Back to You

Ethan

Today we are off to Manchester for the regional finals. Our first game isn't for a week but coach likes to get us there, settled in the hotel and practicing the ice where we will play the next 2 games. If we can win these 2 games, we will be in the Frozen Four. The whole team is pumped for this and after the incident a week ago with Tessa, I have been really concentrating on hockey. I know my head needs to be clear for me to be at my best and even though I already have a contract for the next season in the NHL, I know that they are watching how I'm going and if they don't like what they see, I'll end up in the lower league and having to prove myself again that I deserve to play in the big league.

We have travelled to Manchester before as they are in our region so we have played these teams numerous times this season already. The college has organized a bus that's leaving from campus at 1pm plus a hotel for us to stay in for the 10 days that we will be there. I have just gotten back to the apartment with Jake after a light training session this morning, as Alex has gone to see Sienna before we leave even though the girls are traveling up tomorrow as they have classes today.

I made sure that I had everything packed last night and triple checked this morning, just having to pack my essentials like my toothbrush. After bringing my suitcase downstairs and sitting it next to the door, I make my way into the kitchen to make some lunch before we have to leave. I chop up some vegies and get them cooking and also put a few fillets of salmon in the oven. I know that Jake will be hungry too and since he doesn't cook, I know he'll soon come into the kitchen due to the smell of food.

Surprise surprise 5 minutes later "Something smells good. Hope you cooked enough for the two of us" I just give him a look as if to say, this happens all the time so of course I did.

Plating everything up we sit down on the bar stools in the kitchen to eat. "So, I saw you walk off with Tessa the other night, get lucky?" he says as he wiggles his eyebrows. I haven't spoken to anybody about what happened, not exactly something I want to talk about but Jake is one of my best friends, so I feel obliged to tell him.

"Sort of" I start and he looks up from his food with a confusing look on his face. I look down at my plate before continuing because I can't look at him when I tell him this "We were in the bathroom and she was sucking me off and as I came, I said Mia"

Laughter, that's how he reacts by laughing at me and this goes on for a full minute before I throw a piece of carrot at him. Once he's calmed himself down, he looks at me "Dude, seriously I have never said the wrong name. That's rule 101, know their name"

"I did know her name but when she was doing it, all I could think of was Mia. She did look sort of like her and when I closed my eyes, it was Mia that I saw. I guess I just wanted it to be her" This conversation is not going how I thought it would but hopefully Jake understands what's going on in my head still.

"You still really miss her" he talks softer now, serious, no joking around. It's not a question, more of a statement because he already knows that I do. I just nod there really isn't anything else I could say "I miss her too. Obviously not the same way you do, but she was one of my best friends. I don't have many girls that are just friends, but she was one of a kind. We just seemed to click." There is silence for a couple of minutes with neither of us knowing what to say next before Jake speaks again "If you ever want to talk about her again, I'll listen. Now I have to finish packing before we miss the bus."

He rinses his plate before putting it in the dishwasher and going to his room to pack. I don't think he has even started; he always leaves packing to the last minute when we have away trips and always manages to forget something. I'm left in the kitchen with my head full of thoughts about Mia and where she could be, why she left and why she didn't even tell me she was leaving. Jake comes out and breaks my thought. "Alright, I'm done. Let's get to the bus before it leaves without us."

We take an Uber back to college because I don't need my car left there for the couple of weeks when we are gone. We left our hockey gear at the rink after training this morning, so we only had our suitcases. The bus trip was loud, a hockey team on the way to regionals, was always going to be noisy. I put my Air buds in and listened to music trying to get my head into hockey mood. We have a week before our first game, but I know that I need to put Mia out of my mind this time and concentrate on hockey. I want to get to the frozen four and that means winning both these games. I close my eyes and relax for the hours' drive until we get there.

Once we reach the hotel nearly 2 hours later due to traffic, I find out that I'm roomed with Alex, which isn't a bad thing. We room together for most of our away trips. Our whole team is on the same floor so we make our way up to our room and start to unpack. Since we are here for 10 days, I can't live out of a suitcase. The hotel room isn't the most spacious, but at least all our hockey gear is being kept at the arena where the games and practice will be. I take the bed closest to the window and Alex doesn't complain. Once I've finished unpacking I lay on the bed nearly falling asleep before I hear my phone ringing. I look at my phone and see that it's my mom and I haven't spoken with her in a while because she has asked about Mia and I just don't know what to say. Taking a deep breath I answer the phone. Luckily for me she doesn't mention her at all, she just called to talk about the upcoming games of hockey and to wish me luck.

After a little afternoon nap Jake comes banging on our door to say that he and a few others are about to go downstairs to the restaurant for dinner and asked if we wanted to join. All our meals were included in the trip but there was no set time that we had to go. Since we had an early lunch I could definitely go for some food. Making our way down to the restaurant we passed a few other players from other teams that were also staying in the same hotel since it was close to the arena.

The restaurant was busy since it was only just 6 o'clock so we have to wait in line to get seated. I started thinking back on the phone call with my mom and how she is going to come and watch the games if we make it to the frozen four. My dad hasn't attended a game in god knows how long, so I know he won't come with her but mom has always been supportive and tried to get to as many games as possible. She couldn't make it to Manchester because of some charity she's involved in had a big event coming up so I need to win so she can come and see me play my last game in college.