Kind Hearted (Patrick Kane)

9- Grow Together

Patrick

After a really long week it was finally Saturday and that meant it was time for me to see Victoria. She had a early shift at the hospital but was done at noon. So right after practice today I came over to Victoria's place to hang out with her and her dad. It's the closest thing I had to a real family around here. Tori would do anything for her father and Andy would do anything for her. It was true family values like that I was missing all this time.

So we spent the day inside watching whatever movies we find on the TV. We ate popcorn and pizza and drank a bunch of soda. We shared a lot of laughs and enjoyed the simpler side of life. Where you forget Andy is sick or that there's about a thousand people in this world wondering what I'm doing in this exact moment. Just for a little while I was able to enjoy the company of two incredible people I just so happen to care a lot about.

"Alright. I'm heading to bed. You two crazy kids don't stay up too late" Andy says as he gets up off the couch.

"Sleep tight Dad" Tori says.

"What if I want to sleep loose" he counters and she sighs.

"Good night Dad" she mumbles and he laughs.

"Night Andy" I add on.

"Night kiddos."

He goes to his room and closes the door behind him. Victoria and I crawl from the spot on the ground we preoccupied and move to the couch where Andy was laying. I grab the blanket that Tori slept with before turning to her.

"Do I need to leave? I don't want to keep you up if you want to go to bed" I insist. I know she sleeps on the couch so I don't want to be keeping her bed from her.

"I think I can last one more movie" she smirks.

"I was hoping" I admit.

She gets us some more popcorn before coming back to the living room. She sits on the couch next to me and I move in closer. I wrap her blanket around us as she smiles over at me. I snake my arm around her side before pulling her into my embrace. She cuddles into my side causing me to smile big.

"Can I ask you a question" I start.

"You know the answer to that" she assures me.

"So there's this girl who I really really like. Like I've had a crush before, but this is more than a crush. I think she is the greatest thing to ever walk this earth. I don't even know how to explain it, it's so crazy.

And I want to tell her how I feel but I'm scared. She knows me so well and I'm afraid that is what's going to stop her from liking me back. She knows the good but she's knows the bad too and I'm afraid that I'm going to scare her off. But I really want to be with her. What should I do" I ask. She bites her lips as her sandy brown eyes meet my ocean blue one's.

"Trust yourself Patrick. You forgave yourself, now you need to trust yourself that you can make big decisions and they'll be the right ones" she insists.

"If this was about hockey or my family then I would know what to do. But this is uncharted territory. I haven't had a real good relationship in a really long time, ever even, but I know this girl is different and I really want it to work out" I insist.

"Show her how much she means to you. Choose something that would weigh more in your heart than it would in your hands, then hang on to it. Words are heavy, and you won't always remember what is said, but you'll never forget how you felt when it was said" she says.

"So what's my next move" I ask.

"Tell her how you feel. And not some weak stuff like "I think you're cool" or "I like you a lot". Trust me, if what you're saying is true then she knows. You gotta say something that speaks to her. Make sure you know she's listening before you talk. Make sure she feels the weight of your words and they don't turn into something she holds in her hands, make sure they stay in her heart forever" she claims.

"Can I practice on you" I ask and she gives a cute little side smile.

"Of course" she insists. I turn to her and look deep into her eyes as I hold my breath. Here goes nothing.

"I only get this feeling thy I belong when I'm with my family. That I could do no wrong. That the love is limitless and uncontrolled and exciting. I know that no matter what happens I'm a Kane and they will always be proud of that name and whatever it is I do with it. They will always wear my jersey and at the end of the day I can look into their eyes and tell them I love them.

It's the same feeling I get on the ice. Like this is where I belong, that this is my purpose. Out there my problems seem to go away. No one sees me as immature or stupid or problematic out on the ice. I'm the guy that everyone is watching and not because I'm making a fool of myself or because something bad is happening, but because I'm a good player and everyone has to respect that.

Those strong feelings I get from my family or being in the ice, I feel it when I'm here with you. You look at me like I'm a actual human being with feelings that matter. You don't expect me to just ignore the stuff that happens to me, and you don't except me to let them get the better of me either. You remind me a lot of my family in the way you make me feel like I'm important, that I'm more than just a hockey player. With you I'm the me I'm supposed to be and not the me everyone wants to be. Being with you makes me feel like I'm out on the ice, like I'm free and wanted. I feel this pull to you like I do to the game. I don't know how to describe it, it's just strong. And even though the way you make me feel scares the hell out of me, I know it's worth it.

You... you're worth it" I finish as I stop moving closer to her. By now we're so close I can feel her breathing on my lips. I softly caress her cheek as she continues to stare up at me.

"If you like me you should have just said something" she teases and I roll my eyes.

"Shut up and kiss me" I demand and she starts to giggle. She pulls me down making my lips crash into hers.

She falls back onto the couch pulling me on top of her and I make sure I don't crush her small frame. I feel the blanket fall to the floor after I let go of it so I could hold her. I focus on moving my lips in time with hers, or her body pressing against mine. As she runs her fingers through my hair I get this shiver down my spine nearly making my whole body weak. If I thought she made me feel good before, then this is bliss.

Eventually the kiss ends and I slowly open my eyes. I look down at Tori who had her small fingers wrapped around my neck.

"So..." I trail off as I bite my lip.

"So" she repeats.

"What happens next" I ask.

"We grow" she smiles.

I softly run my thumb across her cheek as she looks me over.

"We're going to grow together, right" I ask.

"Together" she assures me.