Unconditionally

Missed Goodbye (Arnold's POV)

As I stepped off the plane, a wave of warmth washed over me, reminiscent of a long-awaited hug from the California sun. Rolling my luggage through the bustling terminal, I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation, but the knot in my stomach tightened as I opened Stella's text: "Miss you, Arnold. I didn't make it in time." It hit harder than a slapshot to the face.

"Hey, dude!" Jordan's voice boomed behind me. He strutted over, wearing his signature bright smile and a "Team Los Angeles" cap. "Ready to conquer the world again?"

I forced a grin but could tell he saw through my facade. "Yeah, totally. Just got Stella's text."

"Oh," he said, his smile faltering slightly. "That sucks, man. Did she at least say why?"

"Something about not making it to say goodbye." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of regret settle on my shoulders like a heavy backpack full of rocks. "I was looking forward to it, you know?"

Jordan's expression shifted to one of empathy. "Yeah, but you've got to focus on the season now. Remember, the team needs their fearless captain."

"Right." I let out a sigh, not sure if I felt like a captain or a ship lost at sea.

As we headed toward the exit, I caught sight of Enzo waving enthusiastically from across the terminal. "Arnold! Jordan! Over here!" he shouted, his energy infectious.

"Looks like Enzo's been taking his caffeine pills again," Jordan joked, nudging me. "Let's see what wild antics he's come up with this time."

We made our way over to Enzo, who was bouncing on his toes like an excited puppy. "I have a surprise for you guys!"

"What is it? You found a way to teleport to the next game?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, even better!" Enzo exclaimed, pulling out his phone. "I set up a group chat for the team, and we've already got some ideas for our pre-game rituals!"

Jordan chuckled. "You mean your weird rituals, like that time you insisted we all wear mismatched socks for luck?"

"Hey, that worked!" Enzo shot back. "We won that game, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but only because you scored the winning goal, not because of the socks!" I teased.

As we laughed, I thought about how much I missed the camaraderie of my teammates. I opened Stella's text again, wishing she could be here to share these moments with me.

"Come on, let's get some food," Enzo suggested, snapping me back to reality. "I'm starving, and I hear this taco truck down the street is life-changing."

"I could use some life-changing tacos right about now." My stomach growled in agreement.

We hopped into Jordan's car, the classic LA traffic already in full swing. As we sat in gridlock, I couldn't help but think about Stella. Would she be okay? The nagging worry tugged at my heartstrings.

"Hey, Arnold," Jordan said suddenly, his tone turning serious. "If you're feeling down about Stella, just remember she'll be there waiting when you come back."

"Yeah, I know. It's just... different, you know? The whole long-distance thing is tougher than I thought."

"Bro, you've survived a season of hockey with the pressure of being a captain. You can handle this!" He took a swig from his water bottle, his confidence infectious.

"True." I nodded, but deep down, the weight of my feelings for Stella felt heavier than any puck I'd ever had to handle on the ice.

When we finally reached the taco truck, the flavors burst like fireworks in my mouth. "See? Life-changing!" Enzo said, grinning with taco sauce smeared across his cheek.

"I'll give it to you. These are amazing!" I replied, trying to focus on the taste, even as my heart ached for Stella.

Just then, my phone buzzed. It was another text from Stella! My heart raced as I opened it.

Stella: "You'd better be having tacos without me! 🍣🥡"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Look at that! She's jealous of my taco date with you guys!"

Jordan snorted. "Well, she should be! Tacos are sacred! Plus, who wouldn't want to be here with this handsome face?"

"Yeah, yeah," I said, rolling my eyes playfully. I typed back, "Not as fun as it would be with you here. Can't wait to catch up."

Enzo leaned over, peering at my phone screen. "Dude, add an emoji! Women love that!"

"Emojis?" I raised an eyebrow, cringing. "What am I, five?"

"Trust me! A winky face and a heart will do wonders. It's like emotional duct tape," Enzo insisted.

Rolling my eyes, I added a wink and a heart emoji before sending it off. "There. Happy?"

"Very," Enzo replied, clearly satisfied.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was missing something crucial. Sure, the tacos were great, and Jordan and Enzo's company helped, but my heart felt incomplete without Stella.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed again. "You'd better be saving me some tacos when I visit!"

With a smile creeping onto my face, I replied, "Absolutely! But only if you promise to bring those killer dance moves to the taco party."

Jordan smirked at my response. "Dude, you're in deep. You've been taco-ed!"

As we wrapped up our impromptu taco fest, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The ups and downs of long-distance love would be tough, but with Stella in my corner, I knew I could handle whatever came my way.

With that thought in mind, I took a deep breath, ready to tackle whatever the next chapter held.