Echo

Nicole:

I woke up this morning and noticed Tyler wasn't next to me. I walked into my living room and saw him asleep on the couch. He must have came out here when I fell asleep. I walked over and sat down next to him and he slowly started to wake up. "Hey." He looked around and rubbed his eyes. He grabbed his phone off the table, but quickly put it back down. "Coach hasn't called you, trust me." He sighed as he sat up on the couch. "You were right. I shouldn't have fought Jordan." "No, you just shouldn't have left after you did it. And you shouldn't leave again." "You're kidding right? This is the second time coach has suspended me, I practically kicked myself off the team this time." "Well your friendship with Jordan isn't perfect." I looked at Tyler and we both just laughed.

"None of the guys or their girlfriends are talking to me." Tyler shook his head. "I'm sorry." "Yeah well instead of bailing on me again, you could just say 'Thank you Nicole for sticking with me after I really messed up this time. And I'm sorry that I left you when you were the person I probably should have come to as soon as it happened." We both laughed, but I started tearing up knowing Tyler could be leaving Boston.

"Hey, hey. Come here." He pulled back the blankets and I laid down next to him. I rested my head on his chest and sighed. He put his arm around me and pulled me close. "Thank you Nicole, for sticking with me after I really messed up this time." "You're welcome." We stayed there for a few hours, but we eventually had to leave for the rink to see if coach had any idea when Tyler could return to the team.

We both got dressed and were about to leave when Tyler seemed nervous. "How do you think this is gonna go?" "Well, best case scenario, the coaches give you another chance, or maybe even Jordan leaves Boston, and you and I are still together." Tyler was rubbing his hands nervously. "Or the coaches trade me and I go play somewhere else." I looked at him confused. "that's not a best case scenario. That is not even a remotely acceptable scenario."

"Well I'm pretty sure it's an option the coaches are thinking about. Who knows, things might be better that way. At least I would be away from Jordan." I was shocked that Tyler was even thinking and talking about leaving Boston. "How could you say that?" "Cause I'm angry! Because I hate him! I should have never even became friends with the guy." "What were you going to do? he is your teammate, you had to at least get along with him."

Tyler sighed and rubbed his neck. "Tyler, who cares about Jordan, he doesn't matter. I love you." He gave me a small smile and stood up to leave, but I quickly stopped him and kissed him. He smiled and then we left for the rink. I was so nervous walking into the conference room. We were meeting with the coaches and general manager. Jordan was there too, but I didn't really notice him. We talked for almost two hours about what has happened, but we were shocked to hear that Jordan decided to leave the Bruins organization and go somewhere else. Before we left Tyler did apologize to Jordan, even though Jordan rolled his eyes and walked away, I knew Tyler felt it was the right thing to do.

(Later that night)

Tyler and I were still shocked about the news we had received at the meeting with the coaches. I was in my bathroom taking off my makeup and Tyler was laying on my bed. "Nicole, what happens if I mess up again and the coaches think about trading me?" I came out of my bathroom and sat across form him on the bed. "Tyler, I just got you back." I leaned in and kissed him, when I pulled away he just looked down. I held his hand to get him to look at me. "I'm not loosing you again, or at least not for awhile." "I know, but i just always wonder what if." "Well, don't think about that, think about how you get to stay in Boston with me. And if you think you might do something that would upset the coaches you can always talk to me, you know that."

Tyler sat up and looked around the room. "Why are you helping me?" "What do you mean?" "Why do you care so much?" "I care because I love you." "I've never been close like this with anyone else, so it just doesn't seem right to me." He got up and walked over to the window and I could tell he was a little upset. I walked over and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I don't know, you just seem like kinda need it." Tyler turned around to face me. "I don't know what you have gone through. I've never felt the things you have felt. I can't imagine what you have gone through and that kills me. I just don't want you to feel like this and deal with these things on you own. I don't want you to be alone." Tyler just looked at me and shook his head. "Thank you." I gave him a smile and we both laid down on my bed and eventually fell asleep.

Tyler really hasn't had a person who has ever cared and tried to help him as much as I do, well except for his mom, in his life before and it is hard for him. But I am determined to help through anything and try to understand what he is going through. He has had some hard things to go through lately and he just needs someone to remind him it will all be okay.