ENCHANTED -'๑'- JACK HUGHES

seventeen

☄. *. ⋆ SHE'S GOT YOU MESMERIZED WHILE I DIE
WHY WOULD YOU EVER KISS ME?
conan gray

STELLA

I NEVER was one to turn down quality time with friends, but now, I wish I would've. Cole opened the door with a large grin, beckoning me into his home.

I followed him out of the double doors, Addy and Georgia behind me. The fire was crackling loudly and illuminated the familiar faces sitting around it.

I couldn't help it when my sneakers got caught in the grass, my entire body freezing like stone as I glanced at him.

There in his lap, a giddy blonde spoke to him, arms draping over his shoulders as her laugh was like nails on a chalkboard. I wanted to turn around and coddle myself in my bedroom and ugly cry. But, I refused.

"Twenty bucks and I'll throw his stick into the fire pit." Georgia's voice beside my ear captured my attention. "Scratch that. I'll do it for free."

Georgia has always been that friend. The overprotective one that would step on any toes in order to protect you. And right now, if looks could kill, Jack Hughes would be a dead man.

"You got me at free." I chuckled, shaking my head as I forced myself to look anywhere else but there.

"Hi." Trevor approached us, Addy immediately going to his side. "Stella, what's up?"

"Hey, Trev." I nodded in greeting.

I watched Matt stare at me, his lips in a flat line as I could see the hesitation on his face as I took the empty seat, directly across from him. Unluckily for myself, diagonal from the lovely couple.

I tugged my corduroy button up tighter across my chest, feeling the heat of the fire warming me up.

"Coach has been on my dick about me passing the puck more." Cole shook his head with a groan. "It's not my fault I'm trying to break Matthew's record."

"Dude, fuck off." Trevor rolled his eyes. "There's no way in hell you're breaking that shit. It's Austin fucking Matthews."

Cole cocked a brow at the brunette. "Yeah, and?"

"C'mon, Trevor." Alex chimed in. "Don't hurt my boys ego. You'll get your points eventually."

Trevor responded with a silent middle finger before turning his attention back to the girl curled up in his side.

"Hey, Stella?" Cole calling my name had my head turning in his direction as I lifted my brows. "Do you think I'd be a good figure skater?"

"Coley, you'd be an olympian." I patted his shoulder. "Plus, you could definitely pull off one of our dresses."

"Oh, I'm blushing." Cole swatted me away.

Stand By Me by Ben E. King began to play through Cole's outside speakers, channeling in the nonchalant mood everyone had seemed to be in.

My eyes scanned the backyard. Addy and Trevor, Turcs and the mystery girl from the party, Cole and Georgia;no surprise there, Jack and...Chelsea? Which, left Matt and I as the lonely birds and I sinking into my seat.

I glanced off in another direction. But I always glance back at him. I physically shivered when he locked eyes with me, I couldn't read his expression.

I shifted in the makeshift wooden chair, blinking as I could feel my lips turning down into a frown. I didn't want to look at him, I didn't think I could handle it.

As the fire began to fade out, being replaced by a body, I cocked my head up. Matt Boldy stood before me, sticking his hand out, waiting for me to take it.

I did. He helped me up with ease, a smile playing on his lips. His eyes darted down to our hands, his thumb pressing against my knuckles.

He took my hand in his, rubbing his thumb along my knuckles before he leaned in and kissed me like I was going to melt.

"It's you and me, SJ." Jack pressed our foreheads together, his ocean eyes drowning my own gaze.

"Do you wanna take a walk?" Matt asked, low enough for only us to hear but loud enough to take me out of my daze.

I nodded. "Okay."

He led me down the cobble path just outside of Cole's fence, taking me down to the small lake surrounding our friends home.

Matt plopped down on the grass, I mirrored his actions, shifting on my palms as I stared out at the reflection of the moon against the water.

"So..." Matt trailed off. "I'm sorry again about Jack."

"It's okay." I nodded. Was it? "I'm over it." Was I?

"Good." Matt nudged me with a chuckle. "I knew you can do better than him anyways. You're a once in a lifetime kinda girl, Stella."

I felt fuzzy inside as his words played in my mind, my lips parted as I still gazed out towards the water. "Do you really mean that?"

He grabbed ahold my chin, delicately, forcing me to face him. "I mean it, Stella. I really do."

"Matt..." I began, his voice making me pause.

"Can I just get something off my chest?" He asked. "If it's not obvious enough, I am into you. I like you, Stella. I mean, from the second I saw you on the ice, I wanted you. But, he got there first."

In all honesty, I don't remember seeing Matt the first day I walked into the rink. And maybe that's because all I cared about was getting to know Jack.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, firmly. "I wish I would've met you first."

"Do you?" Matt blinked, taken aback. Do I?

"Yeah." I nodded, scanning his face.

For the first time, I fully took in every detail that littered his features. His eyes were round, a dark green color that sparkled in the light, pink plump lips with bright teeth hiding behind them. His hair was golden brown, speckles of blond hinted through it.

"Stella." His thumb stroked my cheekbone, as he too, seemed to admire me. "I want you, I do. Are you...are you into me?"

"Yes." The words left my mouth swiftly, I barely had time to recognize what I had said.

Suddenly, he was leaning in and I was too.

tea