Tutor
SUMMARY: When a group of struggling Michigan hockey players hires a private tutor to save their grades, no one expects Kent Johnson to fall for the one person who isn’t impressed by him. What begins with missed tutoring sessions, stubborn first impressions, and a very overdue apology slowly grows into five years of love, long distance, NHL dreams, shared apartments, kindergarten classrooms, and a lakeside proposal. Sometimes the best love stories begin with forty-seven minutes of waiting.
WC: 13-14k
AN: another request of the form
📍 Ann Arbour, Michigan
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22 hours ago. 18 hours ago 3 hours ago
You arrived at the study room fifteen minutes early, It was not because you were nervous. At least, that was what you told yourself while arranging ten printed packets around the table, lining up spare pencils and checking the whiteboard markers twice.
You simply preferred being prepared, Matty had sent you enough scattered information over the previous few days to convince you that preparation was going to be necessary.
The course outline he provided had been incomplete, half of the photographs of their notes were blurry, one of the pages Luke sent contained more drawings in the margins than actual information. Erik had sent a picture of a notebook page with the message I think this is from the right chapter.
It had not been, Kent had been the only one to send everything you requested in one organized message, his notes were not particularly useful, but at least they were legible. You had responded with a simple thank-you.
Kent had reacted to the message with a heart before quickly removing it and replacing it with a thumbs-up. You had pretended not to notice. At exactly six minutes before the session, loud voices filled the hallway.
You looked toward the closed door, there were several overlapping conversations, a laugh that was probably Matty’s and someone insisting that they had brought the correct textbook. The door opened, Matty walked in first, Owen followed behind him, ducking slightly under the doorframe. Owen carried a notebook and two pens, which already made him look more prepared than you had expected “You’re here,” Matty said.
You looked at the clock on the wall “So are you.”
“We’re early.”
“You’re on time.”
“It hasn’t started yet.”
“That is generally what early means.” Owen looked between the two of you “She’s right.” Matty frowned at him “You don’t have to take her side immediately.”
“I’m taking the side that makes sense.” You gestured toward the chairs “Sit down.” Matty looked impressed “You sound like our coach.”
“That is not a compliment.”
Owen laughed as he sat, the others arrived in smaller groups, Luke entered with Mark Estapa and Jacob Truscott. Luke immediately stopped when he saw the packets “All of that is for us?”
“No,” you replied. “I’m hosting another ten-person tutoring session immediately after this one.” Mark laughed, Luke looked at you for a second before nodding “Okay. That was fair.” Ethan Edwards and Mackie Samoskevich arrived next, Mackie was carrying food, you looked at the bag in his hand “You’re not eating that over the worksheets.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“That is not the same as agreeing.”
Mackie reluctantly placed the bag on the windowsill, Philippe Lapointe came in behind Erik Portillo, both of them arguing over whether a goalie should be expected to understand the same course material as everyone else “I’m just saying,” Erik said as he entered, “my responsibilities are already different.”
“Academically?” you asked.
Erik stopped “No.”
“Then sit down.”
Philippe laughed and took the chair beside him, Kent arrived last, he was not late, he stepped into the room with a notebook tucked under one arm and looked around at the remaining chairs. His eyes found you before he sat, he smiled, it was a small smile, softer than Matty’s confident grin or Luke’s amused expression, you looked away first and began passing out the final materials “Is everyone here?” you asked.
Matty counted around the table, you stared at him “You had to count?”
“I wanted to make sure.”
“You created the group chat.”
“There are a lot of people.”
“That is your fault.”
Kent looked down, hiding a smile, you noticed anyway, once everyone had settled, you stood at the front of the room and looked around the table “Before we start, I need to make something clear.” Several side conversations continued, you waited, they gradually quieted “I am here to explain the course material. I will answer questions, help you study and make practice exercises. I will not do anyone’s assignments.”
“No one expects you to,” Ethan said.
“Good.”
“I might have hoped a little,” Mackie admitted. Ethan turned toward him. “She literally said she wouldn’t in the group chat.”
“I know. I said hoped.”
You pointed at Mackie “You are already becoming a concern.”
“I’ve been here for less than three minutes.”
“That is also concerning.” Mark laughed, Matty leaned back in his chair as though he had personally created a successful educational environment. You looked toward him “Don’t look proud.”
“I organized this.”
“You contacted me.”
“That’s organization.”
“You sent me three incomplete files and one screenshot of a chapter title.”
“Still counts.”
Owen opened his notebook “Can we start before this becomes another argument?” you nodded “Yes. Thank you, Owen.”
Matty looked offended “Why is she thanking you?”
“Because I’m being helpful.”
“Teacher’s favorite already,” Luke muttered “There are no favorites,” you said, Kent glanced at you “Not yet?”
You looked directly at him, Kent’s mouth curved into a smile “Just asking.”
“There will not be favorites.”
“Okay.”
He sounded far too pleased for someone who had just been corrected, you moved toward the whiteboard “I need to know exactly what you understand.” Silence, you waited, no one volunteered anything, you looked toward Matty “You’re the one who contacted me.”
“I know.”
“So answer.”
“We understand some of it.”
“How much?”
Matty looked around the table for help, Owen suddenly became very interested in opening his textbook, Luke leaned back, Mark looked toward Jacob, Jacob shook his head. You crossed your arms “Nothing?”
“We know things,” Luke said.
“Which things?”
Luke glanced at the packet “The name of the chapter.” Kent laughed, he tried to disguise it as a cough, you looked at him, “Something funny?”
Kent straightened “No.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Because that was a bad answer.”
“It was honest,” Luke said.
“It was still bad.”
You turned back toward the board “We’re starting from the beginning.”
The first fifteen minutes were difficult, not because they could not understand the material, because they struggled to remain quiet long enough for you to explain it. Matty interrupted with a question before you had finished your second sentence. Luke tried to answer it despite clearly not knowing the answer. Erik whispered something to Philippe, causing both of them to laugh.
Mackie reached toward the food bag on the windowsill, you looked at him, he slowly lowered his hand “I was just checking it.”
“It hasn’t gone anywhere.”
“You never know.”
“I know.”
Jacob was taking notes, Ethan appeared to be genuinely listening, Owen was attempting to follow the explanation while occasionally glancing toward Matty’s page, probably checking whether he was writing anything useful, Kent watched you, at first, you thought he was simply attentive.
His eyes followed you whenever you moved across the front of the room. He nodded occasionally, and he looked more focused than several of his teammates, then you noticed his notebook.
It contained three lines, you had been speaking for almost ten minutes.“Kent.”
He blinked “Yeah?”
“What did I just say?”
Every person at the table turned toward him, Kent looked at the board.
Then at his page “That the two concepts are connected.” you crossed your arms “That is impressively vague.” Matty started laughing, Kent’s cheeks turned pink “I was listening.”
“You were staring.”
“I have to look at someone when they talk.”
“You weren’t looking at Matty when he spoke.”
“Matty isn’t teaching.”
The table erupted, Luke slapped his hand against the table, Philippe leaned back, laughing. Even Owen smiled, Kent looked down, but he was smiling too.
You pressed your lips together, you were not going to laugh, then Kent glanced up and caught the small smile you had failed to hide, his own widened, that immediately made you serious again “Write this down.”
Kent picked up his pen “Yes, ma’am.”
The laughter started again, you narrowed your eyes, Kent lowered his head, his smile remained. Once you forced them to stop pretending they knew more than they did, the session became easier.
The problem was not intelligence, they were all smart enough to understand the course, they had simply missed too much of the foundation, travel, practice and overconfidence had allowed several small gaps to become one large problem.
You slowed the material down, you explained each concept separately before showing them how everything connected, when you asked questions, you made them answer in their own words.
The first few responses were painful, Matty used several technical words without placing them in an order that made sense, Luke gave an answer confidently enough that half the table believed him. He was wrong, Jacob corrected him, Luke stared at him “Whose side are you on?”
“The side of passing.”
“That is becoming a very popular answer,” Owen said.
You divided them into pairs for a practice exercise, Owen worked with Luke, Ethan sat with Jacob, Erik and Philippe formed one pair, Mackie joined Mark, Kent ended up beside Matty. That arrangement lasted less than five minutes before they began arguing.
“That says seven,” Kent said.
“It says one,” Matty replied.
“That is not a one.”
“I wrote it. I know what it says.”
“You shouldn’t.”
You walked toward them “What is happening?”
“His handwriting is impossible,” Kent said, Matty turned the paper toward you “Tell him this is a one.” You studied it, the mark looked like a box with a line through it “It looks like a chair.”
Kent burst out laughing, Owen looked over from the other side of the table “What happened?”
“She says Matty writes in furniture,” Kent said.
“That is not exactly what I said.”
“It was close.”
Matty looked at you “You’re supposed to help.”
“I am helping. Rewrite it.” you moved on to the next pair. Erik and Philippe had managed to reach an answer, though neither could explain how “Did you guess?” you asked “No,” Erik said “Yes,” Philippe said at the same time, Erik turned toward him “You were not supposed to say that.”
“She asked.”
“That doesn’t mean you answer.” You stared at both of them “Try again.”
Mackie and Mark had stopped working entirely because Mackie was attempting to convince Mark that the food on the windowsill was becoming cold “It was already cold when you brought it,” Mark said.
“That isn’t the point.” You tapped the worksheet “The point is here.” Mackie looked at the problem “Can I eat after this question?”
“You can eat when the session ends.”
He looked at the clock “How long is that?”
“Longer every time you ask.”
Mackie returned to the worksheet immediately, the competitiveness became useful, the moment Ethan answered one question correctly, Luke wanted the next one. When Owen solved a practice problem before Matty, Matty insisted the question had been easier.
“It was the same question,” Owen said.
“Different numbers.”
“That doesn’t make it easier.”
“It felt easier.”
“That isn’t academic evidence,” you said, Luke looked toward you “Do we get points?”
“This isn’t a game.”
“That sounds like no.”
“No.”
“What if we keep score ourselves?” Kent asked.
“You can do whatever motivates you to learn.”
Matty immediately drew a scoreboard on the top of his paper, you regretted the answer almost instantly, for the next twenty minutes, the room became unusually focused.
Not quiet, but focused, every correct answer earned a mark, Luke accused Owen of receiving an easier question. Jacob insisted Matty had counted one of Kent’s answers as his own. Philippe attempted to claim half a point for being “conceptually close.”
You denied it, Kent answered several questions correctly, each time, he looked toward you before writing down his point, you tried not to encourage him more than the others. Still, when he explained one of the more difficult concepts properly, you smiled. “Good.”
One word, that was all, Kent looked as though you had handed him a trophy, Luke noticed “Why does he get that face when she says he’s right?”
Kent turned toward him.
“What face?”
“That one.”
“I don’t have a face.”
“You definitely have a face,” Mark said.
“Everyone has a face,” Ethan added.
“You know what I mean.”
You tapped the whiteboard marker against the table “Can everyone return to the actual subject?”
Kent’s ears were red, he avoided looking at you for almost thirty seconds, then he started staring again, by the end of the scheduled two hours, the room looked different.
The food remained untouched, the packets were covered in notes, even Luke had stopped making jokes long enough to finish the final exercise, you reviewed the answers with them and discovered that most of the group had improved significantly, not enough to relax, but enough to prove the tutoring might work, Matty looked at his completed page “We’re geniuses.”
“You learned the basics.”
“Geniuses in progress.”
“You are still behind.”
“That sounds negative.”
“It is factual.”
Owen closed his notebook “When do we do this again?” you looked at your calendar “Saturday morning.” there was a collective pause, Luke frowned “This Saturday?”
“No, Luke. A random Saturday next year.”
Mark laughed, Luke looked unimpressed “What time?”
“Nine.”
Several expressions changed immediately, Mackie looked toward the others “In the morning?”
“Yes, Mackie. That is generally what nine means.”
“That’s early.”
“You have morning practices.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“We’re forced to attend those.” You stared at him, Mackie looked down.
“That came out badly.”
Matty waved away the concern “We’re athletes. Nine isn’t early.”
You looked toward him “You say that now.”
“We’ll all be there.”
“All ten?” Matty looked around the table, everyone nodded with varying degrees of confidence, Kent met your eyes “I’ll be there.” There was something about the certainty in his voice that made you hold his gaze.
“Good.”
Luke leaned back in his chair “There’s a party Friday.” You looked toward him “Then don’t stay late.”
“It’s supposed to be a big one.”
“That has nothing to do with me.”
Matty smiled “You should come.”
“I have work.”
“You can come after.”
“I also have to prepare for your tutoring session.”
“You already made the packet.”
“I need to make another one.” Owen looked at the amount of material in front of him “You make all of these yourself?”
“Yes.”
“That seems like a lot of work.”
“It is.”
The table became quieter for a moment, you hoped that meant they understood the effort involved, then Philippe looked toward Luke “Who’s hosting the party?”
You closed your eyes, the moment was gone, Luke mentioned a name, Mark asked whether everyone was going, Mackie said he had already planned to, Erik claimed he would only stay for an hour.
Jacob laughed at him “You have never stayed at a party for one hour.”
“This time will be different.”
“You said that last time.”
Kent looked toward you “Are you really not going?” you raised an eyebrow “Why?” He looked slightly embarrassed “No reason.”
Matty noticed immediately “You should come.”
“Matty.”
“What? She should.”
Kent kicked him under the table, Matty winced “Why did you do that?”
“I didn’t.”
“You absolutely did.”
You looked between them “What is happening?”
“Nothing,” Kent said quickly.
Matty leaned down to rub his leg “Apparently nothing has very sharp shoes.” Kent ignored him, you began collecting the extra packets “Whether I go or not is irrelevant. You have tutoring at nine the next morning.”
Luke stretched his arms above his head “We’ll be fine.”
“That sentence is rarely followed by good decisions.”
Owen began gathering his things “She’s probably right.”
“Why do you keep agreeing with her?” Matty asked.
“Because she keeps being right.”
“That’s fair,” Ethan said.
The session was officially finished, but no one seemed in a hurry to leave, Mackie finally retrieved his food, Luke and Mark continued talking about the party, Erik insisted he would be responsible, Jacob openly doubted him, Philippe asked whether there would be food, Matty was already describing the party as though it were an important team event.
You looked toward Kent, he had remained seated while everyone else packed, his notebook was open in front of him, filled with far more writing than it had been at the beginning “You improved,” you said.
Kent looked up “That almost sounded like a compliment.”
“It was an observation.”
“I’ll take it.”
He closed the notebook “You should come Friday.”
“You too?” Kent shrugged “You don’t have to stay long.”
“I have work.”
“You said that.”
“And you chose not to listen.”
“I listened. I’m just asking again.”
“You know asking repeatedly doesn’t change my schedule.”
“Sometimes schedules change.”
“Mine don’t.”
Kent smiled “You really like your planner.”
“My planner has never made me wait for anything.”
“That felt targeted.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Not yet?”
You gave him a look, Kent stood and helped you gather the remaining papers without asking “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know.”
“You say that often.”
“Because you tell me that often.” He carried the stack toward the door, you followed him into the hallway, where the others were still talking loudly about Friday night.
Matty turned “So you’re coming?”
You sighed “For half an hour.”
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18 hours ago. 18 hours ago 1 hour ago
By Saturday afternoon, nearly every member of the group had found a way to apologize, you had expected messages, maybe a few excuses about alarms, headaches or losing track of time. You had expected them to send the money they owed and then avoid you until the embarrassment passed. You had not expected them to start appearing in person, Luke and Mark were the first.
They caught you outside your dorm not long after you returned from the study room. You were still carrying the folder of unused worksheets, and your mood had not improved after throwing away ten untouched coffees, Luke stood near the entrance with his hands pushed into his jacket pockets. Mark was beside him, looking unusually uncomfortable “Can we talk?” Mark asked.
“I think you’ve already sent enough messages.”
Luke winced “Yeah. We probably deserved that.” You tried to step around them, but Luke moved aside rather than blocking your path“We’re not asking you to tutor us again,” he said quickly. “We just wanted to apologize properly.”
You looked between them, Luke rarely appeared uncertain, but he could barely meet your eyes, Mark held out his hands “Will you walk with us?”
You agreed, though mostly because you needed to clear your head, the three of you walked around campus for nearly an hour. At first, neither of them knew what to say. Luke kicked at small stones along the path while Mark attempted to organize an apology that clearly sounded better in his head. Finally, Luke sighed “We were idiots.”
“That’s one way to describe it.”
“And you didn’t deserve that,” Mark added. “You did all that work for us, and we didn’t even answer.”
“You were all awake enough to read the messages.”
Luke grimaced “I know.”
“You promised you would be there.”
“I know.”
“And then you made me sit alone for forty-seven minutes.”
Luke looked toward you “You’re going to keep saying forty-seven instead of forty-five, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Fair.”
They did not try to blame the party. They listened while you explained exactly how humiliating it had felt to prepare everything and realize that not one of them considered your time important enough to send a warning.
By the time they walked you back to your dorm, you had not forgiven them, but your anger had softened enough that you no longer wanted to throw the folder at Luke’s head, Matty arrived shortly after, he insisted on taking you to lunch.
You refused twice before he announced that he was going to stand outside your dorm until you agreed. “You organized one failed study group, and now you think you can organize my afternoon?”
“I’m trying to repair the damage.”
“You could start by leaving.”
“Please?”
Matty looked so miserable that you eventually gave in, at lunch, he apologized before you had even looked at the menu “I promised you everyone would show up.”
“Yes.”
“And then I didn’t show up.”
“Also yes.”
“I know it looks bad.”
“It doesn’t look bad, Matty. It was bad.”
He nodded “You’re right.”
“You specifically told me nine wasn’t early.”
Matty covered his face with both hands “I know.”
“You said it more than once.”
“I was overconfident.”
“You were irresponsible.”
“That too.”
He admitted that he had been the one convincing everyone they could stay longer at the party. He had assumed someone would set an alarm, wake the others and make sure the group arrived, no one had “I shouldn’t have made promises for everybody,” he said.
“I told you that before I agreed.”
“I know.”
“You agreed to my conditions without even speaking to them.”
“I was desperate.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m desperate and ashamed.” You almost smiled, almost, Matty paid for lunch before you could reach for the bill, it did not earn him another tutoring session, but you accepted the gesture.
Owen took you to dinner that same evening, unlike Matty, he did not fill every silence, he walked beside you quietly, opened the restaurant door and waited until you were both seated before speaking “I’m sorry.”
You looked at him, Owen continued “Not because we still need help. I am sorry about that, obviously. But that’s not why I asked you to come.”
“Then why?”
“Because it was disrespectful.” His apology was simple, which made it more effective than the others “You prepared everything,” he said. “You stayed longer during the first session. You bought coffee. We treated your time like it didn’t matter.”
You looked down at the table “That’s what made me angry.”
“I know.”
“You all could have sent one message.”
“I know.” Owen did not offer excuses about the party or say that he had intended to wake up. He did not promise it would never happen again because he seemed to understand that you were not ready to trust another promise “I don’t expect you to tutor us again,” he said. “I just didn’t want you to think we weren’t sorry.”
That was the first apology that made you believe the person giving it had truly understood why you were hurt, on Sunday morning, Erik asked you to meet him for coffee, when you arrived, Dylan Duke was sitting beside him. You stopped near the table “Why is Dylan here?”
Erik looked slightly embarrassed “Moral support.” Dylan lifted his cup “He’s been rehearsing.”
“I have not.”
“You apologized to me three times in the car.”
“I was practicing.” You sat across from them, Erik apologized before you had even removed your jacket, then again after you ordered, then a third time when the coffee arrived.
“I understand,” you finally said.
“I just want to make sure.”
“You’ve made sure.”
“I feel terrible.”
Dylan nodded “He does. He barely spoke on the drive.” Erik looked at him “You’re not helping.”
“I’m confirming the remorse.” Despite yourself, you laughed, Erik looked relieved. It did not mean you had forgiven him completely, but it was the first time you had laughed since waiting alone in the study room, later that afternoon, Philippe and Jacob arrived directly at your dorm.
They brought a large bag filled with snacks, two drinks and a handwritten apology that looked as though Jacob had written it because Philippe’s handwriting was even less readable than Matty’s “We didn’t know what you liked,” Philippe said, handing you the bag.
“So we bought too much,” Jacob added, You looked inside, there were enough snacks for several people “This is excessive.”
“We panicked,” Philippe admitted, Jacob handed you an envelope containing their share of the missed session “We know this doesn’t fix anything.”
“And we’re not expecting you to come back,” Philippe said “We just wanted to show you that we’re actually sorry.”
You stepped aside and allowed them into the small common area outside your room, they stayed only a few minutes, perhaps understanding that you were exhausted by apologies, before leaving, Jacob glanced toward the folder on your desk “You made all of those for us?”
“Yes.”
Philippe looked guilty all over again “That somehow makes it worse.”
“It should.” They nodded and left without arguing, Ethan was the last one to reach you on Sunday, he asked whether you had eaten dinner.
When you said no, he told you to meet him downstairs, you expected somewhere casual. Instead, he took you to a steakhouse that was far too nice for two university students apologizing over a missed tutoring session. “This is excessive,” you said after sitting down.
“Probably.”
“You don’t need to buy me an expensive dinner.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we here?”
Ethan looked at you “Because you deserved better than ten people ignoring you.” He did not blame the party, he did not mention his alarms, he simply admitted that he had made a choice, and you had suffered the consequences of it.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should’ve been there.”
You believed him, by sunday night, every one of them had reached out in some way, Luke and Mark had walked with you, Matty had taken you to lunch, Owen had taken you to dinner, Erik had apologized over coffee with Dylan Duke beside him, Philippe and Jacob had come to your dorm with snacks and payment, Ethan had taken you to a steakhouse, the only one who actually had a excuse was Mackie who wasnt at athe party because he was sick
Every one of them had found a way to face you, every one except Kent, you had received nothing from him, no message, no call, no apology.
Not even a payment notification, you checked your phone more often than you wanted to admit, every time it buzzed, some small part of you expected to see his name. It was never him, that silence hurt more than the excuses, Kent had been the one who looked directly at you at the party and promised he would arrive, he had been the one who made you believe that even if the others forgot, he might remember.
Now he was the only one who had not tried to make it right, by Sunday night, you had stopped being angry at the entire group, you were only angry at him.
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yourusername thanks to these guys i spent $0 on food this weekend, dont do it again
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dylanduke25 i was only there for moral support
↳ yourusername: i appreciated
brendan.brisson i just have to say thanks matty for the free food
↳ mbeniers10: you're so funny brendan 😒
mackie.samo My wallet is grateful that I had gotten sick
↳ yourusername: you're a lucky guy
yourbff i still cant belive that some hockey guys spent more time with you than me this weekend :(
↳ yourusername: i'm so sorry :(
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12 hours ago. 7 hours ago 30 minutes ago
You had been back in your dorm for ten minutes when someone knocked on the door. You assumed it was Ethan, maybe he had realized you had left something in his car, or perhaps he had returned because he felt the expensive dinner had not been enough of an apology.
You placed your bag on the desk, slipped off your shoes and crossed the small room, the second you opened the door, every thought disappeared.
Kent stood in the hallway, he wore a dark sweatshirt beneath his jacket, his hands buried inside the pockets. His hair was still damp from the cold outside, and the shadows under his eyes made it obvious that he had not slept well.
For a few seconds, neither of you spoke, you had spent the entire weekend expecting him, checking your phone, looking toward the entrance whenever someone approached, wondering why every other player had found enough courage to apologize while Kent remained silent.
Now that he was standing in front of you, the anger returned so quickly that it tightened your chest “What are you doing here?”
Kent swallowed “I came to see you.”
“It took you long enough.”
“I know.”
You waited for him to continue, he did not, he looked down the hallway, then back at you “Can you come with me?”
Your eyebrows lifted “No.” The answer seemed to surprise him, though it should not have “Please.”
“If you came to apologize, you can do it here.”
“I know.”
“Then do it.”
Kent’s hands shifted inside his pockets, he looked more nervous than he had during the tutoring session, more uncomfortable than when you caught him staring at you instead of taking notes “I want to talk to you somewhere else.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to do this in the hallway.”
“You could come inside.” Kent looked past you toward the small dorm room, then shook his head “I think I need to walk first.” You stared at him “That sounds like your problem.”
“It is.” The immediate agreement weakened your anger slightly, Kent took a slow breath.
“I know I don’t deserve you coming anywhere with me. But could you please give me half an hour?”
You folded your arms “You had all weekend.”
“I know.”
“Everyone else managed to find me.”
“I know.”
“Luke and Mark came the same afternoon. Matty took me to lunch. Owen took me to dinner. Erik got coffee with me. Philippe and Jacob came here. Ethan just took me out.” Kent’s jaw tightened slightly when you mentioned Ethan, though he made no comment “And you,” you continued, “did nothing.”
“I know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you’re right.” There was no excuse in his voice, no irritation, just shame, you looked at him for several seconds before reaching for your coat “Half an hour.”
Kent’s shoulders relaxed “Okay.”
“This does not mean I’ve forgiven you.”
“I know.”
“And if you take me to some ridiculous party—”
“I’m not.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” You gave him a warning look, Kent opened his mouth, apparently realized how that sounded, and quickly added, “It’s a convenience store.”
You blinked “A convenience store?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s where you want to have this conversation?”
“It’s open.”
“That is usually a quality convenience stores have.”
Kent looked embarrassed “It’s quiet at night.” you stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind you “Your plan is terrible.”
“I know.”
Despite yourself, you almost smiled, you did not allow him to see it, Kent’s car was parked outside the dorm, the drive was quiet, he did not turn on music. He did not fill the silence with pointless conversation or ask about the steakhouse.
Both hands remained on the wheel, you watched the buildings pass outside the window and waited for him to speak. He did not, the convenience store sat near the edge of campus, its bright lights glowing against the dark parking lot.
There were only two other cars outside, Kent parked but did not immediately move, you looked toward him. “You brought me here to sit in your car?”
“No.” he unfastened his seat belt “I thought we could get something.”
“I already ate.”
“I know.”
Inside, the store was almost empty, a tired employee sat behind the register, looking down at his phone. Refrigerators hummed along the back wall, and the overhead lights were far too bright for how late it was.
Kent grabbed two drinks from a cooler, he hesitated before picking one for you, then he selected the exact one you usually bought. You noticed, you did not comment, he added a bag of your favorite candy and carried everything toward the register “You don’t need to buy me things.”
“I know.”
“That didn’t work for Matty either.”
“I’m not trying to buy forgiveness.”
“Then why are you buying those?”
Kent glanced at the candy “Because you like them.”
The answer was so simple that it irritated you for an entirely different reason, he paid, then led you toward a small counter near the windows where customers could sit. You took one of the stools, Kent sat beside you, leaving enough space that your knees did not touch.
For several moments, he stared at the unopened drink in his hands, you waited, finally, he spoke “I woke up at ten-fifty.”
You looked toward him “The session was at nine.”
“I know.”
“You read my messages.”
“Not until I woke up.”
“And then?”
Kent rubbed one thumb along the side of the bottle “I saw what you sent.”
“Obviously.”
“I started writing an apology.” You said nothing “I deleted it.”
“Why?”
“Because it sounded like an excuse.”
“What did it say?”
“That we stayed too late. That my phone died. That I didn’t hear my alarm.”
“Those are excuses.”
“I know.”
“So you decided saying nothing was better?”
“No.” his answer came quickly “I knew it was worse. I just kept thinking I had already made it worse, and every message I wrote sounded selfish.”
“You could’ve said sorry.”
“I wanted you to believe me.”
“You didn’t give me anything to believe.”
Kent looked down “I know.”
The anger returned “You were the one who promised me.”
“I know.”
“You looked directly at me.”
“I remember.”
“I told you I trusted you.”
His eyes closed for a second “I remember that too.”
“That’s what made it worse.”
Kent nodded slowly “I know.”
You pushed the unopened candy away “Stop saying that.”
His head lifted “Then tell me what to say.”
“I shouldn’t have to teach you how to apologize.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“It sounds like you are.”
Kent looked toward the dark parking lot beyond the window, for a moment, he seemed unable to speak, then he faced you again “I’m sorry.”
You remained silent “Not because we need you to tutor us. Not because my grade is bad or because Coach is going to be angry.”
His fingers tightened around the bottle “I’m sorry because you prepared everything for us. You stayed late during the first session. You came to the party and reminded us. You asked me directly if I would be there, and I promised.”
Your throat tightened, Kent continued “And then I made you sit alone.”
The store suddenly felt too quiet “You bought coffee,” he said. “You made more worksheets. You trusted me, and I made you feel like your time didn’t matter.”
His voice had grown quieter “It does matter.”
You looked down at your hands “You didn’t act like it.”
“I know.” You gave him a sharp look, Kent corrected himself immediately “You’re right. I didn’t.”
He took a breath “I was embarrassed when I woke up. Then I was scared you wouldn’t speak to me. And the longer I waited, the harder it became to come here because every hour made me look like I cared less.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
The answer came without hesitation “I cared too much.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know it doesn’t.”
Kent leaned forward, forearms resting against his knees “I didn’t know how to explain why disappointing you felt worse than disappointing everyone else.” You became still, Kent looked at the floor. “The others were angry because we lost the tutor. I was angry because you looked at me at the party and believed me.”
He finally met your eyes “And I liked that you believed me.”
The confession shifted something between you, not enough to erase the weekend, but enough to make the anger less simple “Why didn’t you come yesterday?”
“I almost did.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I saw Luke and Mark leaving your dorm.” You frowned “So?”
“I thought you were still angry.”
“I was.”
“Then Matty said he was taking you to lunch.”
“And?”
“And Owen said he had dinner with you.”
“You could have still contacted me.”
“I know.” You gave him another look “Sorry.” Kent ran one hand through his hair “It felt like everyone was doing a better job than I could. Then I thought showing up after them would make it seem like I was only apologizing because they did.”
“So instead you waited until I had seen every single one of them?”
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse.”
“It is worse.”
Kent nodded “Yes.”
Despite yourself, a small laugh escaped, it was not a happy one but it was enough for Kent’s expression to soften, he did not smile, he seemed to understand he had not earned that yet “You really are terrible at this,” you said.
“I’m usually better at talking.”
“You stared at me through most of the tutoring session.”
“I was distracted.”
“By what?” Kent looked at you, the answer was obvious before he said it “You.”
You glanced away “That isn’t relevant.”
“It is to me.”
“This conversation isn’t about whether you think I’m pretty.”
“I didn’t say pretty.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Kent’s ears turned pink, he looked down at the bottle again “You are, though.” You hated that the corner of your mouth threatened to move, Kent noticed, his own expression changed slightly, but he still did not smile “I’m still angry,” you said.
“You should be.”
“I’m not tutoring you again.”
“I know.”
“You don’t get to ask me every day until I change my mind.”
“I won’t.”
“And you still owe me for the missed session.” Kent immediately pulled out his phone, you stared at him “What are you doing?”
“Paying you.”
“Right now?”
“You said I owe you.”
“You could have done that yesterday.”
“I should have.” He sent the payment while sitting beside you, your phone buzzed inside your pocket, Kent put his phone away “I’m not asking you to forgive me tonight.”
“Good.”
“I just didn’t want you to think I didn’t care.”
You looked at him, Kent held your gaze, nervous but honest “You were the only one who didn’t contact me,” you said quietly.
“I know.”
This time you did not correct him “I kept checking.” his expression fell “You did?”
You regretted admitting it immediately “That isn’t the point.”
“No, I know.” Kent looked almost more ashamed than before “I’m sorry.”
You opened the drink he had bought you, Kent watched, as though the small action meant more than it should. “You have five minutes left,” you said.
His eyebrows lifted “Of the half hour?”
“Yes.”
“What happens after five minutes?”
“You take me back.”
“Can I ask one question first?”
“That depends.”
“Will you talk to me again?” You looked toward him, there was no teasing in his face, no confident smile, he genuinely did not know.
“Yes.” Kent exhaled “But I’m still angry.”
“I can work with that.”
“You’re not supposed to sound pleased.”
“I’m not pleased that you’re angry.”
“You look pleased.”
“I’m pleased you’re going to speak to me.”
You shook your head, Kent finally allowed himself a small smile, then he picked up the candy and placed it closer to you “You should take these.”
“I said I’m not forgiving you.”
“They’re not forgiveness candy.”
“What are they?”
“Regular candy.”
You stared at the bag, then took it, Kent’s smile widened “Don’t make that face.”
“What face?”
“The one that makes you look like you won.”
“I didn’t win.”
“Good.”
“I’m making progress.”
“You’re not.”
“You took the candy.”
You stood from the stool.
“Our five minutes are over.” Kent stood immediately, he followed you toward the exit, holding the door open, the cold air hit as soon as you stepped outside. You pulled your coat tighter, Kent walked beside you toward the car, his hand moved slightly, as though instinctively reaching for yours, he stopped himself before touching you.
You noticed, for some reason, that restraint affected you more than if he had taken your hand, when you reached the passenger door, Kent opened it. You looked at him before getting inside “You really waited two days because you couldn’t write a good apology?”
Kent looked embarrassed “Yes.”
“That might be the stupidest thing you’ve done.”
“I missed tutoring because I went to a party.”
“Second stupidest.”
“Fair.”
You sat inside, Kent closed the door gently, during the drive back, the silence felt different. When he stopped outside your dorm, you reached for the handle “Y/N.”
You looked back, Kent gripped the steering wheel “I really am sorry.”
“I know.”
The words left before you could reconsider them, Kent’s expression softened, you opened the door, before stepping out, you looked at him once more “Goodnight, Kent.”
“Goodnight.”
yourusername close friends stories
19 hours ago. 19 hours ago 13 minutes ago
Kent asked you out three days after the convenience-store apology, not immediately. He waited until you were speaking to him normally again, though “normally” still included reminding him that he had made you wait forty-seven minutes.
You were leaving class when you found him near the building entrance with two coffees, this time, yours was correct “No hazelnut,” you said after taking the first sip.
“I learn from my mistakes.”
“Eventually.”
Kent smiled, then looked suddenly nervous “Are you busy Friday?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On why you’re asking.”
He glanced down at his coffee “I want to take you to dinner.”
You looked at him “Like an apology dinner?”
“No.”
“A tutoring negotiation?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Kent’s ears turned pink “A date.” you let him wait for a moment, Kent shifted his weight “You can say no.”
“I know.”
“That sounded like a no.”
“It wasn’t.”
His eyes lifted “So you’ll go?”
“Yes.”
Kent smiled so quickly that you had to look away before he saw how much you liked it, on Friday, he took you to a small restaurant away from campus, It was quiet enough that none of his teammates were likely to appear, something Kent mentioned almost immediately “I didn’t tell Matty where we were going.”
“That was intelligent.”
“I also didn’t tell Owen.”
“Even more intelligent.”
Kent held the door open for you and pulled out your chair before sitting across from you, for the first few minutes, he was noticeably nervous. He read the menu without really looking at it, nearly knocked over his water and asked whether you liked the restaurant before either of you had eaten anything “You’re overthinking this,” you said.
“I’m not.”
“You’ve checked whether I’m having a good time three times.”
“I want to know.”
“We’ve been here twelve minutes.”
“That’s enough time to form an opinion.”
You smiled “I’m having a good time.”
Kent relaxed after that, Conversation came easily once he stopped trying to make the evening perfect. He told you stories about Vancouver and his family. You talked about starting Michigan early and how strange it felt being a junior when you were only three months older than him. “So you’re technically older,” Kent said.
“By three months.”
“Still older.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No.”
He smiled “I like smart older women.”
You stared at him, Kent immediately looked down “that sounded better in my head.”
“It sounded terrible out loud.”
“But you smiled.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
Dinner lasted longer than either of you expected, Kent listened when you spoke and remembered details from previous conversations , by the time dessert arrived, you had almost forgotten how angry you had been with him.
Almost
Kent walked you back to your dorm afterward, the campus was quiet, the air cold enough that he offered you his gloves even though you already had your hands tucked inside your sleeves.
“You’ll be cold,” you said.
“I’ll survive.”
“You say that now.”
Kent laughed, at your dorm entrance, both of you stopped, neither seemed ready to say goodbye. Kent shoved his hands into his pockets.“I had a really good time.”
“So did I.”
“Even though I’m academically irresponsible?”
“You’re improving.”
“That almost sounded like a compliment.”
“Don’t get used to it.” Kent smiled, then his expression became uncertain, he looked at you, glanced briefly at your lips and then looked away again. You realized he was trying to decide whether to kiss you, he wanted to, but he was too nervous to risk misreading the moment.
“Kent.”
“Yeah?”
“You think too much.” before he could ask what you meant, you stepped closer, caught the front of his jacket and kissed him, Kent froze, only for a second.
Then one hand moved carefully to your waist while the other touched your cheek, the kiss remained soft, almost hesitant, until Kent finally understood that you were not going to pull away.
When you did, his forehead rested against yours “You kissed me,” he said quietly.
“You noticed.”
“I was going to ask.”
“You were taking too long.”
Kent smiled “Can I do it again?”
You pretended to consider it “Yes.”
The second kiss was warmer and less uncertain, when Kent finally stepped back, he looked almost dazed “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You know where I live.”
“That’s not an answer.”
You smiled “Yes, Kent. You’ll see me tomorrow.”
He walked away still smiling, and for once, you did not mind that he looked back twice before reaching the end of the path.
yourusername close friends stories
You knew exactly when Kent was supposed to return from Beijing, you had checked the itinerary so many times that you could recite it without looking. The Olympics had been an incredible opportunity for him. You knew that. You had watched every game you could, sometimes waking at ridiculous hours and sitting in front of your laptop wrapped in one of Kent’s sweatshirts.
You had seen him score, you had watched him represent Canada, you had listened proudly whenever commentators said his name, but pride did not make you miss him less.
Video calls helped until they ended, messages helped until you rolled over at night and remembered he was on the other side of the world, by the time he returned to Michigan, you felt as though he had been gone for months rather than weeks.
You waited near the team facility, shifting nervously from one foot to the other, Owen had returned too, but you barely noticed anyone else arriving.
Then Kent appeared.
He looked tired from traveling. His hair was messy beneath his hat, a backpack hung from one shoulder, and his suitcase rolled behind him, his eyes searched the area, the moment he saw you, he released the suitcase.
It tipped sideways onto the pavement, Kent did not seem to notice, you ran toward him, he caught you around the waist, lifting you from the ground as your arms locked around his neck “You’re home.”
“I’m home.”
You buried your face against him, Kent held you so tightly that breathing became difficult, but you did not care “I missed you,” he whispered against your hair.
“I missed you more.”
“That’s impossible.”
“You were busy being an Olympian.”
“I still missed you.” He lowered you carefully but did not let go. Both hands moved to your face, and then he was kissing you, Kent had never been shy about affection, but this kiss was different.
Weeks of distance were carried in it, he kissed you once, pulled back long enough to look at you, and kissed you again before you could speak, Owen past and made a teasing sound, Kent ignored him.
“You watched?” he asked, his forehead resting against yours.
“Every game.”
“Even the early ones?”
“Every game.”
His smile softened “You saw my goal?” you pretended to think “I might have.”
“Y/N.”
“Yes, I saw it.”
“What did you think?”
“I thought you were showing off.”
Kent laughed “You were proud.”
“Very.” he kissed you again, you touched the edge of his Team Canada jacket “You looked good in this.”
“You like Canadian athletes?”
“I tolerate one.”
“Only one?”
“Owen was good too.”
Kent’s expression fell immediately “Don’t mention Owen while I’m trying to have a reunion with my girlfriend.” you laughed and wrapped your arms around him again “I’m proud of you.”
His teasing disappeared, Kent held you closer “It wasn’t how we wanted it to end.”
“I know.”
Canada had been eliminated without winning a medal, and you knew Kent was still disappointed. He could be proud of the experience while wishing the result had been different “You still went to the Olympics,” you reminded him. “You scored. You represented your country. You were incredible.”
Kent looked down “I wanted to bring something home.”
“You did.”
His eyebrows lifted. “What?”
“You came home.”
The words made him stare at you for a moment, then he pulled you against him again “That was really cheesy.”
“You liked it.”
“I loved it.” Kent kissed your forehead, behind him, someone called out that his suitcase was blocking the walkway, he looked over his shoulder as though remembering it existed.
You laughed “Go get your things, Olympian.”
“Come with me.”
“You’re going ten feet away.”
“I just got you back.” You took his hand “I’m not going anywhere.” Kent intertwined your fingers and kept them linked while awkwardly retrieving the fallen suitcase with his free hand, he did not release you once.
__________________
You could barely watch the final minute, Michigan was leading Minnesota, but one goal never felt safe enough, not in a championship game, not with everything at stake. You stood among the Michigan families and supporters, hands clasped tightly beneath your chin while the final seconds disappeared from the clock.
When the buzzer sounded, the arena erupted.
Michigan had won, the players poured onto the ice, helmets and gloves scattered behind them as they surrounded one another, you searched for Kent immediately. He disappeared beneath the celebration for several seconds, swallowed by maize-and-blue jerseys. Then he emerged near the edge of the group, his face was bright with disbelief and joy.
He had won.
After returning from Beijing, after rejoining his teammates and adjusting again to college hockey, Kent was a Big Ten champion, you clapped until your hands hurt, Kent lifted the trophy with the others, shouting as the team gathered around it. Photographers surrounded them, flashes reflecting from the ice.
For a while, you remained only another person in the crowd, then Kent looked toward the stands, he scanned the rows until he found you.
You lifted both hands above your head and cheered, Kent pointed directly at you, even from across the rink, you could see his smile widen, by the time the players were allowed to meet their families and friends, you were waiting near the tunnel.
Matty reached you first, still shouting about the championship, Owen appeared behind him, damp hair pushed away from his face, then Kent emerged, he carried part of his equipment in one hand, but dropped it the second he reached you.
“You won!”
“We won.” Kent wrapped both arms around you and lifted you, turning once before placing you down.
“You were amazing.”
“You think so?”
“You just won the Big Ten.”
“That didn’t answer the question.”
You laughed “Yes, Kent. I think you were amazing.”
“Good.” He kissed you in the middle of the crowded hallway, his skin was still cold from the rink, and his hair was damp, but his hands were warm against your waist. People moved around you, teammates shouted, Philippe bumped Kent’s shoulder, he still did not pull away until he had kissed you twice.
“You taste like sweat,” you whispered, Kent looked offended “That’s romantic.”
“It’s true.”
“I just won a championship.”
“And you’re sweaty.”
He kissed you again deliberately “Now you are too.”
“Kent!”
He laughed and buried his face against your neck, you wrapped your arms around him “I’m really proud of you.” his body softened against yours. “You’ve said that a lot lately.”
“Because you keep doing things that make me proud.”
“The Olympics. This.”
“The class you nearly failed.”
Kent pulled back “You had to ruin it.”
“I’m keeping you humble.”
He smiled “Stay with me tonight.”
“You have to celebrate with the team.”
“You can celebrate with us.”
“I’m sure the guys want a team night.”
Kent looked around, Matty was already speaking loudly to everyone who would listen. Luke and Mackie were arguing about who had started the celebration on the ice. Owen was carrying enough equipment for two people “They see me every day,” Kent said. “You’re staying.”
You lifted an eyebrow “That sounded demanding.”
“Please stay?”
“That’s better.”
Kent kissed your cheek “So you will?”
“Yes.”
His smile returned immediately, Owen passed by and looked between you “Does this mean she’s coming with us?” Kent kept one arm securely around you “Yes.”
“I was asking her.”
“Yes,” you answered, Owen nodded “Good. Someone needs to make sure Kent doesn’t talk about his own game for six hours.”
“I don’t do that,” Kent protested.
“You asked her if she thought you were amazing before saying hello.”
“I kissed her first.”
“That doesn’t help.”
You laughed while Kent pulled you closer, the team had won the Big Ten, Kent had a championship to celebrate but as everyone started moving down the hallway, he remained beside you, fingers linked with yours and the happiest smile on his face.
He had gone to Beijing, he had returned to Michigan and now, surrounded by the teammates who had become his family and the girl he loved, he had another memory he would carry with him when college hockey eventually ended.
_________
Kent had presented the Michigan football game as a date, That was the word he had used when he appeared outside your dorm wearing a Wolverines t-shirt and holding a sweatshirt for you “I thought you said it was cold outside,” you said, accepting it.
“It is.”
“I’m already wearing a coat.”
“You need Michigan colors.”
“You make it sound mandatory.”
“It is for the date.”
You looked around him “Where’s Owen?” Kent’s expression changed immediately “He’s not coming.”
“Kent.”
“He said he might meet us later.” a voice came from farther down the hallway “I’m ready.”
Owen appeared wearing a Michigan t-shirt and hat and carrying enough snacks for several people, you slowly looked back at your boyfriend, Kent looked irritated “He invited himself.”
Owen frowned “You told me you had an extra ticket.”
“I told you that before I called it a date.”
“You should’ve explained the situation more clearly.” you laughed and slipped Kent’s sweatshirt over your head “It’s fine.”
“It isn’t,” Kent muttered. “He’s going to sit beside us.”
“I can sit somewhere else,” Owen offered.
“You’re six-foot-six. We’ll still see you.”
The walk to Michigan Stadium was crowded, with students moving around you in maize and blue. Kent held your hand tightly, occasionally pulling you closer whenever the crowd became too dense, Owen walked on your other side, eating from a bag of chips.
“This is romantic,” you teased, Kent glanced toward him “It was supposed to be.”
“I’m not listening,” Owen said.
“You’re standing two feet away.”
“I can pretend.”
Inside the stadium, Kent insisted you sit between him and Owen, that arrangement lasted until the temperature dropped and you leaned closer to Kent for warmth. He immediately placed one arm around you, opening the front of his jacket slightly so you could tuck yourself against his side.
“You said my coat was enough,” you reminded him.
“You’re still cold.”
“I’m always cold.”
“I know.”
Kent kissed the top of your head, Owen looked toward the field “I’m pretending that didn’t happen.”
Kent kissed your temple next “You don’t have to pretend.”
“I’d prefer to.”
The game became less of a traditional date and more of an afternoon filled with Kent explaining football rules you already understood, Owen correcting him, and all three of you sharing the snacks Owen had brought.
Whenever Michigan scored, Kent stood with the rest of the crowd before turning immediately toward you. Sometimes he celebrated by pulling you into his arms. Other times, he kissed you before remembering thousands of people surrounded you.
Not that Kent cared, at halftime, Owen left to find more food, Kent watched him disappear into the crowd before turning toward you “We have approximately ten minutes alone.”
“You’re very dramatic.”
“He ruined my date.”
“He bought us food.”
“I could’ve bought food.”
“But you didn’t.”
Kent frowned, you cupped his face and kissed him, his annoyance disappeared immediately “There,” you whispered. “Now it’s a date.”
Kent smiled and wrapped both arms around your waist, when Owen returned, he stopped at the end of the row “Can I sit down, or is the date still happening?”
Kent did not release you “The date is still happening.” you reached past Kent for the food in Owen’s hands “But you can stay.”
Owen handed it over “I feel appreciated.”
Kent kissed your cheek “You’re not.” you laughed, leaning against your boyfriend while Owen complained beside you
📍 Columbus, Ohio
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yourusername It’s been a crazy week, had and exam that nearly made me drop out even though I’m finishing my junior year, had to run to the airport and take a flight to Columbus to watch kj made his nhl debut ❤️ proud of you baby (nick also made his debut 😂)
tagged kentjohnson.13
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Kent had tried not to sound disappointed when you told him you could not attend his NHL debut “You have an exam,” he had said over the phone. “That’s important.”
“So is your first NHL game.”
“There’ll be other games.”
“But only one first.”
The silence that followed made your chest ache, Kent eventually told you not to worry and promised he would call after the game. You knew he understood, but you could still hear the disappointment he was trying to hide.
What you did not tell him was that your exam was during your first class of the morning, the second you finished, you left the room, grabbed the bag you had packed the night before and headed for the airport.
You spent the entire trip checking the time, terrified a delay would ruin everything, by the time you reached the arena, warmups were approaching.
One of the team staff members helped you find the family area, where you stood near the tunnel in a Blue Jackets jersey with JOHNSON across the back.
Kent skated onto the ice without seeing you, at first, he looked focused, then he turned toward the stands. His eyes moved across the crowd before stopping directly on you, Kent nearly missed the puck being passed toward him.
You waved, his mouth fell open, then the biggest smile spread across his face, he skated closer to the glass “You’re here,” he mouthed.
You nodded, Kent pressed one glove against the glass, and you placed your palm against the other side “I told you I had an exam,” you said loudly enough for him to read your lips.
He shook his head, laughing “You lied.”
“I said I had an exam. I never said what time.”
Kent stared at you for another second before one of his teammates called him back toward the ice, he pointed at you, then toward the tunnel. Wait for me.
You nodded, after the game, Kent found you before he had completely finished changing, his hair was damp, his dress shirt was only partially buttoned and he still looked overwhelmed by everything that had happened.
The moment he saw you, he crossed the hallway and pulled you into his arms “You came.”
“You keep saying that.”
“You said you couldn’t.”
“I said I had an exam.”
Kent pulled back.
“You flew here right after?”
“Yes.”
“What if you missed the game?”
“I didn’t.”
His hands held your face “You’re crazy.”
“You only get one NHL debut.” Kent kissed you before you could say anything else, it was quick at first, but then his arms returned to your waist, holding you as though he needed proof you were actually there.
When he pulled away, his eyes were bright “I looked for you before warmups.”
“I know.”
“I was trying not to.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew you wouldn’t be there.”
Your expression softened “I’m always going to try to be there.” Kent hugged you again, burying his face against your neck “This was the best surprise of my life.”
“You just made your NHL debut.”
“I know.”
He kissed your cheek “You’re still the best part.”
yourusername close friends stories
You had spent most of graduation morning trying not to think about Kent, it was supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. You had finished your degree in education, survived every exam, placement and exhausting week of student teaching, and your family had traveled to Michigan to watch you walk across the stage.
Still, there was an empty space beside them, Kent was in the end of his first full NHL season in Columbus. He had called the night before, apologized again for missing the ceremony and promised they would celebrate properly when his schedule allowed it.
You had told him you understood, you always understood, that had not stopped you from crying while getting ready that morning because you missed him. After the ceremony, you stood outside in your cap and gown while your family took photographs. You smiled, held your diploma and tried not to notice every time someone’s boyfriend appeared with flowers.
Then you heard a familiar voice behind you “Are graduates allowed to cry, or does that ruin the pictures?”
You froze, when you turned around, Kent was standing several feet away with a bouquet in one hand and the widest smile you had ever seen.
For a moment, you could only stare at him, then your diploma was in someone else’s hands, and you were running toward him.
Kent barely had enough time to set the flowers aside before you threw your arms around his neck. He caught you around the waist, laughing as he lifted you slightly from the ground “You’re here.”
“I’m here.”
“You said you couldn’t come.”
“I lied.” You pulled back just enough to hold his face between your hands “You’re terrible.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
Your eyes filled before you could stop them, Kent’s smile softened immediately “Hey.”
“I cried this morning.”
His eyebrows pulled together “Why?”
“Because I missed you.” The teasing disappeared from his expression, Kent pulled you against his chest again, holding you tightly.
“I missed you too.”
“You’re supposed to be in Columbus.”
“I talked to everyone. I had time to come.”
“You flew here just for graduation?”
“Of course I did.” He kissed your forehead, then both of your cheeks before finally kissing your lips “I wasn’t missing this.”
You rested your forehead against his “I have something to tell you.”
Kent looked slightly alarmed “Good or bad?”
“Good.”
“How good?”
“I got a job.”
His eyes widened “You did?”
You nodded, unable to stop smiling “At a kindergarten.”
Kent’s face immediately brightened “Here?”
You shook your head “In Columbus.”
For a second, he did not react, then his hands tightened around your waist “Columbus?”
“I had the interview last week. They called yesterday and offered me the position.”
“You’re moving to Columbus?”
“If you still want me there.”
Kent stared at you as though you had said something ridiculous “I’ve wanted you there since I left Michigan.” he kissed you again, smiling so much that the kiss became messy “You’re going to teach kindergarten.”
“I am.”
“And live with me?”
You laughed “We should probably discuss that before you decide.”
“We’ve been dating for over a year. I already decided.”
“That isn’t how moving works.”
“It can be.” Kent wrapped both arms around you and buried his face against your neck “My girlfriend is graduating and moving to Columbus.”
“You sound very proud.”
“I am.”
Liked by yourbff edwards.73, dylanduke25, jacob.truscot.20 and kentjohnson.13 others
yourusername Four years, countless memories, lifelong friendships, and a degree I’m incredibly proud of. 💙💛
Thank you, Michigan, for shaping me into the teacher I always dreamed of becoming and for giving me friends who became family.
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Kent proposed on a quiet Saturday afternoon after a walk around Lake Logan, there was nothing extravagant about the day. Just the two of you, hands intertwined as you wandered along the lake, talking about your week like you always did.
You had been together for five years, living together for four. By then, loving Kent felt as natural as breathing, you knew he would steal your fries even after ordering his own, he knew you always reached for his hand without thinking.
You knew he still left his socks beside the laundry basket, he knew you would always complain… and then pick them up anyway.
The conversation had drifted from one of your kindergarten students to the Blue Jackets’ upcoming road trip when Kent suddenly stopped walking.
You turned back “What?”
He looked strangely nervous “I need a minute.”
You frowned “Kent… are you okay?”
He nodded quickly “Yeah. Just… nervous.”
Your heart skipped, Kent took a slow breath before reaching into his jacket pocket “I had this whole speech planned.”
You smiled “And?”
“I forgot it.”
A small laugh escaped you “That sounds like you.”
He smiled back before slowly lowering himself onto one knee, for a second, everything around you disappeared “Kent…”
He opened a small ring box, his hands shaking just enough for you to notice “I don’t remember the speech,” he admitted, looking up at you. “But I remember the important part.” His eyes never left yours “You’ve been my favorite person for five years. You’re the first person I want to tell when something good happens, and the only person I want beside me when something doesn’t.”
Your eyes filled with tears “You’ve made every apartment we’ve lived in feel like home. I don’t want to imagine a future that doesn’t have you in it.”
He smiled softly “I love you more than hockey… and you know that’s saying something.” you laughed through your tears.
“So… will you marry me?”
You were already nodding before he finished “Yes.”
Kent blinked “Really?”
“Yes, you idiot.”
The biggest smile spread across his face, he stood, slipped the ring onto your finger and immediately wrapped both arms around your waist. You laughed as he kissed you over and over again.
“You said yes,” he whispered against your lips.
“I did.”
“My fiancée.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“You’re going to call me that every five minutes.”
Kent grinned “Probably.”
You kissed him again “I don’t mind.”
He rested his forehead against yours “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
As you walked back toward the car, Kent kept looking down at your hand, smiling every single time he saw the ring, halfway back, he lifted your hand to kiss your knuckles “You know,” you said, “I almost thought you’d forgotten the speech because of that tutoring session.”
Kent groaned dramatically “You’re bringing that up after accepting my proposal?”
You smiled “Forgiveness doesn’t require forgetting.”
He laughed, shook his head, and kissed you one more time “I guess I really am marrying the woman who’ll never let me live that down.”
“You absolutely are.”
Liked by yourbff edwards.73, dylanduke25, jacob.truscot.20 and kentjohnson.13 others
yourusername five years with KJ, four years building a home together, countless memories, one very happy “yes.” 🤍
from a missed tutoring session to forever… i’d choose you every single time, here’s to my favorite person, my best friend, and now my fiancé.
i love you forever, kent. 💍🤍
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