A Match into Water

“Rei, would you just stop and talk to me?” he said as he chased the clicking of his girlfriend’s high heels down the sidewalk lit up by the streetlights through the warm August air. He had been chasing Reina for a block and was on the verge of just turning around and walking back to the club they had spent their night at. “Reina, talk to me!” he finally yelled out of frustration.

“I don’t really know what to say to your right now, Jordan.” She said without stopping, only pausing to take off her heels.

“Can you try to think of what to say in the car?” his voice echoed through the alleyway they walked by, “Rei, it’s dangerous out here. C’mon, babe.” He pleaded with her.

“Fine,” she gave up. Partially because she was tired of walking in her 3-inch heels but she was also starting to feel the dangers of downtown Calgary at 4 in the morning.

“I’m sorry, okay?” Jordan said as he tried to put an arm around Reina.

“Don’t.” she shrugged off his arm.

They had been together for just over three years and up until the last few months, everything was basically perfect. I guess you can say that Jordan meeting Reina was a result of the cliché of all clichés: fate.

Like every teenager growing up in Calgary, Reina was working at the Calgary Stampede, as a waitress in one of the restaurants. Jordan, on the other hand, was in town both training and visiting his family. Long story short, Reina spilled salad on Jordan and in the process of apologizing and getting him cleaned off, he slipped her his number.

Initially, she was simply surprised that she was serving the Jordan Eberle. Growing up in a hockey family, she didn’t have much choice but hear his name around Christmas time. But all he thought was that she was really pretty and to say the least, cute, regardless of how awkward she was.
But let’s fast forward to tonight. There was more friction between the two of them than usual. It was as though all the warnings their friends had given them about each other at the beginning of their relationship were coming true. They would constantly comment on the four year age difference between them, or that Jordan would just leave her once he got in her pants, or that she simply wants his money. None of which were true, not even tonight.

Reina felt like Jordan was becoming over bearing and he didn’t trust her while Jordan felt that he was losing grip on Reina.

As they drove through the empty streets of Calgary, Jordan had the imminent feeling that he will be sleeping on the couch tonight. He’s realized what he’s done wrong and felt horrible while Reina was still withdrawn and sat on the outside half of the passenger seat.

He pulled into the driveway and finally broke the silence, “Rei… are you done thinking?” he tried to hold her hand but she pulled it away.

“Yeah.” She adjusted herself in the passenger seat as her black skinny jeans squeaked against the leather to turn towards Jordan. “I can’t… do this anymore.” She choked on her words.

“What do you mean?” he said, almost whispering.

“I feel like there’s a wall up – like that trust we had is just in shambles.”

“I feel the same way, actually.” When Jordan first met Reina, she was an awkward 18-year-old with braces and she hadn’t figured out how to dress herself; but over these three years, Reina had grown out of that awkwardness and as cheesy as it is, she grew into the beauty that Jordan saw in her from day one… and that scared him. He didn’t like how guys would look at her and didn’t like the way they would talk about her. She’s still shy as can be but not even that could hide her beauty.

“What happened?” she leaned her head against the head rest.

“Personally, I feel like I’m losing you.” He copied her.

She could only see the shadow of his figure in the dark car but she could still feel Jordan’s vulnerability which was rare. Jordan hated showing vulnerability on the ice but it carried off the ice – being a smaller guy, he didn’t want his opponents to take advantage of it. He only ever shows this side of him to people he truly trusted which amounts to about 16 people (Rei, his family, and the team… half the time).

“Jordan…” she said quietly as she held Jordan’s hand in her hands. “You’re not going to lose me and I would never run from you. But… I feel like you’re just trapping me and you don’t trust me.”

“I guess more than anything, I don’t feel good enough for you.”

“You’re honestly the greatest person I know let alone boyfriend. Remember that because I’m not stupid and would never throw that away for the world.” She leaned in for a kiss.

“I just don’t like sharing you with people.” He said into her lips.

“That’s life, babe.” She placed her hand on his face, “I have to share you with millions of people.”

By the time Reina was ready for bed, it was almost 6 in the morning. She thought that Jordan was already asleep but when she stepped out of the washroom, he was standing in the doorway – ready for bed and shirtless, wearing only his flannel pyjama bottoms. “Hey, I thought you’d be asleep by now.” She walked up to him in her yoga shorts and one of his shirts which draped over her like a dress. He just shrugged as his eyes squinted at the sun streaming through the curtains. “C’mon, let’s go to bed.” She grabbed his hand.

Like every night, Reina nuzzled into Jordan’s neck as he wrapped his arms around her. “What’s wrong?” she held his hand that was resting on her hip. Regardless of how different they felt after three years, their bodies still meshed together perfectly, having memorized every crevasse of the other’s body.

“Do you want to move up to Edmonton with me this season?” he asked her seriously as his thumb stroked the top of her hand.

Shocked by the decision, she tensed up and pulled her head away from the nook of Jordan’s neck. The only word she could muster up was “What?”

“Well…” he said as he pulled her up so she laid belly down on top of him, “We’ve talked about it for the past three seasons and it’s already difficult enough for us to see each other during the season. Why not?” he smiled, revealing the gap between his two front teeth, as the sun streamed through the window and made his blue eyes sparkle.

“I’d love to but it’s my senior year…” she said uncomfortably, trying to avoid looking into his hypnotizing eyes. Jordan knew how to get her to do what he wanted: smile and flutter his eyes. “Two of my favourite things about him” she would say when describing him to people.

“I don’t want to do this for another year though. Not being able to hold you when I want; seeing you once a month if we’re lucky. I just want you there with me.”

“I know, I know. It’s been hard on the both of us but I can graduate at the top of my class this year and I can start my job in Edmonton next year. I don’t know. How about we just let it mull over and we’ll see at the end of the summer?” she tried to reason with him.

“Fine.” He said as he tightened his hug on Reina and kissed her forehead. He could have tried to present to her all the reasons she should move with him for the season but he was way too tired from the night’s dramatics.

Reina didn’t sleep much after their conversation. The prospect of living with Jordan in Edmonton both scared and excited her. He wants me with him, she kept thinking. More than anything, she wanted this – This, lying in bed with him, counting the beats of his heart as they lull her to sleep - she felt safe. The first few weeks of being apart when Jordan moved back up to Edmonton were always the worst. Reina’s so used to having his arms around her that when she was alone, she felt so vulnerable, scared, and lost.