ENCHANTED -'๑'- JACK HUGHES

forty

☄. *. ⋆  RUNNIN OUT OF TIME
RUNNIN OUT OF TIME
RUNNIN OUT OF TIME
tyler, the creator

STELLA

I WAS in utter awe of Roger's Arena as I sat beside Jack, my eyes going everywhere. There was enormous amounts of cameras in every nook, corner of the stage, you name it, there was media coverage.

I felt the pressure on myself and I wasn't even getting drafted. All eyes were on Jack today, to see if the rumor about him being first would come true.

"Are you shitting your pants or what?" Quinn leaned over me, knocking his little brother's knee. "Cause I know I was."

Jack rested his arm on my seat with a small shrug. "I don't even think it's clicked yet. It's just like-how am I even here?"

"I'm proud of you." I squeezed his chin softly, standing to my feet as I noticed everyone beginning to settle down. "I'm going head over to Trevor. Good luck, Rowdy."

Jack squeezed my hand tightly with a short nod.

I agreed to sit with Trevor and his family for the sake of celebrating this moment with my best friend. And also, I did not want to step in the way of Jack and his family. Might I add, Trevor begged me to hold his hand.

"Here we go, Z." I clenched my teeth as I sat beside him, just three rows up from Jack as I sat on the end seat.

"What if I trip and eat shit in front of national television?" Trevor bounced his leg up and down anxiously.

I held back a giggle as I imagined the scene in my head. "Well, then people would certainly be talking about you, huh?"

"Shut up." Trevor nudged my bare arm in annoyance. "Oh, look. Here comes the Devils."

I sat up straight in my sight, my eyes drifting down to Jack as he cocked his head around, locking eyes with me. I sent him a shaky thumbs up as he shot me a small smile.

"The New Jersey Devils are proud to select the first pick." The man spoke into the mic, the speakers echoing all around me. "With the first pick of the NHL draft, from the USA development program. Jack Hughes!"

I screamed so loud I think I blew my ear drums out. Trevor and I rising to our feet as we clapped obnoxiously.

Jack sauntered his way up the steps, bringing me in an embrace as he kissed my cheek, moving to hug Trevor before cascading down the steps towards the stage.

His face was plastered on the big screen, cheers and applause filling the large room as he shook hands, throwing the jersey over his head with a proud smile.

Trevor was drafted to Anaheim, Cole to Montreal, Cam to Philadelphia, and Matt to Minnesota, Alex to Los Angeles, I had no words to explain how proud I felt.

When the draft portion came to an end, all of the boys from the program joined together for one last group photograph, wearing their new chapters of their lives in a jersey form.

"Uh, hey." I tapped his shoulder, stepping back as I tucked my hair behind my ears.

"Yeah?" Matt turned around, eyeing me once before pressing his lips together. "Oh, hey, Stella. What's up?"

I could feel the pressure pressing down on my shoulders just from our simple conversation. "I just wanted to say congratulations. Minnesota, that's really cool."

Matt smiled appreciatively at me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Thank you, Stella. That means a lot to me."

"Yeah, anytime." I nodded, going to move around him as his hand attached to my wrist, tugging me slightly. "What?"

"I...look, Stells, I don't know if this is one of the last times I'll see you or whatever." Matt paused, swallowing. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I was cruel to you because I was hurt. I still am. But, he makes you happy and I'll have to live with that."

I pulled my brows together slightly, my heart aching for the boy standing before me. I cause this, no one else but me.

"You shouldn't be apologizing, I should." I shook my head in disagreement. "You didn't deserve that. You're a really sweet person Matt, I hope you don't get taken for granted next time."

Matt nodded slowly, knocking into my shoulder in a playful manner. Almost as if, we were friends. "I'll see you around, Stella."

This time, he passed me, letting my eyes land on the boy, my boy.

"Jack!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around his tightly, I felt as if I was suffocating him. "I'm so proud of you, Rowdy."

Jack lifted me off the ground, making my feet dangle before he placed me back down. "Thank you for being here, SJ."

"I wouldn't miss it." I leaned up, kissing his cheek softly. "I told you that you'd go first."

Jack blushed, shrugging me off. "Oh, stop it. My ego is already being boosted enough today."

My eyes scanned to find Cole's, his bright grin inviting me in like cold water on a sunny day. He shot me a wink, gesturing down to the Habs jersey he was proudly wearing.

"So, this is it, huh?" Trevor sighed lowly, looking between all of us. Our small group had formed a makeshift circle.

"Well, we're leaving for college. Jack is going straight into camp." Cole shrugged. "Wait, Stella, what are you doing?"

I parted my lips, butterflies growing in my stomach. "I got accepted into this program where we basically coach. We get a free education with it, too. So, I'll be traveling the world and coaching."

Trevor widened his light eyes, ruffling my hair. "Stells, that's fucking amazing."

Jack stiffened beside me, staring at my side profile harshly. "You are? Why didn't you tell me about this, SJ?"

"I was going to." I could feel the lump in my throat. "It's just, you had a lot going on with the draft and I didn't want to mess things up."

Jack didn't say anything which killed me more than a response, he huffed a breath of air and directed his eye line somewhere else, almost as if I didn't exist.

"Uh, anyways." Cole chuckled, sensing the tension growing between the two of us. "In celebration of everyone achieving their dreams why don't we have one last bonfire at my house?"

"Fuck yeah, Coley." Alex slapped the boys shoulder in excitement.

I was soaking all of it in, these moments where the guys on this team had become some of my closest friends. I was loosing each and every one of them. Even if they were in different parts of the world, I knew that when we were all together again, someday, it'd always be like this.

I just hope that applied to Jack and I. I truly didn't know what the future held for us, but I couldn't see my future if it didn't have Jack Hughes written in permanent marker.

can we go back to 2019?? i miss my USA boys sm.