More Than A Memory-Ch1

Chapter 1:
I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to go to a game with my best friend Amy. I knew he would be there; he is captain for crying out loud. I hoped we wouldn’t be seated near the bench, or the glass for that matter. But was thinking? He wouldn’t remember me even if he did see me. I’m much more grown now. It has been at least 3 years since we’ve talked. There is no chance.
****
“What section are we in?” I asked Amy while we were walking through the doors of Mellon Arena. “Um, I’m not sure. It says something about like a row A of some E section” Amy replied. “Let’s just ask this guy” she said and walked her long legs to a man standing by a set of doors wearing what looked like to be a arena uniform. “Excuse me sir, but could you please tell us where these seats are?” she asked. “Well miss, you are going to go through these doors and go all the way down the stairs until you can’t go anymore. Your row will be on your left. Your seats are about halfway down” he said with a kind smile. “Thank you” we both called as we stepped through the doors. I was too busy trying to balance my beer and my purse while we walked down the steps to really notice where we were headed. Amy stopped in front of me. Shit.
Our seats were right behind the bench. I sat down, nervous. “Great seats huh?” Amy said clapping her hands like the little school-girl she truly was. “Yeah… great” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I took a long swig of my beer and the lights went low. “Please welcome your Pittsburgh Penguins!” the announcer bellowed through the speakers. He was the first to step out onto the ice. He took one big stride onto the cool surface, just like he always did. His facial expression, pure readiness, reminded me of how game days used to be.

Memory—
“You ready?” I asked him tapping his shoulder pads. “Like always” he said. I gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled. “Where are you sitting tonight” he asked. “Third row off the ice, right at center, opposite the benches” I chirped. “Nice” he replied. “Score some big ones out there for me tonight” I said sternly. “Baby, you know I always do” he said, jokingly. We both laughed and then the door behind him opened. “Let’s go Sidney” his best friend Jack said, “Oh, Hi Pey.” “Hi Jack” I said before he disappeared into the locker room. He planted a soft kiss on my lips, “See you after the game.” He winked at me and then shut the locker room door. I hurried to my seat and sat down.
Within a minute they came out onto the ice. He skated out strongly and began to do his warm-up drills. Then he skated over to where I was seated and stretched out on the ice. He turned around to look at me, then he winked. I laughed as he skated away. Then he took the opening faceoff.
End—

“Peyton. Hello? Earth to Dr. Peyton Brooks” Amy said waving a hand in front of my face. “Sorry” I sputtered, “I was just thinking about something.” “You mean how you and El Capitan used to have a fling during high school?” she quickly said. “No” I said. She narrowed her gaze at me. “Well, yes. I can’t believe you even got me to come here” I spat. “It was one of the perks about asking you something on a busy day. You say ‘yes’ to everything” she said. I rolled my eyes. And then the team skated over to the bench. I grabbed Amy’s arm as he skated to a halt directly parallel to me. My breath caught in my throat. “Don’t worry about it” she said, “Everyone knows he doesn’t look at the crowd during games.” I did my trademark ‘comb-fingers-through-and-flip-hair’ nervous habit and took another sip of my beer.
*
He played through the whole first period flawlessly. He already had a goal and an assist. I could feel a 4 point game coming; it was another grown habit of mine. During the first intermission I felt calm. “This is going well so far” Amy said returning to her seat with a giant pretzel. I nodded and she offered me a piece. After scoping out cute guys around us for about 5 minutes, the guys game back on the ice. The second period flew by. They were leading the Hurricanes 4 to 1. I checked my email on my BlackBerry during the 2nd intermission and then they skated onto the ice for the final time. I began to get a little disappointed. I still wanted to talk to him. I was angry he ever left me, more angry he never called me to see how I was, and I could still feel the whole in my heart from that very night he said goodbye.

Memory—
“So you are leaving?” “Yes.” “Tomorrow?” “Yes.” “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving this early?” I asked him pacing around my room. “I thought it would be better. So that… I don’t know… this wouldn’t be so difficult” he said watching me pace from my bed. I was silent for a while and closed my eyes to take it all in. My boyfriend was leaving me tomorrow to go to Pittsburgh. We had been together almost every day for the past 4 years. I knew he had to leave soon, but not this soon. He couldn’t just break up with me could he? It can’t be that easy.
I took a deep breath. “So where does that leave me?” I asked in a small voice. “I don’t know” he answered. Then he stood up in front of me. “Peyton I love you, and you know that. But you being so far away and me being so busy I just… I don’t know how it will work” he whispered. “But Connecticut is only an 8 hour drive. A 2 hour flight. I can come see you like every other weekend or something” I said in protest. My heart was sinking slowly. “Pey, I don’t want to do this. You know I don’t, but this is probably the best thing for us.” “But Sidney” I began. “I love you and you make me whole. You are my best friend. I can’t live without you. I can make it work. We can make it work! We have to make it work.” He shook his head. “Pey I can’t.” My heart sank. Tears fell down my cheeks, and my head was throbbing. He wiped them away with his thumbs and took me into his arms. My body went stiff to his touch, my heart was broken. “I have to go” he said. “No Sidney. Please, this can’t just be the end.” I cried. He sighed and turned for my door. “I’ll see you around Peyton” he said and walked out of my room. He had walked out of my life. I fell onto my bed and cried myself to sleep.
End—

I was staring straight at him remembering the night he walked out of my life. Anger and hurt rose to the surface. I unconsciously did my hair flip, and then he looked up.