New Beginnings
The Past
Tyler's POV
I walked out of the showers, and saw Kirsten standing there, topless. I didn't really know what to think, so I just kind of stared. Then I realized that I really should be staring so much, and she put her shirt on. I had always thought she was hot, but not usually the type I go for, because she is tall and willowy, yet has curves in the right places to fit her body. She had a beautiful face as well, without trying, but she cut her hair since the last time I saw her. It used to be really long, about halfway down her torso, but now it was short, just under her shoulders. I walked over to my stall, and got dressed, then told them I had to go see Seguin's Stars, and we could hang out afterwards, Kirsten said, "You better hurry, I have shit to tell you and Marie!" She fake-rushed me. I walked out. I knew she was joking because she would never tell me to cut my visit with the kid. I went up to the box I rented out every game, and saw the little girl in her wheelchair, and signed some autographs, and hugged her, and left.
When I walked back towards the locker room, I saw Kirsten talking to Jamie, looking upset about something, but when she looked up and saw me, she stopped talking. "Don't stop on my account, by any means." I told them.
"I told you I have stuff to tell you. Can we go somewhere a little more private? We can go to my car, if that's okay." She suggested. We walked out, and Marie let me sit in the front, because I was taller than her. "Okay," She said, "don't ask questions til the end, please. I kind of want this conversation to be over as soon as possible. Here goes nothing," She said.
"So, Marie, you probably didn't know this, but I used to date Brendan Smith, that guy who rammed into my shoulder. We dated for almost a year and a half. I met him while he was still playing in Grand Rapids, the AHL team. I was at a Grand Rapids game, and I wanted to get a stick signed by the team, for my little brother. I got it signed by the whole team, but Brendan wanted to hang out afterwards, so I did. A few times after we had hung out, we decided that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, because it made sense." She said, then took a breath.
"He was actually a really great boyfriend, he was attentive, nice, and caring. Then he got the call that they wanted him to play in the NHL. We were both so excited, because he worked his ass of to get to that point. I went to his first NHL game, and sat with his family. And he scored. His mom and I cried together. After that, I went to as many home games as I could, but I had school and volleyball as well. But I also bonded a lot with the team. They became like my family. I rode on the plane with them as much as I could, and Petr became one of my closest friends, and so did a few of them. For our first year anniversary, he got me this really nice, diamond necklace. And I thought things were getting pretty serious. Then, after that, he started to change. He acted like he was better than some of the other players, and better than me, or too good to be with me. I think some of the other guys noticed too, but didn't say anything to me personally. Some of them asked me what was up with him, but I had to tell them I didn't know." She looked at us, Marie and I, to see if we were still following.
"Keep in mind, that I met lots of amazing people along the way. I met some of the Stars, a lot of the Blues, some guys from Montreal, and Vancouver, and New York, both teams. I've met some cool people, and many of them I can text, and talk to. Including these two losers. So, Marie, I can totally hook you up!" She laughed, trying to bring some humor into a story that was clearly painful for her. Marie and I kept our word and didn't interrupt.
"So, I accepted that he was stressed out, and that maybe he was just going to be more distant for a while. Then, one night, close to our year and a half anniversary, we went out to a bar, with the team. Keep in mind, I was only just 21, and I got wasted, but before I got that drunk, he told me he was going to go home early, and told him I would just go over to his house when I was ready. I got so shitfaced I could barely walk. Petr offered to take me over to Brendan's house." She paused, and I could see why. She started crying, so I grabbed her hand and squeezed tighter.
"Petr walked me in, to make sure I got in bed, and when we went in," She let out a sob, "he was in bed with someone else. The same girl he told me he just danced with to get rid of. Petr grabbed him out of the sheets and punched him in the face. Broke his nose."
I interrupted then with, "Good. He deserved it."
"I told him, 'I hope that was worth it,' then Petr took me to his house, and I slept there." She said. I didn't want to seem too nosy, but Marie asked the question I wanted to know.
"Did he sleep in the same bed?" Marie said.
"Really? That's what you're worried about? But just so you know, I asked him to stay with me until I fell asleep. When I got up in the morning, he was out on the couch. But I think it's time for a drink, where are we going? And who is riding with who?" Kirsten inquired.
Jamie spoke up, "I can take Marie, and Tyler can tell you where we're going." And they stepped out of the car.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, even thoughI knew she wasn't alright.
"Yeah, I'm over him, but he keeps popping up. And tonight when I saw him, he glared at me then rammed into me with his shoulder. But don't worry," She said when she must've seen the look on my face, "Helm helped me out. But let's go." And she started the car. "Oh, and quick question, will any Wings be there?"
"Maybe... Probably." I told her truthfully.
"I have a favor to ask you..." She said.
"Anything, what is it?" I asked.
"If he is there, will you act like we came together, and dance with me and stuff?" She said, looking embarrassed. "It's just, I want him to see that I'm over him, but if you don't want to, I totally understand."
"Of course I'll do it, you don't need to explain yourself." I was still holding her hand, but I wasn't going to be the one to let go first. Then we drove off, me, thinking of the beautiful girl beside me, hoping she doesn't want me to let her hand go, and her, surely dreading the possibility of seeing him, staring straight ahead.
I walked out of the showers, and saw Kirsten standing there, topless. I didn't really know what to think, so I just kind of stared. Then I realized that I really should be staring so much, and she put her shirt on. I had always thought she was hot, but not usually the type I go for, because she is tall and willowy, yet has curves in the right places to fit her body. She had a beautiful face as well, without trying, but she cut her hair since the last time I saw her. It used to be really long, about halfway down her torso, but now it was short, just under her shoulders. I walked over to my stall, and got dressed, then told them I had to go see Seguin's Stars, and we could hang out afterwards, Kirsten said, "You better hurry, I have shit to tell you and Marie!" She fake-rushed me. I walked out. I knew she was joking because she would never tell me to cut my visit with the kid. I went up to the box I rented out every game, and saw the little girl in her wheelchair, and signed some autographs, and hugged her, and left.
When I walked back towards the locker room, I saw Kirsten talking to Jamie, looking upset about something, but when she looked up and saw me, she stopped talking. "Don't stop on my account, by any means." I told them.
"I told you I have stuff to tell you. Can we go somewhere a little more private? We can go to my car, if that's okay." She suggested. We walked out, and Marie let me sit in the front, because I was taller than her. "Okay," She said, "don't ask questions til the end, please. I kind of want this conversation to be over as soon as possible. Here goes nothing," She said.
"So, Marie, you probably didn't know this, but I used to date Brendan Smith, that guy who rammed into my shoulder. We dated for almost a year and a half. I met him while he was still playing in Grand Rapids, the AHL team. I was at a Grand Rapids game, and I wanted to get a stick signed by the team, for my little brother. I got it signed by the whole team, but Brendan wanted to hang out afterwards, so I did. A few times after we had hung out, we decided that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, because it made sense." She said, then took a breath.
"He was actually a really great boyfriend, he was attentive, nice, and caring. Then he got the call that they wanted him to play in the NHL. We were both so excited, because he worked his ass of to get to that point. I went to his first NHL game, and sat with his family. And he scored. His mom and I cried together. After that, I went to as many home games as I could, but I had school and volleyball as well. But I also bonded a lot with the team. They became like my family. I rode on the plane with them as much as I could, and Petr became one of my closest friends, and so did a few of them. For our first year anniversary, he got me this really nice, diamond necklace. And I thought things were getting pretty serious. Then, after that, he started to change. He acted like he was better than some of the other players, and better than me, or too good to be with me. I think some of the other guys noticed too, but didn't say anything to me personally. Some of them asked me what was up with him, but I had to tell them I didn't know." She looked at us, Marie and I, to see if we were still following.
"Keep in mind, that I met lots of amazing people along the way. I met some of the Stars, a lot of the Blues, some guys from Montreal, and Vancouver, and New York, both teams. I've met some cool people, and many of them I can text, and talk to. Including these two losers. So, Marie, I can totally hook you up!" She laughed, trying to bring some humor into a story that was clearly painful for her. Marie and I kept our word and didn't interrupt.
"So, I accepted that he was stressed out, and that maybe he was just going to be more distant for a while. Then, one night, close to our year and a half anniversary, we went out to a bar, with the team. Keep in mind, I was only just 21, and I got wasted, but before I got that drunk, he told me he was going to go home early, and told him I would just go over to his house when I was ready. I got so shitfaced I could barely walk. Petr offered to take me over to Brendan's house." She paused, and I could see why. She started crying, so I grabbed her hand and squeezed tighter.
"Petr walked me in, to make sure I got in bed, and when we went in," She let out a sob, "he was in bed with someone else. The same girl he told me he just danced with to get rid of. Petr grabbed him out of the sheets and punched him in the face. Broke his nose."
I interrupted then with, "Good. He deserved it."
"I told him, 'I hope that was worth it,' then Petr took me to his house, and I slept there." She said. I didn't want to seem too nosy, but Marie asked the question I wanted to know.
"Did he sleep in the same bed?" Marie said.
"Really? That's what you're worried about? But just so you know, I asked him to stay with me until I fell asleep. When I got up in the morning, he was out on the couch. But I think it's time for a drink, where are we going? And who is riding with who?" Kirsten inquired.
Jamie spoke up, "I can take Marie, and Tyler can tell you where we're going." And they stepped out of the car.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, even thoughI knew she wasn't alright.
"Yeah, I'm over him, but he keeps popping up. And tonight when I saw him, he glared at me then rammed into me with his shoulder. But don't worry," She said when she must've seen the look on my face, "Helm helped me out. But let's go." And she started the car. "Oh, and quick question, will any Wings be there?"
"Maybe... Probably." I told her truthfully.
"I have a favor to ask you..." She said.
"Anything, what is it?" I asked.
"If he is there, will you act like we came together, and dance with me and stuff?" She said, looking embarrassed. "It's just, I want him to see that I'm over him, but if you don't want to, I totally understand."
"Of course I'll do it, you don't need to explain yourself." I was still holding her hand, but I wasn't going to be the one to let go first. Then we drove off, me, thinking of the beautiful girl beside me, hoping she doesn't want me to let her hand go, and her, surely dreading the possibility of seeing him, staring straight ahead.
Notes
The first version of this chapter deleted, and I don't know if I can put into words how pissed I am. It was double the length of the other chapters. So this chapter won't be as good as I wanted it to be, sorry
<3
8/15/15