Nine:

Sorry guy’s... this chapter is a kind of short.

“J-Jon?” I asked, barley above a whisper. I was completely stunned that he had built up enough nerve to even think about calling me. So many things were running through my mind, but the one thing that I couldn’t stop thinking about was how much I really missed him.

“Cole, listen to me… I miss you.”

I sat there for a minute, contemplating my response, “honestly, I don’t even know what to tell you. You fucked up everything we had.”

“Babe-”

“Don’t call me babe,” I snapped. “I came to Buffalo to get over you Jon… and you calling me isn’t exactly helping.”

The line was silent for a brief moment… he then spoke up, “to get over me?” he questioned exasperatedly.

“Yeah… maybe it’s better that I stay here for a while. You need to remember that you have a girlfriend that cares about you, and I have a brother that will kick your ass if we’re together… things between us are just not going to work, and you know it.” Saying those words to Jon completely broke me. As much as I wanted to just forgive him and take the first flight back to Chicago, I knew better. Jon and I’s relationship needed to end.

“Cole…”

“Jon, no. I really should get going. Sorry.” I then hung up and placed my phone down on the table. Tears began clouding my vision. I stood up and rushed into the bathroom. Once I shut the door behind me, I turned on the sink and threw some cold water on my face. I angrily turned off the water and assembled myself on the toilet seat, placing my head in my hands and letting the tears flow freely. A knock on the door a few minutes later caused me to jolt back to reality. “Cole are you okay in there?”

“Uh yeah Aaron, I’ll be out in a minute,” I choked out.

“Okay…” he replied unconvinced.

Standing up from the toilet seat, I walked over and stood in front of the mirror, glancing at myself, my makeup was now in watered streaks down my cheeks, my nose and eyes were a shade of vibrant red. I then remembered that I had my makeup bag stashed in one of the bathroom drawers. I pulled it out and applied a light layer of cover-up over my blotchy complexion after wiping the last of my tears away. I was more than done crying over Jonathan Toews. I opened the bathroom door and headed back into the living room to join Aaron who was still watching TV.

**

The next week or so went by faster that I would have enjoyed. The next thing I know, I was standing in the airport; getting ready to board the next flight back to Chicago. Wiping the tear or two I collected from saying goodbye to Aaron and Ryan, I collected myself together and reluctantly stepped into the plane, found my seat, and sat down. I was really not looking forward to going back and seeing Jonathan, even if it wouldn’t be in a day, or a week, I knew I would end up seeing him again.

Stepping off of the plane after a three-hour flight, I grabbed my small amount of luggage that I had collected from the time there, walked out of the airport and found my car in the almost deserted parking lot. Taking the Red Eye alone was probably not the best idea. Glancing down at my phone, the time read 3:47 AM. I quickly made my way over to my car, piling my bags in the backseat; I then hopped in the drivers seat and began driving home.

I pulled into the parking lot ten minutes later, grabbed my bags out of the backseat, walked up to the door, unlocked it, and stepped inside. I took my bags and myself upstairs into my bedroom. I shut my bedroom door and began changing into some pajamas when there was a quiet knocking on my door. I slid my tank top over my head before walking over to the doorway and opening the door. I immediately threw my arms around the neck of the silhouette of the person I assumed to be Patrick, standing in the darkened hallway.

I could tell that I took him off guard. He then slowly wrapped his hands around my waist, “wow, that’s not exactly the reaction I’d expect from someone who just told me a couple of days ago that they wanted to get over me…” he began.