Steal You with Hello

Of course the game couldn't have ended normally. There were only three minutes left, for the love of God. The other team was already celebrating kicking us out of the playoffs and our team was surly and irritated. But if you'd watched Olivia play, you would think we still had plenty of time to make a comeback.

She was skating along the boards, trying to keep control of the puck when he hit her. He literally came out of nowhere and he hit hard. A gasp ripped from my throat as I watched her collapse on the ice. The whistle blew, but she didn't move. She just laid there. I was leaving the bench faster than the team doctor could get on the ice. Dougie held me back with an arm across my chest. "Let Doc get to her first," he told me softly.

"She's not fucking moving, Dougie," I gasped out as I stared at her, willing her to at least lift her head or move a hand. "She isn't fucking moving!"

"Tyler, she'll be okay. It was a bad hit, but she'll be okay," he pressed.

He was wrong. She was hurt. Doc was kneeling by her. He shook his head at someone on the bench. When he looked back at her, her eyes fluttered open. It felt like a brick had been lifted off my chest. Doc helped her slowly sit up. She looked terrified. Her eyes were wondering around, her lips moving as she spoke. Doc was talking to her and it only seemed to scare her more. When her eyes met mine, I skated forward.

I held out my hand to her when I knelt beside her. She grabbed it and held on tightly. "I... I don't remember any of it. I just remember skating and then waking up," she mumbled. She sounded like she was going to break any second.

"Let's get you to the back," Doc finally announced. He looked to me and I nodded. We helped her stand up before she held on to my arm as she made her way back to our bench. Her hand was clenching my jersey so tight that her knuckles were white. She was fucking terrified right now. In the back of my mind, a small voice was haunting me and telling me she had a concussion. I didn't want that to be true, though. She didn't deserve that. She shouldn't be the one stuck with that kind of pain.

I was forced to stay on the bench after he took her back, we still had a few minutes left. The guys were all gunning it. Even Bergeron was talking shit and fighting. I ended the game in the penalty box for trying to pick a fight with the ass wipe that had hit her into the boards.

Coach gave us a brief speech after the game, but no one was really into it. We all just wanted to leave. We were kicked out of the playoffs again and no one was happy with how we were exiting. Not to mention the concern over Olivia.

I sighed as I put my tie back on. "What are you gonna do this summer?" Brad asked me as he pulled on his suit jacket.

"I don't know yet. Maybe stay here or head back home to train. You?"

"Heading home soon. Can't stand hanging around after the playoffs end, you know?"

I nodded my head and gave him a half smile. "Yeah, I get it."

He hesitated a moment before speaking again. "If you guys stay here this summer... don't do anything stupid, alright? And take good care of her," he added as his eyes caught sight of something across the room.

"What-" My question fell off when I noticed Olivia walking towards her stall. My question about why he'd assume we'd both be here this summer dropped right away. She looked completely crushed. Z gave her a pat on the shoulder and said something to her. She forced a smile and nodded. A few of the other guys intercepted her on the way to her stall, but she finally made it over. She sank onto the bench and stared at her hands. She must have shucked her gear earlier because she was left in a T-shirt and her spandex shorts.

I sat back down next to her, not sure what to say. Dougie walked over, though, sat down next to her, and wrapped his arms around her. I swallowed hard and looked away, trying not to be jealous. Those two were so close, though. They were always together. On the road, they always stayed in at night and watched TV in her room. They loved the same types of food so they ate out together most of the time, too. They had the whole best friend bond going on.

"I'm here if you need anything, okay?" he told her gently. She nodded her head, barely looking up as he left.

I grabbed my keys and wallet before turning to face her. I didn't know if she wanted to avoid talking about it or get it all out there now. It was the worst feeling ever, not knowing what to do to get rid of the crushed look on her face.

"Can you drive me home?" she asked, looking up at me. There were tears swimming in her eyes.

"Duh," I scoffed, lightly nudging her shoulder. "Go shower, though. You smell," I teased lightly.

A small smile pulled at her lips. "Alright. I'll try to hurry," she promised.

"Good. I don't want to be waiting here forever," I remarked. That earned me another partial smile as she walked off towards the showers.

I let out a heavy sigh and sat down again. It was going to be a long summer, from exiting the playoffs to seeing her hurt. I wasn't ready for this.

---

Olivia entered the apartment ahead of me. She dropped her things in her room and walked back out into the living room. She dropped down into one of the big chairs and pulled her legs up under her. She stared out the window at the lights of the city. "No falling asleep yet, alright?" I told her, lightly squeezing her arm. She nodded and I made my way to my room to change into sweats.

Well, it wasn't really my room. It was her guest room. A guest room I'd been staying in for the last couple months. I couldn't bring myself to find somewhere else to stay and she hadn't mentioned it, either. This was the one thing I had up on Dougie, I got to see her every day at her apartment. He could watch as many movies and bond over all the meals he wanted, but I still got to sleep in the same apartment as her. It was stupid and childish, but it was all I had to keep myself sane. I got to see her in every state; from just waking up, drunk, happy, sleepy, anything. And did she ask him to help her pick out furniture and paint for her guest room? No. She asked me. And she designed it more towards what I liked so it was almost like my own room, anyways.

When I walked out into the living room again, she hadn't moved except to wrap her arms around her legs and put her head on her knees. A few tears had escaped and were running down her cheeks. "Oli..." I whispered softly and I crouched down in front of the chair. She reached out her arms to me and that was the only invitation I needed. I slid into the chair with her, pulling her halfway into my lap. Her arms were around my torso while mine were wrapped around her shoulders. "It'll be okay," I promised.

"I'm so scared, Ty," she cried softly.

I held her tighter, lightly stroking her hair. "It's going to be okay. You'll get better and you'll be back to playing next season," I promised her.

She just cried harder, though. I could feel the tears through my shirt, but it didn't matter. She could have done anything and I would've been okay with it, as long as it made her feel better. "What if I don't come back? What if I'm stuck like this forever? What if I can't play hockey again?"

"You will. You will play again, Oli." I wanted so badly to take the fear from her. She never looked this scared. It was a harsh reality. I would've done anything to make this all better. But all I could do was sit there and hold her as she cried. It pulled at my hear to listen and feel her sob against my chest.