Past Lives

I bit my lip. There was no way I'd tell him the truth. If he knew she was here, he'd go looking for her. If he found her...No. I shook my head and tried to look sad. "No. She's not."

I crossed my arms, trying to look as angry as I could. It didn't take much - I really was angry with him. He had hurt my best friend and here he was asking for her. I wasn't giving him the opportunity to hurt her again.

Brooks' face seemed to fall. "Oh..."

"Why were you looking for her?" I was pissed. "You just want to jam your skate blade into her heart?" He tried to say something, but I held my hand up. "I just want you to know that she hasn't watched a hockey game since the last one before you chose hockey over her. I try not to even mention hockey around her. You ruined her, Brooks Orpik, and I would love to crosscheck you into next year for everything you put her through."

Before I could continue on my tirade, Brooks cut me off. "I never meant to hurt her. I wanted to make it work. I wanted -"

"You wanted someone to call your girlfriend. Too bad you sucked at balancing an actual relationship." I shook my head. "Your loss."

Brooks sighed. "You're right."

"And another-" I stopped. "What?"

"I said you're right." He held up his hands in surrender. "I screwed up." He thought for a second before looking at his watch. "Listen. Let me take you somewhere so we can talk. I fee like there's a lot we need to figure out."

I thought for a second. Why should I go out with someone I hadn't spoken to for six years? Someone who hurt my best friend. "I don't kno-"

"Please," Brooks pleaded. I could tell there was something he really needed to tell me. I sighed. Why was I about to say what I was going to say?

"...Alright."

--

We ended up down at Excuses. Everyone I worked with couldn't get over the fact that I knew Brooks. They all greeted him and congratulated him on his game that night. Music blared from the karaoke singers as well as the general music in between. Sitting in a back corner, Brooks and I talked over Bud Lights.

"Jamie, listen. I never got over Ads." He took a drink of his beer and sighed. "Whether she thinks I did or not, I really loved her. I just lost sight of what was important with the chance to be somebody."

I shook my head. "That was a big part of the problem." I sipped my own. "You gave up on her for yourself." And I broke your nose for it.

Brooks rubbed his nose and I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I'm reminded every time I look in the mirror." He winced. "Or think."

"So not that often?"

Brooks glared at me. "I see you haven't changed much." I shrugged. He added, "You're still a cynical, sarcastic bitch."

I smirked. "And you're still a selfish pain in the ass."

We turned to our lives then. I told him about working at the bar while I tried to get a sportscasting job. I had gotten out of Boston because of a psycho ex. That much was true...I just didn't tell him I had a partner in crime.

He told me about moving to Wilkes-Barre and then Pittsburgh. How he loved the NHL. How he and Brian still talked. I winced. He apologized.

My phone rang and I didn't look to see who it was. "Hello?" The music blared around me. It was a wonder whoever was on the other end could hear.

"Hey, I'm going out with Noelle for a few drinks at Excuses, you wanna meet up with us?"

Oh my God, it was Ads. I flinched. I covered my phone and muttered to Brooks, "Bathroom. Be right back." I ran for cover and quiet. In the bathroom, I said, "Ads, I don't think Excuses is a good idea."

There was some bitterness in her voice. "Why not?"

Well, um...it's after a Pens game and that means-"

"Yeah, I know what that means. Fine, we will find somewhere else to go. I thought the game ended at like 10:30."

Shit. I needed an excuse. I said the first thing I could think of. "I met some Bruins fans at the game and we decided to go grab some late dinner." I just hoped she bought it.

"Okay. Well when we decided where we are going, I will text you."

She hung up and I let out a long sigh. This was going to be a lot harder to hide than I thought. I couldn't tell her about Brooks and I couldn't tell Brooks about her. It was like a Shakespearean...something. I didn't even know.

I walked back out to the table and sat down. Brooks looked up. "What was that?"

Shrugging, I said, "A friend looking for directions. She wanted to get fries at the O and couldn't find it."

"Oh. Gotch'ya."

We talked some more before I decided I needed to get home. I needed to sleep and figure out what was going on. I was dreading the moment when Ads figured everything out. It was only a matter of time before she found out Brooks was here.

As I was nodding off, Ads walked into my room. "So I saw something interesting tonight..."

I rolled over. "Oh? What?"

Ads leaned against my door frame. "An Orpik jersey."

Oh. Shit.