Hockey Imagines

Distraction- Tom Wilson

[dis-trac-tion (noun) something that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else]

Tom and I met at a party for my brother's 27th birthday about two years ago. We started as friends and one thing lead to another and now we've been dating a year. I just moved in with him, against my brother's wishes. TJ has always been weary of me having boyfriends, but he's slowly getting over it since he knows Tom so well, and since we're only about a year and a half apart. I used to have a habit of dating guys that were too old for me (like dating freshmen in college while i was a freshman in high school), so I understood where he was coming from.

Anyway, I'm now twenty years old and a junior at Catholic University in DC. I'm working on my teaching degree and I had one of the biggest essays of the year due by 5pm, which was just four hours away (it's about 1pm). Granted, that's a lot of time, but I was only half way through and that took me about four hours so any type of distraction from writing this essay may end three years of hard work. Everything that I've worked for so far has led to this essay.

Most people would say I've been procrastinating because I've had this assignment since the beginning of this class, but it involves extensive research and aspects from throughout the semester. So they'd be wrong.

But even the terrifying thought of not getting this done couldn't erase my guilt. I promised him I'd be there and of course, I couldn't follow through.

Today, February 7th, was his 200th career game, it was against the Flyers. Originally I had promised him I'd be there, due to my school-induced lack of presence at various other games he wanted me at. He was so excited when I said I could go. And then, I woke up that morning and remembered the essay. He was so disappointed, he didn't even say goodbye when he left. My thoughts were distracting me. He was my distraction.

Not only could I not be there, I couldn't watch it either. And he knew that. Which is why when he got back to our apartment at about 4:30 after the game he walked in and right past me, into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Luckily for me, finishing the essay only took about half an hour after that. I submitted my essay and prayed that Tom would have calmed down a bit by now.

I knocked lightly before opening the door. I stood there, waiting for him to look up, but he didn't.

"Tom?" I called weakly, starting to notice how upset I was by him being upset with me. I hated fighting with him. He still didn't look. "Baby, I'm so so so sorry I had to miss your game. I had every intention of being there to support you but you of all people should know how important my school work is to me right now." He still didn't move, staring at his phone.

I walked over to the bed, climbing next to him and taking his phone out of his hand, hoping to bring his attention to me. He easily let me take the phone but then turned to lay on his back, never even making eye contact with me.

"Tom, please talk to me." He responds by staring at the ceiling, ignoring me once again. "Fine, if you're going to be stubborn and not even let me apologize to you, maybe you don't deserve my apology." I said as a last ditch effort to make him react to me. "Ugh! You're such a f*cking child, Tom!"

Now angry, I got up and walked back out to the living room, turning on the game, which I had recorded. It was a great game. I really wish I could have been there, but I can't change that and I wished he would stop acting like a three year old and talk to me about it.

Tom has this habit of bottling up his feelings and not talking about things. He usually takes his anger out while he's on the ice but he didn't get into a fight today, so naturally he's still angry.

I sat on the couch for six hours, waiting for him to come talk to me. For the first time in a year, we're both going to sleep angry with each other, which is something we promised to never do. This is what I realized as darkness surrounded me and as the busy street visible from our living room became a ghost town, the traffic lights flashing yellow and only the occasional car passing through the intersection.

I grabbed some blankets and laid across the couch, letting my eyes close and drifting off to sleep, hoping that the morning would bring happier times.

I woke up only about an hour later, Tom carrying me to our room. He set me down on the bed and crawled in next to me, holding me from behind.

"Y/N, I'm sorry I'm such a dick," he paused, thinking over his words carefully. "And, I'm sorry for acting like a child and for ignoring you." I turned in his arms, facing him and listening to what he was saying. "I just, I love you so much and all this time away from you has just been so hard. And you know how I always bottle up my feelings and," I stopped his rambling.

"Tom, I love you too much to let you get away with not sharing your feelings with me. If you're upset I need you to talk to me." I told him, while playing with his hair. "And I know you have to leave tomorrow and that you won't be home for a while and that thought killed me. So, after you left this morning, I emailed my professors and got my lecture notes for the week."

"Y/N, where are you going with this?" He looked excited, hoping he knew what I was about to say.

"And I talked to Barry about seats and rooms, and packed a bag. And I'm going to spend the next week with you and be there for every game to cheer you on. But, only if you want me there."

"Oh my g... of course I want you to come with me." He smiled really big at me, kissing me and holding me tight. "You're so sneaky! You should have told me that before I ignored you for six hours."

"Well I wasn't going to tell you while you were being all pissy! I just didn't think you'd be mad about it for this long." I hit him lightly in the chest, causing him to mock offense. He shifted so he was halfway-hovering above me. He looked deeply into my eyes, and touched his forehead to mine as if he was going to kiss me again. Then his hands shot to my side and he began tickling me until I couldn't breathe through the laughter.

"Okay, okay! I surrender." I laughed as he collapsed next to me once again. "We should probably go to sleep. We have to be out of here by six tomorrow morning."

"Well, I guess four and a half hours now, and then the two and a half hours on the plane to Nashville will suffice. Beauty rest of champions?" I laughed at his little pun. He kissed my forehead and we exchanged I love you's before falling asleep and awaiting the five o'clock alarm for the next morning.

The road trip was great. We spent more time together than I thought we would have and every game was amazing, even losing to Dallas.

Tom was my distraction. From every worry and every upsetting aspect of life, even when he was the one creating it.

I'm so grateful for my distraction.