~L I L Y~

"THAT WAS THE BEST! Oh my goodness, thank you so much for taking me there!"

I cannot contain my excitement right now. As we make out way to Jack's car, I make a mental note to do something for him. He is taking me out and here I am, just thanking him. I need to do some Christmas shopping, maybe I'll get him a present.

There was an explosion in my brain. . . like the good sort. . . the type that carries more possibilities than I could ever be conscious of... but there were hundreds of ideas there in that buzz of electricity. . . I could feel it. It was the calling card of adventure, of paths awaiting Jack and I's feet.

Whatever was ahead could be an exciting challenge, and there could be tears, but it was my adventure to take and so I drag on a smile. The ideas would come, maybe when I least expect it, so I lace my black boots and take a step. I grasp Jack's hand in mine.

I, of course, do not miss how he tightens his hold on my hand as we march to his car parked a few spaces down. My heart beats like thunder and I'm sure Jack can hear it too.

"What are we doing next?" I ask, swinging our hands like a child would do when walking in the park with her mother.

"First, we are going to Maison Smith because their hot chocolate is amazing! Trust me." Jack smirks, lacing our fingers.

I try to ignore the way the butterflies in my stomach start flapping around. But I can't. My whole being heats up, even in this cold weather.

I don't know how many times I am going to say this, but Jack is not the same Jack from high school and somehow, I am starting to fall for this new Jackson.

Why else does my body heat up when he touches me? Why can I not stop smiling when he looks at me? I have so many questions and the only answer that I can find is that, whether it be just a little crush, I am falling for Jackson Stone.

When we finally make it to the car, I silently whimper when Jack's hand disappears from mine. I am glad he does not hear it though. My hand feels cold and unrealistic. If only I had Jack's hand on mine again. . .

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"The hot chocolate is way better than I expected. I thought it's warm water with added cocoa! There is something inside here that makes it so much better." I tribute, slowly walking with Jack to the car.

When I glance up at him, he has a smirk on his features. "I mean. . . I did say it was the best hot chocolate I know!"

"You weren't wrong about that!" I sigh in content, my lips meeting the foaming mug with every satisfying sip I take. "What do we do next?"

"I want us to take a walk at Jacques-Cartier National Park just thirty minutes north."

Nodding, we finally make it to his car. Maison Smith was packed when we got there. The road has cars parked in front of buildings and houses they aren't even visiting. Instead, they are bundled up in Maison Smith.

"So. . .I was wondering. . ." Jack trails as we walk up the snowy hill. It had been almost a fifteen-minute walk so far.

"Go on. . ." I encourage, smiling at the ground.

"Christmas is in at least five weeks and I was just wondering who you'll be spending Christmas with?" Jack chuckles sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

I giggle, "I'm spending it with my sister and her husband. Oh and do not forget Rose!"

"Oh, I definitely did not!" Jack laughs, adjusting his scarf around his neck. "Every year, we have Christmas at my house or Moms. The whole family, actually. Austin and his parents, Linda and her boyfriend, my parents-well parent right now-and Theo than we have a few relatives who can make it. I was wondering if you'd like to have Christmas with us this year. It's going to be a tiny bit empty seeing as my dad is no longer here and Austin's parents can't make it."

"Oh, that sounds amazing!"

Jack smiles slyly, grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers. I can't stop myself as I halt in my steps and stare at our intertwined hands. The whole day so far, I have been holding his hand mostly and it's at first when he grabs mine. It feels like electricity is being charged throughout my body in the most passionate and pleasing way. His hands are as delicate as his touch. I flinch when he lets out loudly;

"Shit," he removes his hand from mine and steps back a foot or two. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-I didn't know you don't like me holding your hand even though you grabbed mine the whole day already."

Jackson looked confused and I almost wanted to giggle at his cute expression and tactics.

"Uh, no-no. It's okay, actually, I-I like it." I blush, almost hiding behind my arms in embarrassment.

I can't believe I am saying this, especially since high school. I have a problem. Where I think back to when I rejected him in high school yet right now, it's. . .different. Everything has changed. I feel like there is much more to Jack than I originally thought.

When I look back up at Jack, he is grinning with his eyes wide. "You like it?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it!" I scowl, grabbing his hand and holding it against my side mockingly. To be honest, I am not doing this out of mock, because I don't want him to remove his hand from mine again.

"I just really like this side of you! What happened?"

I raise my brow. What happened? Oh nothing, it's just that, it had been only two to three weeks since I met Jack again. Where I feel like I am falling from a tall building. Falling for Jack. Yet, I don't want to fall hard.

I want to land, and I want to expect to be on the ground with a happily ever after.

Jackson had to have been the biggest player in high school. The whole school knew that Jackson had a thing for me and the whole school knew I was not interested.

What would it look like to be with him now because he had changed?

I feel like an ignoramus yet I don't want to think back to high school. As far as I have been hanging out with Jack, I know that so much has changed and I am happy for him.

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" I raise my brow, kicking my black boots in the wintry snow. It is like kicking sand and it blows into your eyes, but right now, it strikes into my face and it renders me smile.

Jack sighs, stroking my hand with his thumb. "I feel like you're finally warming up to me. I know I wasn't the best in the past, but I also know that I am still me. I just changed my way with girls and how I respect them. I don't want you to see that that is the only thing that changed and suddenly, this is all just a dream."

In the middle of his little speech, we stopped walking. I cannot help but stare up at his beautiful brown eyes that seem to be so diverse from many other guy's brown eyes. Even the beautiful ones. Why? Because I am still falling for Jack at this second.

"I promise, Jack, this is no dream!" I grasp his other hand, holding it closer to my chest. "Not only did you change your way with girls, but I see a whole different Jackson Stone. In high school, you were one of the smartest bad boys around yet you still had to keep up a reputation. There is nothing wrong with that except for the fact that you played girls but it's all okay. That was just you, young and living the dream."

"But I also made you reject me. And even after you rejected me the first time I asked you out, you still saw and thought that I was going to damage you. I promise that wasn't my intention."

Sighing, I do the one thing that would shock us both. I wrap my arms around his torso and embrace him in a big teddy bear. Warm and comfortable. Immediately, he stills, surprised.

I inhale his sweet spicy aftershave scent silently, smiling to myself.

Jack's arms don't wrap around me until after a few silent and slightly awkward eternities. He rests his chin on top of my head, his hand moving in soothing patterns on my lower back.

"It wasn't you, Jack, it was me. I was afraid because-I. . ." I can't seem to say what I wanted to say. I honestly do not want to degrade or make Jack feel awful. "I was afraid of the attention I'd then get if I went out with you. I was afraid you would see another beautiful girl walking down the hallway and then you'd forget about me. I was afraid of way more than that because I fall pretty easily."

"I'm still sorry," Jack whispers, lifting his chin from my head.

Feeling cold and boring, I look up at Jack, smiling when I see that he had been staring at me already. His brown eyes hold the intensity I want to see in a guy's eyes. It holds a lot from high school.

The sadness. The happiness. The love he had for his friends and football. The love he had for his future. The love he had for his father who passed, unfortunately.

Jack leans down and I almost think he is going to kiss me when he presses his lips onto my forehead. His lips linger there for a while and I shut my eyes, not wanting him to stop.

My body feels hot in this cold and wintry weather. It feels languid and jelly-like. I tighten my hold around Jacks' waist, my legs feeling like they are going to give out any minute.

"I'm sorry," he says against my forehead, the pad of his thumb rubbing against my warm feeling cheek. "I don't want to say this right now, but, I also want to say it. I still like you, since high school and I'm not expecting anything. I just wanted you to know."

"Jack, I-"

"Lily, is that you? Oh my God, hi!"

A very soft but high breathy voice screeches from behind Jack. Hastily, I shuffle away from him, smiling softly. I take a glance at the person who claims they know me.

My smile instantly recedes when I see Emerald, with my dad. . .

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another short chapter? ugh, I know! 😭 but I thought it's time to have some juice with the meal! :) please vote, comment and if this is so far enjoyable, share! <3