Warrior: Tommy & Eliana's Story (Fanfic)

Chapter 1

"Mr. Conlon says you wanted to see me, Ms. Ortiz?" My student KC walks into my office.

"Ah, yes, I did." I pause for dramatic effect. "Do I have to remind you that texting and having your fellow cheerleaders visit you while in class is a big no-no?" I say with raised eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Ortiz. It won't happen again. I know I have to focus to get my grades up." She says apologetically.

I give an exasperated sigh. "Look, this has become a routine lately KC. I just want you to take this serious. Do you honestly think if you fail your classes that Coach Collins will let you cheer at the next game?" KC shakes her head solemnly. "Or that those colleges you applied to will want a student who's failing the classes she wants to major in?" I ask raising my brows at her.

"No, Ms. Ortiz. It won't happen again. I'll speak to my teammates." She says convincingly.

"Back to class you go KC." I dismiss her. As soon as she leaves, I slouch in my chair and sigh. I love what I do and I love my students. Guiding them- not to do only the right things- but to give them the mindframe to be able to decide what's the right path for them to follow. Something I tried my hardest to do myself.

I'm a 28 year old guidance counselor at Central High School. The very same school where I fell in love and had my heart broken all at once. Sometimes I think that I only work here to torture myself with those memories. Or maybe I'm holding on to false hope.

I knew Tommy Conlon pretty much my whole life, growing up. Same neighborhood, same schools. His older brother Brendan is my bestfriend Tess' husband. They were highschool sweethearts. I could only wish for that with Tommy.

I remember when Tommy and I use to sneak around because we never had time to be alone. His father Paddy kept him and his brother on a tight regimen. Early morning workouts before school, strict diets, and weight training after school. At school he never showed how close we were, but when we were alone I saw the real Tommy. We talked about our dreams- our future. We argued over the girls that showed him too much attention for my liking at school. We would talk about everything. His father's drinking problem, how he would get so belligerent and hit his mom. Tommy never wanted my sympathy though, he just needed me- as he would tell me every time he spoke about the heavy.

He called me his safe haven. He'd sometimes sneak through my bedroom window when things got bad at home. He'd never say anything. He would just lay beside me staring up at the ceiling, with my hand in his. I'd fall asleep and wake to find he was gone, then I'd see him at school smiling and chucking it up with his wrestling buddies as if the night before never happened.

A knock at my office door snapped me out of my thoughts. I look up to see Brendan standing at the threshold. "Hey, wanna grab lunch?" He asked. I give a tight lip smile and nod.

We chose a Mexican restaurant to eat in. "You still coming to Emily's birthday this weekend?" Brendan asks as he polishes off his last taco and starts in on his quesadilla.

"Of course I am. You know I wouldn't miss it." I assure him.

"What had you so stuck in your head earlier? You looked like something was really on your mind." He asked nonchalantly. See, Brendan knew about his younger brother and I, but he rarely brought it up knowing that it was still very much a sore subject.

I chuckled halfheartedly. "You know I'm in my head a lot on my down time."

"I don't get it." He shakes his head. "You two were just kids. Its been 14 years, Eli. Dont you like, I dont know, think you should get out into the dating world." This conversation happens more than you'd think. Brendan going all big brother on me to move on with my life. Its not without lack of trying, because let's face it I went on tons of dates. Even had a relationship with a guy while in college, but the whole time it just felt like something was missing. A spark or something like it.

I sigh. "I do date, Brendan. I just haven't connected with anyone yet."

"You haven't connected or you just dont want to connect. There lies the difference." He pesters.

"Oh, come on. You know that I've tried many times to find something like you and Tess have. Do we really need to talk about this? This has become routine lately. We go out for lunch, you nag me to date, I tell you "I'll try" and then we head back to work." I smirk as I raise my right eyebrow. "I promise I won't end up a crazy cat lady, okay? Good enough for you?"

He shakes his head and laughs. "Yea, promises, promises." He grabs the garbage on our table as he gets up and tosses it in the nearby trashcan. As we exit the restaurant I tell him about Paddy, and him asking about Brendan and the girls. "Look, I'm glad the old man's doing good with his sobriety, but you of all people know the history there."

I give Brendan a nod of understanding and keep my mouth shut about his father after that. Somethings just can't be repaired. Such as the broken heart his younger brother left me with when he took off with his mother.

I never could fault Tommy for leaving. The reasons were well worth it, but my shattered heart that refuses to let go just doesn't understand how he could leave his safe haven without so much as a goodbye. I think thats what hurts the most when I think about Tommy Conlon.

We never told eachother that we loved each other, but I think we both felt it enough that it never needed to be said.