glitch | jack hughes (rewritten)

chapter 35

josephine lee 

Today is the big day. Today is the Frozen Four Championship game and it's safe to say I'm feeling a little nervous. Okay, very nervous but I'm doing my best to keep all of my feelings inside since I feel silly feeling this way when my feet won't be touching the ice. I got up extra early mainly because my jitters woke me up multiple times throughout the night but this time when I saw the alarm clock I decided to just get out of bed. 

I slip on some slippers that I brought with me to a house I rented for this specific event. I leave Jack in the unfamiliar bed and tiptoe to the kitchen where I can start making some breakfast. Eggs, Bacon, some breakfast potatoes, and Breakfast for Champions of course. I slip my earbuds into my ears listening to 'My Dearest Darling' by Etta James as I whisk together the ingredients for my special breakfast. 

As I pour some of the batter into the hot and buttered pan I feel two arms snake around my waist, making me jump out of my skin before I realize who they belong to. I yank my earphones out of my ear the music still playing through the wires as I turn around in Jack's arms. "You asshole, you scared me." I smack his bare chest. 

He chuckles at the way I jolted before kissing my temple and whispering, "Morning gorgeous." with another muffled giggle tumbling past his lips. I turn back around, settling into his chest as I flip the pancake and pause the music playing on my phone. "Those boys will pull through, quit worrying." He teases, finding it utterly amusing that I wholeheartedly care for this group of boys. 

How can I not though? They're like Theo times thirty. 

"Morning," another voice chimes in belonging to Jack's mom. I smile at her, offering her some of the fresh coffee I just made, setting down some creamer and sugar in front of her to give her the choice of either. She thanks me, putting her blonde hair behind her ears before taking a long sip of her hot coffee. "You guys nervous for today?" Ellen asks, raising her eyebrows. 

Jack pulls away from me with a laugh, pointing out to his Mom that I had trouble sleeping because of the game today. Ellen shakes her head in disapproval of Jack's teasing and reassures me that she is just as nervous. I glare at Jack as she says this to me which only makes him grin. 

A knock on the door saves him from my cold glare as he runs off to open the door to what is probably the Michigan hockey team. The last time I made these guys pancakes it was only a handful of them this time the whole team is here. They quietly trudge inside, a series of good mornings filling the room as they make their way to the kitchen. 

A few of the boys walk over to Ellen, giving her a side hug before turning their attention to me. "I'm fucking nervous. Jos, I'm shaking. I never shake." Luca tells me, pushing his hair out of his face as he expresses his fears of tonight's outcome to me. I pat his back with my free hand, flipping a pancake as I tell him that I'm in the same spot as him.

"Josie you're nervous? You can't be nervous, you're our rock." Ethan says, overhearing my conversation with Luca. I turn my head over my shoulder, making eye contact with the brown-haired boy as I grab another plate to put some food on. "No, she's just a rock star." Luke corrects him, making his way over to me. 

I take a step back from the pancakes and give him a proper hug, patting his back awkwardly since I'm not the greatest with physical touch. But I am trying to be better. "Win or lose, this is my last game as a Wolverine." Luke says to me, stealing a chocolate chip from my pancake-making station. 

His statement takes me by surprise even though he told me months ago when I was in Michigan that this was his plan all along. I smile at the thought of having Luke closer to Jack and me and handing him a plate stacked with breakfast. Once every boy in the house has their plate of food I take a seat by the island on standby in case any of them want more pancakes.