"Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option." -Mark Twain
Jonathan's P.O.V
"I'm so fucking screwed, Jon. My life is over." Patrick sobbed into the phone. He was gasping for air and then releasing it all in a cacophony of cries. It was the beginning of August and Natalie and I were packing for a trip to see Ben in Florida.
"Tell me what happened Pat. I can't help you unless you explain what's going on." I sighed, throwing another swimsuit into my luggage.
"She said- she said that I raped her." He screamed, muffled shouts coming from the other line. I dropped everything, but quickly regained my composure.
"Who Pat?" His side of the line stayed quiet. "Patrick Timothy Kane answer me right this second."
"This girl I met at a bar. I didn't Jon I swear on my life." He whispered into the phone. I could image him sobbing alone in that massive house of his in Buffalo. I remember the day he bought that. We'd just won the cup for the first time and he invited everyone over to celebrate. But now most of those people were out of my life, traded to different teams. It's just Pat and I. It'll always just be Pat and I.
"I believe you, Pat. You wouldn't lie to me."
"I need you here. I need you so much right now, Jonny."
"I'm coming Pat. I'm leaving right now." I sighed, finding a hat, my keys and my wallet. I threw them all into a backpack and grabbed headphones too.
"Thank you. I love you, you know?"
"I know Pat. Love you too. Be safe until I get there, okay?" He didn't say anything, but I knew he'd nodded on the other side of the phone. He had an awful habit of doing that, not remembering people couldn't see him. His mother absolutely hated it, but he never tried very hard to break the habit. The front door opened and I heard two sets of footsteps, one belonging to Natalie and the other to Deke. She opened our bedroom door with a big smile on her face.
"So I got shampoo for both of us and I bought you those almonds you love. You ready to go?" She asked, a small smile permanently set on her face. She looked effortlessly beautiful today, wearing no makeup, curly hair and her glasses with leggings and an oversized sweater. God, I loved her.
"I'm not going. Patrick needs me in Buffalo." I slung my backpack over my shoulder and kissed her cheek, making my way towards the front door.
"Jon you're not just abandoning me so you can go party with Pat in New York." Her smile faltered.
"That's not what I'm doing. This is my job, Natalie. I'm sorry, but I can't drop everything for you." I scuffed, grabbing a water and throwing it into my bag. I glanced back at Nat who wore glossy eyes and a frown. It broke my heart seeing her like this. She never cried. But I couldn't just leave Pat when he needed me more than anything.
"I guess this is goodbye then." My eyes shot up to her. I should've seen this coming. Should've prepared myself for this. But I hadn't and if she left I'd be alone again.
"Babe." I whispered, reaching out to her. She flinched at my touch, recoiling her arm.
"I've got to go catch my flight." She blinked through blurry vision. I'd lost her. And this time it might have been for good.
*****
"Sir, you've already had 4. I'm not sure I should give you another." The flight attendant whispered to me. It was barely an hour and a half flight, but I needed it right now.
"Do you know who I am? Give me the damn vodka." I demanded, earning glares from the people around me. I glared back at the stern looking couple sitting adjacent to me.
"I'll take care of him." Someone whispered to the flight attendant, who scurried off as soon as possible. I looked up towards the voice and was met with the most beautiful smile ever.
"Lindsey? What are you doing here?" I asked completely breathless. She was as beautiful as I'd remembered. Her soft hair was pulled up in a bun, and for the first time in months of seeing her, she wore no makeup. It was refreshing and she looked absolutely amazing.
"I have to be in New York this weekend so I thought I'd visit Naomi. I haven't seen her since-"
"The weekend at the cabin." We said at the same time, causing us to erupt into heaps of giggles.
"I've missed you." I admitted, both to her and to myself. Lindsey truly was my best friend for the past few years and something as stupid as our breakup broke us apart. I missed talking to her. She knew more about me than any other person on this planet.
"You couldn't be missing me that much. You've got that gorgeous girl keeping you company." She smiled, poking my waist lightly. My heart ached at the mention of Natalie. Although the neither of us had said anything, I had a feeling that we were over. She'd been looking forward to this trip for weeks and the fact that I'd dropped everything for Patrick wasn't really fair. Especially since it wasn't the first time I'd done that.
"I don't really know about that actually." I sighed, picking at my nail beds. "I ditched this elaborate vacation she had planned so I could come see Pat and it really upset her."
"Why?"
"Patrick's in a lot of trouble right now. He needs me. Remember when that Cabbie stuff happened with him and we flew out to New York to make sure he was staying sane?" She nodded. "It's so much worse than that."
"Fuck what did he do this time?"
"He claims nothing, but a girl claims he raped her."
"Pat wouldn't do that. There's no way. He'd been nothing but respectful to every girl he's ever met. Donna taught him right."
"That's what I'm thinking. I trust him, even when he's drunk." I admitted. I wasn't lying either. Patrick was a really smart guy and every time we went out together, he either came straight home or went out with someone he already knew. His one night stand days hadn't happened in years and I really don't think he would fall back into old habits. He hated himself back then and there was no way he'd stoop that low again.
"Well I'll make sure to call you up guys up to get dinner sometimes. We could all go with Naomi just like old times." She smiled, kissing my cheek before returning to her seat. There was a point in my life that a simple kiss on the cheek from Lindsey would've made my whole day, but today it just feeling like a friendly greeting. I'll always love Linds, but right now my mind can't escape the thoughts of Natalie and Patrick.
*****
"I'm sorry I made you come." Patrick sighed as he picked me up from the airport. I assured him it was fine and he made his way back to his place.
"You know I would do anything for you, bud."
"Yeah, but I fucked up you and Natalie's vacation. How'd she take that by the way?"
"Not well actually. I think we're over dude." It broke my heart admitting it to Patrick. He was always our biggest fan and the fact this his problem might've broken us up will kill him.
"Fuck, I'll call her and explain everything. This is all my fault." He banged his head on the steering wheel, causing the horn to go off.
"No Pat. Let's just let it fizzle out. She's only in Florida for a week so I'll make sure to be back in Chicago before then to talk to her. It'll be okay."
"I'm really sorry, Jon." He apologized again.
"It's fine. Now let's fix this and have some fun. You know I always love Buffalo."
Wow I didn't even realize how long it had been since I'd updated. But happy belated Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans.
Q:Thoughts on the Blackhawks released jerseys?
A:I absolutely love them. I think they're beautiful and Jonny Boy looked pretty amazing in it if I do say so myself. ;)
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Faceoff
Fanfiction"It's my job, I can't just drop everything for you." Jonathan scuffed, throwing clothes in his bag. He glanced back at Nat who wore glossy eyes and a frown. It broke his heart seeing her like this. She never cried. "I guess this is goodbye then." H...
