𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 has posted !

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𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 summer summer summer

tagged : 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 alex holy shit
3 h ago    reply

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 prettiest
3 h ago    reply

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 have i told u that i'm in love with u
3 h ago    reply

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 GUYS IS IT TRUE THAT SHE WAS THERE AT THE NHL AWARDS WITH JACK
3 h ago    reply
       ↳ 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 yes! jim & ellen were there too!
3 h ago    reply
       ↳ 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 ngl that's very wag coded
3 h ago    reply
     
𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 that book quote 💞
3 h ago    reply

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 juniper marry me challenge
3 h ago    reply

𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲 very flattering pic
3 h ago    reply
       ↳ 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 alex just one chance pls
3 h ago    reply

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 BABE WAKE UP JUNE POSTED
3 h ago    reply

instagram stories !

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀
5 𝗆

𝗹𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀_𝟬𝟲 replied to your story !
tell her to answer my texts.

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀 replied
no she's ignoring you

𝗹𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀_𝟬𝟲 replied
jack. it's urgent.

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀 replied
no she's busy, luke

𝗹𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀_𝟬𝟲 replied
doing WHAT she's literally on
her phone

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀 replied
reading sam claflin's wikipedia

𝗹𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀_𝟬𝟲 replied
????? BE USEFUL FOR ONCE PLS

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀 replied
now i'll tell her to not reply to you
at all

𝗹𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀_𝟬𝟲 replied
as if she'll listen to U

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀 replied
we'll see

" 𝕵une, don't reply to Luke's texts".

She startles at the sound of his voice, glancing at him with a quizzical look.

"Why?".

"Because he implied that I'm useless".

June snorts.

"He's doing social service, I'm rewarding him for that".

Jack frowns, opening his mouth to retort when Luke's name flashes on June's phone screen and she immediately answers the call.

"Hi, pookie", she smiles, bringing the phone up to her ear.

Jack's still staring at her with knitted brows as she starts rambling loudly about how last night was and then gasps a couple of times when Luke tells her something that sounds surprising and exciting judging by the look on her face.

They slept in today and Jack had a very close call with his parents when they knocked on his door to ask him if he'd accompany them to the breakfast buffet.

June had still been asleep, safely lying under the covers but then his parents had suggested going over to her room to ask her if she wants to get breakfast with them and that just would not do.

Because June was in Jack's bed.

So he'd rattled off something about her telling him last night that she'd be sleeping in today and would react very badly to any kind of disturbance, while also informing his parents that when she wakes up June will be spending the day wandering Nashville with him.

His parents had given him a knowing look because even as he was trying to convince them that June was well, passed out in her room he didn't sound convinced himself.

And he'd almost been ready for his mother to ask if she could chat with him inside his room — so that she could catch him in his lie — and had been close to panicking, thinking up ways to get out of a hypothetical situation when his parents had only shrugged, smiled, patted his shoulder and left.

It had been a weird moment and he's very, very certain that they know.

They know something.

He just can't tell June though otherwise she'll panic and blame him and yell at him and probably pretend he doesn't exist for the rest of their time left in Nashville.

And he can't have that. He needs to be around her constantly or he'll lose his mind.

"Luke wants to talk to you".

He snaps out of his thoughts and glances at the phone she's offering him, looking up at him unknowing of all the things running through his head.

He takes the phone and brings it up to his ear, "Yeah?".

"Can you move a little away from June? I need some privacy for this".

That is . . . . weird.

But then again, everyone besides June has been weird today.

"Uhm, sure", he side glances at her to see her busy ruffling through the paper bag full of new books and annotation material he bought for her an hour ago, and gets up on his feet, taking a few steps away.

"What's going on?".

"You and June. Why are you hanging out together?".

His heartbeat quickens, mouth going dry and hands suddenly clamming as he tightly grips the phone.

He can't know. There's no way.

"Why not? We hang out together all the time".

"Yeah", he hears Luke shift, possibly settling down somewhere, "but I'm around for like 98 percent of the time. It's weird how . . . she's not here right now with me. And instead she's there with you. She doesn't do that, not really".

"She's been wanting to visit Nashville. And this was the perfect opportunity. Plus you're there spending time with your friends from UMich, need I remind you that June's not as close with them as you are? And she doesn't even go to UMich so obviously".

"She does like them though. Why's she there with you when we could've gone to Nashville together some other time? Maybe later in the summer? It makes no sense. Also, Nico's there as well. Why are you guys hanging out alone? What happened to mom and dad?".

Jack inhales deeply. He needs to be calm, not let Luke think he's getting irritated because even though he is and he'd love to tell him why June is here with him alone, he can't.

And he needs to give a sensible response.

He'd been expecting this interrogation since quite some time because there is just no way that Luke would let this go so easily.

He is right, June's never just went off on a short vacation with only Jack.

"Look, I get it. But the thing is, you two were living in two different states for two whole years before you moved to Jersey. You know who was there in Jersey before you? Who was showing her around the city and showing up for her whenever she needed someone? Me. I was there, Luke. I was there even when she didn't have Emma. Or any of her other friends. So, yeah we're not the way we were back when she lived at home".

There's a beat of silence which almost makes him think he hung up.

But then Luke asks quietly, "What do you mean you're not the way you were when she lived at home? Is there something I should know?".

A lump forms in his throat and he suddenly feels so overwhelmed, so tired of pretending.

Pretending that he doesn't the feel the way he feels about her. Pretending of being nonchalant. Pretending that everything he's been doing has only been what he's been saying it is and not something more.

He's tired of acting like it doesn't hurt to not show everyone that she's his girl.

Or tell her that he wants her to be his girl.

But this isn't how it works. This wasn't meant to become what it has become to him.

She deserves way more. He's let her down enough. He can't ever let himself think that she would want him for more.

He's just not it for her and he somehow has to learn to live with that.

Swallowing, he turns around, looking back at June's bent head as she scans the back of one of the books she bought.

He bites his lip, momentarily shutting his eyes.

"I mean", he clears his throat, "that we've gotten closer. We've become better friends. And I know it's a surprise right now but you wouldn't be shocked if you'd just realise that we've both had time to live away in a completely new place with only each other as the one constant from home. She's still your best friend. That will never change".

Luke seems to take his words in, staying silent for a second or two.

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry. You know how I am about her. I hate thinking that I've unknowingly done something to drive her away".

Jack laughs softly, "She's not going anywhere, Luke. Especially when it comes to you".

When it comes to me though . . . . now that's a different story.

"I'll work on my attachment issues. I'll let you get back. Sorry again. Don't annoy her too much".

He chuckles and bids his brother goodbye, walking back to take a seat next to June.

She looks up, taking her phone back when he offers it and scrunches her nose.

She always looks so kissable.

"What was that about?".

"Eh", Jack shrugs, trying to come off as unbothered, "he had some things to say. Boring, weird things. Some preseason stuff and other shit".

She seems to accept that answer, nodding and going back to admiring the book in her hand while he sits there admiring her, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that he will have to someday her watch love someone else.

Choose someone else.

And all he will be left with are the memories of now, this right here, where for a moment she has let him feel special.

What the fuck have I done to myself?

***
go listen to 'maybe i' by conor maynard bc that fits jack's current vibe here sooo well, also i've been listening to the songs in this book's playlist a lot lately and WOW i simply added a few songs that i felt would suit june & jack when i first began working on this but it's weirdly ended up connecting exactly to what they're both going thru!!!!