Status: Completed :)
Believe in Me
Seven.
“Your brother seems like a nice guy.” Patrick told me. We sat at the diner by his apartment, eating burgers for lunch. I shrugged, “He is. He’s just overprotective…and not a Blackhawks fan.”
Patrick chuckled “I’ve dealt with worse. So, the team is going to some club later tonight.” He said, taking a bite of his burger. “Do you want to go?”
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go, to be honest. I’ve never faced his teammates since the party. I was honestly kind of scared to. “If you want to go, I’ll go.” I told him. I kept eating when a waiter came to our table. “It’s up to y-“
“How is everything?” The man asked us. I looked up to respond, and choked when my eyes met his. “Veronica.” The waiter whispered. I grabbed my bag and rose from the table, shoving the waiter out of my way. I looked back to find him standing there standing blankly while Patrick chased after me.
“Lilly, hold on!” He called. “I need to pay the bill!”
I stopped outside of the diner and sat on a bench, barely catching my breath as my hands trembled. Patrick stormed outside moments later, a heated look on his face. “What the hell was that about!? Who’s Veronica?”
I sighed. I knew I would see him again. I wasn’t ready to, but I knew it would come to this. “Can we just go to your car?” I asked, tears falling from my eyes. Patrick walked over to me and grabbed my hand. We walked to the parking lot and got in his car.
“That was my Dad.” I told him. “I haven’t seen him in 16 years.”
Patrick nodded slowly, taking it all in. “What happened? Why did he call you Veronica?” He asked. I began to choke up, but I stopped myself. “Veronica was originally my name. I changed it to my middle name, Lillian, after the incident.” I explained. Patrick set his hand on top of mine as he listened to what I had to say.
“It was 16 years ago.” I began. “My dad had always been an abusive alcoholic. I never realized it at the time, how bad he was. I’d always ask, ‘Daddy, why are you hurting Mommy?’ but it never clicked. I was 5 when it happened. Dad came home and Mom didn’t have dinner ready yet. He was drunk, of course, and he began to beat her.” Patrick shook his head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, Lilly.”
“That’s not it. Landon, who was Alexander at the time, and I came downstairs when we heard Mom screaming. Dad had a knife in his hand. We saw my mom lying there, unconscious, so Landon ran to go help her.” I said. I began to sob, replaying the whole night in my head. “He ran to my mom, and my Dad stabbed him.”
Patrick’s hands flew to his face as he rubbed his eyes. “God damn.” He muttered. I continued, “By then, I ran outside to my neighbor’s house, Ms. Carol, this old lady who would babysit us. I knocked on her door crying, and she called 911. We both ran to back to my house, and we noticed it was up in flames.”
“You can stop there if you want.” Patrick mumbled to me. He put his hand on mine again and began rubbing it. I shook my head, “No. I want you to know this.” I said through my tears. “The house was on fire and I ran inside to get my brother and my mom. I don’t remember much after that, I just remember waking up in the hospital.” I explained. Patrick ran his thumb against my cheek, and leaned over to kiss me.
“I barely made it out, they told me.” I told him, shaking the thoughts from my mind. “So, my Dad got arrested. He was supposed to be in jail for 20+ years, for attempted murder and way more. I guess he’s out now.” I said. “Patrick, I don’t ever want to come back here.” I told him. He nodded. “I’m sorry I took you here.” He said sympathetically. I smiled slightly. It wasn’t his fault. I wasn’t blaming him at all.
“Can we just go back to my place?” I asked. “I want to tell Landon.” Patrick nodded and started his car. He held my hand the entire time we drove back. I stared out the window, silently crying. I didn’t want to tell my Mom about Dad. She’d make me come back, and I couldn’t leave. Not now. I couldn’t leave Patrick.
We walked up to my apartment, Patrick still holding my hand. I put my key in the whole and unlocked the door. It took one glance at me, and Landon looked like he was about to kick some ass.
“What’d you do!?” Landon yelled to Patrick. I shook my head and stepped in-between them. “Landon, he didn’t do anything. I saw Dad.” I said. Landon stepped back and sat at the kitchen table. “I told you, Lilly. He’s in jail.”
“Landon, he was our waiter!” I yelled. “He- He called me Veronica!” I shrieked. Landon’s head shot up in awe. “Lilly, you shouldn’t be living here anymore. You should move back home. It’s not safe, now that he knows you’re here.”
I shook my head, looking at Patrick. “I can’t leave.”
_____________________________________________
“Are you sure you want to go out tonight? I have no problem staying in with you.” Patrick told me. I was in my bathroom getting dressed, and he sat on my bed playing with a Yo-Yo. “I want to go. I need to get my mind off of things.” I told him, slipping on a tight Teal dress. I wore my hair down, and put on some silver dangle earrings. I walked out to find my heels in the closet. It was almost 10pm, and the team was already at the club. I found Black pumps and slipped them on. “You ready?” I asked Patrick, grabbing my small black clutch.
“Yeah! Are you rea- wow.” He told me. I chuckled, shaking my head. “You better watch it tonight.” Patrick said, following me out of my room. “I don’t want any of the other guys getting any ideas.”
“Speaking of the other guys…” I said slowly. “What do they have to say about this?” I asked. Patrick shrugged. “Who cares? We’re taking it slow. I like you. If they think otherwise, then let them think that.”
We walked down to his car to head down to the club. “Do you know if any other Ice Girls are coming?” I asked, getting into the car. “Probably. There’s a couple that come out with us. Hey, apparently there’s a rule that you guys can’t date the players.” Patrick told me, turning on the car. What the hell? Was this really a rule? “I haven’t heard that…what happens if we get in trouble?” I asked Patrick. I was beginning to worry. I didn’t want to get fired.
If there was any trouble with Patrick and me dating, it would be me who gets screwed. I couldn’t afford to not have a job. No matter what the job may be. “We won’t get in trouble. Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take care of you.” Patrick told me, kissing my cheek.
______________________________________________________
“LILLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYY!” Rachel screamed as I walked into the VIP area. Patrick went to go sit with his teammates, and I went to greet the girls. “YOU LOOK SO HOT!” She yelled. I laughed, Rachel was clearly tipsy. I sat down at the girls table, greeting the others with a smile. We all drank and talked about girl things, but every once in a while, I’d glance at the guys’ table to find Jonathan Toews staring over here. I think he noticed I caught him, because we kept making awkward eye contact.
“Why does Toews keep looking over here?” I asked Rachel. She suddenly went from the bubbly, happy girl she was a second ago, to some serious, non-interested woman. “Who cares?” She asked harshly, and continued to shake her head to the music. Rachel and Bree tried to get me up to dance, but I wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t mind dancing, but tonight I felt kind of awkward and embarrassed. I didn’t want Patrick to see me then think something otherwise. The girls were tugging my arm when I felt my phone vibrate against my clutch. It was a text message from Patrick.
PATRICK: Come over here
ME: No thanks….only girl
I replied. I looked over to him as he read my message. He rolled his eyes at me, and got up. He walked toward me, pulling my waist into a hug. Rachel glanced over to us and grabbed Bree.
“Awww, look at them!!” Bree gushed. Patrick looked over to her and began to laugh. He sat down with us, saying hello to Rachel.
“Why does Jonathan keep looking over here?” I asked in Patrick’s ear. He shrugged, “Go ask him” I shook my head. I don’t even know Jonathan. I wasn’t about to go ask. We sat there listening to Nicole, another Ice Girl, talking about her hookup with some 40 year old guy. I shook my head laughing when she kept saying how big of a slut she is. Patrick looked at me and leaned down to kiss me, but we were interrupted by a group of girls standing at our table.
“Can we help you?” Rachel asked harshly. The girls were clearly drunk and were not dressed cute. Sure, this was a club, but their bodies didn’t fit their dresses well and their hair was messy.
“Can we get a picture with you?” A tall blonde asked Patrick. He sighed, looking at me sympathetically. I smiled, urging him to get up. Rachel scooted next to me, grabbing one of the girls’ phones to take the photo. Patrick stood in the middle of the three girls, two of them had their hands on Patrick’s chest.
“Don’t be jealous.” Rachel told me. I nodded. I wasn’t really jealous, but I didn’t like the fact that their hands were all over him. “You’re dating a professional athlete…this stuff happens everywhere .”
Patrick chuckled “I’ve dealt with worse. So, the team is going to some club later tonight.” He said, taking a bite of his burger. “Do you want to go?”
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go, to be honest. I’ve never faced his teammates since the party. I was honestly kind of scared to. “If you want to go, I’ll go.” I told him. I kept eating when a waiter came to our table. “It’s up to y-“
“How is everything?” The man asked us. I looked up to respond, and choked when my eyes met his. “Veronica.” The waiter whispered. I grabbed my bag and rose from the table, shoving the waiter out of my way. I looked back to find him standing there standing blankly while Patrick chased after me.
“Lilly, hold on!” He called. “I need to pay the bill!”
I stopped outside of the diner and sat on a bench, barely catching my breath as my hands trembled. Patrick stormed outside moments later, a heated look on his face. “What the hell was that about!? Who’s Veronica?”
I sighed. I knew I would see him again. I wasn’t ready to, but I knew it would come to this. “Can we just go to your car?” I asked, tears falling from my eyes. Patrick walked over to me and grabbed my hand. We walked to the parking lot and got in his car.
“That was my Dad.” I told him. “I haven’t seen him in 16 years.”
Patrick nodded slowly, taking it all in. “What happened? Why did he call you Veronica?” He asked. I began to choke up, but I stopped myself. “Veronica was originally my name. I changed it to my middle name, Lillian, after the incident.” I explained. Patrick set his hand on top of mine as he listened to what I had to say.
“It was 16 years ago.” I began. “My dad had always been an abusive alcoholic. I never realized it at the time, how bad he was. I’d always ask, ‘Daddy, why are you hurting Mommy?’ but it never clicked. I was 5 when it happened. Dad came home and Mom didn’t have dinner ready yet. He was drunk, of course, and he began to beat her.” Patrick shook his head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, Lilly.”
“That’s not it. Landon, who was Alexander at the time, and I came downstairs when we heard Mom screaming. Dad had a knife in his hand. We saw my mom lying there, unconscious, so Landon ran to go help her.” I said. I began to sob, replaying the whole night in my head. “He ran to my mom, and my Dad stabbed him.”
Patrick’s hands flew to his face as he rubbed his eyes. “God damn.” He muttered. I continued, “By then, I ran outside to my neighbor’s house, Ms. Carol, this old lady who would babysit us. I knocked on her door crying, and she called 911. We both ran to back to my house, and we noticed it was up in flames.”
“You can stop there if you want.” Patrick mumbled to me. He put his hand on mine again and began rubbing it. I shook my head, “No. I want you to know this.” I said through my tears. “The house was on fire and I ran inside to get my brother and my mom. I don’t remember much after that, I just remember waking up in the hospital.” I explained. Patrick ran his thumb against my cheek, and leaned over to kiss me.
“I barely made it out, they told me.” I told him, shaking the thoughts from my mind. “So, my Dad got arrested. He was supposed to be in jail for 20+ years, for attempted murder and way more. I guess he’s out now.” I said. “Patrick, I don’t ever want to come back here.” I told him. He nodded. “I’m sorry I took you here.” He said sympathetically. I smiled slightly. It wasn’t his fault. I wasn’t blaming him at all.
“Can we just go back to my place?” I asked. “I want to tell Landon.” Patrick nodded and started his car. He held my hand the entire time we drove back. I stared out the window, silently crying. I didn’t want to tell my Mom about Dad. She’d make me come back, and I couldn’t leave. Not now. I couldn’t leave Patrick.
We walked up to my apartment, Patrick still holding my hand. I put my key in the whole and unlocked the door. It took one glance at me, and Landon looked like he was about to kick some ass.
“What’d you do!?” Landon yelled to Patrick. I shook my head and stepped in-between them. “Landon, he didn’t do anything. I saw Dad.” I said. Landon stepped back and sat at the kitchen table. “I told you, Lilly. He’s in jail.”
“Landon, he was our waiter!” I yelled. “He- He called me Veronica!” I shrieked. Landon’s head shot up in awe. “Lilly, you shouldn’t be living here anymore. You should move back home. It’s not safe, now that he knows you’re here.”
I shook my head, looking at Patrick. “I can’t leave.”
_____________________________________________
“Are you sure you want to go out tonight? I have no problem staying in with you.” Patrick told me. I was in my bathroom getting dressed, and he sat on my bed playing with a Yo-Yo. “I want to go. I need to get my mind off of things.” I told him, slipping on a tight Teal dress. I wore my hair down, and put on some silver dangle earrings. I walked out to find my heels in the closet. It was almost 10pm, and the team was already at the club. I found Black pumps and slipped them on. “You ready?” I asked Patrick, grabbing my small black clutch.
“Yeah! Are you rea- wow.” He told me. I chuckled, shaking my head. “You better watch it tonight.” Patrick said, following me out of my room. “I don’t want any of the other guys getting any ideas.”
“Speaking of the other guys…” I said slowly. “What do they have to say about this?” I asked. Patrick shrugged. “Who cares? We’re taking it slow. I like you. If they think otherwise, then let them think that.”
We walked down to his car to head down to the club. “Do you know if any other Ice Girls are coming?” I asked, getting into the car. “Probably. There’s a couple that come out with us. Hey, apparently there’s a rule that you guys can’t date the players.” Patrick told me, turning on the car. What the hell? Was this really a rule? “I haven’t heard that…what happens if we get in trouble?” I asked Patrick. I was beginning to worry. I didn’t want to get fired.
If there was any trouble with Patrick and me dating, it would be me who gets screwed. I couldn’t afford to not have a job. No matter what the job may be. “We won’t get in trouble. Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take care of you.” Patrick told me, kissing my cheek.
______________________________________________________
“LILLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYY!” Rachel screamed as I walked into the VIP area. Patrick went to go sit with his teammates, and I went to greet the girls. “YOU LOOK SO HOT!” She yelled. I laughed, Rachel was clearly tipsy. I sat down at the girls table, greeting the others with a smile. We all drank and talked about girl things, but every once in a while, I’d glance at the guys’ table to find Jonathan Toews staring over here. I think he noticed I caught him, because we kept making awkward eye contact.
“Why does Toews keep looking over here?” I asked Rachel. She suddenly went from the bubbly, happy girl she was a second ago, to some serious, non-interested woman. “Who cares?” She asked harshly, and continued to shake her head to the music. Rachel and Bree tried to get me up to dance, but I wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t mind dancing, but tonight I felt kind of awkward and embarrassed. I didn’t want Patrick to see me then think something otherwise. The girls were tugging my arm when I felt my phone vibrate against my clutch. It was a text message from Patrick.
PATRICK: Come over here
ME: No thanks….only girl
I replied. I looked over to him as he read my message. He rolled his eyes at me, and got up. He walked toward me, pulling my waist into a hug. Rachel glanced over to us and grabbed Bree.
“Awww, look at them!!” Bree gushed. Patrick looked over to her and began to laugh. He sat down with us, saying hello to Rachel.
“Why does Jonathan keep looking over here?” I asked in Patrick’s ear. He shrugged, “Go ask him” I shook my head. I don’t even know Jonathan. I wasn’t about to go ask. We sat there listening to Nicole, another Ice Girl, talking about her hookup with some 40 year old guy. I shook my head laughing when she kept saying how big of a slut she is. Patrick looked at me and leaned down to kiss me, but we were interrupted by a group of girls standing at our table.
“Can we help you?” Rachel asked harshly. The girls were clearly drunk and were not dressed cute. Sure, this was a club, but their bodies didn’t fit their dresses well and their hair was messy.
“Can we get a picture with you?” A tall blonde asked Patrick. He sighed, looking at me sympathetically. I smiled, urging him to get up. Rachel scooted next to me, grabbing one of the girls’ phones to take the photo. Patrick stood in the middle of the three girls, two of them had their hands on Patrick’s chest.
“Don’t be jealous.” Rachel told me. I nodded. I wasn’t really jealous, but I didn’t like the fact that their hands were all over him. “You’re dating a professional athlete…this stuff happens everywhere .”
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