*fun tip: listen to stranger by jay hayden while reading this
**awfully long chapter ahead !

" 𝕲o on", June urges Luke when he looks back for the millionth time.

He whips his head around, glaring at her to shut up and not look so obvious with the way she's trying to hold in her cackle.

"I'm just fine right here, thank you very much", he grumbles downing his very, very alcoholic drink that she's sure, were it not for the dive bar being rented out for the night by the Devils, he would've had a lot of problems acquiring.

She toys with the straw of her mocktail — having chosen not to get drunk tonight because she knew no matter what Luke said before, at the end of the night she would be the one dragging him home — and glances at the brunette her best friend had been eyeing for the past twenty minutes.

She bites the straw narrowing her eyes as she continues to stare at the girl, her mind immediately ringing out an alarm of approval because damn is she gorgeous.

"I'll go talk to her then".

"Jun—".

June hits his foot with the heel of her shoe and confidently saunters over to the girl who is now busy typing in her phone.

"Hi", she smiles placing her hands flat on the table before her.

The girl looks up, a tiny smile forming on her lips, "Hi?".

"I'm going to be really direct with you here, my friend over there", she throws her thumb over her shoulder, "has been dying for the past half hour because he's too adorable to come up here and talk to you. So, if you could . . . .", she shrugs.

The girl immediately leans to the side to catch sight of Luke, her eyebrows shooting up in amusement.

"Luke Hughes?".

"I see you have taste. Yes, that's him".

She laughs as she stands up, swinging her purse over her shoulder.

"I mean if you insist", she grins, a wide smile slowly taking over June's face watching her walk up to where Luke's sitting and instantly slide up on the chair beside him, striking up a conversation.

Feeling triumphant, June plops down on one of the chairs surrounding the now empty table.

She looks around, the space is filled with NHL players wandering about with their various friends and acquaintances accompanying them to this one last party before they all head out for summer.

Honestly, she didn't really want to leave Luke's side tonight. It's nothing besides the fact that she wanted to not be left virtually alone with people she doesn't exactly know that well.

Sure, Jack arrived with them too but she's only seen him lounging around in the corners laughing with his teammates and . . . . she didn't want to disturb him because she knows it'll be some time before they see each other again.

Also, she kind of expected to spend the entire night bullying Luke but she's happy she could be useful enough to send a pretty girl his way.

Her eyes snag on to Nico's perfectly sculptured arm as he goes to pass by and a smile spreads over her face.

"Nico! You look so pretty", she grabs his arm holding him in place, taking in his all black outfit with his perfect, perfect hair styled back.

He laughs leaning down to bring her in for a side hug — he smells just like fresh dew in the best way possible — "Are you drunk, June?", he whispers conspiratorially into her ear.

She snorts swatting at his arm when he stands back smiling down at her.

"Can I not appreciate how pretty you are without alcohol?".

"You did say a lot of things last time you got drunk so . . . ", he scrunches up his face, the memory coming back to them both.

Last she'd gotten drunk around him had been at this after game party last year and she very vaguely remembers pinching his cheeks and calling him "babygirl".

June coughs to hide her embarrassment, "I'm not drunk".

He raises a brow, "Okay. Do you need something then? Any drinks, or food . . . .?".

She smiles, "No, I'm fine. Thanks".

"I'll be there, if you need me", he gestures to a point behind her head and squeezes her shoulder in an affectionate way before walking away, leaving her to once again sit there with her thoughts.

She wonders where Jack is. He hasn't popped up in her line of sight since ten whole minutes and there's a bit of a sinking feeling accumulating inside her.

No. It's fine. He won't leave without her and Luke so he's definitely not up to something that would . . . .

No. It's fine.

She clears her throat and takes her phone out of her purse, thumbing through her notifications as a distraction.

A message reading 'text me before you go to bed, have fun!' from her mom waits for her, she rolls her eyes going to her chat to reply with a thumbs-up emoji.

Another message from Emma reads 'chels says she wants to have a movie night before we all head off for summer, devon will be there too. u in?' and that sort of makes her smile.

She and Devon have been texting a bit irregularly since they went out on that date and it feels more like a friendship than anything else and she's sure she isn't the only who feels that way.

It would be nice to hang out with him again.

She quickly types up a short 'would love to, gn in case i get home late ily <3' and as she hits send, a figure appears in her periphery, dragging a chair close to her.

She looks up just in time to see him settling down, an amused smile on his face as his eyes roam all over her face under the dimly lit room.

Her face may show surprise but her body reacts the same way it always does when he's around, a grand parade of butterflies flow through her as an involuntary smile inches up her lips.

"Luke abandoned you?", he leans forward raking through his hair.

She laughs.

"No, I sent that girl there. He was ogling so bad I couldn't handle it anymore".

Jack hums momentarily glancing over her shoulder at his brother before returning his gaze back to hers.

"I love how you're literally the only reason he ever gets girlfriends".

"Hey, now. I am pretty flattered but don't discount his beauty this way".

He chuckles frowning a little when he realises that not only had she been sitting alone, she also doesn't have a drink with her.

"You're not drinking anything?".

June sighs, "I was but I left my drink back there and then got too lazy to go get it. It's fine, don't wanna go to the bathroom too many times".

He hums again, soft gaze settling on her as the music changes. A familiar beat sounds through the room, June's eyes instantly lighting up at the song choice.

"Stranger", a smile spreads over her lips.

Jack laughs quietly, "What?".

"The song".

"You like it?".

"I love it".

He feels himself smile, clocking in her reaction with her feet lightly tapping against the floor and lips pursing as she tries to contain the smile that's forcing its way through her defences.

Jack's smile is a direct result of June's grin and June's grin is ever spreading because of the way he's looking at her, combined with the song playing in the background.

"I'm too drunk to not fall in love, too drunk to not make mistakes . . .", she laughs watching him huff in delight.

Their feet tap in synchronicity to the beat of the song, eyes captured by the glinting light in the other's.

It's a bit intoxicating and June doesn't mind relishing in it.

Even when she feels herself be surprised by their proximity — both seem to have moved closer together as the song progresses.

Her gaze runs back and forth between his and he breaks contact first, glancing down at her lips.

He blinks as he swallows, June's stomach constricting at the look in his eyes.

It's just them, right now with everyone else fading back. No one but them and the music, her and Jack and Jack's stare back on her eyes silently pleading for permission.

"June", he breathes her name out like a secret.

"Yeah?", she hears herself ask, ready to take an oath for him.

He blinks again and with a slight shake of his head gently touches the back of her hand, the butterfly parade skyrocketing at the contact.

He inhales sharply, "Can I kiss you?".

She feels at a loss for words. Suddenly she's a puddle of unthinkable emotions, no way to express what she's feeling and what she wants.

He studies her, the music pulsing around them.

"Bug?", he asks softly when she doesn't reply.

Her mouth parts, her heart beating loudly against the bars of its cage begging to be heard.

"Yes".

At first she thinks he hasn't heard her because he continues staring albeit in disbelief but staring nonetheless and so she starts contemplating if she heard him wrong.

But how could she make such a mistake when she's not even drunk?

Oh, June.

He breathes out loudly, seemingly snapping from his daze and brings his hand up to her jaw, fingers softly treading over her cheek.

Her eyes widen and before she can even comprehend that something is happening, Jack's lips are on hers.

She stays shocked but her parted lips allow him to taste her mouth, the minty sweetness of his own spilling into her senses with a delicate relief.

June sighs bringing her hand up to bury deep into his deliciously soft hair while their mouths work together, lips colliding and breaking away only for a second before they're back together devouring the wait away.

It's nothing like she's imagined all these years.

It is addictive in the most devastating way possible.

His other hand grabs onto her waist, fingers warm over the fabric of her dress whilst the other cradles her jaw tipping her chin up to let him deepen the kiss to taste more of her, satisfy the want coursing through both their bodies.

June softly bites down on his lower lip, a groan escaping his mouth right into hers in response and she smiles letting her fingers trail down the back of his neck.

Goosebumps arise on his skin with every brush of her touch, their lips perfectly locked in harmony, tongues teasing and brushing away letting the other chase for more attention.

It feels everything and more, her heart is beating so loudly against her chest that she is now sure Jack can feel it under his hand which now rests close to her sternum, the warmth of his hand wrapping her in a harmonic delight.

She wants more and more and more and more—

Gasping, June breaks away. His face is flushed, lips a deep shade of pink so inviting made just to be kissed by her.

"Wh—".

She quickly turns back to the table Luke and that girl had been seated on but finds no one there. In fact, no one in the crowd seems to be paying them much attention either.

She shakes her head, leaning back with Jack's hand falling down to her lap.

"We need to find Luke", she fumbles to grab her phone, Jack grabbing his out from his pocket.

He scoffs turning the screen to face her so that she can read the message displayed on his screen.

LUKE: 'won't be home tonight, see you tomorrow. tell june not to worry about me, i've texted her too'

She glances up at his ocean blue stare, her fingers instantly unlocking her own phone to check what he's texted her.

LUKE: 'you and jack can head off without me, i'm busy. details tomorrow, love you junie i have no idea what i'd do without you' accompanied with a kissy face emoji.

"Someone's having fun", she mumbles reacting with a heart and stuffing her phone back into her bag.

"D'you wanna go home?".

She looks up and he waits, patiently gauging the wordless battle waging inside her head.

She can't overthink this, she just can't.

"Will you stay over?".

He presses his lips together, holding back a wide smile.

"Only if you really want me to".

June tilts her head, a small smirk on her lips. His gaze falls down to her lips once again and she takes note of his disheveled appearance which looks even more gorgeous than usual.

"Yes, Jack".

His eyes sharply return to hers.

With a knowing smile, he straightens up fingers trailing down to her bare skin.

"Alright".

***
how i feel publishing this chapter rn knowing the next update won't be before at least monday: