Angel

“Can we stay here, right here?
Nothing else that I wanna do”
Don’t You Go by All Time Low

James POV

I was just finishing packing my bag when I heard a knock on my door. I looked at my clock next to my bedside table to see that it read 4:15AM. I cautiously walked towards the door and grabbed my hockey stick on the way. I opened the door to see Cam standing there with her hat sitting backwards on her head and her eyes glinting with hope.

“Hey.” I said.
“Hey, I was wondering if I could drive you to the airport.”
“Um, usually Pauly take-”
“I already called him. He said I could take you if I really wanted to. And I do so…”
“It looks like this my only option.”
“Oh, if you don’t want me to take you the-”
“I’m kidding Cam. I’d love for you to take me.”

She smiled brightly and stepped into my apartment. I had to remember that she wasn’t used to my joking ways yet. I went back to my room and grabbed my suitcase to set by the door.

“Ready?” I asked Cameron.
“You’re going out in that?”
I looked down at my t-shirt and shorts and nodded.
“Jay, it’s December in Pittsburgh.”

I could feel the smile spreading across my face as I heard her call me Jay. I watched her walk into my room and come back with my Pens hoodie. She chucked it at me and I pulled it over my head.

I watched her walk out the door and towards the elevator as she pushed the down dutton she turned to me, “Are you coming?”

I grabbed my suitcase and pulled and locked the door behind me. When we stepped into the elevator Cam pressed the ground floor button and as soon as she was beside me again I interlaced our fingers and saw her smile out of the corner of my eye. She led me to her Chevy Silverado and I opened the driver’s door for her before I tossed my bag in the back and climbed into the truck. I watched as she flipped the radio dial to Siriusxm 56, The Highway and turned the volume knob to 16 as she pulled out of the garage and towards the airport.

Since our flight was so early, we had packed our hockey bags yesterday and coach sent them to the airport early and told us to meet at the airport outside security by 5AM. We were taking an early flight to Philadelphia.

Cameron pulled into a 10 minute parking space outside the airport and got out. I quickly followed and grabbed my bag out of the back as I jogged to catch up to her because she was already half-way across the parking lot. When I caught up, I interlocked our hands like I did in the elevator. We immediately spotted the team because it was hard to miss a herd of 6 foot men in the middle of the airport. That and it was 4:45 in the morning, there wasn’t exactly a bustle to get anywhere.

Cam stopped walking when we were a couple feet away from them. I turned towards her and took in the worried expression on her face.

“Hey, it’s gonna be fine. You can call me at any time as long as it’s not during the game or practice.”

She still didn’t look convinced so I did what I did best, I kissed the worries away. When we pulled apart she looked a little better but still not 100%. She opened her mouth like she was gonna talk but then shut it. I took both of her hands in mine hoping that it would give her some reassurance. Luckily, it worked as she finally looked up at me.

“Promise me one thing Jay?”
“Anything.”
“Promise you won’t forget me.”
“Cam-”
“No! Jay, you have to promise me.”
“Of course I won’t. Cam.” I pulled her into my arms as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I promise Cam. I promise.”

“James!” I looked over to find Crosby pointing at his wrist and at security signaling it was time to leave.

“Cam, I promise I won’t forget you, but I really have to go.” I watched as she pulled away from my arms and wiped at her eyes.
“Ok.”

I grabbed my bags and stood at security, placing my bag on the conveyor belt. I took off my sweatshirt and looked at it thinking I really didn’t need it because I had packed one and took off back where I came from.

“CAM!” I shouted. I saw she was right where I left her and sprinted towards her. I halted in front of her and held my sweatshirt out, “Here. Take it.” She looked skeptically at me, “This is me promising I won’t forget you. You have my favorite sweatshirt.”
I watched as she took it and held it to her chest, “Thank you Jay.”
“Your welcome, Cam. I really have to go now but I do Cam. I promise I won’t forget you.”

She nodded her head and looked back at the ground. It killed me to leave her standing there but it needed to be done because the faster I left, the faster I would be back.

Notes

2 updates in 2 days. whoo. im on a roll. Anyway, Merry Christmas y'all.