#hoxkey boys

[hockeybabestars]

all my friends - clayton keller

song: all my friends by aj mitchell

A/N: this in in Clayton’s POV 

“Kells… you good?” Jakob asked as he pulled up chairs to our booth with his girlfriend. I focused back on the people in front of me. The small cafe in Scottsdale was packed on this Saturday night, and the guys wanted to have dinner and just hang out. So naturally I agreed to what I thought was going to be a boys night. Turns out this little shindig was open invite to better halves as well and I had no idea.

“Uh yeah I’m good.” I think I would rather jump off a bridge than sit here and watch Lawson and his girlfriend continually call each other by a different pet name every five minutes. Schmaltzy and his girlfriend sat down literally on top of each other and I realized that this was going to be a long night. I hadn’t felt so...single, until now.

“You sure bout that?” Lawson asked.

“Yeah guys I’m fine, what do we wanna eat?” I let them debate about it before the girls decided for them and I couldn’t help but feel out of place. Tonight was just another reminder that (Y/N) was gone and had been for a few months now.

Chalk it up to bad timing or our lives becoming busier by the day or just feeling like there was something else out there for us but for whatever reason, we broke up. And every day without her I had felt like something was missing. And while I was dealing with the aftermath of what our relationship was, all my friends were falling in love. Maybe it was the honeymoon stage where the rose colored glasses never came off for them, but they seemed more invested in their girls than anything else tonight. It made me miss her.

It made me miss us.

“Kells you been seeing anyone new?” Nick asked.

“Umm not really.” I frowned, eager to divert the topic.

“Clayton can’t seem to settle down.” Lawson said, “Every time I try to set him up he refuses.”

“I just don’t want to go on a blind date, that’s all.” I said.

“Nah, he’s just waiting on (Y/N) to come around. I told him if he wants her back he’s gotta-”

“You guys, enough with my love life kay?” I laughed.

I talked with them for a little bit longer after our food came out. Mostly them telling me that new love will come and making a sad stupid little pouty face like they pitied me while they were cuddled up with their loved ones. I slipped out as soon as possible and headed towards my car in the parking lot. I don’t really think any of them noticed. I don’t think they know that Saturday is actually for the boys, or maybe they just forgot with the distraction they call a girlfriend hanging on their arms.

“Ouch.” Lost in my thoughts I collided with someone and knocked them down. And when I apologize and offer my hand, I see the face only pictures could remind me of the past few months. And I couldn’t deny the spark I still felt when she latched her hand on my mind.

“Clayton? Wow I wasn’t expecting to see you around. How are you?”

Her sweet smile drew me in and when I spoke I didn’t even know what words were coming out of my mouth. “Umm yeah I’m good, god it’s been a minute since I’ve seen you around. You look good. You look really good.”

I just blew that on the first try wow.

She laughed like she didn’t care, like she knew this was my personality, because she does, and it eases my nerves a little bit. “How’s the team? The boys still taking jabs at ya?”

“Yeah they’re good. It’s all in good fun.” I smile.

She relaxes a bit, “All in good fun, of course. Well hey, I’ve gotta go, I’m meeting some friends but it was good to see you again.”

I didn’t want to lose her again. Although seeing her again was nice, having to “catch up” like this wasn’t. I don’t want to pretend like we’re almost strangers. I want her back.

“(Y/N).” I grab her wrist lightly to hold her back. She turns to look at me, cheeks lightly flushed, dark curls framing her face and I honestly don’t know how I hold it together when I say it but I do. “I don’t want the only way I see you now to be meeting by chance in some random parking lot. I miss you. I want to see you all the time.”

Her eyes go wide and she blushes as she says, “I miss you too. A lot actually. I don’t really even remember why we broke up.”

“Me either.” I say, gently using the hand that somehow was now clasped in mine to guide her into my arms.

“I was waiting on you to come around.” She mumbles into my neck, and when she pulls back I lightly peck her lips.

She pulls me back down and her lips move slowly against mine. It gave me little flutters in my stomach and I couldn’t help but smile against her lips. And as much as I don’t want this moment to end I know she has people waiting on her.

“Don’t you have friends you’re meeting?” I say pausing for a second.

“Yeah but they can wait a little longer.” She laughs and kisses me yet again.

Chuckling I say, “Can’t argue with that.”