What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

1 and a half months later...

"...and thank you for flying Jet Blue. Enjoy your stay in Boston." The flight attendant said.

I quicky jumped up form my seat and grabbed my carry-on out of the over head. As I exited the plane, I ignored all the whispers and stares that people were directing towards me.

I quickly nade my way to the baggage claim to get the rest of my bags. Adam was supposed to be here to help me, since a person with one arm can only do so much, but he wasn't here.

Sighing, I went over to the workers and asked them to help me. Once I was able to get all my bags together on a cart, I sat down on one of the nearby benches to wait.

After waiting for about twenty-five to thirty minutes, I angrily pulled out my cell phone to call Adam.

"Where the fuck are you Adam? You were supposed to pick me up at the airport today! Remember? God, you're such an ass. Now, hurry up and come and get me!" I yelled as his voice mail picked up. I angrily pressed the 'end' button and sat back against the bench.

After a little while, I noticed this guy staring at me from the next bench over.
"Either you come over here and tell me what you have to say or you stop staring." I told him, not looking directly at him, bt at the door in hope that Adam would come through them at any moment.

The guy, without saying anything, got up and walked towards me. I held in a gasp as he sat down next to me.

"What the fuck are you staring at?" I asked as I noticed his eyes glued to my face, not my arm...a first for me.

"You look really familair. You from around here?" He asks, his voice deep and his face displaying an intense concentration.

"Really?" I scoff. "I lok familiar? Just how many one armed girls do you know?"

"Your face...where have I seen that face?" He mutters.

"Beats me." I state with a small shrug. The mysterious man just shakes his head and says,

"I'm Tyler by the way. And sorry for staring. That probably looked really weird to you."

He holds out his hand for me to shake; which I do timidly.

"Avery." I mutter.

"So, what happened?" Tyler points to my stub of an arm.

"Car accident. Was hit by a drunk driver, flung from the passenger seat of my boyfriend's car, and screwed up my arm so badly that they had to amputate it." I simply tell him, not giving him the full details, the actual details of what really happened.

"Oh...sorry." Tyler mutters quietly. Once again, I just shrug and say,

"Don't worry about it."

"So, I heard you yelling at someone through your phone. You didn't sound too happy." Tyler says, trying to keep our conversation going, even though I really wanted it to stop.

"Yeah, my friend Adam was supposed to pick me up awhile ago, but he's like insanely late." I grumble.

Tyler's face lights up like a Christmas tree as he snaps his fingers together.

"That's where I know you from! You're the girl from the picture!"

Okay, now I'm confused. What picture?

"Wait, your friend Adam, is his last name McQuaid? Tyler asks, noticing my confusion. I slowly nod, wondering where this was going.

"He had a picture of you in his pocket one day and I saw it. That's why I thought you looked familair." Tyler explains.

"How do you know Adam?" I ask.

"I play hockey with him. Oh, and that's why he's not here right now. Coach made him stay extra late at practice to work with the defense." Tyler informed. My eyes narrow as I said, "Then why didn't he tell his Coach that he had to pick up his invalid new room mate at the airport?!?"

"Well, it was a mandatory thing, so I don't think he could've gotten out of it no matter how hard he tried." Tyler said with a shrug.

"You're here. Why were you let out?" I asked.

"I'm a forward, I didn't have to stay." I nod at his statement.

"Do you follow hockey at all?" Tyler asked out of the blue.

"I do sometimes. But, the San Jose Sharks are my favorite team; I don't really follow any team but them." I told him, thinking back to all the times my dad and I would watch our favorite team together.

"But, I haven't been following any teams recently." I add. "Why?"

"Oh, I was just wondering because most people know who I am, that's all. And since I'm on your best friend's team..." Tyler trailed off.

"Old best friends." I corrected. "We haven't talked since he got signed."
"Oh..." Tyler looked like he wanted to say something else, but a girl's voice calling his name interrupted him. Tyler jumped up just in time for a girl, who looked ten or eleven years old, to jump into his arms. Feeling like I was intruding as more people, who looked like his family, starting to hug and greet him, I slowly got up and walked away; only to be stopped by a firm hand grasping my wrist.

"Avery, just a heads up. Adam's not in..not in the right state of mind right now...he's been having a tough time since Leah left.So, take it easy on him when he gets here, okay?" Tyler says softly and quickly. I feel my face heat up at the touch of his hand on mine.

"Okay." I say in a voice that was barely audible.

"Okay...good. Well, I'll see ya around." And then, he turned away and walked back to his family, leaving me all alone...once again.