𝙰𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝙱𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚈𝚘𝚞

03

𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚢𝚎𝚝...
𝙴𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

~𝓟𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰~
𝓑𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼
𝓛𝓮𝔀𝓲𝓼 𝓒𝓪𝓹𝓪𝓵𝓭𝓲

𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟷𝟼𝚝𝚑 , 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟼

𝟿:𝟶𝟹 𝚊𝚖

Even Im shocked, I woke easily this morning. Alarm went off and I stood up, on the first alarm.. jacks gonna laugh when I tell him that.
He also hates waking up, it's something we hate together, I also recently found out he hates not wearing socks as much as I do. I mean 7 years of being friends you would think I knew that already. Somehow, I convinced Sterling to come to my game today, instead of going to the mall with her boyfriend. She is even braiding my hair for me, two Dutch braids I decided.
Then I got changed in our navy blue uniform and my blue cleats.
It's sadly my final game of the soccer season, as it comes to an end and our teams didn't make it to the championships.
But the whole Hughes family is still coming.
The writing on my cleats has faded, so I decided to re do it.
"Dad! I need a sharp...ie. what's happening" I speak cautiously, when I see dad on the couch looking stressed and not happy but not.. sad? Sterling looks worried for him sitting on the couch.
"Come sit honey" he says. I sit right next to Sterling as she holds my hand awaiting an answer.
"so.. I got a promotion, to director of player development"
that's... Jim's job? Is he getting, fired?
I need him to finish, of course im happy but something about this is off, he doesn't seem happy he got a promotion.
"But, for the Red Wings" he sighs.
Sterlings jaw dropped, I stayed the same.
I'm afraid to move, why can't I move.
"What do you mean.. that's in Michigan,We're moving to Michigan?" I ask urgently.
"I'm sorry honey, but you can come visit toronto anytime I prom-"
"No, don't promise!" I shout standing up, with tears running down my face. I sprint up the stairs dropping my cleats on the way. I get to my room,shutting the door and sliding my back down the door while I let myself cry.
How can I say goodbye.
I know I won't be able to come back, no matter how hard I try.
After a few minutes I manage to calm down and prepare for my final game.
When I get down the stairs, dad and Sterling are standing at the front door looking worried, about me.

"Stella-" Sterling starts.
"Who knows" I interrupt looking at dad.
"Just Ellen and Jim" he responds while passing me my sharpie.
"Don't tell any of the boys, I will after the game." I say before heading out to the car, cleats and sharpie in hand.

I sit in the back seat and hold the sharpie cap in my mouth while I write.
"Play 4 Dan"
on the heel of one cleat.
"JS"
On the heel of the other.
I do the same thing for my skates, so does he. Even "play for Dan". Our whole hockey team does it, anything for our coach, and my dad.

𝟷𝟶:𝟺𝟾𝚊𝚖

The game is about to start and I'm nervous, I'm only ever nervous for the first game of the season, because it sets the tone for the rest of the games.
As Jack sits in the same spot on the bleachers he always does, it makes me upset. That I'm never going to get to see that again. His cheers and god awful signs he holds up when I score.
This sucks.
I completely zoned out Ashley next to me.
"Stella, you here?" She says waving her hand in-front of my face.
I zone back in and realize he's not there yet and it's just Quinn saving their seats, probably while Jack goes and buys a slushy and popcorn.
"Sorry ash, what's up" I say.
"What's up with you? You seem nervous"
"You can't tell anyone" I turn to her, she holds up her pinky and I cross mine with her.
"I'm moving, to Michigan" her mouth drops.
"I know" I groan.
She gives me some advice of not thinking about it right now and too just play. Which I follow.

We ended up winning the game 7-2, I got a hat trick. Sure is one way to exit. I hug my teammates tightly as it's the last time I'm going to see them, probably ever.
When I reach my family and the Hughes family, they're all filled with smiles.
Jack even got me a slushy.
"Thanks J" I smile as I take a sip of it.
"So, what are we doing today. Movies?" He asks, slinging his arm loosely around my shoulders.
"Yes!" I cheer.
I hate that I'm going to have to tell him, it's gonna hurt more then finding out myself.

𝟺:𝟸𝟼𝚙𝚖

I went home and showered, had some chipotle we got on the way home and dad told me we were leaving in 2 days, something about pre season.
Then I changed out of my soccer uniform and into an old hoodie, a maple leafs hoodie that is so worn out the letters are peeling off of it and are extremely faded. The drawstrings are frayed and almost gone through the hood. Then I Paired it with black shorts, throwing on some blue ankle socks with my Birkenstocks and off I went. My wavy brown hair flowing over my shoulders.
I knock on the door and it's setting that I'm saying goodbye soon.
After knocking, I let myself in which is something we do at both houses.
"Hello" I call out with a choke in my voice, earning immediate attention from the three boys on the couch. Jack flew from his seat jogging to me.
"Stels, what's wrong" he asked.
"Come sit"
I'm now sitting on the stool infront of them, Jack insisted on sitting next to me, with his hand holding the top of mine.
"Stella what's wrong" Luke says worryingly.
"I.. Uhm" I choke. Tears starting to spill out.
"My dad, got a promotion"
They all look confused when I said that, all probably thinking "she's insane for crying over her dad getting a promotion".
"Why is that bad" Jack says quietly, drawing circles with his thumb on the side of my hand.
"For the.. red wings. In Michigan" I cry. My head leaning down so I stare at my other hand.
I feel jacks hand loosen from mine as he gets up and walks away, out the back door. There was a small thud from what sounded like him kicking a lawn chair over. I look up at the other two, Luke looked upset and went to go check on Jack, giving me a hug in his way by. Quinn came and sat next to me where Jack once was, letting me cry into his shoulder.
"I'm sorry" I sniffle.
"This isn't your fault Stella" he assures me.
Luke came back inside, telling me I should go talk to him.
I waited a few more minutes just sitting there with Quinn thinking about the past 7 years.
I've gotten so close to this family, so has my dad, even Sterling has. Luke is my little brother, we've definitely gotten into trouble together.. a lot..
And Quinn is the older brother I never had, I remember when I had my first boyfriend, he broke up with me and Quinn comforted me while I cried all night.
And Jack, well.. I would be lying if I said I didn't like him more than a friend, than a best friend.
The way he looks at me and I look back, we're like magnets.
But I can't take that risk, it would only hurt us, because not all friendships work as relationships and what if that's us, he will always be the first person I've ever loved in my eyes, but leaving will only make it hurt more that I will probably never get to be his.

Minutes went by and I saw Ellen and Jim pull in the driveway, so I decided to go talk to him. I stepped outside to be faced with Jack sitting with his feet dipped in the pool, hoof up and his head is in his hands. I ever so quietly, calmly and peacefully sit next to him. Carefully placing my feet in the water, putting my hood down.
"Jack" I whisper.
He sniffles looking at me.
"Don't forget me" he says quietly, absolutely breaking me. I pull him into a tight hug that I never want to let go of.
"I could never forget you" I reply.
This moment I never want to leave, or look back at. I never want to let go of him when he's like h this or at all, but I don't want to think about it ever again because seeing him breaking because of me, it hurts.
We stayed like that for a bit, then Quinn came out.
"We're starting a movie, if you guys want to join" he half smiles, I pull away from Jack and nod my head while wiping my eyes.
He goes back in and I see Jack stopped crying.
"Will you stay here tonight" he asks quietly.
I nod my head and smile, finally seeing him smile.
We get up and I grab a blanket from the tv stand, the same one me and Jack shared the day they moved in, although back then we didn't have to sit directly next to each other to share it.
Now we do, if I want any blanket. He's a hog.

The night ended with us watching all mighty ducks movies, Sterling came and watched too.
All 5 of us fell asleep on the couch and stayed the night.