8:07 p.m. Eden Hall Rink
"Fulton Reed passes the puck to Averman! He's on a breakaway! He shoots…..and Benson makes a quick save!"
The game was in full swing in the third quarter. The Ducks were 10 minutes in with only 10 more to go. Charlie, Fulton, Guy, Julie, and Averman were skating their hardest.
"…#22 of the Blake Bears ices the puck! #42 picks it up and passes to…Oh wait! Germaine intercepts and is skating fast on the right side! He's heading for the goal! He's close and….Oh my! That was a big hit! Germaine was checked ruthlessly into the boards!" The crowd gasped and booed the opposing team.
"Refs have stopped the clocked. This is bad folks, he's not getting up. This brings us back to his on-ice injury during the JV/Varsity two seasons ago. It turned out to be an issue with his left arm. Looks like that's the problem here tonight….The trainers have come out and are helping him off the ice. Into the locker room he goes…Best wishes for #00 Guy Germaine."
8:25 p.m. Locker Room
Everyone was congratulating each other on the win. 5-3 Eden Hall Ducks. Guy was in the back room with a trainer who was ready to bandage his shoulder. They all came in as a group to share the good news with him and check on his injury. Thankfully, it wasn't anything major. But it wasn't long until Orion forced them out to let the trainer do his job. Guy was wincing in pain but the celebrations coming from the locker room made it bearable.
"It was a big hit on the shoulder. But you'll be okay. Ice and rest for a few days. Nothing else, got it?" the trainer warned.
"Yes sir," Guy slowly pulled a white t-shirt on before the trainer strapped a sling around his arm. His shoulder hurt like hell but he was glad it wasn't too injurious. He turned to Orion. "Congrats Coach."
Orion smiled and shook his hand. "Great game, Germaine. Take it easy. We need you back on the ice soon, alright?"
The three gentlemen heard a knock on the door.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure thing. He's just about done. Great game, Moreau." Orion gave the petite girl a congratulatory pat on her arm.
"Thanks coach." And with that, Connie and Guy were left alone in the room.
He was only a few feet away but she felt so far from him. The time away from Guy disconnected them in more ways than one and she loathed the distance.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Connie hated seeing him hurt. She remembered his injury from the JV/Varsity game and that terrified her. Guy had to reassure her over and over again that he was perfectly okay. But some things she just couldn't help.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad bruise. Nothing to worry about," he gave a small smile.
The air was thick. It wasn't comfortable or awkward. Just tense. It was the first real conversation they had in a month and a half and there was so much to say. Though, Connie didn't know if she could.
She smiled timidly back at him. Her eyes were slightly red and watered. "Well, I'm happy you're okay." She turned to leave.
"Connie…"
She turned back to him. He was holding his right hand out. "Come here."
Connie carefully took his hand and he pulled her between his legs as they dangled off the table. Their faces were leveled now and when he caught her eyes, he saw that she was crying.
"I'm fine, I promise," he reassured her. "Okay?"
She nodded and wiped away her tears. Here she was…in front of Guy Germaine after weeks of no contact. The feeling was overwhelming. It was like she won the golden ticket and she promised herself that she was never letting it go. "God, I've missed you."
"You have no idea." He sighed and rubbed her arm up and down. "I haven't stopped thinking about you."
"Funny, you're all I think about." She examined his bandaged shoulder and touched it softly. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know..." Guy offered a non-threatening smile, although failed at hiding the uncertainty in his voice.
Connie responded with a matching smile as she shook her head. "I didn't think it would get this complicated."
Guy sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I'd go to the moon and back for you, Connie Moreau. You know that." She bit her lip and looked away to hide the fresh pools forming in her eyes. "I'd do anything to make you happy. We broke up because that's what you wanted. I dated other girls because that's what you wanted. I've watched you with other guys because that's what you wanted. I hated having to give you up all the time."
"And I hate that I put you through that," Connie choked out.
"I've been trying to make sense of all this for so long," he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. He looked straight into her eyes."Tell me...What did I do wrong?"
"That's just it, Guy. Nothing. You're everything," she answered. "And that scares me."
The puzzled look on Guy's face urged her on. "I saw...I see a future with that 'everything' and that's a lot to handle. I figured the more that was put between us, the easier it would be...like I could fight the feelings away. Giving my heart to you meant so many things and I just didn't know if I was ready yet." She put her forehead to his. "But it took me a long time to realize that after all these years, it was already yours...and I'm done fighting it."
Guy's eyes mirrors Connie's. The look was so intense. Yet, the anger and pain slowly left his body and the love was coming back. It was her turn to tell him all and she wasn't running away from it this time.
"I took advantage of you and I'm sorry for that. But I'm not sorry for spending the last seven years looking at you and feeling the way I feel." She rested her hands on his lap and continued. "I miss you, Guy. I miss my best friend. I miss someone to talk to about everything and nothing. I miss our jokes, our fights…our naps." She said as she blushed. "I miss the feeling I get when I know that no matter what shitty thing happens to me, you're always there..."
With his good arm, he took her hand and kissed her knuckles as she continued.
"…when you stand up for me even though you know I hate it…"
He grinned sheepishly.
"…and when you tell me you love me because I know you mean it with everything in you." He gave her his trademark smile, a sight Connie longed to see. She ran her finger down his temple and across his chin causing him to nuzzle her cheek with his nose.
"...and I miss telling you how much I love you," she finished as she accepted a kiss to her cheek.
Guy pulled back and ran his hand through his hair again. "Well, after seven years, we finally figured something out..."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"That we're a fucking mess," he joked.
She chuckled through her tears. "As long as we're together…"
He pulled her closer so that their noses were touching. "So are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Well, it wouldn't be right if you didn't ask me first…" she told him playfully.
His chest was beating. "Be with me?"
Connie wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her in with his good arm. She bit her bottom lip and nodded with a small grin.
"Okay."
His gleam reflected hers and without a second thought, she kissed him furiously…the boy who fought with her, laughed with her, and wanted nothing more than to just be with her. Her best friend and her everything.
The End