The Last Goodbye

Chapter Nine — The Last Goodbye

The weeks after the championship passed faster than Beck expected.

One minute, he was still waking up before sunrise for hockey practice.

The next, he was standing in front of his bedroom mirror wearing a graduation gown.

He stared at his reflection.

Eighteen.

Graduating.

Going to Northwood University.

He still couldn't believe it.

The scholarship letter was tucked safely inside the drawer beside his bed. He had read it so many times that he practically knew every word.

Northwood wasn't just a university anymore.

It was his way forward.

His mother appeared in the doorway.

“You ready?”

Beck turned around.

“Almost.”

She smiled.

“You look so grown up.”

“Please don't start crying.”

“I wasn't going to.”

“You're making the face.”

“What face?”

“The emotional mom face.”

She laughed.

“Come here.”

Beck walked over and hugged her.

She squeezed him tightly.

“I’m proud of you.”

Beck smiled.

“I know.”

“No. I don't think you do.”

She pulled back and looked at him.

“You worked for this. You never gave up, even when things got difficult.”

Beck looked down.

“Yeah.”

“And now you're going to college.”

He smiled.

“I am.”

She fixed the collar of his gown.

“Go enjoy today.”

The graduation ceremony was everything Beck expected it to be.

Long speeches.

Too many photographs.

Parents shouting names from the crowd.

Students laughing and trying not to trip while walking across the stage.

Beck laughed through most of it.

When his name was called, he walked across the stage and accepted his diploma.

The applause from his mother was louder than everyone else's.

He looked toward her.

She was standing.

Smiling.

Crying.

Beck shook his head and laughed.

When he returned to his seat, he glanced across the auditorium.

And saw Aitor.

Aitor was sitting with the St. Aurelia students.

For the first time in weeks, Beck remembered that they were graduating at the same time.

Their eyes met.

Neither smiled.

Neither waved.

Aitor simply looked at him for a moment.

Then he looked away.

Beck turned back toward the stage.

That was all.

No dramatic goodbye.

No final argument.

No promise to stay in touch.

Nothing.

After years of competing against each other, they were simply two graduates sitting in the same room.

Soon, they wouldn't even have that.

Outside, everyone gathered for photographs.

Mason grabbed Beck by the shoulders.

“Come on! Picture.”

“I'm coming.”

They stood with the rest of the hockey team.

Someone threw a graduation cap into the air.

Another person shouted.

Beck laughed.

For the first time, hockey wasn't hanging over him.

There was no next match.

No scout watching.

No scholarship to win.

He had already done it.

His future was waiting.

As the afternoon went on, people slowly began leaving.

Beck said goodbye to teammates.

Friends promised to visit.

Numbers were exchanged.

Plans were made.

And eventually, the parking lot became almost empty.

Beck stood beside his mother's car.

He looked back at the school.

He had spent years there.

Some of the best moments of his life had happened inside those walls.

Some of the worst had too.

And somewhere in those memories was Aitor Valdez.

Beck frowned.

He didn't know why the thought occurred to him.

Maybe because Aitor had been part of almost every important hockey memory he'd made.

Maybe because it felt strange knowing he wouldn't see him anymore.

But that was life.

People moved on.

Beck opened the car door.

He didn't look back.

Aitor's graduation was quieter.

His family had arranged dinner afterward at an expensive restaurant.

His father congratulated him.

His mother hugged him.

Everyone talked about university.

Northwood.

The future.

Opportunities.

Success.

Aitor listened.

He smiled when expected.

He answered when spoken to.

But his mind kept wandering.

To the rink.

To the championship.

To Beck.

He remembered the final game.

The look on Beck's face after receiving the scholarship.

The way he had smiled.

Aitor hadn't understood why seeing him succeed had made him proud.

They were rivals.

Nothing more.

Soon, they would be separated.

That should have been a relief.

Aitor looked down at his glass.

Maybe it was.

He wanted it to be.

The summer arrived.

And Beck's life changed.

He packed his room.

Bought supplies for university.

Spent time with his mother.

Worked out whenever he could.

He even started making a list of everything he needed for his first semester.

His room slowly became emptier as boxes disappeared.

One evening, he sat on the floor surrounded by clothes and books.

His mother walked past the doorway.

“You know you don't have to pack your entire life.”

“I need options.”

“You're going to university, not moving to another country.”

“You never know.”

She laughed.

Beck smiled.

He was excited.

Really excited.

Northwood represented everything he'd worked for.

A fresh start.

New teammates.

New friends.

A new chapter.

And no Aitor Valdez.

That last thought made him smile.

Finally.

No more arguments.

No more competition.

No more irritating black-haired hockey player appearing everywhere he went.

He could finally move on.

Aitor's summer looked completely different.

His family organized everything.

His university schedule.

His travel.

His accommodation.

His future.

There was always something to prepare for.

One evening, his father sat across from him at dinner.

“University will be an important period for you.”

Aitor nodded.

“I know.”

“You'll be representing the family.”

“I know.”

“And you should begin thinking about your future beyond hockey.”

Aitor looked up.

“What do you mean?”

His father smiled.

“Your career. Your relationships. Eventually, marriage.”

Aitor's expression barely changed.

But inside, something tightened.

Marriage.

A wife.

Children.

A perfect future.

The future everyone had already imagined for him.

He lowered his eyes.

“Of course.”

His father nodded, satisfied.

Aitor said nothing else.

August arrived.

Then September.

Beck's departure date appeared on the calendar.

Aitor's did too.

Neither knew where the other was going.

Neither had looked.

They hadn't spoken since graduation.

Their lives had completely separated.

Beck had his scholarship.

Aitor had his family.

Two different worlds.

Two different futures.

Two different paths.

And as Beck loaded the final suitcase into his mother's car, he looked at the school one last time.

He thought about hockey.

His teammates.

The championship.

The rivalry.

Aitor.

Then he shook his head.

That part of his life was over.

He smiled.

“Northwood,” he whispered.

His mother started the car.

They drove away.

And Beck didn't look back.

He didn't know that somewhere else, Aitor was preparing for the exact same journey.

He didn't know that their paths were already moving toward the same destination.

And neither of them had any idea that the next time they saw each other—

neither would be ready.