NHL Imagines

James Neal

Y/N P.O.V

    I gripped the banana-strawberry smoothie cup tightly in my hand. My hands, slowly getting wet from the droplets sinking down my drink, found their way into James' free hand. Here goes.

"So," I begin. I'm not exactly sure how to put this..

"One of my best friends is coming to visit this weekend." Keeping my stare into James' eyes, he looked up from his phone, and smiled. "That's great, baby. Who is it? Ashley? Sabrina?"

My tongue slid around my lips, moistening them as they dried up. I broke eye contact and focused my attention on anything that wasn't within peripheral vision of James. I can't do it. He's gonna be so upset.. What if he breaks up with me?

    I couldn't help the tears that started to brim at the corners of my eyes. I forced everything I possibly could to make sure they wouldn't slide down my cheeks. I just had to make it seem like it wasn't that big a deal, and maybe he would think the same.
   
   Soft fingertips brushed my chin, forcing me to avert my gaze back towards James. "Baby, is everything okay?"

I put on my best non-chalant face. "Yeah!" I said, putting on a smile, that I hoped, seemed convincing.

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

"Okay.." He said as more of a question then a statement. "So, do you want to tell me who's coming to visit?"

"Oh," I waved my hand off. "It's not really that important, anyways." I pushed myself out of the booth we decided to sit in at Tim Hortons. I walked to the nearest garbage and disposed of my empty smoothie cup. I needed to get away from there..

Should I tell him?

I fastened my eyes shut and took a few deep breaths. When I returned to our booth, James' brows were bent in a worrisome expression. I immediately picked up my purse and checked my phone. "We should get going. It's late.. and I'm kind of tired."

------

The car ride was silent. Complete, utter, silence. Nothing but the windshield wipers sweeping back and forth, cleaning the droplets that dared to fog up the glass. Complete silence until...

"Can I know who's coming to visit?"

Dammit. And here I am thinking I got away with it. That he wouldn't bring it up again. Obviously not. He was gonna ask at some point. Why am I trying to avoid it? Might as well tell him.

"Matthew." I managed my voice to mutter the one name--one word-- I knew he didn't want to hear.

There was a long pause, as if he couldn't say anything. Frankly, it was better that way. I didn't want to hear what he had to say.

"Matthew?" He recited, his voice filled with venom, almost sounding disgusted to say his name. "Matthew is coming to visit?!"

"He is!" I stated, much more confident now, than I was before. He should not be getting mad at me! Our relationship is supposed to be built off of trust and honesty. If it doesn't have trust, it has nothing.

"Alright."

I whipped my head to the left to look at James properly. "Wait, what?" I'm sorry, did I just miss something? Pinch me if I'm dreaming.

"I said, okay." He stated, at a much slower pace, making sure I comprehended every single word.

"Really?" I said, unbelievably confused at why he was suddenly so calm in this situation.