Past Lives

“Jamie, you are a freaking genius.” I said as I pulled out my phone.

She rolled her eyes. “And you are just now figuring this out?”

I laughed as I went through my contacts. When I found the number I was looking for, I let the phone ring.

“Hello?”

“Tina, it’s Adisyn. Remember that favor you owe me?” I said with a smile.

“Who’s body do I have to bury Ads?”

I laughed and Jamie gave me a look. “No ones. But remember that conference you went to this weekend?”

“Yeah what about it?”

“I need you to pretend I went and call my house and ask to bring you the notes.”

“You didn’t tell Brooks about your job interview did you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Always accusing me of something I swea-“

I heard her chuckle. “I figured. When he stopped by the hospital yesterday and we told him you weren’t there, his face gave it away. Okay, I will. I’ll text you after I get done.”

I sighed in relief. “Thank you so much.”

I hung up the phone and placed it down with a smile. Jamie just rolled her eyes.

“So how long before you tell him?”

My smile quickly disappeared. “Well, they need to know my decision by early June, so I was thinking-“

She shook her head and stood up as she left money for her bill on the table. “I want no part in this. I have done my part. I will call you later.”

I nodded as my phone vibrated on the table. I looked at it to see a text from Tina.

He answered surprisingly. Sounded like shit. You are welcome

I smiled as I threw some money on the table and left Fatheads. I know piling on more lies was bad, but it gave me time to figure out what I wanted to do, leave him and go have my dream job, or stay here with him.

As I walked up Carson to where I parked, I heard my phone ring in my purse. I answered it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Hey babe.” Brooks said.

I almost stopped in the middle of the street. “Hey.”

“You gonna be home soon?”

I dug through my purse for my keys. “As soon as I find my keys I am gonna head there. Why?”

“Cause we need to talk.”

I got in my car and started it up. “About?”

“About how I am an idiot.”

No. I am.

“I will be home in fifteen.”

I pushed the end button and threw my phone on the passenger seat and sighed. He feels bad because he caught me in a lie, but I just kept piling them on. I shook my head; it is for the best, at least for now.

When I pulled into the driveway, I saw Brooks sitting on the front step with his head in his hands. I took a deep breath and walked up and sat beside him.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled.

I wrapped my arm in between his and laid my head on his shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“No it isn’t.” He said as he looked at me. “I accused you of lying to me and hiding stuff. Shit, I even accused you of fucking Max.”

“Brooks, seriously, it’s okay. I should have told you I was going to the conference.”

“Can we agree to disagree?”

I looked at him and saw he had a smile on his face. I forced a fake smile.

I need to come up with my decision soon, or I am gonna end up hurting both of us.

“Deal.”

“So does this mean you are coming to Washington in a couple days?”

I playfully rolled my eyes. “I suppose. I mean, if you really think me being there is such a big deal.”

He shook his head as he grabbed me and kissed me. “I want you by my side forever.”
I look into his eyes and lied my ass off.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

---

Six days later, the boys played the first game of the semi-finals against the Capitals in Washington. And as soon as the game ended, with the Caps beating us 3-2, I knew the boys wouldn’t be in too good of spirits.

As Jamie and I were standing outside the locker room, Sid walked out and nodded at us. You could just tell by the look in his eyes that he took every loss personal and vowed for some revenge. I didn’t want to hang around and see any more depressed faces, so I told Jamie it was probably better if we waited for the at the hotel.

About fifteen minutes after we got back to our room, I heard a knock on our door. Jamie went to open it and I saw Brooks walk in.

After we stood there in silence for a few seconds, Jamie mentioned she was going to go for a walk.

As soon as she left, Brooks fell onto the bed.

“We played horrible.”

“Nah.” I said as I sat beside him. “Everyone has a bad game once in awhile. You guys will rebound as usual and kick ass.”

“But it is the Capitals Ads, we only beat them once in the regular season, and even that was only a shootout win.”

“But this is the playoffs Brooks, not the regular season. It is like a whole other season. Anything can happen. “

“I guess you are right.” He said as he sat up. “See this is why I needed you to come to the away games.”

“Cause I am the voice of reason?”

He laughed. “Something like that. I gotta go catch dinner with Eats and a few other guys. You girls doing anything tonight?”

I shook my head. “Not that I know of. Probably just sit around the room and watch movies.”

“Oh what a wonderful life.” He said as he kissed me. “I will stop by later.”

I nodded and said goodbye as he walked out the door. Not even five seconds later, Jamie walked in with tears streaming down her face. I got up and rushed over to her.

“What happened?”

She slid down the door to sit on the floor.

“Craig’s an asshole.” She said as the tears began to fall even harder.

I sat beside her and let her lay her head on my shoulder. “What did he do?”

“I went to his room just to talk about the game. And he became a douche. He even called my clingy!”

I softly laughed. “Jamie, even you should know that after a bad game, if they wanna talk, they will come to you. I am sure he didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She sniffled and wiped her face. “Whatever. I am over it. He wants to be a douche, fine. I told him not to come looking for me.”

“Jamie, you realize that your relationship was due to get out of the honeymoon stage at one point right?”

She gave me a look. “Fuck off. Just cause we don’t fight like you and Brooks do, or keep secrets from each other doesn’t mean we are still in the honeymoon stage.”

“Do not bring my problems into this, you really do not want to have both me and Craig mad at you at the same time.”

She pushed herself off the floor and then helped me up. “You are right.” She threw a few things in her purse before turning back to me. “But I am going out for the night, if I don’t come back, I stayed somewhere else.”

“Um okay? Jamie you know running isn’t gonna solve anything.”

She turned to me before walking out the door. “I am not running, I am just venting.”

And with that, she was gone.

---

A few hours later, I settled on room service and whatever movie was on HBO and curled up on my bed, when I heard a knock on my door.

I went and opened the door and walked back to my bed without looking at who it was.

“You do realize I could have been some ax murderer out for some blood and you would have never known.” Brooks said as he walked in and sat beside me.

I shrugged and took a bite of my burger. “If it was an ax murderer, why would he knock, why wouldn’t he just chop down the door?”

He chuckled and stole a fry. “Touché my dear. Touché. So where is Jamie? Down in Craig’s room?”

“Clearly you didn’t hear. They got into a fight, a stupid fight that we had back when you were in college, and she said she was going out and said not to wait up for her.”

“She went to try to talk to him after the game didn’t she?”

I stopped mid bite and looked at him. “You remember what fight I am talking about?”

He nodded and got more settled on the bed. “Well I put two and two together. Because we had a nasty blowout when you tried to talk to me after a huge loss back in college, and since we lost today and most of us were upset, I figured she went to try to talk to him.” He shook his head. “You girls need to learn that if we wanna talk, we will come to you.”

I elbowed him. “Excuse me, who came to who today to talk?”

Brooks shrugged. “True, but you already learned the hard way.”

He helped me finish my burger and fries and watched a few more movies with me before he had to go back to his room for curfew. Before he left, he gave me a kiss.

“Want to go hang out in this grand city tomorrow when I get off practice?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

After he left, I pushed my tray to the floor and picked up my cell. Still no messages from Jamie.

I sighed and sent her a text.

Please be safe. Call me if you need a ride or someone to talk to. I really hope you aren’t doing anything stupid.

---

The next morning, I was awoken by loud banging on my door.

Clearly, people don’t know they don’t want to mess with me until I have my morning coffee.

I walk to my door and open up to see Craig push by me.

“Sure. Come on in Craig. Nice to see you too. No, I don’t mind that you woke me up at 9 am. I wasn’t really sleeping anyways.”

He rolled his eyes. “Where is Jamie? I need to talk to her.”

I crossed my arms and looked at him. “Why the fuck do you care?”

“Ads quit being a bitch and just tell me where she is.”

“Well calling me a bitch isn’t helping your situation, and neither is waking my ass up at 9 am looking for your girlfriend.”

“She won’t answer my calls or texts. Where is she?”

“Clearly if she wanted found she would have responded to you.” I said as I opened the door. “Now if you don’t mind…”

“I am in love with her Ads.” Craig blurted out.

I stood there and looked at him for a few seconds. He looked like shit, like he didn’t get any sleep. Good, he deserves to beat himself up over this. And did he just say he loved her?
“Wait. Did you just say what I think you did?”

He sighed and nodded as he ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah. I am truly in love with her. I feel like shit about yesterday.”

“You need to find her and tell her that then.” I said as I crossed my arms. “Cause honestly, I don’t even know where she is. She came back here, cried for a bit, bitched at me, and then left. Told me not to worry about her.”

“You mean she-“

I nodded. “She probably went out to some bar. But I don’t think she is stupid enough to cheat. She said she might stay somewhere else. Just go find her.”

Before I knew it, he was running out the door.

Damn it Craig, don’t mess this up, even if she won’t admit it, she is in love with you too.