"Are you dressed yet?" I asked, dusting off the last of my baking powder.
"Just about." Jack said, stepping out of the hotel bathroom with his blue pants with subtle pink lines, a white button up, and a tie that complimented his suit nicely.
"You look good, baby." I smiled, gawking at him.
"So do you mama." He said, bending down to kiss the top of my head as I was sitting on the floor.
"You excited?" I asked him.
"Nervous a bit, actually." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"You have nothing to be nervous about." I told him as I cleaned up my makeup.
"It's just like, this is the start of my life. After today I'm not a kid anymore, I'll have a full time adult job. Living on my own, away from my friends, my family, you." He said, pushing his hair off his forehead. "Kinda makes me nauseous."
"Listen," I got up and placed myself on his lap. "Wherever you end up, we're all going to support you. I'm going to be with you all summer long, wherever you have to go make sure you get two tickets because I'm right there. Even next year, we're gonna come visit all the time. I'll be here more than the guys because they're gonna be playing but, we're not going anywhere. Don't fear the future because it's unknown, look forward to the mystery."
Jack smiled a little before kissing me and resting his forehead on mine while he took a deep breath.
"Thank you for being here." He said.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." I told him, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
I placed one last kiss on his temple before I stood up to get changed. I brought my baby blue dress with me and some nude heels.
"Can you zip me up?" I asked Jack.
He walked over and placed two sweet kisses on my shoulder before zipping my dress for me.
"You take my breath away." He told me when I turned to face him.
The sweet silence was interrupted by the obnoxious knocks on the door that I knew could only be Trevor and Cole.
"It's open!" Jack called out with a smile.
"What's good homies?" Trevor asked walking in all dressed up.
"Oh stop it, I'm gonna cry." I said, covering my mouth. "All three of you stand together."
"Peyton you sound like my mom." Cole said.
"Shut up and get together." I said.
"Damn, now she sounds like mine." Jack said, putting his jacket on.
I took pictures of the boys in the room before we realized we told everyone we'd meet them on the water for pictures and it was time to go. The four of us made our way down to the lobby and got an uber to the water front by Rodgers Arena.
"There they are." Ellen said when she saw us.
"Sorry we're late." I kissed her cheek.
"No, you're not." Jim smiled.
"You look beautiful." Quinn hugged me.
"You sure you want that Hughes brother?" Luke teased as I ruffled his hair.
"That's the one thing I'm absolutely positive about. Sorry buddy." I smiled, looking at Jack in complete adoration.
"Let's get the boys together come on!" The mom's gushed and the boys all lined up, including myself to take pictures.
"Get in there." Paul Caufield told me.
I shuffled over as the boys cheered and stood in the middle of the group between Alex and Jack, Trevor directly behind me and Cole beside him.
"You look great P." Trevor kissed my head.
"Thanks bub." I said before looking at the million phones in our faces.
The boys decided to pick me up for a few pictures and do some silly things before everyone started taking their own photos. I grabbed Jack first fo course and took our usual photos before I got some with the rest of the boys, making sure to send one of me and Alex to Marley.
"Your girlfriend misses you." I told him.
"I miss her too." Alex smiled.
The guys and I messed around for a while before we had to head inside and get checked in and everything. Once we found our seats we made small talk for a while before the opening speeches began. As soon as the screens showed the New Jersey Devils logo I felt Jack tighten his grip on my hand.
"I'm right here." I smiled, rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb. "I love you, and I'm proud of you."
"I love you, too." He smiled, kissing me quickly as Martin Brodeur stepped up to the mic.
"With the first pick overall the New Jersey Devils are proud to select, from the U.S. Program, Jack Hughes." Martin said and I swear I felt like I was flying.
At the sound of his name, the family flew to their feet. Jack wrapped his arms around me and picked me up kissing me passionately as I was put down.
"I knew you could do it! I knew you'd be first!" She said, squirming in my arms, making me smile. "Looks like now we have the same favorite hockey team."
"Dork." Jack smiled, kissing me again before hugging the rest of his family and heading down.
Watching him walk down to the stage and shake everyone's hand, as a jersey was placed in my arms my eyes filled with tears. Jack pulled it over his head and it felt like a dream as he tugged that hat on his head. He looked up to us before he took pictures so I blew him a kiss with a smile and he mouthed back an 'I love you' before taking a few photos and exiting the stage. Unbelievable. I felt like I was sleep walking through a perfect world. This was so completely breathtaking, this entire experience. I just watched my boyfriend go first overall. Seeing Jack pull that jersey over his head is a dream come true for him and his family, and the fact that I got to see it first hand, that's a dream come true for me. When the draft ended for that evening and everything had calmed down we followed a large crowd of people to a room filled with press as we all searched for Jack.
"I see him." I said to the Hughes' as I spotted him speaking to a reporter in the back corner of the room.
Jim and Ellen got grabbed by Trevor's parents and Quinn and Luke were off bonding with some of the boys from the team, but I held my path to Jack, bumping into two very familiar faces on the way.
"Hey!" I gushed, wrapping my arms around Trevor and Alex. "Congratulations you guys! I'm so proud of you!"
"Thank you!" Trevor hugged me tight, repping his Anaheim Jersey.
"Can you believe that the next time we're all in a room together at the same time might be you and Jack's wedding?" Alex chuckled, shining in the L.A. Kings black and silver as he hugged me and I smacked him.
"Shut up, we still have all summer! Don't make me cry!" I said.
"I was kidding, I'm sorry." Alex rubbed my head.
"Where's Cole?" I asked, looking around.
"Abby is here so they're probably making out." Trevor said.
"Classy. Well, if you run into them tell them I want to see them." I smiled.
"We'll see you back on the water for pictures in 20." Alex kissed my head before walking off.
"You're really good for him." Trevor said. "I've never seen him this happy."
"Thank you." I smiled, hugging him again before congratulating him one last time and excusing myself.
Jack managed to slip away from the cameras and came over to me, giving me a big kiss and a hug.
"What a perfect day." He smiled, kissing me again. "I love you so much, thank you for coming."
"I love you more, come on let's go find your parents." I took his hand and lead him out to the water again where everybody had gathered for more photos in their Jersey's and all the parents cried.
"Abby!" I gushed, hugging her. "You look beautiful!"
"You too! I missed you." She smiled.
"Can you believe this?" I asked.
"It's insane." She smiled. "I always knew they'd do it though."
"Can you believe that you two are dating the two hottest prospects of this years entry draft?" Cole appeared, draping his arm over my shoulder.
"Abby's not dating Trevor." I teased before wrapping my arms around Cole.
"That hurt, not gonna lie." He laughed.
"Congratulations buddy, I'm proud of you." I said.
"Thanks Peyton." He smiled.
"So, we wanna go to this karaoke place and have some fun, what do you say?" Jack asked.
"I'm down." Abby smiled.
"Me too." I grinned.
Cole and Abby walked off ahead of us and Jack took my hand, kissing the back.
"You're gonna do great things babe." I told him. "Im so happy I get to watch you start this next chapter of your life and be apart of it."
"There's no one else I'd rather have by my side." He stopped walking and took both of my hands. "Here comes forever, Hurricane."
"Let's get rowdy." I smiled before he kissed me.
"You two coming?" Beecher yelled.
peytoncane
congratulations my love, no one deserves this more than you. i love you 3000.
Tagged: jackhughes_
5.8k likes | 623 comments
trevorzegras: Brb while I cry
_alexturcotte: Big things coming!
marleyjones: was he looking at you when this was taken?? omg
↳quinnhughes: Can confirm this is infact the Peyton smile.
↳jamiemitchell: bye. im sobbing.
usntdphockey: Congratulations Jack!
bcane_puck: Bruh I beat the first overall in pond hockey... I'm a god
liamcane56: I'm about to go 0 overall if Jack went first
colecaufield: I'll still dust you.
jackhughes_: I love you more