My Hockey Boy

Chapter 42

Haley's POV

One day. 24 hours. Such a short amount of time until I'm settling into a new life for myself. Writing a new chapter of my life so to say. It's been 2 weeks since I had finally told my mom about my descions for college. It took her a little time, but I think she's finally accepted my choices and wishes me the best.

I look around my room. Boxes lay strewn around where normally clean space would be. It all seems so foreign to me to see my room like this. Practically empty.

Tom finally came back from his "trip" to California. Of course, that changed nothing for me. I was used to not seeing him for extended periods of time. Nothing exactly changed for him either. A darker tan with lighter hair maybe, but these weren't major differences. He was still Tom Rhodes. Here one day, gone the next.

He had helped me pack up my things along with my mother. At first, he didn't understand my choice of deferring either, but he eventually saw it my way. Like mother like son.

Charlie had come over a couple days to help too, along with me going to help him. I think he's got more nerves than both of us combined. I went with him and his mother one of the days to Walmart to pick up multiple college freshman type items. I laughed as Charlie's mom sent him to grab some snacks to last him awhile. As he returned, his arms were filled with various boxes and assortments of junk food. He looked like an innocent puppy as he dropped all of the food into the cart. Mrs. Adams shook her head at him but continued to push the cart anyway.

Overall, I felt happy. This was so new, so exciting. I was finally leaving my past behind. None of the people who held me back would touch me now. We had finally parted and that would be it. The end of their rein. Now it was time for me to take everything into my hands. The thought of living such an independent life made me want to squeal like a little school girl.

I pulled out my computer from it's packed place, sitting on the floor to lean against some of the boxes. My fingers began to skim over the letters to type in the address information about the apartment my mother and I had found. It was located in Brooklyn, NY. Only about 30 minutes from the NYU campus so Charlie and I would be able to still make this whole thing work. I was really glad I could find something in my price range that wasn't too far from Charlie.

From the pictures I had seen, the apartment is on the small side but will serve it's purpose until I find a job and bring in more money. I'm not too worried about it and hopefully it will match the photographs I've seen online.

The lid of my computer was shut as I tucked it back into it's traveling space. Everything seemed to be ready for tomorrow. I'm just praying it all fits in my car. My phone was grasped between my fingers as I click on the screen to activate it and find the time. 2:00 p.m. I looked around my room again, shrugging shortly after. Everything was ready. What do I do the rest of the day? I'd drive myself insane if I just sit around waiting for the hours to tick down until tomorrow morning.

I paced back and forth between the boxes in my room for a short while before scurrying out of the space into the hall. I practically ran straight into my brother as he carried a bag of his own, slung securley over his shoulder.

"Hey," He treaded lightly. When he got back, I wasn't exactly skipping up to him and throwing my arms around his neck to tell him how much I'd missed him.

"Hi," I replied curtly.

"So, you got everything packed up in there?" Tom nodded towards my room as I raised my eyebrows, sucking my lips in.

"Yup," I said, popping the "p" with my mouth.

"Good to know." His head bobbed as he looked anywhere but my eyes.