Two years ago you moved to U.S. to study and haven't returned to Canada ever since. You haven't seen your family for two years and you missed your little brother's graduation. So it was not a surprise when you stood nervously in your hometown's airport's arrivals and waited for your mom to show up. You had spoken to her a day earlier, announcing you are coming back for Christmas holidays this year. She hadn't asked question why this sudden decision, she had only ordered you to bring the warmest clothes to be found in your closet. So you did, wondering what that could mean.
Then, a day later, she was still nowhere to be seen and you were starting to freak out. After about ten minutes, she finally showed up, wordlessly embraced you and took your bag. When you looked her in the eyes, you saw tears in the corners of her [E/C] eyes.
"What's wrong, mom?"
"I am so happy to see you again, sweetie. You've grown."
"So did you mum," you said in a broken voice and hugged her again.
"Where are we going?"
"Skiing. To Mont Blanc."
"Skiing? I haven't skied since..."
"Your aunt invited us. She had bought a resort up there, you know?"
"No," you mumbled, feeling quite ashamed for not knowing things, related to your own family.
~~
Few days later you were at your aunt's resort, trying to get back on track with your family. Even your baby brother, who had always been on your side, appeared to turn back to you. Out of protect you never joined them and they never seemed to bother. But one day you felt like going skiing, so you waited for them to leave and then you left your apartment. You ran to the cellar where your skies had been since your arrival. With your helmet in one hand, skiing boots on your feet and skied in the other hand, you went out and in the coldness. After few seconds, you were ready to attack snowy peeks.
You enjoyed racing down the hills, the cold and the pure whiteness of freshly- fallen snow. Completely in admiring the nature around you, you did not pay attention to the others. In a split second of your inattentiveness, you crash into someone, but you are the only one ending on the ground.
"Hey, watch out," said the same person you crashed into.
"S-Sorry," you mumbled, feeling your cheeks getting redder and redder every moment. Only then you looked up and you were glad you are not standing. There, above you, was Brendan Gallagher, 23-year old forward, playing for Montreal Canadiens.
"Are you okay?" he asked and looked at you worriedly. You nodded, still hardly believing you had crashed in Brendan Gallagher.
He grinned and continued:" Well, it is my bad, I was just standing here like there is no one else. So, as an apology, would you like to grab a cup of hot chocolate with me?"
"A-As an a-apology? I should be the one apologizing to you."
"No, no, no, it's my fault. And I insist."
Hardly believing your luck, you accepted his invitation. You went to the first cabin and grabbed a cup of hot chocolate.
"So, where are you staying?" he asked, his gaze focused on your face.
You told him the name of the hotel, not expecting him to know where that was, but the odds wanted him to stay in the exactly the same hotel as you did.
"Well, I should not let a lady go back home alone, so I will escort you. If you don't mind of course," he chuckled, trying to sound like he didn't care but you saw in the way he lowered his gaze how much it would've meant to him. You intertwined your fingers with his as you said quietly: "That would be great. Thank you."
He smiled and kissed you on your forehead.
Well, at the end of the day it didn't seem it was a mistake coming up here. Even when you went back to U.S. at the end of holidays, Brendan and yours relationship developed.
Dedicated to CanadianPlayer , thank you for imagine :D
