magical → JAX NOVOA ✓

n i n e

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙀
—𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦—

𝙏𝙊 𝙎𝘼𝙔 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏 Bailey Dai was stunned in that very moment would be the understatement of the century. Jax Novoa was here, in front of her home, with his strong arms wrapped around her waist and his soft lips pressed against hers. It felt like the world and everything on it had stopped moving completely; or maybe it wasn't there at all. It was as if she and Jax were the only things in existence, and goodness, she didn't mind.

Bailey didn't care about all the things he had said to her that morning, nor the fact that what Daniel said about him could possibly be true. Her fingers were wound in his soft hair, all the while tugging him impossibly closer. She was on the tips of her toes, her head tilted so their lips could meet. There was a buzz in her veins that had never been there before, and it twirled its way into every part of her being. Perhaps this was what heaven felt like.

But like all other things, it had to come to an end.

As Jax pulls away for air, he places his forehead on Bailey's. "Emma isn't the one I want."

"What?" Her eyes open in an instant, and she's suddenly confused by his words. "But earlier—"

"I didn't say I was smart," he chuckles, bringing his hand up to stroke the smooth skin of her wet cheek. "I had to think things through . . . and when I did, I realized what I had been missing out on all along.

"Emma is great and all, but she isn't meant for me— I think I was scared to admit that to myself. But now that I'm here with you, everything is falling into place. You moving here isn't just a coincidence; I don't believe in stuff like that. You're here for a reason, and I'm not going to take you for granted again."

His voice was gentle and calm, which made the warm feeling blossom in Bailey's chest. She clung to it as he placed his lips on her forehead.

"And what about Emma?" She asks, hesitating slightly.

"She and Daniel have things to work on, but I think he's good for her." He was confident in his answer, he realizes. She was always supposed to be with Daniel, and all along he had missed the big picture.

But it had all been worth it.

"So you're a wizard?" Bailey raises an eyebrow, looking up into his chocolate eyes that dared her to get lost in them. "Was that a joke to get me out of the house?"

"Actually, it wasn't," he bites his lip with a grin. "Do you want to see a trick?"

"You're really a—?"

"Yes," he interrupts, "and I've been working on this for a while, just not for this particular memory. But hold on tight, because I'm not sure if it's going to work."

"Wait, Jax—"

And then they were at the school.

The sky outside was no longer dark, but was alight from the bright rays of the morning sun. With furrowed eyebrows, Bailey clutches onto Jax's chest, before glancing around the busy hallway. Jax, with the warmest smile she had ever seen, takes her chin, before tilting her head in the direction of a brown-haired girl.

Bailey gasps, looking to Jax. "Is that . . . ?" He nods in response, answering her question.

Staring down at a map in her hands, the girl walks down the hall towards them. She flips her map several times, seemingly confused. And suddenly she crashed into someone, gasping before dropping her bag and its contents to the floor. The brunette looks up to see what she had bumped into. It was Jax.

Watching her past self meet Jax for the first time made Bailey lay her head on his chest, sniffling as her tears begin flowing again.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry," the girl apologizes, removing the hair from her face. "I should've been watching where I was going. Gosh, I'm such a clutz!"

Jax chuckles, cutting off her ramble abruptly. His eyes find hers, and he gives her a dashing grin. "Don't worry about it, I know quite a few clumsy people."

"Your accent," she comments, bending down to collect her books. "It's cute."

"Cute?" He raises an eyebrow, laughing as he bends down to help her. "That's the first time I've heard that one. I'm Jax, by the way. Jax Novoa."

"Maddie mentioned you earlier," Bailey says, pulling her bag back onto her shoulder as he offers a hand to help her up. "Supposedly I'm the biggest thing that's happened here since you arrived."

As Bailey places her hand in his, she gasps lightly. Jax falters too, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion for a short moment, before pulling her to her feet and releasing the girl's hand.

"Yeah, I'm a pretty big deal around here," he remarks, leaning on the wall. "If you couldn't tell, anyway. I'm assuming you're Bailey— everyone has been talking about you all this week."

"Does news really travel that fast?" Bailey tilts her head, clutching the map in her hands. "I'm surprised, I was hoping to stick to the background once I got here."

"I'm not so sure that you'll want to," Jax says, giving her a genuine smile. "You'll make some friends here. And if not, you can always count on me to be here."

"Glad to know," the girl chimes, her cheeks tinging pink before she glances back to the map. "Chemistry is my next class . . . would you happen to have any idea where that is?"

"Well, it seems like we have chemistry together," Jax winks, holding up his schedule.

"Was that a pun?" Bailey giggles, placing a hand on her mouth. "I'm hoping that means you can show me the way."

"I'd love to walk you to class," he says softly.

Bailey and Jax lean against the wall, the Novoa boy watching closely as their past selves disappear down the hall. In a flash, they're back at Bailey's house— presses close together in her driveway.

"This is so crazy," Bailey wipes at her tears again, laughing lightheartedly. "Can you show me that again?"

Staring down into her eyes, he chuckles as he places his forehead on hers once again. "You and I . . . we've got plenty of time, Bailey Dai."

THE END

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❝ holy hell, am i the only one
crying?? gosh, thank you guys so
much for sticking with this short
story! also; did some of you guys catch
the little twilight reference?? i hope
you enjoyed reading this as much
as i did writing it. much love,
babes!! ❞