Walk-Off (A Kris Bryant Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

Jessica's POV

Final Day of Spring Training

I make my way downstairs to go meet with the guys at the hotel bar. 

The guys just won their final spring training game and everyone would be getting on a plane tomorrow to head back to Chicago for the start of the regular season in a couple days. 

I spot the team making their way inside, and head that way until someone catches my eyes. 

Kris. 

He was sitting on one of the lobby benches by himself, his back to the rest of the team. 

I slowly and quietly walk over and sneak up behind him. 

"Boo!" Kris jumps slightly as he turns to face me, and I could just tell that our current moods were polar opposites. 

He was clearly upset about something. 

"Oh. Hey, Jessica." He says, plainly, moving over so that I can sit down. 

"What's wrong? You seemed so happy this morning." I ask, joining him on the bench, placing my hand over his. 

His focus just remained on the floor, not even looking at me. 

"I uh... I didn't make the team." Kris sighs, as I just sat there in utter disbelief.

"What?! How?!" 

"I don't know. They told me that I'm starting the season in Iowa, and they'll call me up soon." Kris said, shaking his head. 

"How soon?" 

"They didn't say and I wasn't going to ask."  

I felt horrible for him. He played so well this Spring, and was probably one of if not the Cubs best player this Spring. 

But what was really devastating was the fact that Kris was going to be a whole state away, and I wouldn't know when he'd be back. 

Obviously that wasn't Kris' first concern, but it didn't make an already complicated situation any more clear. 

I rest my head against Kris' shoulder, stroking the top of his hand with my thumb. 

"I'm so sorry, Kris. I think everybody thought you were going to make the Opening Day roster." I say, quietly. 

"You can go join the rest of the guys in the bar if you want. I'll catch up eventually." Kris suggests, but I shook my head.

"I'm not going anywhere without you by my side. I want to be around you as much as I can for the next 12 hours." I tell him. Kris nods and slings and arm over my shoulders as I move as close as I can to him. 

"I'm really going to miss you." Kris evinced, gently massaging my arm. I didn't even want to think about him leaving. 

I know he's one call away, but still, his presence wouldn't be there, and that by itself scared me. 

"You have no idea." I tell him. 

"That's going to be the hardest part honestly. Walking onto that plane and you not being there, it's not going to be easy." Kris confesses, looking towards me. 

"It's going to be even harder to stand there and watch you walk on that plane and not try to stop you." I say, letting out a small laugh.

We both sat there silently for a few moments, as my thoughts all became about not seeing Kris for a while.

Kris then stood up after about a minute. 

"You know what? We're looking at this the wrong way." Kris starts. "We can sit here and feel sorry for ourselves over something that we can't prevent, or we can enjoy the time we have left."