Jessie’s POV
It took a little more arguing and dummy spits for us to finally agree. I was going over and going to try my hardest and if I made it then we would cross the other bridges when we came to it. After all it was still 2 months away and there was no point in fighting over something that wasn’t there.

“Make sure the dogs are fed on time, you know how they get without there food,” I reminded him as he helped me get my things out of his car.
“I know, I know,” he rolled his eyes at me.
“If anything goes wrong just ring me, ok?”
“Jessie,” he grabbed my hand as I began to panic.
“What?” I turned around.
“Not worry,” he wrapped his arms around me, “you do great. Just do best, they love you,” he kissed my forehead.
“You think?” I looked up wrapping my arms around him.
“I know,” he traced my jaw before pulling my chin up to him and kissing my lips, “call me when at hotel.”
“Ok I will.”
“Cya,” but neither of us were willing to pull away.
“I have to go or I will miss my flight.”
“Yes,” still we didn’t let up.

This was going to be a long week.

The moment I arrived at the airport I was greeted by a woman in a tracksuit who was about the same height as me with brown hair and brown eyes.
“Hi I am Jessie…”
“Bailey, yes I am well aware of who you are,” she smiled, “I am Laura the athletic trainer.”
“Oh so I guess we will become well acquainted before long,” I looked down at my knee still having to wear a brace a lot of the time but it had just became second nature so it didn’t bother me.
“Yes we will, but don’t worry,” she put her hand on my shoulder, “I am here to help you make this team so I will be rooting for you.”
“Thanks.”

It felt good to have the support now especially from Evgeni. I hadn’t told anyone else yet because if I made the team it would be a nice surprise and if not I could let it blow over without issue.

As we walked into the hotel there was a group of girls standing in the foyer. I noticed a few faces from road games against other University’s and all around they seemed like a good bunch of people.

I was rooming with a girl named Megan and she was more than happy to sit in our room and watch television for the first night rather than going out for dinner with group.

“I don’t mean to offend you but I am not here to make friends,” she searched in the mini fridge for the water bottles that were stashed there by the coach.
“I like to keep to myself anyways,” I shrugged.
“Want one?” she gestured to the bottle in her hand.
“Yeah why not?”
“Catch.”
“Cheers,” I continued to flip through the channels trying to find something good.

“So where are you from?” she flopped onto the other double bed.
“University of Pittsburgh, you?”
“Chicago State.”

We sat talking for a while, got to know each other and enjoyed a good movie before I got a text from Evgeni.
‘Did you die?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh no! Who I talk to?’
‘Her ghost.’
‘Is her ghost pretty too?’
‘Even prettier.’
‘I must meet you.’
‘Next week you can.’

“Who are you talking to?” Megan smiled at me.
“No one,” I tossed my phone to the side.
“You are smiling like an idiot, I don’t think it’s no one… come on who is it? It’s your boyfriend, you have a boyfriend don’t you.”
“I thought you said you weren’t here to make friends,” I picked it back up when it chimed and sent back a quick message telling him to ring me in ten minutes.
“I can make the exception for my roommate,” she sat up ready to listen, “so do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes.”

“Well what’s his name?” she pestered with a million questions at once.
“Evgeni Malkin, he plays hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
“Pfft whatever,” she laid back down.
“Don’t believe me?”
“No.”
“Here,” I leant over and showed her a picture of Evgeni and I with the dogs.
“Photoshop,” she shrugged.
“Are you kidding me? I don’t know how the hell to use Photoshop… fine give me a second.”

I flicked through my contacts and pressed Evgeni’s name for face time.
“I thought you say ten minutes?” his face pooped up on my screen.
“I know but I missed you,” I got up and headed for the bathroom.
“I miss you too.”

“See,” I turned my phone around briefly to reveal his face to her before disappearing.

“How are you?” I got as comfy as I could possibly be lying in an empty bathtub.
“I am good, is boring without you,” he looked miserable already and I had only been gone for half a day.
“I know,” even though I had been happily talking away with Megan in the back of my mind I wished Evgeni was here with me.

We continued to talk for over an hour until I was almost falling asleep.
“Go sleep,” he insisted.
“I am ok we can keep talking,” I mumbled feeling my eyes slip shut.
“You need sleep, professional, I know,” I could see him smiling wide because now I would have to be taking advice from him.
“Shut up,” I groaned pulling myself up and heading back out to my bed where Megan was still watching tv.

“Where’s my baby boy? I want to say goodnight,” I flopped onto the bed and waited for Evgeni to find Sebastian.
“They around here somewhere, ah, look already in bed,” he turned the phone for me to see them sound asleep on my side of the bed.
“Night, Night Sebastian, Night Jeffrey,” and they perked up a little at my voice before going back to sleep.

“Goodnight,” I got under the covers and settled down wishing Evgeni was next to me.
“Goodnight, I love you,” I loved to hear him say that.
“I love you too.”

I didn’t want to hang up but the moment I did I was ignoring Megan and falling asleep thinking about being back in Pittsburgh and in his arms.

Maybe this would be good for the both of us. Maybe we would learn to really appreciate having each other, to be there for one another. I knew I loved him and I knew if I made the team and moved to New York it would be a big thing for the both of us but if we were as close as we thought we were everything would be ok.