MY MOTHER WAS BEING INSUFFERABLE. IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE morning. My birthday, and she had already made a point that we definitely couldn't do anything low key for my twentieth year. She had made it her life's mission to invite all of our family and friends out to celebrate, wanting to throw me a party at the house with Christmas decorations and music no doubt.
I, couldn't think of anything worse, and even though my entire family had already arrived, and of course I was happy to see them—I couldn't help but search for ways to escape.
At around four in the afternoon, another knock on the door sounded, and I know I shouldn't complain but I was already being swarmed with attention and gifts and the ridiculous amount of people asking about my love life was starting to get tiring. And so, I sighed, deep and dramatic and full of exhaustion.
"Who the hell now?" I grumbled to myself, rolling my eyes as I dragged my feet to the door. I took a brief moment to breathe, not wanting to have to sit through another awkward conversation in which my youngest cousin Katie, who was eighteen, tell me how hot the Hughes brothers were. I yanked the door open, surprised to see Ellen and the boys were waiting just outside on the porch. Ellen with gifts in her arms and Jack holding a bunch of flowers.
My eyes widen at the sight of them, not having expected them to come over for the family gathering. I plaster a smile on my lips, admittedly relieved to see faces I knew better and loved.
"Happy Birthday, Mira!" Ellen grinned, handing me a massive box and a birthday gift bag. I fumbled to gather them in my arms, surprised when they were heavy as all hell.
"Thanks, Mrs. Hughes," I grinned, though still felt completely out of place knowing that they'd got me birthday presents even though I hated receiving them. I always felt bad, or like I didn't deserve them.
I turned my gaze to Jack, blinking up at him and sucking in a breath. He seemed to melt at the sight of me, but i immediately recognised his expression as pity.
"I'm sorry," he mouthed, knowing how I felt about birthdays and this time of year and all of it. He could see it all over my face, I was overwhelmed and I needed to break. I gave him the smallest hint of a smile in response.
"Jack, why don't you help Mira take all of these gifts to somewhere she can leave them," Ellen perked up, noticing the exchange of looks between us, and knowing we were silently having a conversation between us that no one else would understand. "Make sure those flowers get in some water."
"Sure," he mumbled, taking a step into the house, removing his shoes. "Lead the way, Zegras."
I raised a single eyebrow at him teasingly, his act of trying to be nonchalant in front of his mother was not working.
"Right through the hall, Hughes," I told him, leading him down the hall to a spare lounge room that was grander and nicer than the main one, the room my mother called her Zen Space. We'd made a pile of gifts in the middle of it for me to open later, and it was secluded from the rest of the house, the main bunch of people accompanying the kitchen and dining room.
The moment we had placed the gifts down, both of us not even daring to make eye contact as we passed people on the house, was the moment we turned to look at one another.
Jack wore a grey hooded sweater, a pair of denim jeans that fit him a little too well around his thighs and a black cap faced backwards. He was effortlessly gorgeous, as usual, and I found myself staring openly at him like a high school girl with a crush.
He smirked at me. "A little cold to be wearing a dress, Miracle?"
And he was right, it was cold, but Mom had told me to wear it when my family came over. She liked to put on a show, to dress well and have a clean home and be a good host. It wasn't anything special, just a basic black A-Frame that sat high on my neck and low on my back. I wore a pair of black stockings underneath, keeping my legs warm, and socks, because my feet were cold. Mom had given me a dry look, noting the all black combination for my birthday, but it was the worst day of the year, and I was having a funeral for my teen years.
I breathed a sigh of relief, not even caring if anyone saw us right now, I was tired and sick of today and Jack was here and it was amazing. I jumped into his arms, legs around his waist, arms around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair.
"I was just hoping you'd come over," I breathed, capturing his lips against mine without hesitation. Jack kissed me back, gentle and sweet and deep. He held me close, hands squeezing the bottom of my thighs harshly, a warning.
I pulled back, because unfortunately, I had to breathe.
"Somebody is a little horny today," Jack whispered, brushing his nose against mine.
I giggled. "Will you take me upstairs and fuck me?"
We're kissing again, hair a mess and moans falling from our lips as he kiss and kiss and kiss. "But tomorrow is Christmas, Miracle, you gotta be a good girl or you'll be on the naughty list."
"I am a good girl," I tell him blankly, capturing his bottom lip between my teeth. Jack lets a choked moan slip out, causing me to giggle once more.
"Maybe I don't want you to be a good girl today," he rasps, walking us casually to the other side of the room and holding me against the nearest wall. He grinds his hips against mine. "Maybe I want to play a little."
I smirk against his lips. "Prove it."
Jack moans deeply, a sound so deep it gives me tingles between my legs, and I want to beg for him again all of a sudden. We're a mess of breathless moans and tangled limbs and messy hair when someone walks into the lounge room, gasping loudly, and pushing Jack and I apart in a haste.
At first, we're afraid it's my mother, or Ellen, but then we notice it's someone much worse. Katie. Massive Jack Hughes fan, my cousin, unfortunately, and admittedly, a bit of a sucker for being a tease to boys.
Her eyes are wide as Jack and I stare right at her, he'd let me down on the ground by now, but he's still god my body pressed against the wall, his hands still gripping my waist.
"My, my," she grins, raising an eyebrow. "What do we have here?"
Then Jack turns his body to face her, seemingly protecting me with his frame, and Katie gasps. "You're Jack Hughes."
He looks awkward. "The one and only."
She tried to look past him to me. "You told us you weren't seeing anyone."
"No," I corrected with a frown. "I didn't respond, you all made up your own stories."
"You could have at least told us you were dating an NHL superstar."
"Why?" I frowned, reaching out to lace my fingers with Jacks. "I already had enough accusations coming my way, didn't need your opinions on my love life anymore than you already gave."
"I thought you liked blondes," she smirked, staring right at Jack. She's a blonde. She flips her hair in a way I'm assuming was supposed to be cute, but Jack only squeezed my hand.
"Sorry to disappoint," he shrugs.
"But you guys aren't like . . . Official?" She asks, still smirking, still plotting, still evil. This is like that one episode of Hannah Montana when Miley has an evil twin. "Are you?"
She's blinking up at Jack, and I immediately assume he's going to say no, so I try to beat him to it, but he cuts me off. "We are."
Katie's smile drops, she rolls her eyes, clicking her tongue, but I'm not sure why she's pissed, she didn't even know Jack would be here, let alone if he was taken or not. She was a fan, not a love interest, so why was she upset?
"Well, I'll see you love birds back out there," she says, her voice calculated and poised and far too sweet to be real niceness. She turns on her heels without waiting, heading back to the rest of the party of people in the main rooms.
Jack and I share a look, but follow her out a few moments later. I silently wonder what she was even doing coming into the lounge room in the first place, was she looking for something?
We're about to enter the kitchen, hearing commotion and voices and laughter, when Jack yanks on my wrist, pulling me back to his chest in the quiet of the hallway. I look up at him with wide eyes, my heart in my throat as I try to push down the feeling of anxiety for having to go back and mingle with family members I barely knew.
"Say the word, baby," he whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Say the word and I'll get you out of here. We can go anywhere you want, just us."
I gaze up at him with wonder, stars dancing in my eyes as I realise for the billionth time that I love him. I'm nodding without even realising it, only thinking of Jack and being alone with him and away from all of this. I don't care about the consequences or what my mother will think about the fact that Jack turned up and then we both disappeared together without a word.
I don't care that Katie will most likely tell everyone, and I don't care that I might piss a few people off. Right now, I deserve to be a little selfish. It's my birthday, and I choose to spend it with Jack.
"Yes," I whisper, allowing him to press a featherlight kiss to the tip of my nose and lead me back down the hall and out the front door, leaving behind the sound of laughter and my mothers voice calling my name.
Trevor and Quinn walk down the hall, noticing Jack and I sneaking out the door, giggling wildly, like two kids running and hiding from their parents. They share a look, a knowing look. Though Trevor feels a little cut that his best friend had actively ignored his request to leave his baby sister alone, he can't deny the smile on Miracle's face.
"He makes her happy," he noted, speaking to Quinn.
The eldest Hughes shrugged. "I think they make each other happy."
"They love each other don't they?" Trevor sighed.
"So much it makes me sick," Quinn admitted with a chuckle.
"Where on earth are Jack and Miracle?" Mrs Zegras asked, following Quinn and Trevor into the hall with a frown. "We're about to do cake."
"They left," Trevor said blankly, glaring at his mother. She looked shocked beyond belief, and Trevor rolled his eyes at the woman. "Mom, I love you, and I know you love Miracle and that's why you set this whole thing up, but she hates big crowds and being the centre of attention. She always has, and Jack's the only who who's ever noticed. I think they left so he could get her the hell out of here. It's her birthday, she deserves to do what she wants."
Mrs Zegras frowned. "She hates this stuff?"
"With a passion," Trevor chuckled. "But she's too damn good of a daughter and will never tell you that. She's been grilled all day by people she's barely had anything to do with growing up. My bet is that she saw Jack and immediately wanted to escape."
"You're a good brother, Trev," Mrs Zegras sighed, shaking her head at her own inability to see her daughter's disposition. She turned back to him with a smirk. "There's not dating are they?"
Trevor and Quinn cleared their throat, if neither had mentioned dating to Mrs Z, maybe they weren't ready to bring it up.
"Uh, don't think so," Trevor lied.
"Not that I know of," Quinn added for flare, watching. As Mrs Z walked back to the kitchen to announce her daughter's disappearance. Quinn smirked, nudging Z's
Shoulder. "What about you? Why didn't you help her if you knew she hated it?"
Trevor raised his eyebrows. "Have you met my mother? I'd rather not die."