true friends are burning stars they shine brightest on those darkest nights - atticus


I walked into the Starbucks and scanned around the room quickly before I saw him. He had a big grin on his face while he looked at me. He was wearing sunglasses and one of his hats on backwards. I walked quickly over to him and smiled when he stood up to greet me with a hug that I wasn't expecting. I hugged him back just as tightly.

"It's so good to see you, Jo," he said to me, still holding me close to him.

I smiled and squeezed him before letting him go, "You too, Ty."

He pointed down at the table, "I got your favourite," he said, as I looked down and saw my absolute favourite drink, the Double Chocolately Chip frap.

"Thank-you," I said with a grin before sitting down, as he did the same.

He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off, "Before we start getting super mushy because I know that'll happen. I just want to get this out of the way. That I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you when you got injured. That wasn't right, Tyler. I was watching the game when it happened and I felt so sick. And I had my phone in my hand and I was getting ready...but I couldn't bring myself to do it and that makes me a terrible human being and I'm really sorry," I said quickly, trying to get it all out without bursting into tears.

He took off his sunglass and smiled a little at me, "It's okay, Josie. Honestly, I get it. I mean, was I hoping that you would talk to me, but I wasn't holding my breath. And I can't be mad at you for that. I can't be mad that I didn't hear from you after the playoffs. Because I could only imagine how hard everything was for you. I know how much we hurt you. And none of us ever meant for that to happen. But it did and we can't go back from that, as much as I wish we could.

"I can't change the past, but I wanna try and change the future, because I want you there. Me and you...God, Josie...we were best fucking friends. With or without him we still woulda been best friends. I have missed you so much, and I have felt so terrible about everything. And I can't explain to you how sorry I am."

I quickly got rid of some of the falling tears and sniffled, "I wanna go back to how it was with us, Tyler. Honestly, I do. But..."

"But it's a trust thing, Josie, I get it," he told me, "I would never expect you to forgive me right now like it was nothing, because it was something. I don't know how to gain your trust again, but I want to try. And I want to start with being friends again."

A small smile flickered on my face, "I want to be friends again too, Ty...I've missed you."

He smiled widely at me, "I've missed you too. Come up to the cottage," he said with a semi-begging tone.

I laughed, "Oh man, listen, we've only been okay for a couple hours that might be a bit much."

"But it's for Demers," he whined while I took a sip of my drink and rolled my eyes. It felt like we were back to our old selves.

"A going away party?" I asked.

He nodded, "Like a going away party weekend. Most of the team is gonna be there, and some other hockey guys and some of the WAGs and whatnot," he explained, "it would mean a lot to Demers if you were there."

I sighed deeply, "I dunno, Ty...will he be there?" I asked.

He looked at me sadly and nodded his head once, "Yeah, he will."

I occupied a couple moments by taking a drink and looking down at the table while Tyler watched me, "I don't think that would be a good idea, Ty," I told him finally.

"You don't have to talk to him," he said quickly, "I'll tell him to leave you alone the whole time. I just...I know it would mean a lot to Demers if you showed up. He misses you like crazy!"

I bit my lip as I looked at Tyler; I knew that if he told him not to talk to me then I was pretty set. I wanted to see Jason and send him off to Florida. But I was just absolutely terrified.

"I wanna go Tyler; I just know it'll be weird is all. It's been months, and I'm just...I dunno. I know it'll all be fucked up is all. I know it'll make everyone uncomfortable," I explained to him.

"Bullshit," he told me with a small laugh, "everyone would be stoked to see you! And I told you, I'll keep him away from you! I wouldn't put you into that situation unless you said something."

I sighed and shook my head lightly at him with a frown on my face, "I really don't think that's a good idea, Ty. If it was like...you and the guys...yeah I'd probably go...but with him there, I just don't think I'm ready for that."

He pursed his lips but nodded at me still, "I know...I just...I just know it'll mean so much to him, to Demers, if you're there. It's gonna be like, the last time we all really get to hang out with him before he goes back home and then he's off to Florida...it would just be nice if you were there."

I huffed and looked away from him. I wanted to go. Badly. I wanted to see Demers before he left. I wanted to see all of them to be honest. Even him to an extent...I just knew what it would turn into. And I didn't really want to go down that road. Not then at least.

I looked back to Tyler and saw him watching me with pleading eyes, silently begging me to go and have as good of a weekend as I could. I clenched my jaw and rolled my eyes dramatically.

"You have to absolutely promise me that he won't bother me at all," I told him firmly, "I can't have him coming up to me wanting to say stuff, because I don't know what I would do, Tyler. I don't trust myself not to get the anger out and just smack him right in the face, because I can't make that promise, Ty."

He was smiling at me through my whole mini rant, "I'll talk to him, Josie. I swear I'll talk to him," he said with a giddy tone to his voice, "Okay it's gonna be so much fun, I'll text you all of the details, okay? It's gonna be bonfires every night, and sitting at the lake, you're honestly gonna love it, I promise."

I watched him as he continued to go on and on about how much fun the weekend would be. But I had a knot forming in my stomach from the nerves. I was suddenly terrified at the prospect of seeing them all again. Of seeing him. Because there wasn't going to be a way around it, I was going to see him one way or another. It's just the fact that he would need to back off and give me space. Which I was hoping he would do.

Notes

Jamie in the next chapter? Jamie in the next chapter.

Please let me know what you think!!