It only takes 10 seconds

Part Forty One

Andrew's POV

We sit outside on the balcony, her leaning against me as we watch the sunset over the lake. For now, it's just us and the sounds of the city, no words hanging in the air. I take her hand and wrap my fingers around hers. Her hand is warm against my cold one, her fingernails light pink against my skin.

"Andrew," Becca says. "Yeah?" I ask afraid of what she's going to tell me next. I don't know how much more I can take. "I don't think I'm going to be coming back from India." I stare out at the city, focusing my attention on the cars moving along the street instead of on her words. "I'll never forget you," she whispers, wrapping her arms around me, her tiny body already feeling like it's fading away from me.

I have to accept reality. She's leaving me. I wrap my arms around her. "So this is goodbye?" She leans against me, her lips just lightly grazing mine and I pull her in closer, afraid to let her go. And when our lips finally release from one another, the words that tumble from her mouth are the ones I was afraid to hear. "I think this is goodbye."

Jonathan's POV

Patrick's already drunk. Seems he hasn't been drinking in awhile and he just gave in tonight. We go into the kitchen to get more snacks and beer for the party. I open the cabinets looking for crackers while Pat gets more beer from the fridge. "So when are you proposing to Kayla?" I ask. He puts the beer down on the table. "What do you mean?" "Well, I mean you knocked her up. Aren't you going to marry her?" He looks at me, annoyed. "Big deal. We're having kids before marriage. What's it to you, mister i'm getting married so I think I'm so fancy. What is the queen coming to your wedding?"

I hold my hands up in protest. "Calm down Pat. I'm just saying you might want to protect yourself from the media. They've been calling you some things lately." He folds his arms across his chest. "Like what Jon?" "Well, you know saying you're sleeping around, getting girls pregnant. That you're probably going to leave Kayla. And I mean, I've seen you with some girls before and I know you and Kayla get along really well but when are you going to settle down Pat? You're kind of making the team look bad, even when you're not playing."

I can see him getting defensive. "You know what Jonny? Least I wasn't sleeping with Lindsey, who we all know was the biggest whore you could have found in Chicago. How many people was she sleeping with when you were dating her? I'm sure you just loved her for her personality, and not her big jugs." I prickle at his words and he sneers as he cracks open another beer, taking a swig, before putting it back on the counter. "She just used you for your money pretty boy and that's probably what Laura's going to do."

Right as he says that Laura walks in, probably to see what all the commotion is. I can tell by her face that she heard the last thing he said and that's when I snap. "What the hell Patrick. You know what? Just get out. And you know what else? Don't even bother showing up to the wedding if you think I'm just being used." He takes his beer and flicks me off. "Have fun in married land!" he sing songs as he drunkenly walks out of the kitchen. 

I run over to Laura, who's still frozen on the spot and hug her. "I'm not using you," she whispers. "I know you're not," I say. "Let's just go back out and pretend this didn't happen ok?" 

Heidi's POV

I hang out with Laura and the other people at the party, but then go to my room for the night. Tomorrow, I'm going to go to the United Center with Laura and tell Brandon how I feel about moving to Chicago. Maybe we can start again. 

Patrick's POV

Screw Jonny. He thinks I'm ruining the team's reputation just because Kayla and I aren't married and we're having kids. Didn't know he was such a prick about that. I grab Kayla off the couch. "Come on. We're going home." She looks at me confused. "Why? The party's not over." I run my hand through my hair . "I'll tell you later. Let's just go." "Uhm, ok."