Word count: 1141

You love living in Buffalo. You love taking long walks around the city and you enjoy just standing on the Peace Bridge and thinking about everything. You enjoy the peacefulness of living outside of the city center and you love sitting down in the evening with a glass of red wine. At least, that's what you do when your fiance, Evander Kane is on roadtrips.

You met as kids, having attending the same school. He was your first everything and you were his – first date, first kiss, first heartbreak, first time. When you started, you were 15 and he was 16. Minimal age difference, but it didn't seem like that to your parents. They didn't accept the fact you were in love until your one-year anniversary. At the time, he was playing for WHL team called Vancouver Giants. There were times when you barely had time to talk, but you were thankful he wasn't playing for any other team, that he stayed in Vancouver.

Two years later your were both heartbroken – Evander got drafted by Atlanta Trashers and moved to Georgia to pursue his dreams of becoming a NHL player. And since then, you have been keeping up with his crazy schedule all the time.

Everything changed for you when you actually got a job in a high-profile computer company and for the first time since you graduated, your future seemed stable enough.

~February 26th 2018~

It hasn't been Evander's best season. He has been benched by the managment due to his performance and also approaching expiration of his contract. He usually doesn't bring his work home, but being benched has taken a toll on him. Despite dating for ten years, you still don't live together officially. You have your own rented house and despite loving him, you enjoy having time for yourself. It makes you feel special everytime you pay off your monthly rent and you told Evander that. He has been bugging you to finally move in with him for the past year, but you are pretty stubborn when it comes to that. You need your space and some time for yourself. Especially now when Evander seems to be on the edge all the time.

It's late in the evening and you are on the couch, watching 13 Reasons Why as your phone rings. Evander sounds upset: "They traded me, Y/N."

"Where to? Ev, a bit of change could be good..."
"It won't be good for us..." he sounds...really upset. Not upset, angry. And you can't exactly point your finger at the reason.

"Where did they trade you?"

"Why does it matter? You said it yourself you like it here."
"Evander Frank Kane, don't talk to me like this. I like it here, but I would move wit you if you had to. Where did they trade you?"

When he speaks up, he sounds defeated: "San Jose. I am moving to California."

"We made it work when you spent some time in Belarus."
"I know... Would it be too much to ask you to..."

"Move with you? You know I can't do it, I have a great job here..."

"Can't you ask for transfer or something?"

You hear in his voice he is annoyed, but you are not planning on backing out. You worked hard to get your position in the company and you have decided as a young girl to be independent.

"Evander, I love you, I have loved you for the longest time, but I am not throwing my life here away."

"Do you really love me then?"

"Don't say that. Don't you dare to say that again. I love you, but you will not blackmail me into going with you."
You hear his heavy breathing on the other side of the line and you know he is not happy. He takes a few deep breaths, trying to restrain himself from yelling and cursing, which you know he is doing in his head.

"What should we do then?"
"I am coming over and we will talk about it."

Some time later you are in Evander's apartment, sitting on the couch. He sits down as well and hands you a glass of water with two ice cubes, exactly how you like it. In front of him, there's a cup of hot green tea, and he stares wordlessly at his beverage before speaking up: "So... what should we do now? Are you sure you don't want to move with me?"

"I like my job and I like this city..."

"You could get the same job in San Jose."
"Honestly, I don't want to move. You will be gone half of the time..."
"But we won't see each other! Would you even call that a relationship?"

"I would. Because I know no matter where I am, you are the one for me. And I would visit you in San Jose. Especially when there's cold and snowy..."

"Are you trying to say we should not break up?"
"Because of the trade? Of course not. We have sailed through some pretty rough waters, but we always made it work. Like when you went to Minsk and I had to stay here. We made it work."

"I don't like leaving you here...but you have a good point. And I really admire your independence, to be honest. I love how you don't let me persuade you into something you don't want to."

"You are moving across the country. Not across the ocean."

You may sound like a bit cold-blooded, but inside you are breaking. Independence or not, you are going to miss him. You two will still have long conversations, only it won't be in person, but you will miss falling asleep in his arms and spending wonderful time on dates with him.

"You are saying the right words...but I am not buying it."

You look at him and force a small smile: "I know. I do not believe myself either. But I think it would be the best...let you get used to living there...maybe we will see in a few months?"

"Few months? So now you are saying we should wait a few months and see?"

"I believe that's exactly what I am saying," you smile, this time your smile is genuine. There's no use is saying you would never move there and making plans about your life without Evander, when there's so many things unknown.

"Then I will wait patiently for you to change your mind for me."
"Don't get too cocky. You will still have to survive a few months without me..."
"Well...you can make it up to me by staying the night? Last night before I leave..."

You smack his chest, chuckling slightly: "Is that your way of flirting?"

"Maybe it is, but you should've known me that much by now."