ENCHANTED -'๑'- JACK HUGHES

twenty one

☄. *. ⋆ I KNEW YOUD MISS ME ONCE THE THRILL EXPIRED
AND YOUD BE STANDING IN MY FRONT PORCH LIGHT
AND I KNEW YOUD COME BACK TO ME
taylor swift

STELLA

WHEN I heard light three knocks on the front door, I was nonetheless confused. Matt had left twenty minutes ago and I was almost sure he wasn't going to be returning. As for my parents, they had been for the weekend.

I tiptoed towards the door but the creaking under my feet was loud, making me cringe. I stood to look through the peep hole. I froze, I blinked, thinking I had been hallucinating.

I opened my front door before I could even wrap my head around this. He stood there, the hesitation and nervousness showing on his features.

"Jack?" I muttered in disbelief, looking down at my fluffy socks and large shirt that had practically swallowed me. Not the perfect appearance. "What are you doing here, Jack."

He stumbled over his words like he, too, didn't know. Jack pulled his hand out from his back, revealing the most beautiful bouquet of flowers that I had ever seen. "I got these for you, Stella."

I didn't know what to do. I held my hand out to grab them before pulling it back to my side, my lips in a flat line. "What are you doing? Seriously."

Jack parted his lips, his chest heaving.

"Look, if you're here for some stupid reason, just go." I said without thinking. Please don't. "I'm with Matt. I'm happy."

"Are you?" Jack finally spoke, cocking a brow at me. "Are you really happy with him, SJ?"

The nickname made me cringe. The way he said it, everything in life came crumbling down and I wanted to fall in the loop of loving him and never see the light.

"I am." I nodded. I didn't know if I was trying to convince myself or him of that.

Jack fiddled with the fresh bouquet, nodding. "Okay. I'm sorry I even came here. I should go."

"Wait." My feet moved faster than I comprehended, like they had a mind of their own. I reached for his arm, pulling him completely back on my porch before he could leave. "I lied."

Jack eyed me carefully. "About?"

"I'm not happy." I finally caved. "I mean, he's great. He's funny and he's nice but he's...he's not you. And I feel like a horrible person for leading him on."

I felt warmth spread across my skin as he placed his palm against my cheek, forcing my gaze to meet his.

"You're not a horrible person, Stella." His thumb rubbed along my cheekbone. "This is all my fault. I fucked up. I don't even know why I did it. It was fucked of me."

I bit down on my bottom lip, chuckling. "Yeah, it was."

"I don't expect you to forgive me." Jack retreated his hand back and I frowned. "I don't. I just wanted to make things right. Because I know the way I feel about you."

"And what's that?" I asked, on edge as I waited for his response.

Jack fought a smile. "I'm standing here in the middle of the night with a bouquet of apology flowers, Stella. For fuck sakes, even the florist told me I should fix things. That's not why I'm here though."

"Then why are you?" I pushed.

"Because I really fucking like you, SJ. You mean more to me than anything in this world." Jack breathed, staring at me with a gleaming gaze.

I could feel my heart pounding. The ringing in my ears only growing louder. "More than hockey?"

"A lot more than hockey." Jack nodded with a grin.

I moved closer to him, the only thing on my mind in that moment, was him. It always was and it always will be. Forever.

"I really fucking like you too, Rowdy." I could see the relief in his face now that we were chest to chest, faces inches apart. "But I need to fully end things with Matt. Not that we really are anything. We just hangout."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Jack offered.

I debated my options with a shrug. "I'll talk to him first. I'll be easier coming from me. Now, can I have my flowers?"

Jack chuckled, handing them to me as the floral scent invaded my nose. Lilies. My favorite. "These are beautiful, Jack. Thank you."

He nodded, pulling my back to him by the small of my backside, running his eyes over my face like he had always done. "Am I pushing my luck if I ask to kiss you?"

"Maybe." I narrowed my eyes before laughing softly. My hand knotted in the back of his hair before kissing him gently, a soft and passionate kiss that still had me panting once we pulled away.

He rested his forehead on top of mine. "I'm really happy I came here, you know?"

I hummed, peeling open my eyes. "Me too. Me too."

SO BACKK