Blindsided

chapter 10

Jonathan

He groans at the light filtering in through the blinds, and glances at the clock. 9:32 a.m. He lays in bed for a few more minutes, and eventually convinces himself to get up and take a shower. He stands in the water way longer than he needs to letting the water scald his chest. It manages to distract him from his thoughts for a minute or so, but then he finds himself immersed back into his own brain. It takes a few minutes, but when he remembers how all he did was talk about Patrick last night all he really wants to go do is drink some more. Instead he decides to go get breakfast.

His thoughts wander while he devours his whole grain toast until his phone buzzes alive. It startles him enough that he knocks his cup over, which he luckily already drained. He glances at the caller I.D. Stan. This can either be really good, or really bad.

“Hello?”

“Jon?”

“Yeah. What’s up Stan?”

“Have you been paying attention to the news today?” Jon tries to figure out why that might matter. The only thing that he can come up with are the upcoming NHLPA meetings and negotiations. He’s already talked to Stan about them, so he really can’t figure out why he would be calling.

“No. Do I need to be?”

“Well...it’s just that... Patrick has gotten himself into a bit of trouble.” Patrick. Of course it’s fucking Patrick. He sighs loudly into the phone.

“What did he do now?”

Stan explains to him that Pat has been in Madison drinking it up with some of his old friends at random frat parties. “He has been accused of some things, but nothing has been proven yet. We have already called him and talked to him, and he is on his way back to Buffalo to stay with is parents. Just thought I’d let you know what was going on.”

Jon squeezes the bridge of his nose with is right hand. “Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it.” He makes a point to set his phone down carefully. By now he is extremely pissed off and now he REALLY wants to go out and drink. He decides that since it is only 10:30 a.m. that he will go exercise until he can’t feel his legs instead.

Exercising takes his mind off of things for a while, but once he is done it’s right back to his obsessive thoughts. He thinks about calling Patrick to yell at him, but he doesn’t think he can handle the sound of Pat’s guilt right now. (Or ever really.) By now, its 4 p.m. and his mom invited him for dinner, so he showers quickly and changes into something less sweaty and heads on over.

He is never really sure how she does it, but his mom ends up finding things out before he does. The minute he steps in the door, she rushes over to him and hugs him. When she pulls back she gives him a knowing look. “Is everything okay dear?”

“Something tells me that you already know the answer to that.”

She smiles just a bit when she says “it’s not my fault Donna calls me whenever something happens. Now come on in and help me chop the vegetables.” He inwardly groans but knows that there is no way of getting out of this. 

His mom lets it drop though, thankfully. Dinner is nice. Well, better than nice because he is back with his family. He and David take some time to fuck around on the Wii after dinner which turns into a MarioKart tournament which turns into a wrestling match. 

Just before he leaves his mother corners him. “You really should call him you know. We both know you care about him more than you’re willing to admit.”

“I know...but I just can’t right now...”

“Is there something that you’re not telling me about Jon?”

“...No?” It comes out as more of a question than an answer, and judging by the look on his mother’s face, she is going to make him spill. He sucks in a deep breath before he rushes the words out all in one breath. “Patrick kissed me back before game 6.”

His mother stands there and looks at him with fond, soft eyes. “And?”

“And I pushed him off of me and rushed out of his house.”

“But that’s not really what you wanted to do, now is it?” Damn her for being so insightful.

“No,” he admits. He wants to say more, but he isn’t sure what it should be. This has all been way too much emotional enlightening. His mom seems to catch on to that, so she just kisses his cheek and pushes him out of the door.

~

He really knows that he shouldn’t, but he can’t handle all of his thoughts and feelings, and being drunk is the best way to not deal with them. Except that plan kind of backfires because then all he can think about is Patrick. He groans and throws back another shot. He is actually drinking away his feelings about Patrick Kane. Of all people.