Hockey Imagines

Brayden Schenn (Philadelphia)

***Long***

I ran around the backyard with my best friend Brayden. We were playing explorers under the light of the stars and back porch light. "Bray!" "Maddie!" He ran over. "Look at how pretty the stars are." He looked up and stared at the stars with me. We both decided to lay down and watch the stars. "Kids? You guys okay?" Brayden's mom came out and asked. "Yeah mom, c'mere." She came over. "Look at the stars." She looked up with us. "They are beautiful aren't they?" We nodded. "Did you guys know that the stars you see right now are the same stars all over the world?" "So people in Africa see these stars?" "Yeah, they all see the same stars. But the best thing is, you can only see the stars when things get dark." She kissed both our heads and went back inside. Eventually the two of us just got lost in beauty and simplicity of it all.

    I sat out on the back deck staring up at the sky as all the memories of the amazing times me and Brayden had growing up. Let me introduce myself, my name is Madison Douglas but I go by Maddie. I am 23 years old. I grew up in Canada with my parents, older brother, and younger sister. I moved to London, England when I was 15 because my dad was offered a job as a professor at Cambridge University and my brother Jackson had a ton of soccer offers from premier league teams and my sister Ally was an amazing dancer and they had amazing dance schools over there. So we picked up and moved to a whole new country in a whole new continent and my parents didn't care. I was devastated when we had to move because I didn't want to leave everything behind but most of all I didn't want to leave Brayden. I had finally figured out my feelings for him but then I had to leave.

    "Please don't leave." Brayden said tears streaming down both of our fifteen year old faces. "I don't wanna leave." "Then don't." "I don't have a choice." "You can stay with me." "My parents would never let that happen. They already hate how much time I spend with you. I'm sorry." I cried against his chest and he rested his head against mine also crying. "Bray promise me one thing?" "Anything." "Make it to the NHL and kill it." "I'll try my best for you. Promise me one thing." "Anything." "Don't lose contact, I know with the time zones it'll be hard but please. I don't want to lose you." "You won't lose me. I promise I'll call whenever I can. Just remember to look at the stars and remember I see the same ones and I'll never be too far." I never wanted to let go but I heard my dad call my name and I pulled away. "Goodbye Brayden." "Bye Madison." I turned and walked away tears streaming. I turned and I saw him on his knees sobbing. I got to the car and I got in slamming the door behind me. "Hey!" Mom yelled. "Do not give us that attitude. I don't even understand why you are so upset." "Because you are making me pick up my life and move it to a whole new continent. You are making me leave behind everything that matters to me and you don't even care." "We are giving you such an amazing opportunity you should be grateful!" Dad yelled. I ignored him and put my headphones in and watched as we drove away and Brayden was still crying on the ground but his mom had come out to comfort him. My heart wasn't broken, I just didn't have it anymore, Brayden had it.

    Tears streamed down my face because once Brayden was drafted he stopped calling and texting. I haven't talk to him in 5 years and that hurts. He probably doesn't even remember me anymore and that hurts because I was told to keep in contact and he was the one who didn't. I heard the back door open and I turned and saw my dad. Oh great. "Why are you out here?" "Because I needed to think." "Funny joke." "Yeah cause I'm laughing." He saw the tears and noticed I was playing with the necklace Brayden gave me. "Get over him Madison. It's been 5 years since you talked to him so obviously you don't mean anything to him." "Stop." I said trying to stay calm. "Why, I'm speaking the truth." "Because it's your fault!" I screamed standing up facing him. "It's your fault I lost him. It's your fault that I lost everything that ever meant something to me. You ripped it all away from me. You have never once thought about me. It's never about me and just once I wish you cared!" "Do NOT talk to me like that! I moved us here to give us a better opportunity!" "No not us, You and mom, and Jackson and Ally. We moved here so you could make millions of dollars. Money doesn't mean anything!" "You can't get through life without money." "No but everyone would be a hell of a lot happier without it. "

In Philly- I got a taxi to the hotel and I got a room before calling Brayden's mom and asked for his address. I stayed in contact with her since she kept me up to date on Brayden. I got a taxi over there and it was about 6pm Philly time. I went up to the apartment door and knocked praying to god he remembers. The door opened and there stood my best friend. "Um can I help you?" "Brayden, It's Maddie remember your best friend since we were kids." "I don't know anyone named Maddie. Please leave." "Gladly, I'm sorry for bothering you." I turned and ran with tears falling down my cheeks. I left the building and now I was in a big unknown city. I started walking down the street and I accidently ran into someone. "I'm so sorry." I apologized. "No no it's fine." I looked up and saw Luke, Brayden's older brother. "Maddie? Is that really you?" "Yeah." "What's wrong?" "Brayden doesn't remember. He said he doesn't know a Maddie. I don't know what I expected coming here. I mean it's been 5 years." "Hey, calm down." He pulled me into a hug. It was a lot like old times. He pulled away and wiped the tears away. "The necklace." He said and I was confused before remembering that I had Brayden's necklace. He wore it all the time which is why he gave it to me. "what about it?" "If he sees it he'll remember." "No he won't. Dad was right maybe I never actually mattered to him. I'm sorry for running into you." I said and turned to walk away but Luke grabbed my arm. "No you mean everything to him. He won't admit it but when he stopped talking to you he cried for days on end." "Then why did he stop calling?" "I don't know." Luke pulled me back up to the apartment. "Luke please." He opened the door and it obviously surprised Brayden. I looked down at the floor and avoided all eye contact with the both of them. "Luke what the hell? Why is she here again? I don't know her." "I told you Luke, please let me leave." "No I'm not going to let you two continue being miserable when I have the chance to prevent that. Brayden think, who is Maddie?" "He thought for a second. "My best friend." "Yeah, well this is her." "No it can't be." I showed him the necklace and then the scar behind my ear from when he hit me with a stick when we were 6. "M-maddie?" I nodded. He went to hug me and I stepped back. "What?" "5 years Brayden, one day we talk like I was never gone and then I never hear about you again. But I never understood why."