ENCHANTED -'๑'- JACK HUGHES

thirty seven

☄. *. ⋆ YOU WEAR THOSE SHOES AND I WEAR THAT DRESS
OH, KISS ME BENEATH THE MILKY TWILIGHT
sixpence none the richer

STELLA

THE PAST two games were wins. Not just little wins, large goal gap wins that only made their team towards the top of the rank.

We were now in Sweden where they'd spend the rest of the tournament, watching them play games nearly every day.

Jack's mood was beyond ecstatic, the happy, lucky aura he held was rubbing off on me as I found myself smiling more then I have had before.

"How the hell do you know your way around Sweden?" I asked, the two of us walking down the cobble strip as he had the better sense of direction.

"Hockey is a traveling sport." Jack shrugged, his hand tugging me into the restaurants outside booths as a waiter led us to the table.

Jack insisted on taking me out, even if his coach did not want us separating from the group. Jack made his own rules, I learned that very quickly.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, skimming his menu.

I hummed, flipping through the thick pages of my menu. "How's the pasta here in Sweden?"

Jack chuckled, darting his tongue out to lick his lips. "Fucking phenomenal. The serving sizes are huge though, beware."

"Would you share with me?" I glanced up at him, shooting him my best version of puppy dog eyes. "Please."

"Fine." Jack caved in quickly. "You're lucky I L...I was gonna order it anyway."

I blinked, maybe twice, I truly didn't know. I was hearing things, I had to be. He wasn't really going to say what I thought he was.

The waiter came back to take our order, topping off our glasses with water before returning back indoors. I crossed my arms, staring out at the mountaintop view.

"I've always wanted to go to Sweden, you know?" I kept my gaze focusing on the beautiful place around me, the stars twinkling as the air was chilly.

"Really? You never told me that." Jack kept his eyes focused on my side profile. "Even thought we're competing against them, it is really nice here."

I turned back to him, resting my chin on my palm. "How touristy do you think I am?"

"Oh, you're up there." Jack nodded with a hum. "You're definitely checked all my tourist to-do boxes."

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes.

Just on time, our waiter carried out the rather large bowl of fresh pasta, the smell enough to make me drool.

"Wait." I grabbed Jacks wrist before he could dig in. "I have one more thing I have to check off my bucket list."

"Oh." Jack cocked a brow, curiosity lingering.

I spun the long piece of pasta around my fork, glancing back at him through my eyelashes. "Will you Lady and Tramp it with me?"

"Like, actually?" Jack flickered his eyes between the pasta and myself. "Like, eat the same piece at the same time?"

"That's what I mean, yes." I rolled my eyes, placing one end into my mouth as I extended the other piece to him.

Jack glanced around his with red cheeks before caving in, sucking the other end. We chewed until our lips met, his butter-covered lips meeting mine into a small peck as we broke apart.

"I can't believe you just made me do that." Jack wiped his mouth, shaking his head.

I bit off a chunk of the meatball before pushing out my bottom lip. "I think you enjoyed that more than I did, Rowdy."

My eyes shifted to the couple beside us, an older couple. Their skin was wrinkled, slow movements, but the first thing I noticed; the way their love practically swirled around them like a bubble.

"You think that'll be us in thirty years?" Jack nudged my leg from beneath the table, sensing my stare.

I turned back to him, smiling softly. "I can hope, right?"

To think Jack and I would last that long felt like the odds of sleeping on a cloud. But I'd never say that out loud.

I seemed to be focusing everywhere at one time, like I was taking little notes in my mind. Sweden was my dream destination since I was little and now I was here; with my dream boy.

"I want to get married here someday." I blurted.

"Already?" Jack shot me a playful wink earning a scoff from me. "I'll keep that in mind, SJ. But you gotta give me a few more years."

We finished up our food before we were back walking the strip again, hand in hand, like it was us forever. Like, we were the only people in the world.

I peered at the lake ahead of us, the moonlight shining down on it beautifully.

Jack pulled me into him, his forehead resting on mine. "I never want this trip to end."

I didn't either, Jack. When the finals ended, we'd be back in Michigan for a week at best, then we'd be flying to Canada for the draft. Then, well, I'm not sure what happens then.

"I know." I nodded, brushing my hand through his soft brown hair as his kind eyes made my stomach flip. "I know."

Jack cupped my cheeks, kissing me hard. He kissed like I was going to be ripped away and hauled off. He kissed me like he was never going to see me again.

I pulled back to catch my breath. I wanted to capture this moment as I reached into my clutch bag, pulling out my polaroid camera.

"Smile." I brought the lens to my eye, turning on the flash as he grinned from ear to ear, giving me his best shot as I snapped the photo.

"Your turn." He grabbed the camera from my grip, flipping it on me as I smiled, instead of looking at the camera, I looked at him.

He took the Polaroid of himself and handed it to me, taking the photo of me and slipping it inside his wallet.

"See, now you'll be with me whenever I go." Jack nodded, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace.

I wish we stayed in Sweden forever.

lowk kinda sad