Chapter 316

The laughter and music from the party seemed distant now, a stark contrast to the piercing silence that followed Enzo’s announcement. I could feel the tension, the mix of shock and disbelief that clouded the room.

“You’re… not coming back?” someone asked.

Enzo shook his head. “Not to the team, no. I’ll be leaving for six months. After that, if all goes well, I’ll be traveling the country to help teams. It’ll be a long of long-distance traveling.”

“Why Enzo? Why now?” Derek, one of his teammates, blurted out, his voice a blend of confusion and hurt.

Jessica, always the emotional one, added, “We’re a family here, Enzo. You can’t just leave us hanging like this.”

I watched Enzo, looking for signs of regret or doubt. But instead, I saw the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He glanced my way, and our eyes met briefly, communicating more in that split second than words ever could.

“I get it. This isn’t easy to hear,” Enzo said, his voice trembling ever so slightly but still firm as it always was. “But sometimes, we need to make tough decisions for ourselves, for our own growth. I never planned for this opportunity, but now that it’s here, I have to seize it. It’s my calling. Always has been.”

A murmur of voices broke out, a cacophony of confusion, anger, and sadness. Through the tangle of emotions, I could sense the underlying love and respect everyone had for Enzo.

After a deep breath, he turned to me and murmured, “I need some fresh air.” I nodded, understanding his need to escape. This announcement had been a long time coming, and it went just as well as either of us expected, which was to say that it hadn’t gone all that well in the slightest. With that, he made his way out, the heavy wooden door shutting behind him with a definitive thud.

Understanding nods and a few sniffles resonated around the room in Enzo’s absence. But I couldn’t linger any longer. My heart ached to be with Enzo, to offer him comfort in this moment of vulnerability.

However, as I was on my way to join Enzo outside, I was suddenly stopped by two familiar faces. Both of them, with their arms folded, wore expressions of concern mixed with a tinge of curiosity.

Lori, with her keen eyes, was often too observant for her own good, while Jessica had that uncanny ability to coax confessions out of even the most closed-off people.

“Nina,” Lori began, her voice soft, “how long have you known about Enzo’s decision?”

Taking a deep breath, I admitted, “A couple of months.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “And you kept it a secret from us all this time?”

I nodded, meeting her gaze. “It wasn’t my secret to share. Enzo needed to come to terms with his decision, and he wanted to be the one to break the news.”

Lori bit her lip, her gaze probing. “What are you going to do, Nina? With Enzo being miles away and you being alone here? It’s not going to be easy. Especially not in this house.”

As Lori spoke, she gestured around. The house that we had renovated, Richard’s old house, was beautiful and warm now. But it was also situated quite a ways outside of the town, with woods on three sides and a cliff leading to the ocean on the fourth side.

It was both remote and dangerous, especially since Lewis was somewhere out there still and would probably relish the idea of ransacking Richard’s old home again just for kicks.

“Life rarely is,” I replied with a chuckle, but the weight in my heart at the thought of Enzo being away from me for so long was evident. “I’ll be fine, Lori. It’s essential for Enzo to chase this dream. We’ve talked about it. We have plans, and we’ll stay connected.”

Jessica, ever the practical one, asked, “But what about you, Nina? It’s one thing to be supportive, but what about your dreams, your ambitions? It’s not just Enzo’s journey.”

I smiled, trying to mask the whirlwind of emotions threatening to surface. “It’s okay, Jess. Enzo and I are in this together. We’ll figure things out. He has his dream to chase, and I have mine here.”

Lori took a step closer, her voice dripping with concern. “Nina, you’ve always been the strong one among us. But remember, you don’t always have to be. If you ever need to lean on someone, to talk, we’re here.”

The tenderness in her voice, the genuine care, nearly broke me. It was at moments like these that I realized how fortunate I was to have friends like Lori and Jessica. Friends who saw past my brave facade, recognizing the vulnerability that lay beneath.

Jessica, nodding in agreement with Lori, added, “And Nina, please tell me you’ve thought about therapy. We’re worried about you, especially now.”

Her words caught me off guard. Everyone seemed to keep bringing up the idea of therapy, but I didn’t want to go. I was fine on my own; I didn’t need it. And besides, after the school therapist, Edward, turned out to be a raving lunatic, I wasn’t so keen on opening myself up like that to a stranger again.

“I don’t need therapy, Jess,” I said, maybe a little more coldly than I intended.

Jessica held up her hands, realizing she might have pushed a boundary. “I’m not saying you need it. I just think that it would be good for you.”

“We worry about you,” Lori interjected. “Because we love you.”

I took a moment, my breath steady, trying to control the rush of emotions. “I appreciate the concern, really. But right now, I’m perfectly fine. What Enzo and I have is strong. We’ll weather this storm, like we have so many others.”

Lori took my hand, her touch warm and comforting. “We just want the best for you. Remember that.”

I nodded, tears threatening to come but I firmly held them at bay. “Thank you, both of you. It means the world to me.”

After a brief pause, I continued, “Now, I should go check on Enzo.”

Lori and Jessica exchanged a glance, and with a mutual nod, they stepped aside, letting me pass.

I made my way outside, the cool night air embracing me as I stepped into the garden. Enzo stood there, silhouetted against the moonlight, his shoulders slumped, his entire demeanor a mask of desolation.

Without a word, I wrapped my arms around him from behind. He leaned into the embrace, and I could feel his heartbeat hammering through his ribcage, a steady rhythm that had been my anchor through thick and thin.

“You did the right thing,” I whispered, turning him around to look into his eyes. “This will be good for you.”

He smiled weakly, but before he could respond, the door creaked open, and Matt stepped out.

“Enzo,” he began, his voice shaky, “I can’t believe you're leaving us. We won’t know what to do without you.”

Enzo looked at him, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “That’s where you’re wrong, Matt.”

Matt frowned, clearly taken aback. “What do you mean?”

With a deep breath, Enzo placed his hand on Matt’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I’ve seen how you play, how you inspire the team, how you’ve always been there for all of us,” Enzo said, leading up to the second big announcement of the night, the one that I was most excited for. “You’ve got the heart and the skills, and I’m glad to call you my Beta.”

Matt furrowed his brow in confusion. “What are you saying, Enzo?”

Enzo grinned. “I’m making you the new hockey captain.”