Love To Hate You | 𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙷𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚎𝚜 ❈

Twenty Eight

We sat in the stands with popcorn and soda's, smiling and laughing as we did. We managed to score ourselves a pretty good spot too, right in the middle of the rink in the third row, not so close to the boards that we couldn't see the action but also not too far so I'd have to squint to find the puck.

Ellen, Luke and Quinn were all sitting in the stands, calling us over with bright smiles. Each of them wearing the Crestwood colours, except for Quinn who are a Canucks Hockey hoodie and sweats. Luke shuffled over so that I could sit beside him.

"Hey!" I smiled, taking a seat between both boys, Ellen to my right and Izzy and Stella to my left. I turned to Ellen, my smile becoming shy. "Hi, Mrs Hughes."

She glared at me playfully. "I've told you before, sweetheart, call me Ellen."

"Or Mom," Luke shrugged, stealing some of my popcorn. I slapped his hand away with a frown. He only grinned, slowly chewing my salty popcorn goodness.

"When did you get in?" I asked Quinn, looking up at the taller boy beside me. He was already looking in my direction, but, upon closer inspection I noticed he was looking past me, at Stella. She was looking at him too, her eyes wide and cheeks tinted pink.

"Twenty minutes ago," he sighed tiredly. "We won."

"I heard," I smirked, bumping his shoulder with my own.

"You girls excited for tonight?" He asked, directing his question at Stella. "Cheering on anyone in particular?"

And I knew exactly what he was really asking: do you have a boyfriend?

"Just here for a good time," Stella chirped, her voice an octave higher than usual. Izzy and I looked at her in confusion. I'm ninety percent positive she's spent the better half of her whole life obsessing over Ashton, but here she was, fan girling over the he eldest Hughes brother.

"Cute," Quinn smirked, turning to face the rink once again.

Stella blushed. Hard. Izzy turned to her, punching her arm playfully. "Dude," she whined, furrowing her brows. "Ashton?"

"Who the hell is Ashton?" Stella teased, a part of me thinking she wasn't quite kidding. "Quinn Hughes just called me cute, I'm done for."

Quinn silently chewed on his lip, not wanting to acknowledge the two girls whispering right beside him,  that he could easily hear, but also not being able to hold back the light blush speckles across his cheeks.

"And what about you, Lyla?" Luke asked, tossing an arm casually around my shoulders. "Finally admitting your feelings for my brother?"

I realised pretty quickly he was talking about my pretty obvious outfit choice, and I sunk a little in my seat, catching Ellen staring at me with bright eyes.

"Uh, actually," I coughed awkwardly, straightening up and turning to the blonde woman. "Ellen, uh, I mean, Mom, I mean no, sorry, Mrs Jones—"

"Lyla," Ellen laughed, cutting me off and saving me from myself. "I wasn't born yesterday, sweetheart, I can see a mile away how you and Jack feel for each other."

"Really?" I asked in horror.

She laughed. "I'm surprised it took this long for you guys to admit it."

"Uh—"

"My sons been talking about you non stop since the second me met you I can't believe he didn't admit his feelings earlier."

I smiled, thinking about how Jack and I truly met nearly two years ago. Has he really been talking about me since then? Jack skated onto the rink then for warm up, the rest of the team behind him in their home jerseys which were deep red, a colour I found I liked on him.