PLAYING PRETEND ; JACK HUGHES

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: STINGRAY
vivienne carlisle

        I should have said no.

I should have ignored the flowers, crumpled up the note, and gone to dinner with Isla like I had planned. But now, here I am-standing in the middle of the dimly lit aquarium, watching Jack Hughes press his face against the massive tank like a child.

"This guy is huge." He muttering, tapping lightly on the glass as the stingray glides by. He turns to me, grinning. "I swear he just looked at me. We had a moment."

I roll my eyes, but I can't hide my smile. "Pretty sure that's just its face, Hughes."

"Still counts." He shot back.

He doesn't wait for my response as he moves to the next tank. I trail behind him, arms crossed, wondering exactly how I let him talk me into this.

Another bouquet of pink peonies. A note with his messy crawl:

"I know you have plans, and I know you'll try to say no, but I'm picking you up at 7:30. Don't fight me on this."

And I didn't.

I don't know why.

Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was because he looked too smug when I opened the door and saw him standing there, hands in his pockets like he knew I'd cave.

Or maybe it was because, despite everything, I wanted to go.

Jack slows his pace as we reach a tunnel where the water curves above us, casting a flickering blue light over his face. He watches the silhouettes of the sharks drifting lazily overhead, his hands shoved into the deep pockets of his coat.

"You ever been here before?" He asks, breaking the comfortable silence between us.

"When I was a kid." I admit, glancing around. "I haven't been here in years."

"Figures." Jack looks at me, an eat-shitting grin on his lips. "Miss Uptown doesn't do places like this, huh?"

I glare at him, but it doesn't hold. He's right, in a way. This isn't my world-dim lighting, kids running past us, the smell of saltwater lingering in the air. But it doesn't necessarily feel wrong either.

Jack nudges me lightly with his elbow. "Bet you were the type of kid who stayed glued to the glass, pointing at every fish."

I shake my head, scrunching my nose. "Not quiet. I was terrified of the sharks."

Jack raised an eyebrow, amused by my fear. "Sharks? You?"

"Yes, sharks." I say, defensive as I cross my arms. "They're completely unpredictable."

Jack laughs, a warm, rich sound that sends a flicker of something dangerous through me. "Unpredictable, huh? So, you like being in control?"

I look at him sharply, but there's no teasing in his expression. Just pure curiosity.

"Of course I do." I say. "Doesn't everyone?"

He hums like that tells him something important.

We stand there for a moment, watching the sea creatures drift above us. The air feels heavier, like I can feel the ocean pressing down on us from both sides. Our faces are a slight blue color, and we're silent.

Jack turns his head, eyes scanning my face and that's when I realize how close we are-how easily I could tilt my head, close the small gap between us and feel the warmth of his lips.

The thought sends a sharp pang of panic through me. What the hell am I thinking?

I take a step to the side. "We should keep moving."

Jacks gaze lingers on me for a second longer before he nods. "Yeah, sure."

The tension between us doesn't fade, though. It clings to the air like the humidity in the aquarium, thick and pressing. As we move through the exhibits, I try to shake the feeling that this is Jack Hughes. The same guy who nearly ruined our arrangement, who drives me insane, who is only doing this because we made a deal.

So why do I constantly feel like something is shifting?

Why does it feel like he's actually trying?

We reach the final exhibit, a large, open tank where visitors can touch the stingrays.

Jack grins as he rolls up the sleeves of his jacket. "Have you ever done this before?"

I shake my head, staring down at the animals. "Absolutely not."

He scoffs. "Oh, come on. Where's the fun in that?"

"Fun?" I deadpan. "You want me to stick my hand in a tank with creatures that literally feel like wet rubber? No thanks."

Jack smirks, tilting his head. "You scared, Vivienne."

I straighten my shoulders. "What? No."

"Then prove it." He shots back, gliding his tongue against his cheek with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

He dips his fingers into the water, and almost instantly, a stingray glides up and brushes against his hand. Jack laughs, looking genuinely amazed. "That's so weird. You gotta try it."

I hesitate.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "What, you trust me to fake date you but not to help you touch a stingray?"

I narrow my eyes at him, but I know I'm losing. With a reluctant sigh, I roll up my sleeve and inch my fingers towards the water. Jack watches closely as I lower my hand in, his lips curving into a soft, knowing smile.

The second the stingray brushes against my fingertips, I gasp and yank my hand back. Jack breaks out into laughter, and despite myself, I laugh too. Like, really laugh. It bubbles out of me before I could stop it, the sound foreign but needed.

Jack watches me, something unreadable in his expression. Then, quietly, he says, "See? Not so bad, huh?"

I look at him-really look at him. The messy hair, the lazy grin, the big blue eyes blinking back at me, and the way he keeps finding new ways to carefully pull me out of my curated world.

Maybe that's what scares me the most about this whole thing.

Or maybe it's because Nolan has never made me feel like this.

And I don't know what that means.

jack in the back of the locker room vid today
YES LAWD