𝕿hey did indeed visit a bookstore two days later when June started feeling better.

It was . . . eventful, to say the least.

There was a lot of whining, grumbling and irritating cackling involved when it came to 'certain' members of the group but June bought several books and that's all that matters in the bigger picture.

Okay, correction — Jack bought June several books.

At first, it was assumed to be Alex's treat but the moment he got his card out at checkout, Jack stepped in with a dismissive shake of his head and offered his own card instead.

June was really, really shocked.

Alex — having already been filled in about the duo's "suspicious behaviour" as of late by both Trevor and Cole — only raised a brow before stepping back because he knew this meant something, and that no matter what, Jack wasn't going to back down.

"It's Alex's treat", June had muttered in a hushed tone as she'd stepped closer to the counter.

Jack's arm brushed hers when he shifted, throwing her a quick glance before turning back to the cashier.

"Well, it's mine now".

He intentionally touched her arm with the softest caress, the feeling so electrifying over her bare arm that her gaze sharply cut up to his eyes to find him staring at her with a faint smile.

A secret tug of his lips meant just for her.

Is this real? — she tried to ask him in the searching warmth of her gaze.

It's real and just ours — he seemed to communicate in the way his fingers left a fluttering mark on her skin and the way his affectionate stare seemed to crinkle as he smiled brighter.

She couldn't be sure though.

She wanted to pull him aside and force him to admit if what she'd seen was what he'd actually meant.

She wanted to throw her arms around him and hide her face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in and feeling his body around her.

She wanted to breakdown and tell him she's so, hopelessly and utterly in love with him.

She did none of those things.

What she did was, accept the paper bag full of her books with a grateful smile and and look up at him in the same way she'd looked up at him all these years.

With something so pure and raw hiding behind her gaze that it sometimes felt suffocating.

If, this time, he noticed what that look meant then he didn't show it and simply grinned at her, happily walking beside her as Alex threw an arm around her shoulder and guided them out to the others.

Their next destination was the beach.

And this is how they now find themselves concentrating on the various trinkets and jewelery lining a stall in the middle of the boardwalk, coming across none other than Madeleine Gray — Trevor's ex-girlfriend — when Luke catches her arm just as she's about to trip and fall on her face.

They persuaded her to have dinner with them and June's now got her squinting at a pair of marble coloured earrings.

"They'll look pretty, trust me", she nudges her but the blonde girl only scowls at the bright blue colour of the jewelery.

June's gaze wanders over to a set of  pretty charm necklaces with a different initial dangling from each chain.

She tilts her head inspecting them when . . . .

"That's cute".

She glances from Jack to the necklace he's pointing at, a silver chain with an elegant J hanging from it.

She raises a brow.

"J for . . .", her eyes catch his and he blinks quietly before softly clearing his throat.

"J for . . . . June".

"Yeah, June".

He nods absentmindedly, gaze fixed on the J necklace. June's insides feel . . . . not okay, not okay at all.

She wants to say something, but also scream a little.

Life is so confusing.

"You should get the L one", comments Luke stepping between the duo to point at the exact same necklace with an L instead of a J.

"Wait!", June gestures towards the shopkeeper who saunters over to answer her query, "Do you have a bracelet matching that? With a J?".

"Here are a few", he extends a box full of charm bracelets slightly matching the necklaces and there it is.

A J one.

"You should get this and I'll get the necklace!", she excitedly turns to Luke who looks down at her with the biggest grin.

"Hell yeah".

Jack watches the best friends happily retrieving the necklace and the bracelet and try them on as they chat animatedly about just how cute their new accessories are.

He wants to ask her to buy the J necklace too.

No idea why though.

He almost works up the courage to interrupt but something stops him.

Something holds him back and refuses to let him go.

He gulps, staring at June — June with her silky brown hair, June with her warm and affectionate honey brown eyes, June with her infectious smile, June who looks at him with so much love—

No, that's not possible.

She knows this isn't a serious thing.

Right?

Right.

He purses his lips, glance inadvertently catching a pair of stark blue eyes scrutinising him from behind June's back.

He perks a brow at her.

She only gives him a once over and turns back to the rings June is now busy showing her.

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𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲
5 𝗆

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thank you so much for 110k omg i love you all so much, merry christmas 💘💘💘