Our Goodbye's

I laid in the middle of the stage sprawled out like I was doing a snow angel. I was only wearing a t-shirt and a pair of daisy dukes, so my legs were covered in goose bumps. Bailey and Clinton left as soon as we arrived. Neither of them liked rehearsals. Apparently they are boring. Drake was sitting next to me with his legs straight out as he rested on his elbows. We had just finished rehearsing our small show and I was too lazy to leave the stage.

“Are you going to the draft?” Drake asked. I shook my head. “Do you wanna watch the game with me and some of my friends?” He asked with a smile. I smiled back and nodded. Drake was one of the first guys I met when I moved to L.A. and signed a deal.

“Of course I will.” I replied with a grin and rolled onto my stomach. “This show’s gonna be crazy.” I commented and drew a smiley face in the dust on the floor. Drake laughed and nodded.

“We get to tour the dressing room before. You know any of the guys?” He asked.

“Maybe one or two.” I shrugged. He eyed my curiously and I avoided his gaze.

“You didn’t.” He said and started laughing. I looked at him with wide eyes and rolled to my side, facing him. “Only you would date a pro hockey player.” He snickered.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I screeched quietly.

“Come on Ashton, hockey players are notorious for being the worst boyfriends.” Drake reasoned as I shrugged.

“So are rappers.” I muttered. Four hours later I was sitting in Drake’s hotel room, sitting in between Drake and his friend Alex. The draft was just beginning and slowly everyone started to quiet down. The captains took the stage and cameras showed the anxious aces of all the players sitting backstage.

“Malkin better go in the first round, maybe the second.” Zach, or Ziggy, said from the floor. Everyone murmured a response and waited anxiously for the first pick. Pavel Datsyuk was selected first and Erik Karlsson second. Complaints filled the room and Drake squeezed my knee.

“What would I have to do to get you tell me which one?” He asked quietly. I shook my head with a smile and set my gaze back on the TV. My phone didn’t start buzzing until the 4th round.

GirouxIsASexyMoFo
4th round bitch! I’ll stop by your room for the money

Me
Technically you were picked 8th and that’s not the top 5. Suck on that!

Drake eyed me wearily as I texted Claude about a bet we made the previous day on Twitter. I said he wouldn’t be picked in the top 5 and we bet $300 bucks. Slowly the draft rolled on and the girls in skimpy dresses started to annoy me.

Stevie Stammer
6th round isn’t too bad. At least I’m before Downie

Me
When he gets chosen last I want the car

After that the draft seemed to drag out. The guys started to talk loudly and walk around to get drinks. I joked around with Alex and helped another guy attempt to play the guitar. I forgot about the draft and just had fun with the guys. Then his name was called. James was on Alfredsson’s team with Letang and picked in the 14th round. It was near the end but at least it wasn’t last.

James
Dinner at 11?

Me
Yeah I’ll go to your room

No one asked or questioned who I was texting. The clock read 8:00 and I knew he had to talk with his team after the draft. With only 19 rounds, the draft was almost over. We hung out a little more and the guys got me to sing my new song for them. I had yet to release it and I was kind of nervous on how everyone was going to react. Thankfully all of the guys loved it and by the time we were done partying and talking, it was 10:30. I said a quick good bye to Drake before slipping out of the room unnoticed and headed up to my room.

I traded in my sweats for a black knit v-neck and a pair of skinny jeans and boots. By the time I played and fixed with my hair, it was time to go to his room. My feet held no hesitation as I walked the 50 feet down the hall and knocked on his door. I was greeted by a shirtless, sexy Kris Letang.

“’Allo” He said with a grin and motioned for me to come inside. I smiled and stepped into their messy hotel room. James was no where to be seen. “‘E is in the bathroom.” His thick accent made me smile wider as I nodded.

“Kris, do you know where my phone is?” James yelled form the bathroom and walked right past me, shirtless. I was lying on James’ bed and giggled at him. He was in a pair of jeans with bare feet and his phone was in his back pocket.

“Check your back pocket dipshit.” I laughed and crossed my hands behind my head. James looked shocked by my presence, but quickly recovered and glared at me.

“You weren’t calling me dipshit last night.” He said with a smirk and Kris laughed at his quick comeback.

“Too bad I didn’t say anything last night. Unless I was talking in my sleep and in that case it wouldn’t be your name I was saying.” I snapped with a grin and earned a bigger laugh from Kris. James ignored me as he slipped a dark blue t-shirt over his head and grabbed his jacket.

“Where are you two headed at 11 at night?” Kris asked from his bed. I shrugged in response and James never answered. After he slipped a pair of shoes on, I followed him out the door and waved good bye to Kris. James led me through the lobby and out of the hotel. The cold air hit me like a wall and I slipped into his side to keep warm. He laced his fingers with mine and we walked two blocks before dragging me into a pizza place.

He ordered a plain pizza for the both of us and grabbed two cups for drinks. It was a small place with a few chairs and a sign that said ‘Open ‘til 1 a.m.’ We took a table in the back and no one paid attention to us. Only a few college kids sat in the front corner, eating pizza and playing games on their computers.

“I miss this.” I said softly, after taking a drink of my lemonade. James looked at me with unamused eyes and leaned back in his chair.

“You’re the one that left.” He replied and showed no hint of regret about his rude statement.

“Okay, I deserve that one.” I sighed. “I left for my own reason, I never said they were right, but they made sense at the time.” James rolled his eyes and leaned his elbows on the table. He always fidgeted when he was nervous.

“I would love to hear these mysterious reasons.” He said in a monotone voice. My deep breathe barely calmed me as I stared at the floor, not responding to him. “Please tell me.” He pleaded.

“We were 22 James. 22! That is so young. I had no idea what I was doing. My parents got married when they were 20 and look at where they are now, divorced and on their second marriage with kids with two different people, and I didn’t want the WAG life, okay! I liked being friends with your teammates. I liked hanging out with you guys at a bar instead of going shopping. I want, no need, a job and can’t take your money, and on top of that I was scared! Dallas was a new city and I met you the second day I was there. You were the only life I knew. I needed a change. I wanted to make sure I had everything I wanted in life before I settled down.” I rambled and felt the tears hit the back of my eyes. James’ softened and he ran a hand through his long hair.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of that? We could have just waited until you were ready.” He said in a defeated voice.

“Because I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to see what else life had for me. I wanted to see if I could make it in the music industry and if I had moved to Pittsburgh I would have gotten no where. I loved you James but I needed to figure out my life before I made a commitment like marriage with you.” I explained further, swallowing the tears threatening to come out. James sighed and leaned forward onto the table.

“I understand, I don’t know if I would have done the same thing but I can see why you did what you did.” He told me in a defeated voice. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I thanked the stars James didn’t walk away like a normal person would. He just stayed with me and ate pizza in silence. I didn’t deserve him.