#team100

“ Cause time wasn’t in our favour. This isn’t “goodbye”, this is simply ”see you later”. Let me know when it's time to come back. As long as you’re near, I’ll be here. Even if it takes ten years “

- see you later, Jenna Raine

Freshman year, scared, anxious, nervous simply terrified about moving out of your childhood home. You were going to be alone for the first time in your life. No friends from home, no parents. No safety net to fall back on.

That was until you literally ran into Matty and Truss your first week. Running across campus trying to not end up late for your literature class the third time this week. You didn’t notice the two boys who were fully focused on their own conversation. Until you ran full speed into Jacob’s chest, sending the both of you tumbling to the ground. “Woah track star are you alright?” The one of them not laying under you laughs, reaching his hands out for you and who you’ll later know as Truss. Catching your breath you accept his outstretched hand, Matty helping you off the ground.

“I’m sorry I have to run but text me and I’ll apologise for running you over with a coffee!” Grabbing a sharpie from your bag you scribble down your number on one of the boys arm before throwing a wave over your shoulder as you jog away.

After that day the hockey team became your safety net, your best friends. Every free time the group was glued together.

School? You all studied together.

Game days? You were in the stands screaming the loudest.

Parties? Buddy system, nobody goes off alone if not together with a potential hookup.

School breaks? Constant phone contact or flying home to the others house for break.

You became a honorary member of the Michigan Wolverines hockey team. Everyone knew not to mess with anyone on the team and that included you. You hurt one of the wolverines you hurt all of them. One day you even heard someone calling the freshman’s and you the pack.

Wolf packs are also known as a family of wolves, they live together and they hunt together. After that day it became a running joke in the group that you’re a wolverine pack.

Sophomore year the group became even closer than before, the hardships of surviving freshman year done and the first hockey season as a wolverine. Living in a house with four hockey players definitely tested your patience some days but you wouldn’t change it for anything. Not even when Brendan and Matty had the bright drunken idea that the five of you should get matching tattoos. And all of you did. It was small but it meant everything. The coordinates of Ann Arbour tattooed on your ankles. The place where it all started.

After the big ten championship you knew they were leaving. Your boys were signing and they were moving away.

So when they won you cried, cried because you couldn’t be more proud. Cried because you knew this was it. Brendan, Owen, Matty, Thomas and Kent weren’t gonna be at Michigan next year.

Packing up the house hurt the most, packing meant that it was real and you didn’t want it to be real. You wished for it all to be a fever dream, that you’ll wake up tomorrow and everything would be the same. But you know that it won’t.

The group huddling up on the porch for one last group hug. Everyone trying their best to hold in the tears, not wanting to upset each other but no one had to say anything because everyone knows.

You’re the first one to pull away, sniffling as you muster up a smile while still having with your arms over Kent and Brendan’s shoulder. Standing so that you’re all in a line facing the front of your former home. Owen is the one that decides to speak up first.

“This isn’t goodbye guys. We’ll always have each other right? These two years with you have been amazing and I’ll never regret coming to Michigan. I came here for hockey and I found best friends..no family for life.” Everyone is now silently crying at his words, Brendan pulls you closer to his side leaning his head on yours. Seeking comfort in your touch.

“I wished we had more time, I wanted to graduate with you. All of you. But Big Dog’s right we’ll always have each other. All of you are going away and you’re gonna live out your dreams. Me, Ports, Truss, Phil and Holtzy will be here waiting when you come back, even if it takes all of you dumbasses ten years. This isn’t the last time we will be in the same place alright? I’ll make sure of it.”

Loading the cars you take one last look at the sophomore house. All the memories flooding back at you like lighting.

Brendan and Thomas pranking Matty when he fell asleep on the couch your first week living here.

Jacob loosing a bet against you in beer pong, resulting in you getting to wax his legs.

Weekly game nights that always ended with wrestling matches.

Everything.

You and Brendan are the last ones to leave, everyone else already on their way to the airport to their new city or home for summer break. The two of you sitting on the porch stairs. Brendan having his arms wrapped around your middle section and head on your shoulder as you’re sitting on the step below him. You know that he needs to leave soon or he’ll miss his flight but you just want him to stay a little while longer. Over the two years you’ve known the team Brendan has always been your other half. All of them are your best friends but Brendan has a special place in your heart. He always will.