Forever Chicago

“Yeah, okay.” I said over the phone. Paige had fled to Riley’s with no intentions of coming home.

“She’ll be back man.” Jon said patting Patrick on the back.

“No she won’t.” Patrick said before slamming the front door.

Patrick’s POV:

I knew Paige wouldn’t come back on her own. I had to make Paige fall in love in with me
again, and that was easier said than done. I tried desperately to plan out what I would say as
I rounded the corner to Riley’s apartment building.

I lightly knocked on the door of Riley’s apartment.

“Smitty?” I said confused as Ben Smith answered the door.

“Hey Kaner.”He said stepping aside.

“Hey,” Riley said, “She’s out on the patio,”

Riley led me to a sliding door that opened to a small deck high above downtown Chicago.

“Someone’s here to see you.” Riley said.

“Go away Patrick.” Paige said without turning around.

“Paige what do you want from me?” I said walking closer behind her, “Do you want to be over?”

What seemed like an eternity passed before she said, “No.”

“Not very convincing.” I said.

“I don’t know.” She said turning around, “I don’t want to be over.”

“Paige I love you please just tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.” I said sitting closely in front of her.

Her hand draped along my neck as tears streamed, “I think,” she started “I think we should take a break.”

The words seeped from her mouth like pouring cement, shattering every piece of my heart as they moved off her lips into the cold, Chicago air.

“I don’t want to lose you.” I managed to push out of my mouth as I held tightly to her waist.

“Me neither, but, I think,” she cried, “I think we both need time apart.”

Silent moments passed.

“Are you sure this is what you really want?” I said pulling back.

“No.” she said.

“I’ll always love you.” I said kissing her on the cheek.

It panged me to walk out of the apartment, but Paige didn’t want me anymore.

Kodie’s POV:
It was almost one am when Patrick finally returned. He was a mess. Patrick’s hair was tossed all over the place, his eyes were swollen and red.

“Hey man how’d it go?” Jonathan said as Patrick walked past us.

“It’s over.” Was all he said before walking straight into his bedroom.

I looked at Jonathan.

“Do you really think they’re done?”I said looking at Jonathan.

“I don’t know,” he said, “Probably for the best if they are.”

He was right, neither Paige nor Patrick were benefitting from their relationship anymore. Maybe time apart would make them better people, and could even bring them back together.
…

“Hey” I said as Paige walked through the door. The guys were at their last practice before another road trip, giving Paige enough time to come over and get her stuff.

“Hi.” She said sadly.

As we back her things I could tell Paige was fighting back tears.

“How are you?” I said,

“Good.” Paige said.

“Paige,” I said, “We both know that’s not true.”

“I love him,” she said.

“I know,” I said, “But I think time apart can only make you better as people.”

“I hope so.” She said.

“Just hang with Riley,” I said, “She’s fun.”

“Yeah, I guess.” She said.

“Call me if you need anything.” I said hugging her as we loaded the final boxes into her car.

“Thanks for everything Kodie,” she said, “And you’ve got to come over and hang out with Riley and I all the time.”

“Of course.” I said.

As I watched her car drive off, I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders.
…
“I’m gonna miss you.” I said as I clung to Jon before he left for a three day road trip to Nashville.

“Me too.” He said kissing my forehead, “love you.” He said before slipping out.

“I love you too.” I smiled.

Patrick looked miserable as he left. I felt bad for him; he had been a complete disaster since the night he and Paige broke up.

The door closed, and I immediately had to start getting ready for work.
…
“There she is!” Jeannie said as I walked through the doors.

“Hi” I smiled setting my purse down.

Riley walked in shortly later.

“Where have you been?!” I said as she sat down.

“Oh my God, I have so much to tell you!” she laughed.

“Okay,” she started, “So Ben and I have been hanging out a lot since the game that night, and I think we’re pretty much together.”

“Oh my gosh!” I said, “Did you…?”

A huge smiled spread across Riley’s face.

“Oh my God!” I said.

“He’s just so sweet and nice, and not like any other guy I’ve ever met, now I know why you’re so happy with Jonathan all the time.” She beamed.

“Oh my God this makes me so happy!” I said, “But how’s Paige been?”

“A mess,” Riley said, “She’s not like us Kodie, she, she needs constant attention from a man, she wants someone to take care of her like a princess, we, we don’t need that.”

“She’s just sensitive, more timid.” I said.

“That’s a nicer way to put it I guess.”She said, “Hey want to come over to watch the game tomorrow night? I have wine!”

“Sure.” I laughed.

“Kodie, Rose is asking for you.” Our supervising doctor said.

Rose was a 9 year old girl who had been diagnosed with leukemia.

“Hi Rose!” I said as I walked into her room.

“Hi Kodie!” she said grasping her Chicago Blackhawks teddy bear.

“How’s Tazer?” she asked.

Rose was 9 years old, and one of the most die-hard Blackhawks fans I had ever met.

“He’s good, his head’s all better, are you ready for the game tomorrow night?” I asked.

“YES!” she yelled making me laugh.

We talked for a bit before I had to get back to the front.
...
The next day, Riley, Paige, Shawzie’s girlfriend Chaunette, and I met at Riley and Paige’s apartment to watch the game.

Paige stared at the screen with a glazed look on her face. It didn’t help when Patrick managed to score two goals within the first period. Everyone leaped off the couch, while Paige stayed planted on the couch looking sad.

The game ended in a 5-1 win against the Predators.

“Thank God.” Chaunette said throwing her head back.

“So,” We all looked at Riley, “How’s the new couple.” I said.

Riley smirked, “Good.”

Paige tried to laugh along with us for a while before she disappeared into her bedroom.

“That really must have been a rough breakup.” Chaunette said.

“It was, on both of them, at some point she has to move on though.” I said.

Jonathan’ s POV:

The locker room was crazy, after a 5-1 win, everyone was a on a high.

“Way to fucking go gentlemen!” Coach yelled through the locker room.

“Hey Jonny a bunch of us are goin’ out you in?” Smitty said looking at me.

“Uh, yeah sure,” I said, I looked over to see Kaner sitting miserably in his stall, “Hey Kaner, come out with the guys, it’ll be fun.”

“No thanks man.” He said staring at the floor.

“Kaner you can’t sulk around forever man.” I said.

He just shrugged and continued staring at the floor.

Notes

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