Chapter 30

The car ride home was eerily quiet. The only sound filling the space was the soft hum of the engine and the slow, calming music playing through the speakers. The exhaustion from the night weighed on all of us, our energy completely drained.

I sat in the middle seat of the back, resting my head on Macklin's shoulder, my fingers lightly tracing over the cuts and bruises on his knuckles. His hand rested in mine, his grip loose but warm. It felt like an unspoken promise, one of comfort, of safety, of something I wasn't quite ready to name yet.

Will, driving, kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tight, probably still processing everything that had gone down. Gabi sat in the passenger seat, her hands clasped together in her lap as she stared out the window.

No one wanted to say it, but we were all thinking the same thing: what would've happened if Macklin hadn't shown up in time?

I squeezed his hand, and he gave me a small squeeze back.

I hesitated for a moment before shifting slightly closer to him. Then, in a whisper, I leaned into his ear. "Can you sleep over tonight?"

Macklin turned his head slightly, his lips brushing against my temple as he whispered back, "Of course. If that's okay with you."

I nodded, feeling a small wave of relief. I didn't want to be alone tonight. I needed this; his presence, his warmth, the quiet reassurance that he was here.

In the front seat, Gabi let out a soft sigh and turned toward Will. "Can you stay over, too?"

Will glanced at her, his expression softening. Without hesitation, he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers before bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss. "Yeah, of course."

The car ride continued in comfortable silence. Macklin gently rubbed his thumb along the back of my hand, a soothing rhythm that helped calm the whirlwind of emotions in my chest.

⸻

Will made a quick stop by his place since he didn't live far from our apartment. He left the engine running as he ran inside to grab some clothes for both him and Macklin. The rest of us waited in the car, still caught in the lingering haze of the night's events.

We eventually made it to the apartment. Macklin followed me to my room, his presence steady and reassuring. I turned at the door, giving him a small smile. "I'm gonna change real quick."

He nodded. "Take your time."

I grabbed my pajamas, cute, minimalistic teddy bear print shorts and a simple white cami before heading into the bathroom. The moment I closed the door, I let out a slow, steadying breath. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror, and for the first time tonight, I saw just how much the fear had lingered in my eyes.

Shaking my head, I changed quickly and splashed cool water on my face, trying to ground myself. You're here. You're safe.

When I walked back into my room, Macklin was already changed. He sat on the edge of my bed, his black hoodie slightly oversized, his red basketball shorts loose and casual. He looked up as I entered, his expression unreadable for a moment before he gave me a soft smile.

"You okay?" he asked, voice low and gentle.

I nodded, crossing the room. "Yeah. You?"

His smile was small but there. "Better now."

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Come on. Let's brush our teeth."

⸻

The bathroom was quiet except for the sound of running water and the occasional rustle of fabric from our clothes. Macklin stood beside me at the sink, brushing his teeth with the spare toothbrush I had given him.

We didn't talk much, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Just... peaceful.

That was, until I caught him wincing when the water hit his bruised knuckles.

I turned toward him, eyebrows knitting together. "Let me see."

He hesitated for a moment before finally extending his hand. The sight of the cuts and swelling made my chest tighten.

Grabbing the first aid kit, I carefully applied ointment, my touch light on his skin to be careful not to hurt him further. Macklin hissed at the sting and I shot him a sharp look with a smirk.

"Big, tough hockey player, huh?" I teased.

He let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, yeah."

After wrapping his hand in a fresh bandage, I pressed a soft kiss against his knuckles.

Macklin smirked. "Huh. No pain at all anymore."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up."

He chuckled as I put the first aid kit away, then held his hand up, flexing his fingers. "You're really good at that."

"Bandaging?"

"Taking care of people."

I paused for a second before meeting his eyes. His gaze was warm, sincere. I felt my cheeks heat slightly, so I quickly turned away.

"Come on, let's lay down," I mumbled, heading toward my bed.

Macklin went to lay beside me, but he was hesitant, his body a little too stiff, his hands resting awkwardly on his stomach instead of naturally finding their way to me. He was overthinking, I could sense it.

Sighing, I turned onto my side and reached up, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for today," I whispered.

His entire body relaxed at that. Slowly, he turned toward me, and before I could process it, I was wrapped in his arms, my face resting against his chest as he held me close.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

Then, his voice broke through the quiet.

"I don't know what came over me," he admitted, his breath warm against my hair.

I stayed still, listening.

Trigger warning: discussion about violence/assault

"When I saw him shove you, when I saw the way he grabbed you..." Macklin's voice was tight, like he was trying to hold something back. "I lost it. I couldn't think. I just saw red."

I swallowed, gripping onto the fabric of his hoodie. "I was scared," I admitted. "Not of you. Just... I couldn't stop him. I tried to pull away, but he kept pinning me back."

Macklin's grip on me tightened. "I should've been there," he whispered. "I should've waited outside the bathroom. That wasn't very gentleman-like of me."

I pulled back slightly, looking up at him. His expression was full of guilt, his jaw clenched.

"Macklin, you were just a few feet away," I said softly. "No one could've expected Jackson to be watching."

His jaw flexed, and he exhaled sharply. "I still should've been there."

I reached up, cupping his cheek gently. His eyes softened at the touch.

"You were there when it mattered," I whispered.

Macklin held my gaze for a long moment, then let out a slow breath.

"I'll protect you, Lex," he murmured. "I'll be there for you always from now on."

My chest tightened. The warmth of his arms, the sincerity in his voice, the way he looked at me like I meant something to him, it was overwhelming in the best way possible.

I curled back into his embrace, letting my head rest against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I know," I whispered.———

I woke up to the feeling of warmth.

It took me a moment to remember where I was, but as soon as I stirred, I felt the solid weight of Macklin's arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me close. My head was tucked against his chest, his steady heartbeat made me want to stay curled up with him forever.

I sighed, shifting slightly, but Macklin's grip only tightened as he stirred.

"Good morning," his voice was deep and husky from sleep.

I tilted my head up, blinking slowly. His hazel green eyes were already on me, filled with a softness that made my chest feel light.

"...Were you watching me sleep?" I teased.

His lips twitched. "Maybe."

I let out a sleepy laugh. "That's creepy, you know."

Macklin smirked. "Not when you look cute while doing it."

I rolled my eyes, but my cheeks warmed anyway. "Whatever. How'd you sleep?"

"Not bad," he said, his voice still low. "What about you?"

I stretched a little before sinking back into his warmth. "Surprisingly... pretty good."

Macklin hummed. "You make it sound like you were expecting to have a terrible night."

"Well, considering everything that happened, yeah, I kind of was," I admitted. "But turns out, you make a pretty decent cuddle buddy."

He let out a short laugh, rubbing slow circles on my back. "Only decent?"

I grinned against his hoodie. "I don't want to inflate your ego."

"Too late."

I swatted his arm, but he just chuckled, holding me tighter for a moment before finally shifting to sit up.

I groaned. "Where are you going?"

Macklin stretched his arms above his head, his hoodie riding up slightly. "It's a surprise," he said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

I raised an eyebrow. "A surprise?"

He smirked. "Give me thirty minutes. I'll be right back."

I narrowed my eyes but didn't question him further. Instead, I grabbed my book from the nightstand and flipped it open, settling in while he slipped out of the room.

⸻

About thirty minutes later, the door creaked open again, and Macklin walked in with a plate in his hands.

I sat up, blinking in surprise. "Wait... did you—"

He placed the plate on my lap, grinning. "Breakfast for you."

I looked down to see a neatly plated meal, scrambled eggs on the side, waffles drizzled with maple syrup, and a happy face made out of fruit.

I stared at it for a second before chuckling. "Did you seriously make a smiley face with blueberries and banana slices?"

Macklin shrugged, his smirk playful. "Gotta start the day with some positivity."

I shook my head, picking up a fork. "Thank you. This looks amazing."

"Wait one sec," he said before disappearing out the door again. I frowned after him, but a moment later, he returned with another plate.

He climbed back into bed, balancing his own breakfast as he grinned at me. "Breakfast for two."

I smiled, shaking my head as we both dug in.

For a while, we just ate in comfortable silence, but then Macklin glanced over at me. "So... what's on the agenda for today?"

I sighed, stabbing a piece of waffle. "Honestly? I just want to have a chill day. I don't think I have the energy to do anything big."

Macklin nodded. "Fair enough." He took a bite of his eggs before smirking. "We could just stay in bed all day."

I gave him a look. "Wow. You work so hard to spend time with me."

He shrugged. "I mean, I did make you breakfast. That counts as effort, right?"

I laughed. "I'll give you points for that."

Macklin leaned in slightly. "How many points?"

I pretended to think. "Mmm... seven out of ten."

His jaw dropped. "Seven? That's a C!"

"Hey, a C is passing."

"I handmade breakfast and I only get a passing grade?"

I smirked. "Should've gone for extra credit."

Macklin scoffed. "Unbelievable."

We both fell into laughter, the tension from last night melting away little by little.

After a moment, Macklin picked up a piece of fruit from his plate and popped it into his mouth. "So, do you always wake up looking like that?"

I paused, mid-bite. "Like what?"

He grinned. "Like a gremlin."

I choked. "Excuse me?"

He laughed, dodging as I threw a blueberry at him. "I'm kidding! You look cute"

"You're so lucky I'm too tired to fight you," I grumbled.

Macklin chuckled, reaching over to steal a bite from my plate. "I'll take my chances."

I smacked his hand. "Get your own food!"

He raised an eyebrow. "I made this food."

I narrowed my eyes. "That doesn't mean you get to steal mine."

Macklin smirked before grabbing another bite off my plate. "Finders keepers."

I groaned. "You're the worst."

After another few minutes of eating, Macklin leaned back against the headboard. "Hey, random question."

I arched a brow. "Hit me."

"What did you want to be when you were a kid?"

I smiled, setting my fork down. "Well, I've always wanted to be a nurse. Ever since I can remember, I just knew I wanted to help people and work in healthcare. But when I was really little—like, kindergarten little—I actually wanted to be a teacher."

Macklin's brows lifted. "Really?"

I laughed. "Yeah. My kindergarten teacher was the sweetest person ever, and I thought she had the coolest job but then I realized how often kids cry in class, and I was like, yeah, nope, can't do that."

Macklin chuckled. "That'll do it"

I grinned. "But nursing has always been my real dream. It just feels right, you know?"

Macklin nodded, a soft smile on his face. "Yeah. I can see that. You'd be great at it."

I felt warmth creep up my neck at the sincerity in his voice. "Thanks, what about you? What did you want to be?"

Macklin leaned back, pretending to think. "A superhero."

I deadpanned. "That's not a real job."

He smirked. "That's what everyone told me, too."

I rolled my eyes. "So adorable."

We kept talking, moving from random topics to childhood stories, laughing at dumb memories and silly moments. It was easy, lighthearted and comfortable, like we had known each other forever.

At one point, Macklin glanced at my nearly empty plate. "Done?"

I nodded, stretching my arms above my head. "Yeah. That was really good, by the way."

Macklin smirked. "Told you I was a good cook."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, fine. Eight out of ten."

His eyes widened. "Wow, I worked hard and only went up one point?"

I grinned, leaning in slightly. "Guess you'll just have to try again tomorrow."

Macklin's smirk softened, his gaze lingering on mine for a second longer than necessary.

"Guess I will," he murmured.

My breath hitched slightly, and for a moment, neither of us moved.

Then, he suddenly stood, grabbing our plates. "I'll clean up," he said casually, like the moment hadn't just happened.

I exhaled, watching as he left the room, my heart still thumping.———

It had been a few days since the amusement park, and I finally felt like I could breathe again.

Jackson's messages had stopped completely. No new numbers, no random Instagram accounts popping up, no texts begging me to meet him or give him another chance. It was unsettling at first, almost like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop but as the days passed and the silence remained, I realized maybe, just maybe, he was actually gone for good.

The reason why he had even been at that party in the first place had finally come to light. Apparently, one of the teammates had a distant classmate who had been invited after working on a group project for school. That classmate extended the invite without telling anyone that he was bringing people, and some of those people ended up being members of Jackson's fraternity. That's how Jackson ended up there, lurking in the shadows like a bad omen.

Will had pulled me aside after their last practice, the one that was open to the public, and let me know he had some news. He had heard from the grapevine that Jackson had dropped out of San Jose State. My heart had nearly stopped in my chest when he first said it, but then he clarified: he transferred. He was heading to a state university somewhere in Southern California. Still in the same state, unfortunately, but nowhere near enough to cross paths on campus ever again.

"Are you serious?" I had asked, barely believing it.

"Dead serious," Will had said, crossing his arms. "Dude packed up and left. No warning, no dramatic goodbye, just up and gone."

I exhaled deeply. Relief washed over me in waves, tension melting out of my shoulders. "That explains why I haven't heard from him."

Will nodded, but there was something unreadable in his expression.

"There's... more," he said carefully.

I frowned. "More?"

Will sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. He actually approached me and Macklin after practice the other day."

My stomach dropped. "He what?"

"He was waiting outside the rink. Pulled us aside before we could just walk past him. We were already on edge, like ready to lose our shit on him."

"You didn't?" I blurted.

Will shot me a look. "Because we didn't need to. He didn't come to start shit."

Macklin, who had been sitting on the bench next to him, nodded. "He actually apologized."

I blinked, not sure I heard him right. "Jackson?"

"Yeah," Macklin said, his jaw tight. "He said he needed to get it off his conscience. That he knew he was a dick to you, and to us. That he shouldn't have pinned you the way he did."

I swallowed hard, memories of that night flashing in my mind. My back against the wall. His hands trapping me. The way my voice had gone hoarse from yelling, from trying to push him off—

Macklin must've noticed the shift in my expression, because his hand found mine and squeezed it gently.

I took a slow breath in through my nose, forcing myself to stay present. "And then what?"

Will scoffed. "Then he pulled some bullshit about how he'll always love you deep down. That he'll always be there for you."

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt. "Of course, he did."

Macklin's grip tightened just slightly. "We shut that down real quick."

"Real quick," Will echoed. "We told him that as long as we're alive, that's never happening."

I bit my lip, trying to process all of it. Part of me felt lighter knowing that Jackson was out of my life, moving on to a different school, and that I didn't have to worry about running into him but another part of me still felt a little unsettled. Like I was waiting for some kind of final act.

Still, if he was truly leaving me alone, that was all I could ask for.

Macklin must have read the uncertainty on my face because he shifted closer. "Hey," he said, his voice low and warm. "He's gone, Lex. He's not gonna bother you again."

I nodded slowly, squeezing his hand back. "Yeah. You're right."

-=+=-

Guys pls look at this masterpiece I saw at 2am

Ty timmytsdigitalfootprint