YOU BELONG WITH ME // Jack Hughes

Chapter 02 - If you could see

"Relax, it's your brother" out of nowhere he took my phone and got up, holding the phone over his head. I stood up in the bed and caught it from him, losing my balance and falling. Fortunately, Jack caught me. I jumped from his arms as fast as I could, a bit dizzy.
"Don't do this again" I warned him. "Why are you so bothered? As you said earlier, we grew together. All four of us" I sat on my side of the bed while he was still standing, I could see him pouting, even in the dark.

"But you're my best friend. Not our best friend"

"Really?" I laughed. "You're so possessive, it's honestly funny"

"I'm not possessive" he laid in the bed. After this, we got silent and I fell asleep.

In the morning, he got up before me and tried to make breakfast, burning some toasts and setting off the fire alarm, waking me up. We were now sitting at the small kitchen table, having some fruits with yogurt and granola. I was busy, looking through my agenda for this week.

"You're lucky" I said. "I'll be free to go to your game against the Islanders"

"Can I get an amen?" he put his hands up. "Will you go to the practice?"

"I'll try"

"Good" he said standing up and getting his bowl, leaving it in the sink. "I want you to meet someone"

"Any new player I'm not familiar with?" I said as I changed a work meeting to Friday and he laughed.

"Her name is Grace"

My blood pressure dropped. Literally. I saw black dots and felt lightheaded.

"Woah, woah" Jack got closer as I felt my body slowly falling from the chair. He pulled me by my waist, holding me in place. I closed my eyes. "Water!" he was agitated. He always gets nervous when this happens. I almost laughed as I remembered the first time I fainted in front of him. We were 14, I think. We were coming back from one of his practices and I had just been diagnosed with POTS and vasovagal syncope. He was so alert all the time. I got nervous because I almost got hit by a cyclist and I hadn't had a drop of water in hours (my fault, I know). I just fell on my knees and he screamed. I couldn't help but laugh as I fell down. It was such a great memory.

But now there was nothing funny. My hands started to sweat and he handed me a glass of warm water. I drank everything in one go.

"Calm down, woman" he said softly, caressing my back.

"I'm okay" I whispered, opening my eyes. My heart was beating fast and my hands were trembling.

"You have to stop drinking just plain black coffee when you wake up instead of water" he was angry. Oh, I hadn't almost fainted because of dehydration, I wanted to say. Adding I almost fainted because my heart is weak and it likes you. But I just tried to smile.

"So, Grace," I whispered. "What's with Grace"

"Oh" he squinted his eyes. "I almost forgot about her. You scared the shit out of me" he sighed. "It's nothing to be honest. I met her after the last game and she's pretty nice" he stopped caressing my back and sat in front of me. "I asked her out and she said yes" he didn't seem as excited as I expected him to be.

"That's really nice" I said as I straightened my back, feeling a bit better.

"Better?" he put his hand over mine, probably checking if I was still cold.

"Yeah" I got up slowly, closing my agenda. "It's Saturday. You have practice, right?"

"Yup" he got up too. "Are you free today?"

"Yes but I have to go grocery shopping" I stretched as he walked towards the sofa. "There's nothing besides peanut butter and apples"

"Wanna have dinner with me? My mom called me and Luke, she's making lasagna"

"I couldn't deny it even if I wanted"

I decided to spend the day with Jack. We stopped by his apartment so he could get some clothes and change after the practice. It was a lazy day and everyone was messing around. After that, we went to the market. Jack was pushing the cart while I looked through my list.

"Can I get an ice cream?" he begged while bumping into my legs with the cart, annoying me.

"Of course," I said, picking which brand of cereal I should get. "You have a black card" he snorted, bumping harder. "Should we get some wine for your parents?"

"Yeah, yeah" he was typing on his phone. Probably Grace, I guess. "Get two of that fancy one they like, I'll pay"

"Of course you will pay for it," I said heading to the wine aisle. "I'm just a working class woman. You are the hockey star"

"Shut up" he smirked. "But, hey, if you be nice to me, I'll get you that fancy champagne you like to have once a year"

"When have I been mean to you, my king?" I said full of flourishes and he smirked. We got the last item on my list and the wine (and my champagne, of course), paid everything and went to his parents house. Luke was already there.

"My favorite" Ellen giggled as I gave her the bottles. "Thanks, my dear" she hugged me.

"You're welcome," Jack emphasized while pulling me away from her. "mom"

"My God, isn't he absolutely jealous of Mia?" Jim laughed from the sofa. "Let the girl breathe!"

"I'm not jealous of her!" he says, folding his arms. "Why does everyone keep saying this?"

"Maybe it's a sign," Luke answered while looking at his phone. "that you are possessive and jealous of Mia"

"Lasagna!" I jumped when I saw Ellen taking it out of the oven. "Let's eat?" I suggest and they stop annoying each other and everybody sits at their respective places, Jack by my side.

We were already eating when Quinn appeared, surprising everyone. Ellen was so happy to see all of us together.

"Thought you were too busy to come visit us" Jack said while drinking some of his glass of wine.

"I am too busy," he remarked, sitting in front of me. "But Mia's birthday is tomorrow" I kicked him under the table and he yelped.

"Oh my God, I almost forgot!" Ellen seemed desperate and I smiled. Damn you, Quinn.

"Don't worry" I put my fork down. "I'm not planning anything"

"Hell you are spending your 23 birthday just sitting in your sofa, binge watching Wes Andersen movies"

"It's Anderson and that sounds like a fantastic birthday" I retorted and Quinn and Luke laughed.

"No fucking way!"

"Respect, you're at the table" Ellen said while serving a glass of wine for Quinn. "But, honey, he has a point. If you're not throwing a party, you should at least go out with the boys"

"I'm not sure..." I bit my lip.

"Oh, c'mon, I traveled just to see you" Quinn grabbed my hand across the table. I felt myself blushing. He had this effect. "We could all have dinner at the bowling. You love the food and we like playing"

"That's true" I sighed. "Okay, we go out tomorrow," they all cheered. "But!" their smiles dropped for a second. "No gifts!"

"You're so boring" Jack complains, throwing his napkin at me.

"Deal" Luke and Quinn say.