Puck The Halls | Jack Hughes

SEVENTEEN

MIRACLE
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WORK IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL RESERVED JUST FOR ME. I'm sure of it, especially when it's three in the afternoon and we've had hardly a soul come through the place all day. I've been sitting at the counter, my feet on the bench, my headphones in my ears, playing—dare I say it—love songs, and my fingers tapping my knees for the past hour. At some point during my shift I'd raided the shelves for food going out of date and started eating near-stale lollies from the bag, and I was starting to feel sick.

The clock was moving painstakingly slow, and I'm pretty sure that time is at a full stand still at this point. My shift ends in two hours, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get through the last one hundred and twenty minutes of it and stay sane.

The door opens to the car park, a boy walking in with bright blue eyes and a massive grin, causing me to stand up as quick as humanly possible, my cheeks blushing and immediate red as Jack walks right up to me, mischief glimmering in his eyes, as usual.

"Jack," I breathe, my eyes feel like they're huge, looking up at him like he's my entire world, and maybe he is.

Jack had been different since the other morning, he'd been sweet, attentive, romantic. I didn't know what the hell happened. He hasn't tried to get between my legs again, but I can tell it's killing him, that he wants to more than anything, but maybe he's afraid of hurting me, or scared I'll take it the wrong way.

"Babe," he grins, standing right in front of me, his lip between his teeth. He pulls out something from behind his back. Two dozen roses. Red roses.

My eyes go wide. "What's the occasion?"

He shrugs. "Nothing, just felt like spoiling my girl."

Now, I'm glaring at him suspiciously. Jack had never been the spoil your girl type, but maybe he would be for me? Something told me teasing and playfulness was more his speed than showering his girl in gifts.

"What do you want?" I ask, squinting at him.

He chuckles awkwardly, and I immediately know I'm onto him. He does want something. "Can I not just buy my baby roses?"

"Not when I'm not your baby," I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest.

He frowns at me.

"You haven't even kissed me yet, Hughes," I retort. "So no, I'm not your girl."

"I've made you come twice, pretty girl," he drawls. "And I didn't even have to fuck you to do it."

Blushing, I try to act nonchalant. "Doesn't make me yours, Hughes." Then, I'm strutting around the counter, on purpose, of course, my lips grazing his jaw as I lean up to whisper to him. "Just means you know how to fuck me right."

Jack looks like he's undressing me in his mind. "I've been pretty good at staying away from you, Miracle," he murmurs. "But be careful sweetheart, because I will fuck you on the counter right now."

I hum, but it comes out as more of a whine, at the thought. "Yes please."

He groans. "Don't be a tease."

"I'll tease you all I want," I whisper, trailing my fingers up the length of his thigh over his jeans, brushing over him and earning myself a choked moan. "Why did you bring me roses, Rowdy?"

Sighing, he glares at me. "Fine, I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend at my cousins wedding."

"What?" I snap, eyes wide. I let out a tiny laugh, half thinking he's joking, but then he continues to just stare at me, hopeful and awkward, and I realise he might be serious. My face drops. "Wait are you being serious?"

"Yes," he sighs, wincing. "Please?"

"What the hell?" I whine, shaking my head. "Why? Your whole family will be there, not to mention Ellen, Quinn, Luke, all people who know that I'm not your girlfriend."

"Well, you see, the thing is—heh," he scratches his cheek. "I kind of told my whole family that I had a girlfriend, just to get them off my case for being a playboy or whatever the hell they think I am, and now they want to meet her."

"So, just tell the truth?"

"And have my entire family think I lied to them?"

"Okay," I sigh, rubbing my temples. "Tell them you broke up?"

"No can do, sweet little Miracle," he grimaces. "I definitely maybe accidentally told them you'd be there?"

"Me?" I cried, loud and horrified. "You told them your girlfriend was me?"

Jack threw his hands in the air. "I panicked! They were asking for a name and you were the first name that came to my head and the next thing I know they've found you on Instagram and Mom's telling them stories of our childhood and they're all planning the wedding."

"Jack, what the fuck?" I whine, furrowing my eyebrows.

"I know," he sighs. "I'm sorry, I know it's not ideal. Just, please, Miracle, for me."

I glared at him, unconvinced.

"It's one night. We go to the wedding, play the perfect boyfriend-girlfriend part, dance a little, eat a lot, have some shots, I'll kiss your cheek and tell you I love you and that'll be it, we sleep in seperate rooms and never have to mention it again!"

"And after the wedding?" I groan, still annoyed. "What happens then? What if they expect me to be at family holidays and birthdays and other events?"

"We'll stage a breakup, just, please Miracle, I can't have them think I'm some bachelor who's just out here putting his dick in every puck bunny who falls in my lap."

"You're not?" I tease, he glares at me.

"I'll buy you a dress, heels, get your hair done, the whole shebang! Miracle I'm begging you."

I squint, contemplating.

"Where's the wedding?" I ask.

"The city."

I hum. "What's the theme?"

"Black tie."

"Will you wear a tux?"

Jack rolls his eyes. "If it'll convince you to come."

"It might," I ponder. "Free food?"

"And open bar, come on baby, please?"

"Will you fuck me?" I ask, fully surprising him. His eyebrows raise slightly, his gaze taking me in, puzzling me out, trying to decipher if I'm serious or not.

He realises I am, and smirks, taking a step towards me, brushing my hair over my shoulder and lowering his lips to meet my ear.

"I'll kiss you," he whispers, and suddenly his lips are on my neck, his breath warm and his lips ghosting my skin, leaving goosebumps everywhere he touches. My eyes flutter closed as I lean into his chest, hands gripping at the neck of his sweater. His tongue trails up the line of my jaw, lips leaving feather like kisses on the skin of my neck. "I'll kiss you so hard you really will want to be my girlfriend."

I almost blurt out that I already do, but I bite my tongue.

"And the best part," he breathes. "You get to escape Christmas."

He had me there. I sigh, pushing him back and away from my skin. "Fine, you've convinced me. I'll do it."

Jack's eyes light up, his face beaming as a smile takes over his lips. "Oh my god, yes, thank you so much, you are seriously the best!"

"Yeah," I mumble, rolling my eyes. "Sure."

"You won't regret this, I promise, I'll make it fun."

"I know," I whisper, offering him a tiny smile. He punches the air in excitement, happily skipping back to the door to leave without much more to say, finally leaving me to finish my shift in peace. I smile at him, shaking my head. "Oh, and Jack. Pretty sure you'll be the one wanting to be my boyfriend after we've kissed."

He laughs, blissful and sweet. "I've wanted that for years, Miracle."