crossways: a jack hughes story

chapter 42

2 years later

graduation day. the day you've been waiting for is finally here.

as you hear your name get called and walk across the stage, accepting your diploma, you hear lots of clapping and hollering. you look out into the crowd and see a proud smiling jack looking at you.

once the ceremony is over, you walk out of the arena to find jack. once he finds you, he runs over and gives you a big hug.

"i'm so proud of you!" he gives you a kiss.

you cannot believe how fast the past two years have gone; all the studying you've done, staying up late to facetime jack after his games, taking weeknd trips to visit jack, and working on your internship, the last two years have really been the best of your life.

you snap out of your thinking when you hear jack talking to you.

"lets go grab some lunch okay?"

you go to a fancy restaurant for lunch with your parents, brother, grandparents, jack, luke, quinn, and their parents.

after lunch, you and jack head back to your apartment. you decided to rent an apartment with two other girls during your junior year, and it's been great; you love your roommates and the rent isn't too high (carly is still your best friend of course).

you see an envelope on the kitchen counter addressed to you. you open it and take out the letter.

"oh my god..."

"what is it?" jack asks.

you look at jack with a smile on your face. "it's my job application decision. my advisor helped me look for jobs now since i'm graduated."

"who's it from?"

you read the entire letter, searching for which NHL team has hired you. your dream job is to be a lawyer for a NHL team, and it's about to come true. 

"it's for...for the... NEW YORK RANGERS!" you start to jump up and down.

jack also starts jumping up and down and hugs you. "no way! i'm so proud of you!"

"this means you can move to new york and live with me!" jack screams.

"yes you're right!" jack starts to kiss you again.

"wait." you pull away from jack.

"what's wrong?"

"nothing, nothing. but did you just assume i would move in with you?"

"uhhhh" jack starts. "you don't wanna move in with me? i mean, we've been dating for more than 4 years and-"

"jack-im just kidding. of course i wanna move in with you."

4 months later

you moved in with jack in new york about a month ago and it's going great. you met with your boss and your other colleagues and you're super excited to start working with the rangers.

"hey." jack says.

"hey." you close the lid on your computer, done with answering emails for the day.

"wanna go out for dinner tonight? like a nicer dinner than usual? get all dressed up?"

"uh sure. what's the occasion though? it's not a birthday or an anniversary so"

"there's no special occasion, i just wanna go out to a nice dinner, that's all."

"okaaay." you say, a little suspicious.

you put the finishing touches on your makeup before heading out. you blow dried your hair out and put on a black corest top and jeans with little black heels. jack has a dress shirt and dress pants on.

"you look beautiful." he says and you blush.

the dinner goes amazing. the food is great, and you and jack have a great conversation about whatever's on your minds.

after dinner, you two decide to just walk around the city, watching the sun set over the buildings as the sky turns a shade of red and pink.

you and jack are hand in hand as you walk. jack stops walking and turns to look at you.

"what are you doing?"

"zoe..." jack starts and you think you know what's coming.

"the last four years have been the best years of my life. with you i mean, i would choose you over hockey any day, i wouldn't even hesitate. you are my person, the person who i love the most. i'm not the best at these speeches but i just want you to know how much i love you and how grateful i am that you are in my life. and i want to spend the rest of my life with you. i want to teach our kids how to skate and bring them to devils games and drive them to school and grow old together and retire and live in a beach house somewhere and-so what i'm really trying to say is..."

jack gets down on one knee and pulls a box out of his pocket.

"will you marry me?"

"yes"

you would of said more but you're in shock and can't believe this is really happening. jack hughes just asked you to marry him. your last name is now going to be hughes. the love of your life will be with you forever. tears start to form in your eyes as jack gets up and puts the ring on your ring finger. you finally look down and almost collapse at how gorgeous the ring is. it's more beautiful than you ever thought it would be.

"jack..i-i want to say so much but i'm just so overwhelmed with love right now and i'm crying and-."

"don't say anything right now. just kiss me and save your speech for our vows."

you laugh as jack kisses you.

"i love you so much, the future mrs. hughes."