HOCKEY IMAGINES [ UNEDITED ]

#158: JAKE BEAN - #24 CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

Song: Keep My Sweater by Aiden Myers.

6 Months Ago:

Winter is rolling in and it is rolling in quickly. By October the snow is already sticking to the ground and the weather for the coming weeks is forecast for snow, nothing else, but snow. Winter is truly here and shows no signs of going away any time soon.

I woke early on a snowy morning in Calgary, the coldness hit me directly and I shivered pulling the blankets closer to my body in order to get warmer again. Turning to the side I saw my boyfriend sleeping beside me, his back facing me and I curled up beside him taking as much heat as I could from his warmth.

Failing to go back to sleep because the mind numbing coldness, I climbed out of the bed and walked towards our wardrobe to find something warmer to put on. I searched through Jake's clothes, my feet freezing as I stand looking at his t-shirts. Reaching forward I grabbed the first sweater I could find of his, a tatty old blue sweater that he wears constantly when winter arrives in Calgary.

I pulled the sweater of my head, letting the fabric fall and it came past my waist. The warmth of it already making me warmer, I pulled my hand up to my nose and smelled in the scent of Jake. I grinned to myself and made my way back to bed, I climbed in beside Jake and he stirred in his sleep before turning around to face me. He lazily opened one eye and smiled when he caught me looking at him, he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. He nuzzled his head into my neck, his warm breath sending shivers down my back as he breathed against my neck.

"Is that my sweater?" Jake mumbled against my neck.

"Yes." I simply said. I felt Jake smile.

"Why are you wearing it?" He asked pulling me closer to him, his chest pressed against my back.

"Because I'm cold and your clothes are always warmer." I sighed snuggling down into Jake.

"That's fair." He chuckled deeply. "Keep it, it looks better on you than me." 

"You're giving me your most prized possession?" I asked slightly in shock at his words.

Jake sighed and spoke. "You're my most prized possession, that's just some old sweater. I can buy a new one,but I can't buy a new you so I'll cherish you always." 

"Who knew Mr. Jake Bean could be romantic and cheesy at the same time." I chuckled turning around to face him. He smiled down at me with his bright blue eyes. 

"It's been known to happen." He smiled pressing his lips against my forehead. I cuddled down into his chest, the sleeves of the sweater were too big for me that my hands had disappeared and I pressed them against Jake's chest. Jake wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. The two of us spent that day in each others embrace as winter rolled in to the city of Calgary.

Present Day:

"Three years? You're throwing three years down the drain because you're going to play hockey in another state?" I said trying to understand what Jake had said when he came home. As soon as Jake walked into our apartment, his first words were, 'We should break up.' You know when something bad is going to happen and you just have that feeling? There was none here, I didn't see Jake and I breaking up anytime soon, but to Jake I guess using hockey as an excuse to break up with me.

"Yes, I don't want to burden you with the life of a hockey girlfriend." Jake replied sitting down on the couch facing me, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. I stared at him in complete shock.

"I'm already a hockey girlfriend, Jake! I knew what I signed up for when we started dating, but you're just throwing away this relationship because you don't want me to be with you. You want the freedom to experience one night stands and all that crap because you're going to be a professional hockey player. Well, you know what, Jake. Have your freedom, I'm finished with all this." I said angrily gesturing my hands between Jake and I. I held my hand up to him as he tried to speak, I walked off into the bedroom and started to throw some of my belongings into a bag. I grabbed whatever I could and stored them in the bag, once it was filled and I made my way out of the bedroom and saw Jake still sitting on the couch. His head in his hands, his body shaking as he sobbed silently into his hands.