close as strangers // mitch marner

new beginnings

buzz buzz buzz
fuck I gotta get up
today was the first day of class and I was honestly excited. I hoped I would see my old friends from last year and meet some new ones.
I got up, got dressed, brushed my hair and pulled it up, and out the door I went. First was statistics, yawn. Thank god it wasn't algebra though, or calculus, but I finished both semesters of calculus last year.
----skip to class----
I walked into statistics and took a seat at an empty table. I got out my stuff and put it on the table while I waited for class to start. "Is this seat taken?" "No, you can sit here." I said, looking down at my phone. "I believe we've met before." I put down my phone and I recognized who it was. It was none other than KJ. "KJ! I'm so happy we have a class together!" I turned in my seat and hugged him. "Maybe statistics won't be so bad with you in class." "Well I would hope I make it better." Just then class started. Great, I love math.
"Hello, class. I will be your professor for this course. My name is Mr. Kneecap. I would like to welcome you all to Statistics, I hope you enjoy this class. If not, I hope you at least pass it so you don't have to repeat it."
"Hey, what are you majoring in?" KJ leaned in closer to me and whispered.
"Forensic Biology. What about you?"
"That sounds cool. Computer Science."
"Wow, that's cool. you must be smart."
"You could say that." He chuckled.
"Okay, class has ended, you may go now." Everyone got up and left the room.
"Where are you headed to now, KJ?" "I have a computer class next. How about you?"
"I have Ethics and Professionalism in Forensic Science. Damn that's a mouthful."
"Wow that sounds fun." He said with evident sarcasm.
"Maybe not for you, but you know, I like it. I like law and forensics. I just don't want to be a lawyer." I laughed and so did he. Wow he has a nice smile. Jack, you have a boyfriend, you can't think about him like that! "Wow I haven't met anyone who said they actually like law and aren't in it just for the money." "Being a lawyer does provide a good income, but what's the use of doing a job you don't like just for the money? Sure, you'll be financially stable, but you'll be miserable."
"I like the way you think, Jack."
"Why thank you, kind sir." "Well, I'll see you later, Jack." "Bye, KJ."
"KJ WAIT!" I yelled, hoping he would hear me. "Yeah, jack?" "Would you like to hang out later and work on our statistics homework?"
"I'd love to, just text me the details."
I walked away smiling from ear to ear.
This is going to be a great semester.
----skip class----
I flopped down on my bed, finally done with classes for the day. I grabbed my phone and FaceTimed KJ. "Hey eyebrows!"
"Oh so you're calling me eyebrows now?"
"Yeah, you got a problem with it?"
"No, at least you're not calling me no eyebrows."
"Wow you're so funny. Ladies and gentleman, the one and only Jerry Seinfeld."
"You bet your ass I'm funny."
"I'm funnier."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am."
"No you aren't."
"just admit that I'm funny."
"Fine, you're funny."
"Well, thank you. I've never heard anything nicer about myself." I started to fake cry.
"Well, you're welcome."
"Ok so let's get down to business. Where do you want to meet up?"
"How about you come over to my hall and we'll find somewhere outside to work?"
"Ugh really? I guess I'll come to you. What's your number?"
"Well, you already have my number." He winked into the camera
"Wow, so smooth. But really what's the number?"
"214."
"Okay, I'll be there. Bye KJ."
"Bye jack."
And with that I hung up and headed over to KJ's dorm.
Finally, room 214.
I knocked on the door and someone who wasn't KJ answered the door.
"Hi, I'm Kendall. You're jack right? KJ over here has told me a lot about you." "Oh he has? What did he say?" "He mentioned that you're majoring in forensic biology, you're in his statistics class, and you helped him find his hall." "Wow, that's quite a lot." I laughed to clear the air. Why did KJ telling his roommate so much about me make me feel awkward? "Hi, jack. I see you've met my roommate, Kendall." He came out of the shower in a University of Toronto hockey shirt.
"Yes I have. He told me that you told him a lot about me." "Oh is that right?" "Yeah, I didn't know you talked about me so much. Does someone have crush already?" I teased him and pinched his cheeks. "No, I just tell my roommate about my friends. Do you have a problem with that?" "No not at all. You better not have a crush on me though, I have a boyfriend." "Good thing I don't." "Well, it was nice meeting you Kendall. We're going to head out to study." "Bye guys." "Okay, do you have any idea of where we should go?" "No, how about you?" "I was thinking by the pond or something?"
"Sounds good to me." "So you play hockey?" "Yeah, do you play any sports?" "Yeah, hockey." "Oh really?" "Yes really." "That's cool, we have another thing to talk about. What's your favourite team?" "Leafs, how about you?" "Sens, hopefully you don't hate me now." "Oh Jesus Christ. I don't hate you but why do you like them?" "I grew up in Ottawa so I always have. Gotta like the home team, you know?" "Yeah I get you." We finally found a perfect spot to study. We set down our books and got started. "Yo, KJ, what did you get for number 4?" "I got the range is 22." "Damn it I got 12." "Well then you messed up." "I guess I did." "Wait, who are you dating?" "Do you promise not to tell anyone? Except Kendall I'll make an exception since you seem to tell home everything." "Yes I do." "Mitch marner." "Wow really?" "Yeah shocking I know. I still don't know why he chose me out of all the girls throwing themselves at him." "Don't say that." "Well too late, I just did."
-skip to end of studying-
"Wow, we finally finished." KJ said as he got up to stretch. "Thank god. I was hoping I wouldn't be stuck with you all night." "Any girl would kill to be in your position, trust me." "Yeah, brain dead girls." "You're so mean to me." "That's what you get when you become friends with me." "I wished I would've been warned." "Well, I don't come with a warning label." My phone suddenly lit up with a text from mitch 🏒: jack, we need to talk. Please call me.
Oh god, this can't be good. I guess KJ saw my face because he said, "jack, are you okay?" "Uh yeah, my boyfriend just texted me and I zoned out. I'm sorry KJ, but I have to go. Talk to you later?" "Sure, have a good night." "You too."
I hit the FaceTime icon next to Mitch's contact and waited for it to connect while walking back to my hall. Finally, it connected.
"Hey mitch." I smiled. Oh shit. He looked terrible. "Hi jack. We need to talk." "Well talk to me then." "I don't know if this is going to work out," my breath hitched in my throat as he continued, "with you in university and me with hockey, we're both so busy and I don't want to put a strain on this relationship. I wish I didn't have to do this but I think it's what's best for both of us." "Yeah, I don't want to put a strain on it either. Whenever you're ready to pick up where we left off, give me a call." "You're not mad?" "No I understand. And I agree too. It's hard to date while busy in university, even harder when the other person is also busy." "Ok thank you for not getting mad." "We can be friends still. If you want to." "Yeah that would be great." "Well I have to go, it's bedtime for me." "Goodnight ba- I mean jack." Aw, he's so cute when he's flustered. "It's ok, you're cute when you're flustered. And I probably shouldn't have said that I'm sorry." "No it's ok. I still think you're cute, I wouldn't expect either of our feelings to go away overnight." "Ok that's good. But now I really have to go. Goodnight Mitch."
"Goodnight jack."
It felt like my whole world had fallen apart. I was a sobbing mess in the campus courtyard. I finally made it back to my dorm and texted KJ: my boyfriend just broke up with me :(
KJ: :( I'm sorry to hear that. I guess he doesn't appreciate you enough.
jack: it's not that, we're both too busy. I guess we could make it work if we really wanted to, but we don't want to put a strain on our relationship.
KJ: understandable. you should get to bed, we have class tomorrow.
jack: you're right. Thanks for talking to me. Goodnight ❤️
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Is it bad that I researched degrees and classes at u of t before writing this so I could make it accurate for what I want to study?? I literally wouldn't write parts about classes until I researched lmao. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one should be up tomorrow!