𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐣. 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝟐𝟗 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤

A month is a long time to not see or talk to someone and that's exactly how long it's been since I've seen Lottie. I can't be mad or upset about how long it's been since I did tell her to take as long as she needed. Quinn and Luke have talked to her every few days or so and I can always trust them to tell me how she's doing. I sometimes watch her videos just to see her smile and hear her voice. 

The night Luke and I landed in Michigan earlier last month, my mom gave me an earful because of everything that had happened. Although I explained everything to her, she was still upset at how I'd let the fan get close enough to me for the kiss to even happen, but she didn't forget to place equal blame on the fan for overstepping boundaries, especially since fans should know that I had a girlfriend.

Seeing as today was a fairly beautiful day, I opted to sit on the porch swing facing the lake. A slight breeze in the air brings me to take a nice deep breath, staring out into the lake. I've spent the last month of the summer break off of social media and spending it with my family. A lot of fans had a lot to say after everything that happened and it wasn't the best idea for my mental health. I just hope Charlotte is taking care of herself and not overworking herself.

A slight sway of the porch swing pulls my attention away from the view in front of me, letting me know that someone has taken the empty seat next to me. Looking next to me, I see my mom looking out to the lake. "You know, when you were a kid anytime I couldn't find you in the house, I'd always know I could find you here." A small smile makes its way to my face remembering all the times my mom would come out here and explain how she'd been looking for me everywhere. 

"Honey, you haven't heard from Charlotte yet?" Shaking my head no, my mom takes a deep breath, taking time to string together her next words. "Jack I know you care about her and you know I think she's a lovely young lady. If it's meant to be, you guys will work through this."

"I know and that's why I'm giving her space. There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for her. I just really hope I hear from her soon. No matter where she decides to go from here, I'll support her decision. I only want the best for her." A knot forms in my stomach at the thought of Lottie and what she might be thinking. My eyes stare out into the lake, trying not to pay too much mind to my thoughts.

"Jack, look at me." Turning to my mom, she's already looking at me. "Giving her space is probably one of the best things you can do for her. I know it's been hard not hearing from her, but I'm glad you've taken time to think and spend time with your brother. When the time comes, you'll both talk it out." A warm comforting smile from her causes a wave of calm to wash over me.

"Thanks, mom. I love you." Hugging her, I feel more than grateful for her words. Although I'm nervous to talk to Charlotte when the time comes, enough time has passed for us to talk about what's next for us. Pulling away from the hug, we both turn to look at the lake, my head lying on her shoulder.

~~

"Oh come on man I had that one." A frustrated Luke slams his controller down onto the couch, upset with how I'd managed to beat him again. "Better luck next time, Lukey." Laughing at Luke he decides to shut off the TV.

"I've been meaning to ask, how've you been?" After the conversation with my mom earlier, I've been feeling much better so I was honest with Luke, "I've been feeling better, mom talked to me earlier and that was a big help." Nodding his head at my response, he looks like he's debated his next words.

"Don't freak out or anything, but Em is coming soon, and uh... so is Char." His voice almost reaches a whisper when he mentions Lottie. He rubbed on the back of his neck, eyes not meeting mine. For a moment, I feel myself freeze. What? She's coming here?

"Emilie was going to come alone, but Mom grabbed my phone and insisted that Charlotte come along too, she said yes. I wanted to give you a heads up so it wouldn't be a surprise if she just shows up." I thank Luke for letting me know. Maybe this could be a chance for us to sit down and talk again since we've had a whole month apart.

"Boys, Quinn's flight should almost be landing so you guys need to start heading out to the airport." Getting up from our spots on the couch, Luke and I get ready to head out the door to pick up Quinn. It'll be good to have him back so the three of us can enjoy the off-season in the best way we know how to, enjoying long nights on the lake.

Edited: 12/31/24

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melissa speaks
Apologies for the short chapter, but this is just a filler. We had a nice little Jack and Ellen heart-to-heart, and soon we'll have Quinny back! Thank you so much for reading and for getting this story almost to 30k. Every time I see that number grow, it makes my day and it's all thanks to y'all.

have a great day or night wherever you are!

stay safe out there ♡