the best mother… and as he once watched Jezebel in Paris with a wonder of what would happen if he had the courage to walk up to her… he wondered what would happen if he walked in. But he was broken… Jordan wasn’t the same man who married her… and he likely could never be. It wasn’t… he wasn’t meant to walk in that day. He wasn’t going to take that moment away from her.
I’ve got the heart of a hopeless romantic
Can you imagine
Looking for love in somewhere it’s not?
I’m broken and manic
Can you imagine
Looking for love in somewhere it’s not?
It’s enough to drive you crazy, crazy (mmm)
When I think about it
It’s enough to drive you crazy, crazy (mmm, mmm)
Hopeless romantic, hopeless romantic
As the song ended, Jordan ended his playing and opened his eyes - meeting those in the other room. His manager was talking to the other two, likely negotiating the sale of the song. Taking a deep breath, Jordan stood up - walking outside with a small smile as Sam went to shake his hand.
“So come on, Jordan. It’s been two years since you’ve released anything - this is a great song why don’t you just…”
“I don’t want it. Trust me… It’s all yours.”
“At least sing it with me. Or let me give you writing credit,”
Shaking his head, Jordan sighed patting the man’s back. “I have my reasons Sam, make it your own.” And with that, and a wave towards his manager, Jordan disappeared back to his empty, home that only felt lonelier and lonelier every day.
Two Weeks Later
Drinking coffee, Jordan was sitting in a small coffee shop in Beryl at 11:00 PM simply writing in a journal. There was a small TV in the corner playing Sam Fischer’s new hit single that was just released the night before and had already charted the top 100. Jordan’s eyes went to the TV as he watched the music video - Jordan’s first time seeing it - before it shifted to Sam on Jimmy Kimmel who went to answering questions about how he came up with his new hit. And with that, Jordan finished his coffee, placed earphones in, and after hiding his face with a scarf, he left the coffee shop.
There was a soft smile on his face as he thought back to his friend, though in his distraction, he found his shoulder brush against someone as he left. Turning around, Jordan took an earphone off as he placed on of his hands on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” he added immediately stabilizing her. Though, as she turned to face him, his heart dropped. “Jezebel?”