Mine

"Hey," I said meekly, "Can I come in?"

Adam opened the door wider without saying anything and took my coat to be hung up. Obviously he knew what had happen in Vancouver, in fact, I bet the whole team knew, as well as the entire metropolitan area of Chicago and Vancouver B.C. So it wasn't even that I was mad at Patrick anymore, I was just plain embarrassed.

"Oh, Summer," Kayla wrapped me in a tight hug. "You're not mad at me for telling you?"

"No," I mumbled into her shoulder "Better than having some fan girl yell it at me during a game. I just don't understand why or how he could do that to me!"

Kayla didn't say anything, she turned to look at Adam wouldn't make eye contact. I could tell he was torn, on one hand Patrick was his best friend, on the other I was Pat's girlfriend who just got cheated on. But I wouldn't make him choose, he knew what Patrick did was wrong.

That night and for the next week and a half I slept over at Adam's house. Usually Kayla was there, to be honest I'm not really sure what was going on with those two. It's not that Kayla and I had a falling out after I moved but since we didn't live together I couldn't worry why she wasn't home when I went to sleep or gone before I was awake. It was a different relationship and some how we both sort-of ended up rooming with Adam Burish.

Patrick didn't even try to call me or contact me in general. Some people might think this would make me even angrier but really I was thankful that it gave me my own time to think things through. I was so in love with him and if he asked, I would take him back in a heart beat. That's what scarred me. Regardless that it was the second time I had caught his with another girl and everyone would think I was stupid or desperate. I don't think I could last the rest of my life without him.

Eventually I had to go back to Pat's apartment to get the rest of my stuff, well mostly my clothes. I tried to pick a time when he wouldn't be home, I was dying to see him actually, but I had my pride and I wasn't going to run back into his arms like I wanted too.

--

Quietly I opened the door using the key for the apartment I had never returned. Call me a creep but I went at 1 in the morning, hoping he would be out with Adam, who had told me he was going to come club and would probably just crash at a teammates house since he'd be in no condition to drive.

The apartment was quiet and dark, which made me think no one was home. So maybe my plan wasn't the best idea since my clothes were in his drawer in his bedroom and if he was sleeping in there that would be weird but to tell the truth I was going a little crazy since the day I left Patrick. Just as I was sneaking towards the bed room thinking I was safe the light flicked on in the kitchen. I froze.

"Hello?" a female voice called. "Oh my gosh Summer?"

"Erica," I turned around to find Patrick oldest sister standing in the kitchen doorway, her hand halfway to the knives I might add. "I was getting my stuff."

"At 1 am?" she pulled on the faded pajama bottoms she had on.

"Well, I thought Pat would be out with Adam. I didn't know you would be in town."

"Just for a couple days. Mom's worried about him and wanted me to check in," she told me.

"What's wrong?" my concern gets the better of me.

"Well, in regards to going out, he doesn't anymore. All he does sulk and play hockey, literally," Erica cracked a little smile. "I had to go grocery shopping because he hasn't even bought food for the last week or something."

"Oh," I reply simply.

"Summer I don't know what to say except how sorry I am," she finally breaks, almost to the point of sobbing. "I mean I know it's not my fault, but I just don't understand why my brother could do this to you! Twice! My family raised him better than that. I've been cheated on and Patrick took care of me when I was a mess. How could he do that to you?"

"Erica…" I move towards her to try and comfort her.

"Please just let me talk," she hold up a hand. "I know you shouldn't take him back, he doesn't deserve it, but I couldn't even count the times he's told me that he's 'nothing without you.' He's not himself. I just-- I don't know what to say to him since he's just screwed himself over but he's my brother and I love him, I want to see him happy and that's why I'm telling this to you."

"I just don't understand it either," is all I can manage to tell her. "But I still love him, regardless or whether he deserves it. For now though, I think we should take a break."

Erica pulls away from my embrace and nods that she understands.

"Is he here now?" I ask.

Erica shakes her head 'no' just as the door opens revealing my boyfriend carrying a pizza from the 24-hour place around the corner.

"Neither of us could fall asleep tonight so…" Erica explained.

Patrick raised his head towards his sister, probably wondering who she was talking to. Then he follows her eyes and turns to me.

"I - I - Summer," he stammers out stepping forward then back, like he's fighting the urge to run over to me.

"Just tell me why," I breathe, not caring that his sister will hear every word each of say. "The honest truth."

"There's no good reason," he looks down and shakes his head. "You weren't there."

It hurts, that the fact that I wasn't there was why he did what he did, but I asked for honesty so I got it.

"I just wished you could feel what I felt when I saw the picture," I whispered. "Like everything was slipping out of my hands. I shouldn't have run though."

"I shouldn't have let you run."

"It was like we had silently agreed to say goodbye. I felt so alone," sub consciously we had moved closer to each other. Now we were only a a few feet away from each other. It was breaking me apart to not hold him when I could see he was close to tears.

"I'll never leave you alone."

And I remember that fight
Two-thirty AM
Yes, everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the goodbye
‘Cause that’s all I’ve ever known
And you took me by surprise
You said, “I’ll never leave you alone”