strangers // m. zuccarello

April 13th part 1

Having your first love meet you at the airport with flowers after you just got back from being with another guy is not ideal, but I dealt with it.

"Mats."

"Freya. I really-" I threw my arms around his neck and started to cry. "Let's do this somewhere private."

"You bro my heart when you stopped caring, Mats."

"I never stopped caring."

"You stopped talking to me. Never came to my games with your family."

"I did but I didn't."

"I heard about you and that model and it killed me. I almost got benched because I was sleeping around and drinking every night. Which I found out it's much cooler being a pro athlete than sleeping with one. Then I went to Spain before my brother transferred and we hung out with Cris. I was way too drunk and started to get scared. So he brought me to his house, fed me, and that's how the rumors were started." I'm sure I was probably not comprehendible. "I never stopped loving you but now we're strangers."

"Strangers don't know that you are more proud of your younger siblings, even though they aren't as talented as you. They don't know that you got your nickname ruining me and your brothers pick up games. OR that every time I'm on vacation, you go to my mom's for lingonberries and a pick up game of street hockey. Strangers don't know that even though you're a star here in America, you want to be closer to home. Because that's exactly what I want too."