Better Than That

I woke up confused and disoriented, until I flipped over and saw the note that Jon had written for me. Everything from last night and the past few weeks came crashing down on me.

November 4, John’s apartment

“Jayden you’re late” John yelled at me opening up his door and dragging me into his apartment.

“I am sorry; practice ran late which then caused me to wait on finishing the equipment for tonight’s game.” He just turned around with a pissed look on his face.

“Make sure it doesn’t happen again.” He said walking over to his living room and sitting down. Leaving me standing in the entry way. I took off my coat and walked over to the couch and sat beside John. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

“Just my work clothes, since I came right from work.” I said looking down at my jeans, and Blackhawks t-shirt.

“Well when you are with me you need to be highly presentable. I can’t be seen with you if you look like that. You are disgusting; you should never leave your house like this.” He said looking at me. “I don’t know what I even saw in you.” I just nodded trying to figure out what happened.

November 9th back from a Road trip:

I just got off the plane and was about to go back to Tazer’s to sleep as it was 2:30 in the morning, when my phone went off with John’s ringtone.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Jayden, come by my apartment now.” He demanded.

“Alright I will be right there.” I said hanging up, and catching a cab to John’s.

When I got to John’s he pulled me inside. “I thought I told you never to show up here without being presentable.”

“You told me to come over here immediately and I didn’t have a chance to change.” I tried to defend myself.

“That does not give you an excuse.” He said rolling his eyes at me. “Go change into something nice you have in that bag and come back out here when I can stand to look at you for more than a few seconds.

November 15th John’s apartment

“Jayden, come on get ready. You are going to meet my friends.” John said finishing up the breakfast he made. “We are going to play a pickup game of hockey.”

“Sweet, can we swing by my house so I can pick up my equipment?” I asked hopeful, I haven’t had time to practice since John and I started dating so it’s going to feel good to have the ice under me again.

“Who said that you were going to play, you suck at hockey. Besides I don’t want to be a laughing stock in front of my friends. So just go make yourself pretty and only speak when necessary. I don’t want to seem like I am dating a stupid person.” I just nod. “Good, maybe you are not completely useless. I no wonder Toews hates you; you are a complete piece of shit. He probably can’t wait till he gets away from you.”

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the ringing of my phone, it was John’s ringtone. But I knew I couldn’t deal with him so I let it go to voicemail. When I knew he was done speaking to the recorder I listened to his message.

“Jayden Harris. Where the fuck are you? I know you are not at work because I came in today and you weren’t here. So I know you can answer my damn phone call!” he yelled and I couldn’t listen to the rest so I hung up and went into Jon’s bathroom and took a shower. As I came out of the bathroom, I heard the door burst open.

“Jayden!” John’s voice boomed throughout the house. “I know you are in here!” He said as I heard is voice going to my room. “Where are you?” he said coming back to Jon’s room and opening up the door.

~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~

“Hey, John” Jayden whispered fearfully.

“Don’t hey John me” John bit back taking in her look before turning toward the bed and seeing the two indentations. He slowly turned back to face Jayden. “So you are a little whore.” He yelled at her completely terrifying her.

He grabbed the vase that was on the dresser and threw it at Jayden, however Jayden ducked out of the way just in time. “Why did Jon even want to fuck you?” John yelled grabbing a picture frame of the Toews family and smacking Jayden in the head with it. “You aren’t even good in bed.”

“We didn’t have sex” Jayden said softly grabbing her head where it started to bleed from where the frame hit.

“You didn’t have sex?” John screamed as a vein in his neck popped out. “Then why the fuck are you in Jon’s room wearing Jon’s clothes.” He shoved Jayden into the dresser causing things to fall off the dresser and break. “You are such a fucking slut.”

“Jayden” Jon’s voice came from downstairs as John threw Jayden into a wall causing the dry wall to break.

A few seconds later Jon came bursting into his own bedroom. “Get your hands off of her.”

“What are you going to make me?” John smirked as he slammed Jayden in the wall again. This did it for Jon, he tackled John onto the floor and started punching him. John didn’t have a chance.

Jayden was able to call 911 before she passed out.

“Jayden,” Jon ran over to Jayden as he watched her fall to the ground. “Are you ok?” he asked as she didn’t respond so he checked for a pulse. John stood up and wobbly walked over to Jon and hit him unsuspectingly.

“Chicago PD” an officer yelled from downstairs.

“We are up here and we are going to need an ambulance.” Jon said protecting Jayden from getting hit again by John.

“Don’t protect that little slut.” John said punching Toews again before and officer pulled him away.

~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~

“Jayden, come on wake up.” I heard Jon’s voice before I opened my eyes.

“There are those beautiful blue eyes I have missed seeing.” Kyle’s voice came.

“Well ever since you got in Chicago I haven’t really seen you.” I said as my throat ached from being dry.

“Yeah I thought you were supposed to stay on my couch?” Jon asked curious.

“How lovely your couch sounds, a bed of a new friend sounded a little better Toe-ez.” This caused me to laugh, not just because I knew who she was staying with now, but because of the nickname she used.

“Are you going to call me that now?” he glared at her jokingly.

“Why yes I am, when the Sharp shooter said it I couldn’t help myself.” She smirked. “Well I am going to let you two talk.” She said walking up to me and carefully kissing my cheek, the only part of my body that didn’t hurt, before she headed out the door.

Jon and I sat there quietly for a few moments before a doctor came through the door. “Glad to see that you are awake, Ms. Harris.” He smiled at me. “Do you remember what happened?” I nodded which instantly gave me a little bit of a headache. “Good, well you are a very strong women.” I saw Jon smile out of the corner of my eye.

“So doc how bad am I really?” I asked my throat still begging for water, which Jon must have noticed because he handed me a glass, which I gladly accepted.

“You have a mild concussion which is the worst of your injuries. Other than that all you have is a sprained wrist and a couple of stiches on your forehead, and some bumps and bruises but those will heal in no time.” He smiled at me. “You are however very lucky that this guy showed up when he did.”

“No offense doc, as nice as you are does that mean I can get out of here?” I asked hopeful, I really hated hospitals.

“Let me get your release papers” he chuckled and left the room.

“Jon, thank you.” I muttered.

“Jayje, there is no need to thank me.” He smiled slightly at me as the doctor came back in the room.

“Jayden is it okay if Jon is the one who signs you out?” The doctor asked me.

“Yeah it’s perfectly fine.” I said as Jon filled out the paper work.

“You’re free to go Jayden” the doctor said. “I hope to never see you in here again.” He smiled at his joke, before turning to Jon. “Good luck with the rest of the season.”

I slowly sat up from the bed feeling slightly dizzy and my whole body ached. “Easy Jayje, don’t move to fast. Let me go get you a wheel chair.”

“You better not get me a wheel chair. I can walk on my own.” I stated firmly.

“Defiantly won’t get you a wheel chair.” He said before he heard laughing coming from the hall and he went to check. “I think Sharpie and Seabs have got the wheelchairs covered.” He said coming back to me offering his arm for balance which I gratefully took as I felt the dizziness take over again.

“What do you mean have them…” I couldn’t finish my question as I watched two wheelchairs fly past my door causing me to chuckle. Jon walked me out to the waiting area where the rest of the Blackhawks team was sitting.

“Oh thank god you are alright, I have been worried sick” Seabs said a little out of breath.

“So who won the wheelchair race?” I asked.

“We didn’t get to finish” he looked down like a kid who was caught stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar.

“Hmm, so you got caught?” he nodded and I laughed. “Damn, I would have loved to see who would have won.”

Everybody came around giving me light hugs being careful of not hurting me. Even Abby, Sharpies very pregnant wife who I have never met before gave me a hug.

“Hi, Jayden I am Abby I have heard so much about you.” She smiled at me sweetly as we made a slow walk outside.

“I have heard so much about you too” I smiled back at the way Sharp’s eyes light up every time he talks about his wife.

“Only good things I hope.” She said as Sharp wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“I don’t think this guy could talk bad about you” I smiled happy for them but a little sad. I wanted a love like they had.

Abby smiled sweetly at me. “We should defiantly get lunch sometime before the baby is born.” She said giving me another hug.

“Defiantly” I smiled at the fact that I possibly just made a friend who was not a Blackhawk in Chicago.

“It was a pleasure meeting you Jayden. I will call you for that lunch” and with that she got into Sharpie’s car.

“Now it’s time to get you home and into bed.” Jon said helping me into his car.

When we got home Jon’s front door was already fixed.

“Sleep time, we will talk when you wake up.” He said tucking me in. “Can you stay?” I asked really not wanting to be alone right now.

“Of course,” he said lying down next to me.

~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~

I laid next to Jayden and watched her sleep. I was so worried about her, when I saw John just attacking her I freaked out. I just wanted to kill him. I have never felt more hatred toward a single person in my life.

A few hours later Jayden began to stir.

“Hey sleepy head” I said getting up.

“Hey Jon.” She said sitting up.

“Do you want me to order food and then we can talk?” I asked knowing she probably hasn’t eaten all day.

“Chinese?” she asked knowing I don’t usually eat that during the season unless it is special circumstances.

“For you of course” I said getting out of bed and headed downstairs to order the food. A few minutes later Jayden was downstairs on the couch and I walked in and sat next to her.

“So I guess it’s time to talk” she said turning to face me, I nodded. “Well” she started and explained how he kept putting her down every time they were together. He kept telling her that she wasn’t pretty enough to go anywhere without wearing a ton of makeup and being dressed up. How could he say that about her? She is naturally beautiful and even thought she is gorgeous when she is dressed up she is gorgeous when she is just wearing sweats and a t-shirt.

“Jayje, why did you stay with him when he treated you like this?” I asked when the doorbell rang. I quickly got up paid for the Chinese and brought it back to where she was sitting.

She immediately started to answer my question when I sat back down. “He kept telling me that I didn’t deserve anyone. He told me that I was useless and nobody would want to deal with a girl like me and I started to believe him. So instead of being alone for the rest of my life I thought staying with him was better.” She started to cry.

“Shh, Jayje, everything is going to be ok now.” I soothed.

“I am going to be alone forever.” She sobbed.

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“I am ugly, annoying, whiny, useless, and I suck at the only thing I thought I was good at?” she said as I pulled her into me.

“First off, you are the furthest thing from ugly. You are beautiful.” She looked at me skeptically. “You can wear anything and you look stunning. I get lost in your blue eyes every time I look at you. Second of all, did you meet Michelle? Talk about annoying and whiny and you are defiantly nothing like her. Do you think someone who is useless would get a job that thousands of people applied for?” I said before finishing off. “And as for sucking at the only thing you thought you were good at, that is a complete lie.”

“You don’t even know what that is.” She stated.

“Hockey,” I said which gave her a curious look. “I always go to the rink early as a part of my pregame ritual when I had the chance. I would just sit up top and watch the ice. My imagination would run wild on all the possible situations that could happen on that ice but then this season when I would go to watch the ice I would sit and watch a person practice. I wasn’t sure who it was until recently when I asked Stan about it.”

“Wait you are the creepy person that watched me work out?” Jayden asked.

“I guess so, but I am not creepy.” I smirked. “Anyways you are an amazing player, you are fast, and have sick stick handling skills.”

“That’s not true.” She said sure.

“Well then when you are better we will have to put your skills to the test.”

“How do you expect to do that?” she said grabbing food.

“We will figure out” I said digging into my sesame chicken and turning on the Sabres game.

After dinner Jayden laid down with her head in my lap. “John said something else to me and it has been bothering me.” She spoke.

“What else did he say?” I asked wondering how else that asshole could bring her down.

“He told me that you hate me. I knew you did before but I thought we were becoming friends.”

“Jayje,” I sighed. “I most defiantly don’t hate you. I like you a lot, too much really. You are so real, you aren’t afraid to speak your mind, you are funny, smart, and incredibly talented. I am so luck to be in your life.”

“You really think that?” she asked.

“I do” I said causing her to smile. We sat and watched the rest of the Sabres game together and fell asleep on the couch.

~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~19~

I woke up stiff but looked down and saw Jayden sleeping peacefully on my lap. “Jayje” I whispered making sure she was still asleep. “Last night when I told you that you I like you a lot, I really wanted to say was that I am falling in love with you.” I quietly said before kissing her on the forehead. A few minutes passed before she woke up.

“Good morning, Jayje.” I said as she sat up.

“Morning, Jonny.” She smiled before getting a weird look on her face. “What’s the matter?”

“I remembered we have to clean up your room.” She said getting up.

“We don’t have to do anything, I have to clean up my room not you.”

“No, I was the one that caused the mess.”

“Fucktard was the one that caused the mess not you.”

“True but I am going to help you clean the mess anyway.” She said standing up and grabbing garbage bags, and a vacuum. I followed her up the stairs and when I got to my room I really noticed how bad it was.

We started to pick up the broken glass when I saw what was left of the vase my grandmother gave me.

“Jon are you okay?” Jayden asked me after a few moments of not moving.

“Just a little sad.” I said holding back my tears. “This was the vase my grandmother gave me a few months before she passed away. She called it her good luck charm. Meme said that the day I was born she was holding the vase when she heard the news, the day I graduated high school she was holding the vase, when I called and told her I was drafted by the Blackhawks she was the vase and when I won the Stanley Cup she was holding the vase. There was only 19 of these vases ever made.” I said sadly.

“Oh my god, Jon I am so sorry!” she said freaking out a little bit. “I feel horrible, this is all my fault.”

“It isn’t your fault. You didn’t break the vase John did.” I said pulling her into a hug. “Besides I would trade the vase and so much more as long as I know you are safe.” I said causing her to look up at my face.

“Thanks Jon.” She whispered.

“Anytime” I said before I leaned down and kissed her.