When We Write the Stars

Epilogue

"when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." – When Harry Met Sally

     I was finishing up unpacking my new apartment in Boston. Getting on the plane to head here had been one of the scariest things I'd ever done, but so far it'd been amazing. The campus was beautiful, and I'd met everyone on my research team and they all seemed cool.

     My apartment was small and kind of old, but it was just a fifteen-minute walk away from the research lab, and a majority of the stuff I'd shipped was already here, so that plus a quick trip to Ikea had the place already feeling like home. I really missed my friends though, we'd been FaceTiming for at least an hour every night so far, but it didn't feel like enough. No amount of stuff could fill the space they'd filled. The apartment was too quiet, and I jumped anytime I heard a noise.

     I also missed Hayden, but I tried not to think about it too much. Since that phone call Alyssa had interrupted he and I hadn't spoken once. I'd tried calling him a few times, but he hadn't answered. I knew he was probably just busy, but a part of me was terrified he'd met someone else. I was trying not to let it affect me, but now it was really starting to feel like things were over. I knew that I could live without him, but after everything I didn't want to. Even if it was just talking over the phone, I wanted him to be a part of my life and I shouldn't want that.

     I was trying to tell myself that that was for the best, that a fresh start in Boston was exactly what I needed to move on and get over him. If I told myself that enough, it'd eventually become true, right?

     In the middle of unpacking the remainder of my kitchen, there was a knock on the door. I assumed it had to be my landlord or something since I didn't really know anyone in the city yet, and I walked over to open it expecting the worst. It was a cheap apartment, and I had doubts about my landlord. The door was as old as the building, and kind of heavy as it creaked open revealing Hayden on the other side. I dropped my phone in shock.

     He looked good, his hair had gotten a little longer, and he had a little more scruff on his face than normal but he still looked like Hayden. My Hayden. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, and had changed his usual athletic casual clothes for a pair of khakis and a button-up shirt, he'd left the top few undone though.

     "Hayden, what are you doing here," I ask extremely confused and kind of annoyed. He hasn't spoken to me in almost a week and now he just shows up here.

      "Alyssa called me. About a week ago she called me and told me I needed to stop playing around and either end things for real or find a way to make it work. I can't end things, I don't want to end things. So I'm here and I want to find a way to make it work."

     "I," I start to say, but have no idea what to follow it with. I wasn't prepared for this at all, I have no clue what to even start with.

      "I know what you're going to say," he starts to say, which is good because I have no idea, "But I drove here from Toronto and it's only about a nine-hour drive and I'll be in the area all the time for games. I'm not saying we have to be together forever, or that we get married yet, or for you to leave MIT for me. I'm just asking you to try. I think we should try, and I think that if we do we could do it, we could make this. Make us work."

     I'm speechless, and already incredibly emotional from the move, so naturally I start crying, "You can't just show up here and say all these things. What about how busy we'll both be, will we even have time for each other?"

      "I managed to talk to you almost every day, with a time difference during the playoffs, and yeah we'll be busy. But you're excellent at scheduling, and I don't want to be miserable anymore. I love you, and I'm pretty sure you love me, so why shouldn't we try? Because it's hard? Making it to the NHL is hard. Getting into MIT is hard, and we did those things, so why not this? Why not us?"

     I take a deep breath, terrified of what's to come, of what's going to happen, but I know he's right. We need to at least try, "Okay."

     His smile lights up his entire face, "Okay?"

     "Okay," I say again, this time less shaky, "And Hayden, I know I've never said it but I do love you. I have loved you, for a lot longer than I'd like to admit. I was just scared, but if you can be brave and show up and say all of this, then I guess I can say that. I love you."

     "I love you too Cassie. Now let's give this whole long-distance thing a try. Not right away though, they don't need me back in Toronto for a bit, so I thought I might stick around Boston?"

     "I'd like that," I say, then I pull him in and hug him, "Stay as long as you want. Stay forever."

     "I plan to," he responds, and we both know neither of us is talking about Boston anymore.