Raiyne POV
It had been a week of missed calls and forgotten text messages, sleepless nights and lost games. That's how I found myself back at the Pepsi Arena outside the door to the dressing room.
I stepped inside just in time to watch Tyson shove Gabe, and then Gabe toss a punch at Tyson.
"Knock it off!" I yelled, jumping in between them just to get caught in the cheek by Gabe's fist. "Holy shit."
"Oh my god, that wasn't supposed to happen." He blurted, reaching for me as I stumbled.
"No, don't touch me. Just give me a second." I gasped, squeezing my eyes closed to shake the spots that had appeared.
"Raiyne!" Half the guys yelled, launching themselves at me.
"Back off!" I yelled, jumping back to the wall. "Just let me adjust for a minute, fuck."
They all froze and Gabe's eyes seemed to change before he opened his mouth to speak.
"Spit it out, tell me. Give me your worst." I told him. "Anything you tell me won't change from what I've told myself. So smile bud, cause you're looking at the biggest monster in the room."
'He doesn't want you here' my inner voice yelled, 'you honestly thought he would want to see you, stupid bitch'.
"Raiyne." He barely whispered, and my heart jumped into my throat.
"Hey Gabe, what's up?" I stammered.
He took a step forward and I took a step towards the door, "Don't leave, not again."
"It's scary enough being here." I whispered, squirming under all their gazes.
"Why Ray?" Matt asked.
"I couldn't do it anymore, everything was actually good and I couldn't wait for it to all turn bad." I replied, praying for my voice to be strong.
"So you left." Gabe laughed. "You dropped us like we were nothing."
"I can't believe you bought it!" I exclaimed. "I can't believe you actually thought I didn't want you anymore!"
His mouth popped open like a fish and then a hand ran through his hair, "JUST SAY IT GABRIEL!" He jumped and I shook my head.
"I don't know what to say." He replied.
"Bullshit, you're smarter than that." I said, shaking my head. "You knew it, that's why you wouldn't let it go. So guess what, you were right."
"I can't hate you Raiyne, I've tried." He said. "I tried everything, but you wouldn't get the fuck out of my head."
His words hit me like bricks and I couldn't handle it anymore.
"I wish you would hate me, cause hurting like this should be considered abuse." I whispered, taking a few steps into the room. "If you hated me it would make it so much easier."
"Easier for what?" He scoffed.
"Easier to stop loving you."
I tossed my hands over my mouth, and then took two giant steps back towards the door, running into it and jerking at the handle.
"Who the fuck locked the door?" I half asked half sobbed, pulling with all the strength I had.
I smacked it with open palms and then slid down it, so my back was pressed against it.
"I cry all the time, and I feel like I'm being stabbed and then run over by a truck. I don't sleep and I fight with myself if I should slash my arms open to make it all go away. Then I end up in the same seat every night trying to hold myself together." I blurted out. "The worst part is seeing the people I cared about so much doing what they love, and knowing how badly I screwed up."
"Raiyne."
"Wait, the worst thing was seeing you in the magazines with freaking supermodels wishing it was me. Cause that's how fucked up I am." I finished, running my hands over my face.
I was scooped up into someone arms and then I released the breath I hadn't noticed I'd been holding, burying my face in their shoulder.
"You're here now." Ryan whispered.
"But it's not good enough." I replied, then stepped away. "I have to go."
"Don't go." Gabe said, stepping infront of the door.
"I have work." I replied.
"Hockey Obsession said you quit." Matt tossed in.
"That's why I work at Bass Pro." I laughed, stepping towards the door and avoiding Gabe the best I could.
He moved reluctantly and I passed him, turning my shoulders so I wouldn't brush against him, instead he caught my arm.
"Are you gonna come back?" He asked, his voice beside my ear.
I reached up to my neck and undid my necklace, then dropped it in his hand.
"I have to now." I replied, slipping my arm from his grasp.
I shrugged and tucked my hands into my pockets, walking out of the building, then resting my forehead on the door of my car, taking a few shaky breaths.
"Raiyne." Gabe stated from behind me.
"Yeah?" I asked, turning and opening the car door at the same time.
"Do I get another chance?" He smiled lightly.
"Hey, I'm Raiyne Spears." I replied, holding out my hand.
"Gabriel Landeskog, how are you beautiful?" He smiled.
"Late for work." I laughed, going to step into the car. "Eh, Gabe?"
"Yeah?"
I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck, and pecked his collarbone.
"I missed you."
Gabe POV
I stepped onto the ice, then picked up a puck and started to warm up scanning the seats for Raiyne, catching her laughing at something the guy beside her had said, goofing off with the puck and shooting it at the glass. Raiyne jumped and raised her brows, then typed something on her phone.
"Yo, forgot my water bottle." I called to
Matt and he nodded.
I jogged back and grabbed my phone, laughing at the message.
Raiyne Spears
-that wasn't nice, focus!
--
I looked up, then passed to Matt breaking through the middle and getting the puck back again, slamming it into the net, the last buzzer going off.
"Yeah baby!" I yelled.
--
I pulled off all my sweaty gear, the door opening, "Hey Landy, nice goal. Wanna know something else?"
"You're gonna take me back already?" I smirked.
She pulled the jersey from behind her back and tossed it at me.
"Your biggest competition is gonna be on your team." Raiyne smirked.
"They took you back that quickly."
"Hell no, it took three hours of dry land and five hours of on ice, I also had to promise to stay away from the captain." She replied, ducking her head.
"That's gonna be hard considering your gonna move back into the house." I laughed.
"No I'm not, I'm staying in my apartment." Raiyne stated.
"Nooooo!" Ryan yelled.
"Yesssss!" She yelled.
"Can I sleep over?" Matt asked.
"No you creep." She laughed.
"But, I wanna cuddleeee." He whined.
"But I don't wanna cuddle with you." Raiyne smirked.
"I'm a good cuddler!"
She pointed at him and raised a brow, "Matt Duchene, groping is not cuddling I can barely give you a hug."
"Your ass is very squeezable ok!" He laughed.
"I have no ass." She replied, pulling a chair to sit, losing her balance and falling.
I started to laugh and she glared, the others joining as she cracked a smile.
"Oooowwwww."
"Want me to fix that?" Matt and I asked at the same time advancing on her.
"No, leave." She groaned. "I need my necklace back too."
"Too bad, you're not getting it back." I told her.
"Gabriel I need it back."
I winced and then shrugged, "The only way you're getting it back is if you come out with me tonight."
"Fine." She replied, standing. "What am I getting myself into?"
"Trouble." I teased.
"But you're too good for trouble." She teased.
I laughed and shook my head, "No complaints."
She held up her hands and sighed, "I won't say a word."
