Chapter 1

"Hey, Ryan!" Ronnie yelled after the Canucks were done with practice before facing the Dallas Stars.

"Oh, hi, Ronnie," Ryan replied, using her nickname from college, "so what's up?"

"How are you? I haven't spoken to you since we took different paths and now you are ignoring me like I don't even exist."

"I am sorry, Ronnie. I am just busy with everything around me. So you and Luc...how long has this been going on?"

"Luc and me...we are just friends, Ryan. We are close friends who have an interest in music. We had a hard time with him in the minors but we made it through. I guess you don't even remember that."

"Yes, I do remember you, Ronnie," Ryan looked around before taking her hand and into a private area. "I am so sorry, Ronnie and I've missed you so much. I needed to be away from you because I was afraid I was going to get hurt again." He sat down on the couch and so did Ronnie.

"I do, too, Ryan, I really did but for you to ignore me for five years like the plague...that's stupid. You really thought I was going to hurt you and I thought you knew me better than that," Ronnie replied, looking at Ryan and wondering why he kept his distant from her because he couldn't tell her the main reason why he broke up with her. She felt nothing to him. He almost made her feel like she was nothing to him.

"Ronnie, I am sorry," Ryan said. "I need you to trust me and believe me when I tell you that my heart is with you. Part of me feels like ever since we got back together you’ve been waiting, waiting to push me away since we broke up. That's why I kept my distant from you. So that my heart would not get hurt again. You know what the main reason I broke up with you."

"What's that, Ryan?"

"Because I was afraid that I would get hurt again. I was cheated on by my ex with my best friend since high school. I didn't want that to happen again."

"Wait...you broke up with me because you thought I would crush your heart like your cheating ex did to you in college, and I'm pushing you away!?"

"I loved you, Ronnie. Back then I didn't even know how else to say it."

"How about you show it? I never pushed you away, Ryan. I was holding on for dear life. Okay, why did you push me away when all I was trying to do was help you? Why did you? Here I was going to tell you how much I cared about you and how much I love you...now you are telling me this."

"Ronnie, what else do you need me to say? I still want to be in your life and love you for the rest of my life. But what can I do to show it towards you?"

"I don't know anymore, Ryan...I just don't know." Ronnie got up as Ryan took her hand but she got away before he could grab it. She opened the door and slammed it shut before seeing Luc.

"Whoa, Ronnie...you okay," Luc said.

"Yes and he didn't do anything stupid I promise you...just lied to my face," Ronnie said.

"Come on and let's go," Luc replied. "One of these days you are going to be with him. You guys have that connection."

"Okay," Ronnie said. "Luc, he's not worth it."

"He's worth it, Ronnie. He loves you and I can hear it in your voice when you told me about that time you met him in college," Luc said.

Luc and Ronnie walked out of the building with Ryan watching closely as both Ronnie and Ryan wonder what to do about their torn friendship but Ronnie's feelings for Ryan. Were these feelings ever going to go away? Was Ryan ever going to open up to Ronnie and trust her that she won't cheat on him?