NHL Imagines

Nolan Patrick - New Beginnings

Warnings: Swearing/language, angst, a slap in the face

Word Count: 1.8k

"Congratulations, Temple University Class of 2020!" When you stood up and threw your black graduation cap in the air alongside your classmates, reality finally sank in. You were a college graduate, which meant you had to start all over again and build new relationships wherever you went next. And Nolan wouldn't be a part of it.

As soon as the ceremony was over, you made a beeline for your parents, but your best friend, Kayla, stopped you. "Congrats, Y/N!" She hugged you tight, and you squeezed her just as hard. "Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. I'm so proud to be your best friend." She tugged at your pink and blue and cherry and white cords. The colors clashed, but at least it lightened up your black graduation gown.

You forced yourself not to cry and tugged on her cherry and white cords in return. "Aw, Kayla, I'm proud to beyour best friend. You're summa cum laude, too, and you're going to be the best veterinarian!"

She blushed. "Thanks! I just wish you were coming with me to UPenn."

Both you and Kayla applied to their graduate program, you for history and her for medical school, but only Kayla got in. You were on the waitlist, but NYU notified you of your acceptance into their program yesterday. All you had to do was send in the deposit, and your time in Philadelphia would be over. It was time for new beginnings, and Philly felt empty without Nolan, anyway.

Nolan was your best friend since you were little. You were devastated when you had to leave him behind in Canada to go to Temple, but as luck would have it, the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him the next year. He was supposed to go first overall, and while he was disappointed at first, he rebounded awfully quickly. When you asked him that summer on the lake why he wasn't sadder, he had said, "Because I'll be closer to you."

Your friendship continued for the next three years, but you fell in love with Nolan along the way. A few months ago on Valentine's Day, you told him you loved him while at his apartment watching movies, but he didn't say it back. He actually didn't say anything to you at all. You left in tears and hadn't seen him since.

Kayla brought you back to earth. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. If UPenn doesn't admit you through the waitlist, they're fucking blind. You're the most qualified candidate they have!"

"I doubt that, but thank you. See you tonight!" You squeezed her hand before making your way over to your parents.

"Congratulations, honey!" Your mom hugged you tight.

"Thanks, Mom." You kissed her cheek.

"We are both so proud of you, sweetheart!" Your dad, normally cool as a cucumber, had tears running down his face, but he was smiling, too.

Your mom almost grabbed the diploma out of your hands, but she caught herself and asked: "May we see the diploma?"

"Of course!" you said, and they gathered around the diploma, eyeing it eagerly. You watched them huddle around the diploma, eyeing it eagerly, and you couldn't help but smile.

Someone tapped you on the shoulder, and when you turned around to see who it was, all of the air left your lungs. It was Nolan, bouquet of red roses in hand. Luckily, you had enough common sense to drag him away from your parents.

"Y/N," Nolan breathed. "I...wow, you look..."

You slapped him across the face, and a red patch bloomed on one of his cheeks from the force of the slap. "How dare you show up here after going MIA for three months? You had no right to do that!"