all-stars (jack hughes)

fast forward(part 3)

December 30, 2022
ava is 19 and jack is 21

ava pov:
the sound of my phone ringing wakes me up. I turn over grab it from my nightstand and answer it. it's my dad.

"hey kiddo, watcha doin'?"

"sleeping"

"doesn't surprise me, anyway I'm at practice. are you coming to the game tonight?"

"I don't know, when is it?"

"7, but I'll come to pick u up at 4 so u can hang out and eat if u wanna come"

"alright I'll be ready at 4"

"I know you will, see you soon, love you"

"love you too"

and with that, I hang up. I go on safari and google "pens game" to see who there playing. I see the nj devils logo next to the pens logo on my screen.

Just like that, it all comes back. I look at the team roster and see jack Hughes. I take a look at his stats so far this season and he's doing amazing, even has a hat trick.

I wonder if he still follows me on Instagram.
I look and he does. I look through and see a photo of him and a girl hugging.

id be lying if I said it didn't make me a little upset. I know that's pathetic. it's from 7 months ago and there's no other sign of her.

I chose to ignore it and pretend it doesn't upset me and get ready. I put a little extra effort into my makeup knowing I might see jack.

at 3:50 my dad text me "here"

I'm wearing my dads' jersey from his rookie year, I would have been 2 at the time he wore it.

I run down from my room and climb up in the truck. and we're off to ppg paints.

my dad and I walk in the back entrance for the players and coaches but I've been here since I was a toddler so no one really cares.

a bunch of players is in the back room eating snacks. I say I'm gonna walk around but I'm just hoping to find jack. I'm walking down the hall with my head down on my phone when I hear "ava Crosby??" yelled out a few feet in front of me.

I look up and it's jack, stunned I respond with "hey!" he says back "hey sorry I don't know if you remember me im j-" I cut him off "I remember who you are jack" with a pause "jack Hughes" he smiles, he gets what I mean.

jack pov:
when I realized we were going to Pittsburgh I hoped I would see her. I was walking down the hall because I forgot my jersey in my car when I saw her. I didn't mean to but I just blurt out "ava Crosby?"

she looks up and I think to myself *shit shit shit*
"hey!" she said. I don't think she remembers me "hey sorry, I don't know if you remember me, I'm j- " she cuts me off with an "I remember you jack-" with a pause "jack hughes" all I can think is *she remembers me!?*

"so where ya headed?" I ask her "away from the pens, they were practicing, and there smelly" she laughs. "I'm going to my car to grab my jersey if you wanna come with me and get some fresh air or whatever," I say trying not to smile huge but I can't help it.

ava's pov:
*oh my god, he wants me to come with him AND he remembers me* I think to myself. attempting to stay calm I casually say "sure" walk next to him and follow him to his car. we make light conversation about what we have been up to and he never mentions a girlfriend, so I'm thinking they may not be together anymore.

when we get close to his car he says "I'm guessing that's a game-worn jersey?" he says "yep! from my dad's rookie year, they're not too hard for me to get ahold of" I laugh. "2005," he says "damn you got facts on my dad straight," I say "we'll be was one of my favorites growing up, and look at me now I'm playing against him and I'm friends with his daughter," he says with a smile.