ENCHANTED -'๑'- JACK HUGHES

fifty

☄. *. ⋆ CAUSE EVERY NIGHT IM TALKING TO THE MOON
STILL TRYING TO GET TO YOU
bruno mars

JACK

FOR THE last two years, the guilt of that night still lingered. I knew that I needed her to forgive me, I needed her to know she could move on. I needed closure, and I assumed, she did too.

Even if I had no feelings for her anymore, the love I had for Stella poured out of every crease of my body, and it would always remain that way. Even on my wedding day, a little selfish part of me would want her standing before me.

And that's why I came up with the most elaborate plan I could think of. I knew Stella loved the NTDP team like family. If she would agree on some accord to see me again, it would have to involve them.

I organized the entire event, slapping on a reunion title to make it more official. I didn't think I'd openly admit this to her, though. I feared if she knew i'd care that much, it would only make this harder on the both of us.

"You sure about this?" I asked, my tone shakier than I intended as I stared at the venue.

"Are you?" My old coach chuckled, raising his brows at me. "You're doing all of this for some girl?"

My stomach twisted. He didn't understand that Stella wasn't just some girl. "It's complicated, okay? It's the only way we're going to be able to move on."

"Right." He stammered, dragging a hand down his chin. "Why doesn't she just meet you somewhere?"

"That's the problem." I sighed lowly, scratching the back of my neck. "We haven't spoken in two years. I'm pretty sure she hates me, too."

He clicked his tongue, nodding slowly. "Look, I know you may think I'm some old guy, but, I've had my experiences, kid. Some times the people we love most in this world, are the hardest to let go."

I had always known my coach was wise, becoming a strong figure to me throughout my little league years. I never thought I seek him out for relationship advice.

"I just feel, like, this burden of regret." I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth. "I guess, I just want to see for myself that she's okay."

"Stella, right?" He asked, watching me nod as hearing her name leave someone else's lips felt nerve wracking. Right there and then, her name didn't make me smile anymore. "I remember her. That's the one who made you suck at hockey."

I chuckled, shaking my head. I was fully committed to anything that revolved around Stella. So much, I was slacking off in the thing that mattered most;hockey.

"Yeah, yeah." I hummed, shoving my hands into my pockets. "I really fucking hope she comes. This is the only reason why I'm doing this."

"If the love is still there, she'll show." He placed a comforting hand to my shoulder. "You'll be just fine, son."

I smiled softly at the father figure, bidding our goodbyes as I walked back to my parked car, sliding inside the drivers seat with a deep sigh.

Being back in Plymouth felt like uncharted territory. Stella and I had less than ten miles from each other but yet, it felt like there was the greatest distance imaginable between us.

Last year, Stella hadn't returned back to Plymouth until late September, I had already gone back to Jersey. She stayed the entire year in Sweden, France, and Germany. I couldn't help but feel like that was because of me.

My eyes flicked up to my rearview mirror, seeing the darkened backseat behind me.

"God, do you even clean your car?" Stella gagged, her light eyes darting back to the seats of my car, littered with hockey gear.

"Stella, baby." I waved her off, keeping my hand pressing softly on the skin of her thigh. "I cleaned it yesterday."

Stella scrunched her nose up towards me, her colder hand covering my own, sending chills down my spine. "It stinks like the rink in here."

I flicked the hanging refresher that dangled from my mirror, rolling my eyes playfully towards the dirty blonde.

"Is it broken?" Stella clicked her tongue, leaning forward to waft the scent of black ice in her vicinity.  

"You're the one that bought it for me." I squeezed her skin tightly.

Stella clutched it between her fingers with a sigh. "Jack, this is getting bad. We need to, like, form an alliance with this."

"What are you talking about?" I groaned, leaning my head into the headrest. "Why do you always shit on my car? It's a hand-me-down!"

"Yeah, I'm sure Quinn kept it cleaner than this." Stella scoffed with a light laugh. "We're cleaning out your car. Your gear is going in the trunk."

I parted my lips in disagreement. "That's not fair! You have to treat the stick with respect. What happens if I don't?"

Stella clutched my wrist, attempting to slide my touch off her. She failed miserably. "Then, I drive myself to the rink. And I only drive from now on."

"You suck at driving." I snorted, feeling her shooting daggers toward my side profile. "No offense, baby."

Stella mocked me with a gentle shove to my shoulder as we coasted down the back roads of Plymouth. "And I'll replace your air freshener, you big baby."

I watched the light flick to red, giving me enough time to lean over the center console and press my lips against her cheek.

"What would I do without you?"

I blinked, snapping back into reality. To this day, I kept my gear in the trunk of my car. And my favorite freshener was still black ice.

"Fuck me." I wiped my hands with my palms, rubbing my eyes.

I glanced up at the moonlight shining through my windshield, illumining parts of my truck. "Please, let this work." I mumbled, mainly into the air.

At least if it didn't, we'd always be under the same sky.

this one made me sad