The Greatest Assist (Patrick Kane)

16| Different

Patrick

With my birthday coming up and me being here and there and everywhere in between my parents talked things over with Chelsea and decided that now would be the best time to try and do something for my birthday. Even though my birthday wasn't until next week it was just better for everyone to do something special for it now while we were still in Chicago. So I pick my parents up at the airport and Chelsea meets us at the hotel to get them checked in. Once they were set I head to the rink for morning practice before I had the rest of the day to hang out with my parents.

So I get through practice where as soon as I see my dad he grills me about drills and puck handling, the usual. Once he lets me be we jump in the car and head to my place to get ready for the evening. I chill out on the couch before my mom plops down next to me.

"So is Chelsea coming to dinner with us" she asks me.

"Why would she be coming" I laugh. She gives me one those mom looks that says "you're not fooling anyone" and I shake my head.

"Come on Patrick... I'm not stupid" she reminds me.

"I don't know what to tell you mom. We're good friends, best friends actually. But that's it" I defend.

"You've never had a best friend before" she notices.

"Yeah. Thanks for the reminder" I mumble.

"I just feel like she is different than all the other people you have in your life. And in a good way" she says.

I let out a long sigh as I nod my head. "She is more different than anyone I know. But it sucks because I don't know what to give her to make her happy like she makes me happy. She's not like the other girls I've had in my life. I can't flash a smile or give her a jersey and all is good. She spent the night the other night and wouldn't even get close to me, could barley even look at me. She sat there on my couch and poured her heart out to me and for the first time in my life I felt for someone. I felt her pain and her anger, and it hurt like a bitch. What she went through, and she feels like she's gone through it all alone, it's awful.

I thought that what I was doing was being strong. Being someone who I'm not in the face of people who can't see me as I am, I thought that was being trying. I thought that I was showing what strength looked like. Holding things in and not talking to people. But then she told me something that she never had to tell anyone before, and she showed me what being strong really means. It's doing not what is expected of us but what isn't. She went through way worse than anything I ever have and didn't say a word to anyone about it. I can't imagine how hard that was for her.

I still can't believe she told me that. That was her darkest secret and she told me because I trusted her with mine. So I don't know what my deal is with her. It's all so new and kinda scary" I admit.

"I know you're scared, she is too. But she opened up to you, her heart chose you. That has to mean something" she argues.

"I don't want to hurt her. I mean take this summer for instance. If she was around for that she would have been so disappointed. Well, more disappointed I guess. And that's just from what I remember" I defend.

"She knows what you did but she's still here. And you know what happened to her and you're still here too. You can't let her go because you're scared you'll mess up" she claims.

"Like you said... she's different. I don't know what to do with her. I mean she's changed my life in the three months she's been here. She came into my life and all of the sudden things became more clear and life was getting easier. I can't explain it" I say.

"You like her" she accuses. "You might be too scared to say it but I'm not. You have actual real feelings for this girl."

"I do not" I scoff. "I just found out I have feelings and that I can feel for others. Now you're trying to tell me I like this girl?"

"Yes. Because even though you're still working on getting better, sometimes stuff like this doesn't want to wait" she explains.

"I can't like her. She's... she's a princess and I'm the frog. It's just not going to work" I sigh.

"Baby have you ever seen that movie? She kisses the frog and he turns into his true self and they live together happily ever after. And I don't know if you've noticed, but she's turning you into the true form of you, the one I remember sitting in my lap reading hockey books wanting to be the best player in the world. Where's your happily ever after" she asks me.

I just shrug as I look away. "I'm not sure that I get one" I admit.

"Why don't you go out there and find it? You deserve at least a chance" she says softly.

"I don't know what I'm looking for" I admit.

"You'll know when you see it" she promises. "Now why don't you give the nice girl a call? She works for you, I think she deserves a nice dinner" she claims.

She gets up to hop in the shower and I go over to my phone. I see a text from Chelsea asking if my parents or I needed anything and I call her back to give her the answer.

"Hey Patches" she answers and I roll my eyes.

"Hey Princess" I respond which I'm sure made her roll her eyes too. "What are you up to tonight" I question.

"I wasn't going to do much of anything. I called Kanan and Marissa already and I was going to watch whatever is on TV" she explains.

"My mom was wondering... well I was wondering too, if you would like to join us for dinner tonight. My mom suggested it but it would mean a lot to me if you came. You know, as a friend" I stutter.

The line goes silent as all the butterflies in my stomach make a run for it. "I would love to" she finally answers and I let out a long sigh. "What? Worried I was going to say no" she teases.

"A little" I admit.

"Well don't worry about me. I'll be there. Always" she promises.