Tomorrow's a New Day

Move out day was hard for the boys. Their lockers would be cleared out, all of their things would be packed up and brought home, and they'll say goodbye to the friends they've made over the season. 

Some of them planned on heading out later that day, others the following days. Luke and his girlfriend packed their things up and were on the plane home the next morning. Marcus had just finished stuffing his belongings in bins and boxes a few days later. 

"When you are headed out?" He asked Brayden that night as they ate dinner. 

"In a few days. I've got some things I need to do first. You leave in the morning?" 

"Yeah, it'll be nice to go home. Plus I can catch some of Nick's games." 

"I'm sure it will. Are you gonna say bye to Lily?" All the guys made an effort to bid the intern farewell before they left the city. All but Marcus. Brayden was curious to see if he would. He doubted Marcus would get a chance to see Lily till next season and even then he didn't know. Marcus' chance of getting brought up were likely. He wouldn't be an Amerk for much longer. 

"I don't know. I'm leaving early and she'll probably have classes or something." He replied, pushing his food around. 

"You know she misses you." 

Really? He wanted to ask but stayed silent. 

"Everyone has said goodbye to her. I think Phil even got her a train ticket to come visit."

"I don't think she'll want to see me. Things just didn't work out for us." Brayden gave his idiot friend a look. 

"You're an idiot." With that said, Brayden left to pack up, slamming his door for extra emphasis. 



Brayden stayed in Rochester until Lily was finished with her finals. Last week, he and Lily worked something out so she could live in their house during the summer. 

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Of course! You need a place to stay. I have a place for you to stay." Brayden told her as he set a bin of her clothes in her jeep. 

"Yeah but you won't be there. None of you will be." 

"I already hung up a thousand pictures of me all over the place so you'll feel right at home. Besides, none of us will be back till the season starts and you'll be starting school."

"Does he know?"

Brayden sighed, "No and he's long gone. Stop worrying about him. All that matters is he's paying the bills." 

Lily smiled at Brayden's attempt of a joke. When Lily brought it up to Brayden, he suggested her renting out the house. Of course the boys would continue to pay but in fourths. Luke knows, Brayden told him, but they failed to mention it to Marcus, Not that he would care. She would take care of the place and it wouldn't just go to waste over the summer. 

"Now let's get going. You got a lot of unpacking to do." 

Brayden helped her bring everything over to his house and to the right room. The boys left all their appliances for Lily's use, not that there was much in the cabinets anyways. So Brayden offered to take her shopping and get her anything she needed. They had a good time, seeing as it was their last day before Brayden headed home. Lily made him a nice cooked dinner and they spent the evening watching TV, Lily snuggled to his side. 

When it came time for Brayden to leave, Lily helped him pack up. She kissed his cheek just before he climbed into the drivers seat of his car and drove off. 

Now she was alone. Completely. 



"Hey dad, I need to run back to Rochester. I forgot some stuff."

"Can't you just get a new whatever it is?" Mr. Foligno asked, not seeing the two and a half hour drive was necessary. 

Marcus shrugged, "Some of it, no."

"Alright, drive safe." 

It had been about a month since Marcus was in Rochester playing hockey. Most of his friends from the team were settled at home and this was going to be a quick trip there and back. 

Once he got to his house, he was confused as to why there was a jeep in his driveway. The jeep looked oh so familiar though...

Inside Lily bustled around gathering her things for the gym. She was already running late and when the front door opened, she was just asking for trouble. 

"Lily?"

"Marcus?"

"Wha-what are you doing here?"

"I live here now. What are you doing here?" This wasn't what she needed, what she wanted. She had to be at the gym in ten minutes and standing before her was the last person she expected to drop in. 

"I forgot some things. When did you start living here? Is Nabbers here too?"

"Um no he's not. He and Luke let me stay for the summer. I'm paying for a fourth of it."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I don't know but I need to go. I'm running late."

"No wait, why didn't anyone tell me? I lived here too." 

"Marcus, I don't know. I need to leave. I'm going to be late."

"No I want to know why no one told me." Marcus demanded taking a step forward. 

"Why does it matter? You don't live here anymore?"

"Yet I'm still paying for it! I think I should of know if you were living here!" 

"What's wrong with me living here?" She asked putting her hands on her hips. 

"Nothing! I just wish someone told me!"

"Why would it matter? You'll never come back to Rochester and when you do, I'll be gone!"

Why was he so upset that she was living her? Did he not trust her to take care of the house? Did he think she was going to throw massive parties and tell people the Amerks live here?

"Well maybe I was planning on coming back. I've got friends here too!" 

"So you want me to leave?"

"No-"

"Then what's the problem?" Lily was getting beyond frustrated. It didn't help that she could see the time on a nearby clock counting down to when she needed to be at the gym. She had an important student waiting and she couldn't miss this. 

Marcus rubbed his face. What was he getting upset over? So what if she stayed there? He knew she had jobs here and this was better than any apartment, "It's just...I haven't seen you in forever and here you are living in my house and no one told me."

"No one told you because it wasn't a big deal. You barely talked to anyone. And you just stopped talking to me, so when did you expect anyone to inform you that I was living here?" 

"You couldn't just tell me?"

"Marcus!" Lily dropped her bag, throwing her hands up in the air, "You stopped talking to me! You stopped being my friend! The only thing I wanted to say to you was you're a fucking idiot! You changed and I didn't know what to do!"

"I didn't change." He scoffed. 

"No you just found a type." Lily had enough. She was never getting through to him and she didn't have time to draw him a diagram, "I need to go. Do whatever you want." She brushed past him with her bag over her shoulder. Lily barely  made it to the gym in one piece and once she made it to the parking lot, Lily broke down. 

She didn't think her first encounter with Marcus since he became a butthead would be like that. She imagined more of an apology but perhaps that was too much to ask for. Did Marcus do something  wrong that he needed to apologize for it? Lily wasn't sure, but she felt like she needed something from him...a hug maybe. 

She was never going to get that so she brushed away her tears and went inside where her student was waiting patiently, "Sorry I'm late. I was having car trouble." She lied. 

"That's alright. I just stretched." 

For the next hour and a half, Lily could keep her mind off Marcus and on this talented young girl that could make it far. She had a lot of potential and could imagine her doing well. 

"Missy, there's someone here that wants to talk to you." Lily heard the girl's mom say. Both turned and were greeted by the last person Lily thought would walk into this studio. 

"Ms. Kissin, this is my daughter Missy. Missy, this is Ira Kissin. And that is--"

"Lily. Nice to see you again."

"Oh two know each other?" Missy's mom asked. 

"Yes...she is my daughter." Ira replied, her Russian accent heavier then Lily remembered. Missy and her mother looked shocked glancing back and forth between the reunited family. 

"What are you doing here?" Lily questioned trying not to let the annoyance in her voice be obvious. 

"I'm here to see Missy. I've heard wonderful things about her and want her on my team." 

"Really?" Missy asked enthusiastically. 

"What team?"

"The same one you were on when you were younger. She has great potential. And I can see she has been trained by the best."  Ira smirked. 

"Why don't you go get your things, Missy? Then you can talk to Ms. Kissin." Missy nodded and went with her mother to the locker room area, leaving the Russian teacher and her old student. 

"Good to see you still do gymnastics. I knew you could not quit for good." 

"I just teach." 

"You could still compete."

"I have school." Ira scrunched her nose is distaste. 

"You not need school if you are champion."

"And if I were to get hurt? What would I do then?" 

"You are strong. You can't get hurt." Lily scoffed. In the years since Lily last saw her mother, it is obvious she hasn't changed one bit. 

"I need to go. I have another student."

"Think about it my doch' . You could be great." With that, Ira turned in her high heel and walked back to the lobby to meet with Missy. 

This is not my day.



Since the run-in with Marcus and her mother, Lily couldn't take her mind off either of them. At work she thought about Marcus, at the gym she thought about her mothers suggestion. At one point she thought about how much she wanted Marcus here to help her. But no matter what she thought, things would never be right. 

When Lily made her decision, she made some changes and a couple phone calls, Brayden being one of them, "Hey are you busy this weekend?" She asked him. 

"Hmm nope. Why?"

"I was thinking about using that ticket and Phil mentioned that you weren't too far from each other." 

"So you're coming up?"

"For a little bit."

"Doesn't matter. I'll take it." Brayden said with a smile. 

The two made plans incorporating Phil into the equation. She would be taking the train to Toronto where they would pick her up and show her what Canada was all about. 

It was nice to get away and relax. She had a good time with Brayden and Phil, meeting their friends and just having fun. 

They were sitting out by a lake in the back of Phil's truck, a cooler of beer beside them when Brayden brought something up, "Now, I will never question hanging out with you, but why the sudden plans?"

"Um I ran into Marcus the other day," The boys gasped, "He was upset no one told him I was staying there."

"What did you say?" 

"I told him no one said anything to him because he stopped talking to us basically and then I left. I was running late for a lesson anyways."

"I'm sorry you had to deal with his drama." Phil commented. 

"That's not even the worse of it. At the gym, you won't believe who I saw," The boys leaned in, in anticipation, "My mother." That earned a bigger gasp. So dramatic. 

"How did that go?"

Lily shrugged, "She commented on me teaching and said I should compete again. School still isn't a priority to her."

"That must of been something." Brayden added. 

"So she wants you to compete?" Phil asked. Lily nodded. "Are you?"

"Yeah." She mumbled. 

"Lily that's awesome! We can see you compete and cheer you on--"

"It's during the season." She interrupted Phil. 

"So...we won't see you next season?" 

"Not if I win my competitions."

"What about school? And the Amerks?"

"I'm working something out with my school and I'll have a tutor with me."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She smiled at Brayden, leaning her head on his shoulder. 

"I think so. I think I still have a chance to compete." 

Phil took her hand in his and the three of them just sat in silence. The boys were happy for their friend. She was going to compete and do well, but they won't see her next season, and maybe the season after. They had just meet this girl almost six months ago and now she was going to fall out of their lives. She had been so supportive of them, the least they could do was support her and her decision. 

"You'll do great."