Marry Me - Mat Barzal

Mat ~ The End.

I couldn't do it. I can't be there when she says I do to someone who isn't me. It seemed easy enough at first. Go to the wedding, be there for her, drink away my sorrows by the end of the night. Go home drunk and sad.

But the more I thought about it, the more the whole thing seemed like a bad idea. My worst nightmare really. So I dropped off a sorry ass gift, wrapped in my jersey, and left. I went to the only place where I knew I could let the frustration out and clear my head: The Rink.

I skated around a little bit and took some shots at the empty net, not really trying to get better, more so just messing around. I angrily took a slapshot which ended up hitting the crossbar and rebounding right in front of me. I buried the second attempt in the net and took a breath.
Today was too much to process. I shot another puck but it ended up going high and hitting the glass and another and another until I finally got annoyed and broke my stick over my knee.

It wasn't that I couldn't make it on an empty net. I could. I wasn't really trying. I just wanted a decent reason to be pissed, and that seemed good as any.

I threw the two halves of the sticks on the ice when I heard footsteps coming from the other direction. Thinking it was the manager, who was nice enough to let me in after closing, I mutter, "Sorry Don, I'll be a little less aggressive on the glass next time."

But after no answer I turn around and see Sara, standing on the ice, holding her heels in her hand. Her long white dress looking perfect on her, contrasting against her tan skin and dark hair. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and I was stunned.

"Aren't you, I don't know, supposed to be getting married right now?" I asked, as she tried to walk closer to me without slipping.

"I couldn't." I skated over to her, meeting her in the middle.

"What do you mean you couldn't?"

"I thought that it was what I wanted, but I couldn't do it without you."

My heart sped up but I didn't get ahead of myself. I was mostly confused.

"You don't need me to get married to the love of your life Sara."

"But I do." She says shakily, she sets her shoes on the ice and places her hands around my neck, bringing her body close to mine.

"I told Nathan I couldn't marry him."

I was shocked. She had been with him for forever it didn't make sense. Was it bad to say the anger that had settled in the pit of my stomach had dissipated into joy? Or maybe hope? It was a feeling that was hard to ignore.

"And why is that?" I ask, bringing my hands to the small of her back.

She takes a deep breathe, "Because I'm in love with you." Her eyes pierce through mine and I can't help but smile. "And I have been since we were 15."

Our faces tilt towards each other, lips barely touching. She doesn't move as I bring my hand up and rest it on her cheek, thumb brushing along her cheek bones.

"I love you too." I don't know why it came out as a whisper.

I rested my forehead against hers, eyes fluttering shut as we both leaned in. Her lips were soft and sweet like her, tasting of honey. It was a slow burn, but it was intense, like we had been waiting a lifetime to do this. And we had.
Her arms were wrapped around my neck playing with the back of my hair and somehow my hands found her waist.
I pulled her impossibly closer to me as our lips moved in sync. She pulled back for a second to catch her breath and I looked at her through lidded eyes.
She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. She pressed her lips to mine once more and I smiled through it. It was everything I ever thought it would be.
I pulled back and then placed a peck on her lips, then her forehead and scooped her bare feet up off the ice and brought her over to the bench.

"Ya know," I mention smiling, "I always thought it would be us at the altar someday."

I sat down, bringing her down with me. She sat in my lap with her arms around my neck and a stupid, beautiful grin plastered on her face.

"No you did not," She laughs, "I'm pretty sure you thought I had cooties or something at some point."

"I remembered how you wanted magnolias." I said smiling, " And how you and your cute little baby lips were technically my first kiss."

"We were like 5!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I really knew you were the one for me after we won the Calder."

"Mat that was such a long time ago." She blushes.

"I knew you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with when we were apart for the first time in forever after I left for New York and being with out you made me weak. I'm a better man with you."

"I wish we just would've realized sooner," she says, "we could've been together all this time."

"We've got all the time in the world."

I look into those green orbs and can tell she knows I'm right. So I don't hesitate when I say, "Sara Grace Grey, I have loved you for as long as I can remember. You're my best friend and rock in hard times. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I want to take it one step at a time."

She looks at me with so much love in her eyes that it can't help but make me feel warm inside. "Marry me... Someday."

She nods as she grabs my face in her hands and kisses me, and I can't help but hold her tighter. "Of course Matty, it was always you."