See Kate Score

Chapter 26 - Crazy Ky

Chapter 26: Crazy Ky

● Ky ●

"Cheers!"

The sound of glasses being clinked together filled the bar. It had been our twenty-seventh win this season so far; and we were on a winning streak. The happiness and hope of going undefeated kept me happy and sober enough to not get too hammered tonight.

Killian stood next to me and nudged me with his shoulder. "Good game tonight, Ky. Couldn't have had a better captain over the years."

Grinning at him, nodded. "My pleasure. Couldn't have asked for a better goalie."

We soon got carried away with the crowd, and the music was pumping and blasting through speakers on either side of the bar.

With a beer in one hand and a pretty brunette in the other, I faltered and almost tripped when I looked through the glass window of the bar door and saw a figure from outside; watching with the most beautiful smile on earth.

    It was Kate.

Having to blink and shake my head to check if I was seeing clearly, I was disappointed when there was in fact, no Kate standing at the door.

My mood instantly dropped, and I walked away from the dance floor to go outside.

The street lamps were dimly illuminating the sidewalks as I looked around for any sign of Kate. I couldn't see anyone except for a few rough looking teenagers smoking in the corner of a building.

You're going crazy, Ky.

Turning to go back inside, I froze when I saw a flash of familiar brown hair and a tall frame walking off down an alleyway and turning a corner. Rushing after her, I followed.

"Kate!" I shouted, and went up to her and spun her around, but it wasn't Kate at all. Just a mad woman who slapped me.

"Don't you dare touch me, creep! Go fuck off!" she hissed, and continued on her way.

Panting, I slumped against the brick wall and pulled my knees up to my chest; resting my head and arms on them.

I heard heavy footsteps, and looked up to see Killian walking towards me with two beers in his hands.

"Here, you look like you need one." He said, and sat down next to me.

I took a long drink and tipped back my head. "So," he started, "what brings you to the darkness of an alley?"

I looked up at the black sky. "I thought I saw Kate."

Killian's eyebrows rose as he took in my information. "Kate? Wow, haven't heard her name in a long time. What made you think you saw her?"

I shrugged. "I thought she was watching from the doorway, and when I came outside, I chased a brunette that I mistook for her down this alley. She told me to fuck off."

Killian laughed. "Doesn't sound that much different from Kate." He joked.

There was a long silence until he spoke again. "How do you think she's doing?"

I shrugged once more, acting like I didn't care when I actually cared so much. She had quit the Rangers after that first season and had been put on the Women's Olympic Hockey Team. I remembered watching her receive a Gold Medal on T.V., and I had been so proud of her.

Then, about two years later, she quit the team and vanished. I had tried to look up where she had disappeared to once, but it only said the state. Minnesota.

For four years...I haven't heard from her, or seen her, or talked to her. Four years of loneliness and heart ache. Four years of torture when I would see a tall brunette on the sidewalks and would rush up to them in hopes that Kate had come back. But it was never her. She was gone forever, and I would never see her beautiful face again.

Disappointment, frustration, and sadness all coursed through me at once. She left...without a goodbye!
   
    Over the years, I had expected my love for her to diminish, but it only grew achingly with each picture I would see of her... each memory.

Feeling sore, tired, and weak, I stood up and helped Killian stand, too. We walked in silence back to the bar, but when we were about to enter, he patted my back.

"You love her?" he asked, surprising me.

I scoffed. "What? No, why would you think that? We were teammates."

Killian slid me a look that said he knew everything. "You know?" I asked.

He nodded. "Everyone does, and not just because Austin snitched, but because we all saw it through the whole season. You guys couldn't take your eyes off of each other. It was like watching some sappy erotic romance movie." He grimaced, but I laughed.

"And you didn't care to tell me?"

"Which one?" he asked, opening the door. "That you loved her? Or that she loved you back?" then he closed the door.

Standing in my thoughts, I sighed. Kate didn't love me, she was scared. Love is a two way connection, and it obviously backfired on me.

Heading to my car, I sat in silence for a while before turning it on.

I drove home.

●●●