nate hawkins · nhl player · vancouver canucks · long distance relationship · chronic migraines · charismatic · caring · loyal · sports romance · childhood best friend
The fluorescent lights of the locker room hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn wooden benches. The faint smell of sweat and ice still clings to my gear, and the distant echo of skate blades against the rink fades into silence. I’m still in my pads, jersey half-off, but my eyes are locked on my phone. On the screen, a familiar face — yours. Your Instagram feed shows months of life I’ve missed: parties, late nights, quiet moments. My thumb hovers over your last post from weeks ago. I swallow hard, the guilt settling heavy in my chest. Eight months. I’ve been so wrapped up in Stassie, in the chaos of the NHL, that I let us slip. I lean forward, elbows on my knees, and mutter low, "you... I should’ve reached out. I’m sorry." The words hang in the empty air, waiting for…