The Hot Hockey Player

Chapter 8 - Madeline 🌸

"Wow," I exclaim amazed by the size of the campus. It's these kind of campus you see in movies. Well, obviously I once dreamed to go to a big college in London but soon enough, I've been told I could never go to Cambridge, Oxford or whatever college I ever dreamed of. Not because I suck in class. No. It's actually the opposite, I'm quite good. I work my ass yes, but it pays off. No, my multiple jobs kept me away from it. So I had to choose a college, let's say... less demanding.

A few days pass since my dinner night with Colin and when I wake up this morning I surprisingly want to see him today. And if I see him, it would mean I'll have to see Jude because he told me the other night that they were almost always together. But seeing Jude — more than seeing Colin — and publicly... is making me nervous as fuck.

Matthew kept his promise and we made a tour. So I now know where's actually college or at least the journalism building. I even applied for a job. One of them is in the little restaurant — and actually also coffee and bar — la Viva Burger. I hope I'll get an answer before the month ends. 

So it was a pretty good day. Apart from that, we still didn't talk. During lunch, I tried but as weird as I am, I was afraid the people around us might judge me or him or even our family. So I just keep telling myself that the right moment will be arriving soon enough.

Anyway, Nashville changed. A lot. Yet, there's still places I used to cherish that didn't change. At all. Like the Nature Center or the Railway Museum, both still as I remember them. That college I am accepted in didn't change either, if not for the renovations that have been made. 

I am still a little confused about my surroundings as it's been ten years since I last saw my hometown. But I feel content. I'm truly happy to be back. One thing that has me questioning myself these past few weeks is why my brother decided to come back to Nashville. Yes, he loves my grandparents. But he could have gone anywhere else in America and yet he comes back to the sources. That's one of the many questions I have for him. No matter his answer, I think I can understand him because I'm attracted too by this town. How and why are the one million dollar questions each.I am still in my thoughts when someone, a girl it seems, got in my way. She's in a hurry and pushes me a bit. Clumsy as I am, I fall down. 

I can hear the laughs of some students around us as the girl who pushed me is apologizing and trying to help me. "I am so so sorry, you have no idea. I just had to go to the library. You know, I have this book I must get and apparently it seemed only this library has it. I couldn't even find it on Amazon. So, I am really sorry.

Once she sees she lost me, she slows down and asks me carefully this time if I didn't hurt myself.

I reassure her. "No, no I am all good. I wasn't looking straight either so no biggies." 

"Oof, you scared the shit out of me."

She's kind of expressive but she seems nice. I wave her goodbye while smiling at her and am ready to go visit that big house a little bit more. I still have an hour before my first class.

She stops me, shouting at me "Wait ! What's your name ? It's like I've seen you somewhere."

"Madeline. But you can call me Maddy. You ? " I answer back starting to get a bit suspicious.

Shock is written all over her face. "Sofia. My name's Sofia." she says in a whisper.

At first, her face seemed a bit familiar but I just told myself that is was probably nothing. I might have seen her with Matthew when I went into town or maybe a few days prior when I was visiting and discovering again the town. But... the name Sofia is too much of a coincidence for it not to be something.

"No way you're that Madeline ! " she almost jumps at me, her bag leaving her shoulder and reaching the ground.

Sofia, Sofia, Sofia ! She is my one and only friend from before I moved to London. The move was so unexpected, so spontaneous that I never had the chance to get her number. I am not the type of girl to chat on Instagram or on any social network for that matter. And... I guess I never tried to change that. I didn't have the time to try and find a friend. So back then, I thought it was better for her not to expect anything for me because I couldn't give her the kind of friendship she craved for.