her devil

36

*strong subjects talked about towards the end of the chapter. if you do not feel comfortable reading, i will put a star on where it starts so you can skip*

downtown plymouth was beautiful in the winter time. it was two days before christmas and many people were scurrying around, trying to buy last minute presents.

snow was falling from the sky and the temperature was just under ten degrees. esmeray was used to it, as was ellen, but they both never dressed warm enough.

"there's a cute little coffee shop just up the road. would you like to go there?" ellen asked.

"that's fine with me." esmeray answered.

the two got to the cafe and sat down at a table.

"what would you like? i can get it for you." ellen asked.

"you don't have too, i can get it myself." esmeray offered.

"please. you're our guest. today is on me." ellen assured.

"i'll just have a hot green tea. thank you." esmeray told her.

as ellen ordered the drinks, esmeray scrolled through her phone.

endless news articles filled the internet when you searched up jacks name. esmeray hated it. she didn't want to be up on these articles when you searched up his name.

ellen placed the tea in front of esmeray and sat down across from her.

"thank you again." esmeray said.

"no problem. i can tell your good person with good intentions. many just want the boys for fame and for money." ellen explained.

"yeah, i understand. i mean, it wasn't my goal to get into a relationship my sophomore year of college. it just kind of happened." esmeray chuckled. ellen smiled and sipped her coffee.

"wait, you're a sophomore in college?" ellen asked.

"yep. im only nineteen." esmeray replied. ellen nodded her head.

"can i ask how you two really met? like the whole story?" ellen asked.

"well we met at the party. after that i ended up getting the job with the devils and we just became friends. i moved in with him about a month or two ago." esmeray explained. ellen raised an eyebrow.

thankfully there was no one in the cafe and all the workers were in the back room so esmeray could explain the whole story.

"i know, it was quick. my friend actually kicked me out of her apartment so jack and ty offered their extra room to me." esmeray said.

"your son is very nice and helpful. im thankful he took me in."

•

jack watched as esmeray left the house with his mom. quinn and luke were sitting on the living room couch, looking at jack.

"can i ask a question? about esmeray?" quinn asked.

"what about her?" jack asked defensively.

"why was she so jumpy when i hugged her?" quinn asked. luke nodded his head, wanting to know the answer.

"that's something i have to ask esmeray. i don't know if she wants me to tell you guys or if she wants to tell. it's not my place to say." jack said.

"i'll ask her when she gets back with mom, but don't expect the whole story. it might just be bits and parts." jack commented. he climbed the stairs to his room, not really wanting to near his brothers.

jack laid down on his bed, debating if he should text esmeray or not. he decided not to, wanting esmeray to keep her attention on his mom.

when esmeray got home with ellen, jack dan down to the two of them.

"alright, i need to talk to esmeray." jack said quickly. he pulled esmeray up the stairs, despite her trying to pull away.

"what is wrong with you?" esmeray asked as jack shut his bedroom door.

"i was gonna text you but then i didnt and i have been waiting since you got back. i didn't know if i was allowed to say anything cause they asked and i-"

"jack, slow down. what are you even talking about?" esmeray questioned.

jack sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "quinn and luke want to know why you were all jumpy earlier. i was going to tell them, but i didn't know if you wanted me too."

esmeray opened her mouth slightly to speak, but nothing came out.

"i uh, i want to tell them, but i.."

"you want me to do it?" jack asked. esmeray looked down at the ground and nodded her head.

"alright, i'll get them up here." jack left the room to retrieve his brothers. esmeray sat on his bed, awaiting for his brothers to come.

in just a few minutes, luke and quinn were trailing behind jack. he shut the door when they got into the bedroom and sat down next to esmeray.

******

"so, you guys wanted to know why esmeray was all jumpy earlier, here's why." jack started. he could tell esmeray was nervous so he grabbed her hands and held them.

"es went on a girls trip with two of her friends. they were at the beach one day and this guy came up to her. her friend told her to watch her surroundings. the last day they were there, this guy was following her around the club. es was by herself and the guy got her and assaulted her." jack explained.

luke and quinn both had their mouths open. esmeray didn't want what was going to happen next happen.

"esmeray, i am so sorry. i didn't know." quinn apologized immediately.

"it's okay. it wouldn't be the first time that happened." esmeray mumbled.

"what? it's happened before?" jack asked. esmeray widen her eyes and looked at jack.

"what do you mean it's happened before?" jack asked again.

"jack, calm down. you just explained something traumatic that happened to her to us. give her a few minutes to relax." quinn said to his younger brother.

esmeray covered her face with her hands, wanting to leave the house, michigan, and go back home. home in cape may.

luke and quinn eventually left the room, leaving the couple to talk alone.

"im sorry for freaking out, but what do you mean it has happened before?" jack asked more calmly.

"when i was younger, i used to play hockey with my dad and i used to figure skate all the time. my old skating coach, he...touched me." esmeray started. jack noticed the tears forming in her eyes and he pulled her close.

"my dad was right there watching, but he didn't know what was going on. i kept going to class because if i said something, my parents wouldn't do anything. the coach was my parents friend. they wouldn't believe me. i went through that for another three years before he stopped coaching." esmeray told him.

"i hated myself. i have anxiety about it now. i can't step on the ice without thinking about it. i went through depression and he made me have an eating disorder." esmeray cried. jack started to cry do. he couldn't believe that someone would do this to another person.

"no one should ever have to go through that. im sorry i made you come out with me in the ice that one time." jack apologized.

•

breaking news
esmeray miller, jack hughes' assumed girlfriend, seen in michigan with his mom. the two were at a coffee shop. updates to come.