Game of Stromes

Summer

*1 month earlier*

From: Auston Matthews- "What if I told you I bought you a ticket to come see me for a few weeks?"
     > "uh what? In AZ?!"
     < "yeah- I miss you and just want to hang out again like we used to.  It's 90 and sunny"
     > "I do need a vacation... but we also need to talk about things first before I come."
     < "Okay :), I think we do too. That's why I booked it for Friday."

     *1 month later*

     I arrived in Arizona two days ago and it's been great to say the least. Auston and I were a little shy to each other at the beginning when he picked me up from the airport where we didn't have much of a conversation or things to talk about which is rare between both of us. We had an amazing weekend though which broke us out of our shell and everything's back to normal between us. He showed me around his hometown and we just hung out at his house and have been swimming since it's been so hot out.

Instagram:
@austonmatthews

              105k likes           8943 comments

     "Great start to the Summer with this one, @paytonstrome"
     @mitchmarner  "ugly shorts"
     @paytonstrome "happy to be in AZ:) thanks for the invite"
     > @alexnylander "and where's my invite?"
     @wnylander "woah peep the wrist.. wonder who bought her that.."
      > "only the best.  Still obsessed w it ; I wear it everyday. Thanks Willy"
     @stephlachancee "ugh so jealous.. what I would do rn to be there in the sun and in a bikini.."
     @dylanstrome "oh no- not the matching sunglasses and bandana.."

Auston had asked me if he could post that photo before he did it and I agreed for him to. I knew it was a risk that we were both willing to take. As a professional athlete and figure, if you post a photo with a girl, even if it's your sister, they speculate and will automatically think you're dating and bash the girl. Soon as he clicked post, not only was he drowning in likes and comments, I was drowning in texts, even from my own family wondering what we are.
Two friends can't post a photo together?Damn.

This is my last little get away before I go spend the season in Chicago with my brother Dylan. I will be flying back home to Toronto in the next week along with Auston as he prepares for training camp to start in the middle of August, which isn't that far away if you think about it.

"I can't believe this happened." I say to my friend and old roommate Hailey, quietly over FaceTime.
"I can't believe you and Auston freaking Matthews are even a thing. Who would've ever known this would be your life."
"Shh! Hailey" I whisper yell. "Be quiet. I don't want anyone to hear this conversation. I don't know what to do. I can't believe this happened. Like what the hells wrong with me. I just ruined my friendship with Will."
"You don't have to tell him though do you. It was just a mistake right? You don't have feelings for A-M do you?.. right?" She says.
I just roll my eyes knowing she was not the right person to call for this type of thing.

Last night, Auston and I had a really nice, cute dinner in his backyard on the patio and afterwards made my favorite- s'mores in the tabletop fire pit. We were having a few drinks and just having a good time until we started talking about feelings which I'm not good at expressing- but he is. He shows you how he feels and tells you every little detail which I appreciate but sometimes it scares me because I'm not sure how to say or show it back.
"I know this may sound corny- but from the very first day I met you in person at that restaurant, I really liked you Payton. I thought you were so beautiful and you have an amazing personality. If I knew you and Will weren't a thing before, I definitely would ask you to be my girlfriend in the future but I'm scared to say that because I don't want you to choose over us." That's the last thing he had said to me before he leaned over, grabbed my chin lightly with two fingers to pull me in for a kiss.
I didn't have time to think about anything. So I did let it happen. Millions of little things were going through my head through every step but I let it play out. And we both ended up upstairs, to his bedroom, in his bed. Clothes starting to get thrown off. I think you know where it went.

This morning I woke up in his T-shirt leaving him shirtless next to me. He was still sound asleep but me, my mind raced all night. I couldn't sleep as peaceful as him. For the most of the night, I kept waking up and noticing his arm around my waist or somewhere on me. It felt nice, but I knew I messed up.
The last time I was in Toronto, Will and I talked about us and this was not how it was supposed to go. I need to tell him but I really don't know how.

"Good morning sunshine.. uh oh, what's wrong? Did I do something?" He comes in the room with breakfast and iced coffee.
"No." I smile lightly. "My dad always says that to me every morning, just made me think about that. You did nothing wrong, but we do need to-"
"I know. We need to talk about last night. I don't regret any of it because I told you how I felt but I knew we shouldn't because I feel like you don't feel the same way right? I am sorry if you feel any type of way now."
"No it's okay Auston, if I didn't want anything to happen I for one would've stopped you or I wouldn't have even came here to see you. I'm sorry because I don't want you to get the wrong impression and I don't want to hurt your feelings. You're an amazing guy Matthews. I just don't know what I want or even what I need right now. I can't tell you how I feel because the answer is I'm not sure."

We sit in silence for a while and eat our breakfast. For the rest of the day, I tried to get it out of my mind, but I knew I needed to let William know what went down somehow.