Love Rivalry (A Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Fanfiction)

Chapter 42 - Those Who Defy

Ashley's POV

April 10th

I carefully applied my eyeshadow in the bedroom of my old apartment. 

Tonight was the Oilers' final game of the regular season against the Vancouver Canucks. 

This game would decide if the Oilers would make the playoffs for the first time in ten seasons. 

I've been running around my apartment for the last few hours trying to get ready. 

I finally had my stitches removed and I was starting to feel better after what had happened that night. 

I haven't seen Ryan in a few days since the team was finishing up it's final road trip of the regular season. 

I've been staying with my friends the last four days, minding to myself and keeping in touch with Ryan while he's been gone. 

I finished my eye makeup and walked over to my closet, digging through the mess of clothes to pull out Ryan's jersey. 

I pulled it out from underneath all of the clothes that had gathered on the floor of my small closet in the last few months since we moved in. 

The blue and orange jersey was wrinkled from lying on the bottom of the pile, the numbers on the back slightly creased over from the weight of my other clothes. 

I can't believe I was going to throw this out. 

I've been waiting for a reason to wear it for the longest time, and for the first time in two months, I finally had one. 

I pulled the jersey over my head and checked myself out in the mirror one final time. 

I thought I looked pretty cute. My hair was straightened, with my jersey and a pair of skinny jeans, topped off with my flats that were waiting at the door. 

Natalie was coming to pick me up in a few minutes, something that I wasn't as happy about. 

I talked to Ryan last night and asked him if there was any way that I could go with him and the guys for tonight, but he told me there wouldn't be time. 

I honestly still wasn't over the whole Ryan-Natalie thing. I was still disappointed that Ryan would do something like that, but I was even more upset with Natalie. 

I mean, she totally crossed the line and she just threw herself at Ryan. I hadn't talked to her about the whole thing since we all started hanging out again. I've tried being nice and acting like it never happened, but the thought of her and Ryan together really pissed me off. 

I haven't spoken to any of them really, with the obvious exception of Ryan. 

Ryan. 

I thought it would be weird between us, after everything that has happened between us, but it hasn't. It was like we were never apart. 

He's been so caring and selfless through everything that I've been through since that night, and I would never be able to repay him for it. 

He's had a lot of sleepless nights staying up and taking care of me, but he insisted that it didn't bother him, even with his hectic schedule. 

My phone buzzed on the bed, jogging me from my thoughts. 

Natalie told me that she was downstairs. 

I grabbed my purse and my phone and walked to the front door, sliding into my flats before walking out the door. 

I saw Natalie's car in the parking lot. She was looking at her phone in the driver's seat. I opened the passenger's side door and drew Nat's attention.