Memories That Last A Lifetime

A wise man once told me that you don't know what you have until it's gone. Or maybe I heard it in a Jonas Brothers song.

“What are the uses of anchors? Like really. Why do you need to stop a boat in the middle of the ocean? I mean, if you’re docking I can kind of understand, but you can just, like, tie the boat with heavy duty rope to the dock,” I asked.

“Well what are the uses of polar bears? They just sit around on ice all day and take naps?” Aimee responded.

“Don’t make fun of polar bears. What have they ever done to you?” I snapped. Hey, polar bears are my favorite animals ever and I always have to stick up for them. It’s just what I do.

“That’s what you get for making fun of anchors,” she said seriously. The way I was with polar bears, she was with anchors.

Aimee and I have been dating for about a year now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. It was exciting and fun and not like any other relationship I've ever been in before. We had so many common interests, so there was always something to talk about. She got along with the crazy ass guys I call my brothers just as if she was one of them herself. Basically, she was everything a guy could ever want in a girl, and I would be insane to let her get away from me. I just didn't know that yet.

Right now, I was a nineteen year old guy playing in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks. I was too caught up in the life of a star to realize what I had right in front of me, the girl of my dreams.

I watched as Aimee walked over to my stall to grab the outfit that she had left in there so she could change into it after the game. We were playing the Sharks in San Jose, so I decided to have her come along since she loves the Sharks so much. We had won the game, obviously, but I asked if some of the Sharks wanted to party with us afterwards, since we didn't have to leave until noon the next day. Surprisingly, some of them agreed to come along.

"Why don't you change in here," I suggested. Most of the guys had left the locker room, but I still didn't want to have her change in front of them.

"An electrical closet. Really?" she commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Well would you rather you change right in front of Kaner over there?" I retaliated. Kane picked his head up and mumbled something upon hearing his name.

When what I said finally registered, he called out, “Well you are more than welcome to change right in front of me. I won’t mind.” He had a sly smirk on his face. I shot him a dirty look.

“The electrical closet it is then,” she said with a slight sigh.

Kane and I chatted for a little while I waited for Aimee to come back out. I heard a loud thud come from the closet and chuckled slightly. Aimee definitely hit something, causing it to fall. A few moments later, Aimee returned. I was left speechless by her beauty, a thing that happened to me quite often. Kane had let out a long, drawn out whistle, to which I had to smack him on the back of the head for. Aimee blushed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, a habit she had for when she was flattered.

“You look stunning. As usual,” I said, complimenting her.

“Thanks,” she said with a nervous giggle.

I walked over to her and linked my arm with hers and guided her outside the locker room, through the hallways, and to the parking lot. We hopped into my car and started the drive off to some club a few blocks away.

I smiled as I watched Aimee dancing and singing in the seat of the car to the Taylor Swift CD she had brought for the trip. I personally didn't find her music that bad, but that's only because I like country music. I parked the car outside of the club. I saw a couple of the guys from San Jose there and I knew that Kaner was coming, too.

We walked into the club together. It was a simple club, a bar and a dance floor basically. Aimee looked up to me with her doe eyes. She didn’t say anything, but I knew she was asking if we could dance. A fast song came on and I led her out to the dance floor.

Contrary to what most people believed, I wasn’t always a serious guy. I could be a normal let loose goofy guy occasionally. I danced, I pulled pranks, I lay on the couch all day sometimes. I could be normal.

After a few songs had passed, I needed a drink. Aimee wanted to go meet some of the Sharks so I told her to go right ahead and that I would be by the bar.

“Hey Tazer! Which one?” Kane asked me. I knew he was asking me which woman would be his next target. I scanned the club, searching through his options.

“Red dress in the corner, definitely.”

“You’re so right,” he said before walking away.

A woman in her early twenties came over and started talking to me. She was definitely a puck bunny, but I thought I’d be nice and talk to her for a few minutes. Then she can go and tell everybody that she talked to Jonathan Toews.

First, I was just talking to this chic, then, when I wasn’t really paying attention; she leaned over and whispered something in my ear. The next thing I knew, Aimee was standing in front of me with tears in her eyes. I felt like a ton of bricks had hit me seeing her so sad like that, but honestly, I don’t know what I did wrong. She shouldn’t have had a problem with me talking to someone else. She knew that I wouldn’t do anything with her.

“Aimee wha-” I started, but she cut me off.

“Save it Jonathan!” she snapped. She only used my first name when she meant business, so I knew I was screwed. She turned on her heels, her hair swinging around, and started for the exit.

“Aimee. Aimee wait! Aimee!” I called out, trying to get her to stop, but it was no use. She plowed right through the door and towards the street. I started a jog to try and catch up to her. I was finally close enough to her that I could reach out my arm and grab her shoulder.

“What do you want Jonathan?” she asked angrily. She had her arms crossed over her chest and a tear sliding down her cheek.

“What did I do?” I asked. If she was going to be mad at me, I at least needed to know why.

“What did you do?” she scoffed. “It’s more like what you didn’t do.” She turned around to try and walk away again, but I stopped her before she could.

“Fine, then tell me what I didn’t do,” I pleaded.

“Well if you’re really that oblivious to things then fine, I’ll tell you. Setoguchi had his hands all over me in there and you didn’t even notice. You were too busy talking to some random chic to notice that your girlfriend was being felt up by some other man. Most boyfriends would keep looking over at their girlfriend when she’s all alone around a group of unfamiliar men,” she spat. I stood there taking in everything that she said and she ended up walking away and getting a cab.

I still don’t see the big deal.

*~*~*~*~*

It’s been two weeks. I haven’t talked to her in two freaking weeks. I really screwed up. Aimee is avoiding me at all costs.

“Tazer! Stop banging your head against the wall,” Kane said, trying to snap me out of my daze.

“Why?” I questioned.

“Because you’ll lose brain cells.”

“You know what Patrick? How would you feel if you lost the girl of your dreams? The girl that was absolutely perfect in every single way? What would you do if you were in my position?” I questioned angrily.

“Dude, you’re in looooooooooooooooove,” he sang.

“Answer the question!” I yelled. If he’s going to sit here and criticize my method, I want to know what his method was.

“Well, I would go and do something. Like apologize or something like that,” he answered. OF COURSE!

I started scuttling around the house, looking for miscellaneous items. Red paper, green pipe cleaner, glue, scissors, lined paper, and a pen. Once I gathered all the items, I sat down at the table and got to work. Once I finished with my arts and crafts, I made a quick run to the jewelry store.

When I had all of my supplies, I made my way over to Aimee’s dorm. I ran up the two flights of stairs and made my way to dorm 3-13. I looked up at the whiteboard, labeling the room. It simply said “Aimee and Belle’s Dorm!”

I knocked on the door and heard the shuffle of slippers against the floor. “Go away Jonathan,” Aimee groaned. I took a deep breath and slid the first item underneath the door. It was a handmade flower, the petals in the shape of hearts. “Leave before I tell security that there is a strange man outside my dorm.” That’s when I slid the second item underneath the door. It was a hand-written note.

Dear Aimalinee,

I was an idiot. Plain and simple. You were completely, 100% right. I should have kept looking over at you. I should have gone over with you. I wasn’t thinking, at all. If you don’t forgive me, I wouldn’t blame you. Heck, I wouldn’t forgive myself. If you don’t forgive me though, I don’t know how I would live. I need you in my life. You are the missing piece of me. You are everything I have ever wanted in a woman. You’re beautiful, smart, nice, funny, you love hockey, and you get along with every single one of my brothers. Please, please, please forgive me.

Love,
Jonny

I heard the crinkling of paper. I knew she had crumpled it up in a ball and tossed it on the floor. I was down to my last item; a sterling silver necklace with an anchor charm on it. I slid the tiny box under the door and held my breath. This was it. This was the make it or break it moment. This decided everything.

“You’re making it really hard to stay mad at you.”

“Does that mean you forgive me?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes,” she sighed and opened the door. I wrapped her in a giant bear hug.

“I promise that I won’t screw up again.”