In Every Universe | Quinn Hughes

17 | Lily

BOTH MY ARMS ARE ABOVE MY HEAD AS I SWAY MY HIPS in time with the music. I hadn't planned on coming to a house party over at Michigan State, but here I was. I'm past the point of tipsy, now onto my sixth punch, which they call Mystery Juice and now I saw why. I was close to the point of falling over.

Someone grabs my elbow, and I whip around to come face to face with Jack Hughes, his eyebrows settled in a frown and his lips turned down slightly in a pout.

I can't help it, but in my drunken state, I giggle. Jack's eyebrows pull together further, and I can't stop myself from reaching out to poke his cheeks playfully.

"The cutest pouty baby," I coo, scrunching my nose.

He tries to ignore the way my words have him blushing, and instead he yanks me further away from the party. When he's got me in a quiet corner, and I'm convinced he's going to try hook up with me, I brace myself.

Bringing my red cup to my lips, I try to down more of my drink, but Jack is more sober than I am, and he snatches the cup from my hands, scowling at me as he places it out of my reach.

"Jack!" I whine, reaching out for grabby hands to reclaim my drink as I try and get past him. He wraps one arm around my waist, pulling me back to the place I previously was, facing him. He gives me a glare, and I sigh with defeat. "You're boring."

"And you are drunk," he adds with a single raised eyebrow.

I narrow my eyes. "So, what? I'm not allowed to get drunk?"

"You can get drunk all you like, Lily," he sighs, grabbing my chin between his forefinger and thumb, like he's trying to assess me for anything out of place, but all it does it make my heart race. Damn these Hughes boys. "But not here, this party is full of assholes, how did you even know about it?"

I give him a playfully smirk, wrapping both arms around his neck, toying with the ends of his hair. "Are you mad at me, Jack?"

"No," he sighs, glaring at me dryly as I continue to run my fingers in his hair. "I'm worried about you."

"That's a shame," I pout at him, my lashes fluttering as I blink up at him with doe eyes. "I was hoping you'd punish me."

"Jesus, Lily," he breathes, trying to remove my arms from around his neck. He holds my hands in his, pulling me closer to him. "What are you doing here, baby doll?"

My heart flutters, and maybe a bit lowers throbs just a little bit with his pet name. Drunk Lily really was a menace.

"Does Quinn know you're here?"

And just like that the reason I'd come here in the first place is back, clear as day. I'd jumped at the opportunity to go to this party with the girls because I wanted to escape thoughts of Quinn, desperately. Every time I close my eyes all I can picture is the way Quinn makes me feel, and not just in bed.

I'd unintentionally gone and caught feelings for him, and now I had no idea how to get rid of them, which was a problem, because he was planning on leaving.

I roll my eyes, yanking my hands from his hold. "Why the hell would Quinn know?"

"Uh, I don't know I just thought—" Jack cleared his throat, scratching his cheek. "I thought you guys were like. . . You know. . ."

"Well, we're not," I snap, frowning, and crossing my arms over my chest. "I came here to escape him."

Jack raised a single eyebrow once again. "Okay?"

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, let it out again, and when I peel my eyes open, Jack has his head tilted slightly to the left, his eyes focused on me and a pout on his lips that hasn't let up since he first spotted me. I frown. "Why are you looking at me like that?"