For lani48116, hope you'll like it :)
~Justin's POV~
I was sitting in the last row of one of the conference rooms in Cobo Center in Detroit and listened to her speech. The confidence she brought words to life with, left me speechless. Last time I heard her give a speech was nearly ten years ago, during my (and also her) last year at the Michigan State University. Back then she had been a quiet girl with no confidence in herself and that had been exactly one thing that made me fall for her. It was a cliché jock-falls-for-a-quiet-girl love story and it was beautiful until it lasted. Our relationship had ended nearly seven years ago and it was not nice.
And now there she was, giving motivational speeches to the crowds like she had been doing this her entire life. And I must admit, her words brought tears to my eyes and something made me think of our relationship again. I knew I had hurt her bad, but after seven years I felt like I could turn things around.
After her speech, I wait for the crowd to get out of the room, but it seems every single person wants to have a word with her, shake her hand or just see her up close. But when I get closer, I see she is not alone. There, few feet away behind here, a man and a little boy stand. The look in man's eyes is an expression of respect and pride, while that little boy looks up at her with big and loving eyes. Her family, no questions. Seeing them like that makes me want to turn around, but before I can do that, I find myself in front of her.
"Justin," she recognizes me immediately, but her voice is different than when we were together. The way she says my name makes my blood freeze- I have never heard speak so coldly.
"Y/N," I offer her a small smile, which she doesn't return. With emotionless expression she stretches her hand and shake mine: "How have you been?"
"I've been alright. What about you?"
"As you can see," she points at the direction of the man and the kid "I've been doing fine."
"G-Good speech by the way. I like the way everything worked out for you."
Now a small smile draws on her lips and her entire face changes: "Who would've thought, right?"
"Yeah. It's great to see you inspire others...But how did-"
"Mommy, can we go, please."
"Sure, sweetie," she takes little boy's hand in her and looks back up at me, her eyes cold again.
"It was nice to see you again, Justin. But we have to go now. Hope I'll see you around soon."
He hugs the boy around his shoulders and leaves the room, her man following her close behind.
Weeks fly by and I can't shake her out of my head. How happy and confident she seemed, how everyone in that room listened to her words carefully, even how her red pantsuit hugged her curves in all the right places. And then I remember one thing. I didn't see a wedding ring on her ring finger. And she never did anything to show her affection towards that man. But that doesn't mean anything, I remind myself. She has never been the affectionate type of girl, even when we were together, she held my hand in public occasionally.
One weekend, she has another speech and I attend it, determined to talk to her. Once again, I walk up to her after she is done speaking and this time, she is alone.
"Y/N..."
"Hello again, Justin," she says while putting papers into her bag. A strand of her long hair falls in front of her eyes and I fight the urge to tuck it behind her ear. She clips her bag closed and look up at me: "Can I help you?"
"Y/N, I-I...can we talk?"
"I am sorry, I have obligations. But here is my card, if you want to email me any questions,"
I stop her by grabbing her arm: "I just wanna talk to you, Y/N. Please."
She sighs and ruffles her hair: "Fine. I give you ten minutes. My son is waiting for me."
"What about your husband?"
As soon as the words fly out my mouth, I regret them. She furrows her eyebrows and for the first time in many years, I see regret in her eyes: "I am sorry for the way it ended for us, but he is not my husband. And even if he was, that is not your cause of concern."
"I am sorry for asking you that. So, can you give me ten minutes of your time?"
It seems for a second she would say no, but then she slowly nods: "Yeah. But let me get this straight, this is not a date. And I pay for my order."
It feels weird to be with her after seven years. And the woman sitting in front of me is completely different person that the girl I left behind. She radiates some kind of energy and self-confidence.
"Well..."
"How are you? I've heard you are quite successful in the NHL. Congratulations."
"I've been...okay. What about you? What am I asking, look at you, you look stunning..."
"Uh, thanks. But you know, I have been trying to survive by giving speeches and working at the bookstore."
"I can help you..."
"Just because Dennis is your son it doesn't mean you have to help us," she becomes protective over her family and doesn't realize what she has said.
"That boy...is my son?"
She looks up at me and for the first time her eyes seem tired: "Yes. Dennis is your son, Justin, but..."
She sighs deeply: "We don't want anything from you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You disappeared! I wanted to tell you, but after that fight you were just...gone. With no explanation, nothing!"
I bury my hands in palms. It took seven years for us to start talking about the night we broke up. Not really broke up, but like she said, I walked out.
"Sorry won't be enough, right?"
"No. it will not be enough. Look, you can visit Dennis, but that's all."
She puts her money on the table and looks at me again, only this time the same coldness that was in her eyes before, is present again: "It was nice seeing you again, Justin. But I have to go. I have a fiancé and a son, who are everything to me."
Our gazes lock and I see tears behind the cold stare she gives me. Ice cold, just like she was back in her university years when she didn't want to show weakness. At my surprise, tears start tingling in my eyes as well and I have to blink. Tears, that should start making their way down her cheeks, and also mine, but seem frozen.
"I-It was nice seeing you too, Y/N," my voice breaks slightly at her name and I step forward to hug her awkwardly. She surprisingly hugs me back and when she pulls away, I see two small traces of tears down her cheeks.
"It was nice seeing you too."
With those awkward goodbye-s, our short meeting after seven long years is over. Before she sits in her car, she looks at me again and her lips curve into a small smile. And somehow, seeing her smile, makes me remember every kiss we shared in our three year relationship.
I guess now our son is the only living proof of what her and I had long time ago. If I hoped we could ever get back together, I was wrong. Months after our short meeting, I received an invitation. To her wedding.
