But he was already gone.
32. Griff
“The hockey community mourns the loss of Nicholas Johns this cold January morning,” the young reporter said into themicrophone.
“The star forward for the Detroit Crewmen lost his life late last night when saving a minor from the Detroit River after she broke through the ice,” she continued.
The camera turned to the mother of the child, crying and thanking Nick… who was no longer there to thank.
The little girl he saved was only about four or five years old. She had wispy, dirty blonde hair— the same shade Sav’s used to be before she started highlighting it. Damnit.
The screen filled with dozens of doorsteps with hockey sticks leaned up against them. It was tradition in the hockey community for people to put their sticks out for the fallen player to take to heaven with them.
I always thought it was an incredible gesture.
I never thought I’d know the person they were set out for… and I never in a million years thought it would’ve been Nick.
“You stupid idiot, why’d you do it?” I whispered tomyself.
But I knew why he did.
It was who he was.
It wasinhim.
It was the same thing in him that allowed him to skip games to help Savannah drive to Minneapolis.
It was the same thing in him that made him pass up the OHL to stay with me an extra year.
He’d give anyone the shirt off his back to help them out.
He’d give his life to help out.
He gave his life.
I sat there with tears in my eyes for the first time since I was seven years old as I watched them describe my best friend, Nick Johns, as a hero.
They showed a picture of him, with his quick smile and mischievous eyes. They were eyes that belonged to a troublemaker with the kindest heart.
It gutted me.
My other half, my brother, my teammate, was just ripped away from me…
Somehow, someway, I needed to numb the pain…
And that’s how I ended up drinking myself stupid for the first time in my life…
33. Sav
I took another look at the casket, and it broke my heart all over again.
It broke my heart that his dancing eyes weren’t flashing at me with some mischievous plan.
It broke my heart that he wasn’t joking with me.
That he wouldn’t be walking up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist for ahug.
That I’d never again see his hooded eyes looking at my lips right before he kissed me.
