ha, yeah, new story

So, trust me, I feel totally awful that I haven't updated...

BUT. I started a new story. Yes, a new story. It's about one Kristopher Letang.

And the link would be right here: Savannah

You should definitely follow and let me know what you think of it. (and I promise to update before I go back to school.)

Chapter sixteen

OHMYGAWD. An update? Yes, so it would appear. Enjoy. :)

            “How’d you meet Sidney!?” one reporter screamed, shoving a microphone in my face. I wanted nothing more than to shove it up his ass, but I controlled myself and answered the question like a civilized human being.

            “Well,” I started, but Sidney cut me off. I looked at him with questioning eyes, but he just smiled.

            “By chance; we met by chance,” he said, kissing my forehead and pulling me even closer than I already was. I was never one for public displays of affection, and this was way more than I could handle. I took a step back, smile still plastered to my face, and quickly kissed his cheek, hoping to relay the message that I was uncomfortable. He seemed to understand, because the next thing I knew, he was whisking me back out into the hall and apologizing to the reporters profusely. Thankfully, none of them followed us.

            “I’ll go get dressed,” he said quickly as what seemed like half of his teammates filtered out through the doors behind them. I could still hear muffled yelling and cringed at the idea. For some reason, whenever I think about athletes with a ton of reporters crowded around them, it makes my heart ache.

            “Hurry back,” I said softly, letting my arms fall from his torso and sitting down on the bench we were standing in front of. I thought about what had just happened and suddenly remembered I had left Emma asleep in the stands. I hurried back out and saw she was just as I had left her: sprawled out and unconscious.

            I didn’t want to wake her up; I knew she’d be pissed and start screaming, so I let her go and walked back to my bench across from the locker room to continue my watch of the door.

            Letang, Talbot, and Staal all walked out and flashed me the thumbs up within five minutes of sitting on the bench. Kennedy was out next. I got up off my bench to talk to him for a minute.

            “Hey Tyler,” I said, taking a step towards him. I couldn’t help but think that Emma would die if she got to talk to him, but I didn’t go wake her up. If she continues to accompany me on these road trips, she’ll eventually get her chance.

            “Hey Avery,” he said, stopping his forward movement and taking a step back to be equal with me. He had a big grin on his face and I could only imagine he had been giving Sidney shit about me/us.

            “So, tell me truthfully,” I started, fiddling with a hangnail on my finger. He looked a little taken aback and his grin began to fade. He must know what I’m about to ask.

            “What are the reporters asking Sidney?”

            “It’s not about his game, that’s for sure… They just keep asking about you and how long you two have known each other and why you haven’t been at any of the games before this and it goes on and on…” he trailed off, his goofy smile spreading once again across his face. I forced a weak smile on my lips and grinned back.

            Too many people occupied with me at once made me anxious. I was always that girl in high school that kept to the shadows and never really stole the spotlight. I was inconspicuous and guys didn’t look twice at me. Now, to have a guy like Sidney proclaim his undying love for me in front of what seemed like a million reporters, half of whom had video cameras, I was a little overwhelmed. Not overwhelmed enough to run away, but overwhelmed enough to where I had to sit down on the bench I had just occupied.

            I put my face in my hands and took a deep breath to calm myself. I could handle this. It wasn’t a big deal. I kept telling myself this, as Tyler, who seemed to not know what to do, sat next to me. I watched as more people walked out of the locker room, reporters among them, but not Sidney. I was calm by now and had realized that this wasn’t as big of a deal as I was making it.

            It was just Sidney. I could be myself around him. He’d protect me from whatever happened. This, I felt confident of.

            “You think he’s still in there?” I asked Tyler after a few minutes had passed of silent thought.

            “Probably. He’s always the last one out. It’s safe to say you could go in there and get him. Everyone else is out,” he told me almost sympathetically, his eyebrows raising just a bit to go along with his sappy half-smile. He had no idea how happy I was and how much I just wanted to see Sidney, even if I was just, you know, a tad bit overwhelmed.

            “Thanks Tyler,” I said, patting him on the back quickly before making my way through the door and seeing Sidney standing with his back to me rummaging through his bag, a towel around his waist.

            I snuck up behind him and placed my cold hands just above the towel wrapped around his waist. He jumped what seemed like six inches in the air before turning around to look at me.

            “I didn’t expect you to come in here,” he said to me, a smile spreading across his bee-stung lips that I wanted so badly to kiss.

            “I was worried you got confused taking a shower, and thought that, I don’t know, maybe I could help?” I asked, batting my eyelashes and wrapping my arms around the back of his neck. I could see the internal struggle happening with the thought of us having it off in the locker room.

            “The hotel’s five minutes away,” he whispered in my ear, pulling my hands from around his neck and placing them by my side, where I proceeded to cross them almost angrily across my chest. I liked my plan much better.

            “What’ll we do with Emma?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t be in the same room as us. “And your roommate?” I asked again, now panicking, thinking this wasn’t such a good idea after all. I felt heat rush to my face and I began to freak.

            “Calm down,” he said, buttoning up a blue plaid dress shirt. “We’ll get Emma her own room. It won’t be hard, I am Sidney Crosby after all,” he said, placing a peck on my lips, instantly calming me. “And I’ll take care of Tanger. He can go stay with someone else. He’ll understand,” he said knowingly with a wink.

            “Okay…” I said, reluctance filling my voice. I wanted him so bad, and all this planning was just putting a damper on my mood. “I’ll go wake Emma up.”

            “I’ll be right out,” he whispered in my ear before placing a kiss on my neck, bringing the mood right back. “I love you.” Those three words seemed to be the sweetest words in the world.

I walked back out to where Emma was passed out. Drool was spilling from her mouth and she was crinkled up into an awkward position with her head at a 90-degree angle resting on her shoulder. I giggled a little to myself and nudged her shoulder. Her eyes sprung open and she sat up in her chair with a start.

            “What happened? Does he love you?” she slurred, wiping the drool off her chin with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. I couldn’t help but smile. She looked like a little kid.

            “Yes, he loves me,” I said, sitting down next to her.

            “So sitting in a car with me for however many painful hours was worth it?” she asked with a yawn, resting her head on my shoulder.

            “Yes, it was worth it. Thanks for forcing me to come,” I said with a laugh.

            “So where is he?” she asked closing her eyes again and snuggling into me.

            “Getting dressed. He said he’d meet me out here when he was done. We’re going back to the hotel,” I said, and before she could say anything, I continued. “We’ll get you your own room where you can pass out at awkward angles and drool however much you want.” I giggled a little, and she shook with laughter.

            Within minutes her breathing was steady and I could tell she’d fallen asleep again. For fear of getting drooled on, I eased myself out from under, letting her head fall on her shoulder. She didn’t seem to notice and went right on sleeping with her mouth gaping open.

            “Thank you Emma,” I said to her unconscious body. “I owe you.”

NEW

SO. I've made a new blog, just to talk about hockey and stuff like that, and maybe about how much I hate AP Biology. :)

fabricated air

You should follow me, and don't worry, I'm more than half way done with my next chapter. :)

Chapter fifteen

“Avery, get out of the goddamn car,” Emma snapped at me after 5 hours of driving that day and 8 the day before. Needless to say, we were both a little sick of each other’s company.

Emma somehow talked me into getting into my little 5-speed Soul with her and driving 12, let me emphasize that, TWELVE hours with her over 2 days, just to get to Raleigh to see Sidney. I don’t know. She said something about finding myself and living in the moment.

            The first day of driving wasn’t too bad, driving through cute little towns like Berkeley Springs in West Virginia. All I could think about was Radiator Springs from Cars, one of the best movies ever made by Pixar, let alone made. We stopped in Winchester, Virginia for some Taco Bell and continued on down through the rest of the state to Richmond where we spent the night in some cheap little hotel with homeless people living on the sidewalk outside it. The day was mostly filled with off-key singing and riding with the windows down, one of my favorite things to do with Emma, no one else.

            The day we made the trek all the way to Raleigh, we didn’t leave until around noon. The morning was spent doing constructive things of course, like Emma flirting with the concierge to try and get us free things. Once we got into North Carolina, we were flying. We only had one little hang up with the beltway. The numbers went from 4 straight to 327, which confused us a bit. We got ourselves back on the right track and eventually ended up at an Applebee’s five minutes from the arena around 5:15, two hours and fifteen minutes away from seeing Sidney play.

            Now, I was being banished from the car to go find a scalper with two tickets. I always hated those guys. They gave me the creeps. I always thought that when I pulled out my wallet to pay them, they’d grab it and run away laughing. And I always wondered who would go to the game and willingly sell their tickets. It always seemed like such an incredibly silly concept to me.

            “Two tickets,” some guy, whom I assumed was a scalper, with no front teeth said to me as I walked by. If I was going to buy these stupid tickets I wanted to do it from someone with teeth. I felt like I was doing a drug deal or something. After walking by at least three more toothless men, I found a decent looking guy with decent seats.

            “One hundred twenty dollars,” he barked at me, making me jump a little. I grabbed my wallet out of my purse and pulled out the bills Emma and I had stuffed in there the night before. I handed him what he asked for, took my tickets and speed-walked back in the general direction of where I had come from. I pulled out my phone on the way and called Emma, trying to see where she ended up.

            “Did you get them?!” she shrieked into the phone without even saying hello. People were running everywhere and some guy had a Penguins flag he was running around the parking lots with. He ran up to me and gave me a high five upon seeing my Crosby jersey. “Avery!? Don’t ignore me!” she yelled. Every time we’re put into a stressful situation, she basically has a freak out and starts getting nervous.

            “Calm down,” I reasoned with her. “I just had to high five some guy, and yes, I got the tickets.”

            “But you didn’t high five me!?” she shrieked, on the verge of hysteria.

            I was not doing this now. “Emma, I’m talking to you on the phone. I can’t high five you. I’m going to go wait for you in front of the entrance,” and with that, I hung up on her before she could complain some more.

            I stood there with our tickets, waiting for Emma, being jostled around by Hurricane fans and getting booed by complete strangers when I finally wondered why I was standing here in unseasonably humid weather waiting for my psycho friend. Yeah I wanted to be here and I wanted to see this game, but really? I could have just waited for Sidney to get home and accept the fact that he has some crazy pregame ritual. Just as I was about to start off to find the car and leave, having wasted one hundred and twenty dollars on tickets, Emma grabbed my arm from behind.

            “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” she snapped at me before pulling me back in line to get inside. Just looking at her reminded me of why I was here. She hadn’t convinced me to come down here; I had done it out of my own free will. I wanted to see Sidney and I wanted him to accept that I was going to be with him the rest of the playoffs. I wanted him to know that what I was feeling for him was more than just a fling. I didn’t do flings in the first place, but if I had to pick anyone to have a fling with, it’d be him.

            “Thanks Em,” I said, turning around to face the arena with her. We kept each other in line. I kept her from doing stupid things and she kept me from being a prude. For that, I love her.

            “Now where are our seats?” she asked, still slightly hysterical.

            “Well, I think they’re up near the top. At least that’s what the scalper said,” I reiterated, glancing down at the tickets in my hand that each had a picture of Eric Staal on them. I’d much rather have ones with Sidney on them, but beggars can’t be choosers. I shifted the tickets in my hand and shuffled forward in line.

            There were some crazy metal detectors inside the doors. It was like going through airport security. Who would want to bomb a hockey game? It’s only Raleigh anyway. They made us do the whole thing where you take everything out of your pockets, stick it in bins and shove it through an X-ray machine. I’ve never quite known what those things were called.

            On the other side of the metal detectors, some guy was handing out free towels that said “Woooo!” on one side accompanied by a Hurricane’s logo. He half-heartedly extended his arm to me to wordlessly ask if I wanted a towel. I shook my head no and kept walking.

            “Are they free?” I heard Emma ask when I was two or three paces ahead of her. I turned around to see her looking excited at the prospect of getting something for free. I stared at her like she was crazy and turned around, not wanting to be associated.

            “Avery look! I got a free towel!” she called after me as I began walking around the arena looking for our section. “Wait, look!” she yelled, waving the towel at me when I turned around to look at her. I couldn’t help but smile at her cheap self.

            We once went to the movies and she ordered a small popcorn. The guy working the counter asked her is she wanted to make it a large. Her reply? If you do it for free. He shrugged his shoulders and gave her a large popcorn for the price of a small. She wouldn’t let me have any of it.

            “I see it Emma, now let’s go find our seats,” I said, linking my arm through hers and guiding her around the curving arena. After walking up two more flights of stairs, we reached section 316, at the top of the arena, a little above the suites.

            “Let’s go down to the ice before all the players go back into the locker room,” Emma said, starting to walk away towards the stairs down. I grabbed her arm before she could get very far.

            “No, let’s stay here,” I said, sitting down and watching Sidney from afar.

            “But don’t you want to see the look on Sidney’s face when he knows you’re here?” she questioned, taking a step back towards me. I know she wanted to go down to the ice, and I was tempted to tell her to just go by herself.

            “I don’t want to freak him out and then have him do a shit job,” I stated, pulling her down into the chair next to mine. She seemed to understand, but sat there sulking until the game started, then it was a different story. She was standing and screaming and yelling at Carolina fans all before the Penguins even scored a goal.

The first goal of the game was scored by Matt Cullen of the Hurricanes, which shut Emma up pretty quickly, but only until Geno scored about two minutes later on a power play. She was up and screaming after that, and even got popcorn thrown on us at one point. Sure, I yelled when Geno scored, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never yelled louder in my life than when Sidney scored late in the first period to put them up 2-1.

            Pregame curse. Psh.

            The rest of the game seemed to crawl by. I just wanted it to be over and the Penguins to be 3-0 in the series, so I could go down and wait outside for like all the other creepy stalker people.

            The final horn sounded with a score of 6-2. I felt kind of bad for the Hurricanes, but not really. I wanted the Penguins to win the Stanley freaking Cup, and if barreling over the Hurricanes meant winning the cup, I was all for it. I looked at Emma who was red in the face and could barely talk. This is the definition of playoff hockey: driving 12 hours to see your favorite team pummel another, not being able to talk after said pummeling and waiting for the players after the game is over.

            “Let’s go Em,” I said, walking down the stairs towards the ice where Sidney was doing an interview with a blonde lady. I practically sprinted all the way down. If I could let him see me, maybe I wouldn’t have to stand in the heat and wait for him. Maybe he would pull me back into the locker room and give me a passionate kiss. I was just hoping I wouldn’t have to stand outside, and if he kissed me, that would just be a plus.

            I got all the way down there, just as he was finishing the interview. He glanced up at the people crowded around the entrance to the locker room to give them all high fives. When he got to Emma, who was panting, and myself, he paused for a second to try and take in the fact that I was standing there in front of him with my best friend. His eyes said it all. How are you here?

            “I’ll be right back,” he said only loud enough for me to hear before continuing on into the locker room.

            I looked after him and breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until that point, but just hearing him speak, and without an angry edge to his voice, made me relax. I stepped away from the railing and slouched down into the nearest chair to wait for him to come back.

            The kids that were crowded around began to disperse and Emma and I were left alone before long. None of the workers tried to clear us out; they just cleaned around us, and after what seemed like an eternity, Sidney emerged from the locker room without his pads and skates on.

            I didn’t get up. I was drained, emotionally and physically. Believe it or not, driving 5 hours, and screaming for your boyfriend who may or may not be mad at you is exhausting. He walked up the few stairs to me and pulled me out of my chair into a soft, sweaty hug before kissing me, like I was hoping for.

            “Pregame superstitions are dumb,” he said, resting his head on top of mine and wrapping his arms around my waist.

            I rested my head on his chest and breathed in the smell of dirt, sweat and water; not my favorite smell, but right then and there, it was. Everything felt so right. It felt like I was supposed to be there right then and there hugging him with Emma passed out asleep on the chair next to us. Everything was falling into place.

            “I love you,” I said softly, tightening my grip around his lean waist. He backed away for a second, and I thought he was going to run from the look in his eye, but instead, he surprised me and swept me off my feet, literally.

            “I’ve been waiting for you to say that for the longest time,” he said, looking at me with piercing eyes. I couldn’t help but look away and blush.

            “How long?” I asked breathlessly.

            “Since the day we went paint shopping,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Ever since I we went on that incline. Ever since we went to that coffee shop. You’ve always been what I want.”

            “Then why haven’t you said anything?” I asked, slightly ticked at him, even though he was holding me in the most romantic way possible.

            “If I said something first, you would have run. You would have been gone the next day and I wouldn’t have ever heard from you again. I needed to wait for you, and that’s what I did. Because I love you, Avery Jones,” he said kissing me. I reached up and pulled his head down closer to me. One hand around his neck keeping me from falling, and one in his sweaty hair. All I wanted was him at that moment. I wanted everything he had to offer, but he leaned back, forcing me out of the kiss, and leaving me wanting more.

            “And I also needed an interior designer,” he said, lowering me back towards the ground and lightly setting me on my feet. “If you had run, I’d have been left with an ugly house.”

            “Oh shut up,” I said, smacking him across the bicep.

            “Hurt your hand?” he asked me with a playful tone before leaning down to kiss me quickly. “I need to go. I told everyone I’d be back in five minutes. I’m pretty sure it’s been longer than that,” he stated, backing down the stairs towards the locker room. “I love you,” he said, a grin spreading across his boyish face. I was grinning myself. I couldn’t help it. I had a boyfriend I loved, and he loved me back. “On second thought,” he said, like he had just come up with it, “Come with me.”

            When I hesitated and looked back at Emma asleep in her chair, he came back up to me. “It’ll be quick. She’ll never know you’re gone.”

            “Okay, fine,” I said warmly, taking his warm hand in my cold one and walking down towards the locker room. “We’re going into the locker room?” I asked skeptically once we reached the door.

            “Yeah, don’t worry,” he breathed into my ear, making me melt, and putting me at his will. His breath on my ear had around the same effect as me having six drinks in an hour and a half. I was intoxicated.

            “Okay,” I managed before he opened the door for me and lead me through. Reporters were everywhere and once they saw I was holding hands with one Sidney Crosby, they were all around us.

            “Sidney! Sidney! Who is she!?” one reporter screamed at him, holding out a tape recorder.

            “Let me make a general announcement,” he began, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me towards him. I put my hand on his chest like those picture perfect couples do. “This girl, Avery Jones, is my girlfriend,” he said leaning down to kiss me softly. Flashbulbs went off all around me, but I couldn’t have cared less. Sidney was all that mattered to me at that moment; my world. He pulled away and looked at me with those hazel eyes. “I love you,” he breathed, intoxicating me again. That was the third time he’d said it in the last fifteen minutes, and every time, it was like the first time all over again. I was soaring, and miracle of all miracles, I loved him.

Chapter fourteen

            My apartment seemed like a barren wasteland when I walked through the door a few days after our curtain adventure. I hadn’t been there in so long, everything had a thin layer of dust on it. I spent the majority of my time with Sidney or at his house, that now, my apartment looked abandoned. I threw my keys down on the hall table, dislodging a pile of dust from its new residence. I walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch only to have more dust particles scatter around me. I grabbed the remote and flicked the TV on, to see Sidney’s face stare back at me. Oh, FSN. It made my insides go kind of gooey even though it was just the TV, and a picture at that. Is this what I’ve been reduced to? One of those girls that gets excited when I see my boyfriend’s face?

            Before I could think about it too much, I heard a knock at the door. Who the hell knows I’m here? For all my neighbors know, I’m dead. It’s not like I’ve been here.

Emma, of course.

            “How’d you know I was here?” I questioned as I stepped back to let her in my apartment.

            “God, have you cleaned?” she asked accusingly, swiping a finger across my kitchen counter.

            “I haven’t been here in a few days. Now how’d you know I was here?” I asked, cocking one hip out and crossing my arms across my chest before leaning on the counter. It was pretty dusty…

           

            “Oh, you know. I asked your neighbor, Paul? Is that his name?” I nodded as if to say, continue. “Yeah. I asked him to call me when you came home. I’m pretty sure he thought he would get a date out of it,” she finished, opening my fridge and helping herself to a can of Coke. She’s unbelievable. I just shook my head, knowing she meant well. I mean, what friend asks your neighbor to stalk you for them? Only Emma.

            “Thanks for your concern?” I said it like a question, as I pushed myself off the counter and walked over to the fridge, grabbing a coke for myself.

            “So tell me,” Emma started, drawing out every syllable for emphasis. “Where have you been?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at me over her coke. I just couldn’t lie to her, and even if I did, she’d know I was lying. I could feel my face turning red, and averting her gaze, looked down at the floor.

            “Sidney’s,” I mumbled, almost inaudibly, but she heard. Oh, she heard me. She took a sharp intake of breath before attacking me with inquiries.

            “Sidney’s!?” she screeched at me. The anger I assumed she would have didn’t seem to be there, and instead, she seemed almost excited. “What did you do there? Have you really been there this whole time? How is he in bed?”

            “Emma!” I managed, giving her an incredulous stare and a slight smile. Always so subtle when she wants to know something.

            “What? I want to know!” she said, sitting down at my bar and crossing her legs before smoothing her pencil skirt out.

            “He’s, well, he’s amazing,” I said, pulling at a piece of hair and twirling it around my finger absently, then examining it for split ends. I was doing anything to avoid her eyes; they cut like knives.

            “I KNEW IT! He just looks like he would be amazing…” she said, sounding like she was struggling for words to continue. “You know,” she stated, winking at me and gesturing wildly around her head.

            I just nodded and smiled, gazing around at my dusty apartment before heading back into the family room where FSN, and Sidney were still on, advertising his game in Raleigh, game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Emma followed me, Coke in hand.

            “So is he strong?” she asked, and I knew what she was referring to.

            “Em, I’m not going to discuss my sex life with you,” I said defensively, plopping down on the couch. Emma took her usual seat in my recliner and just looked at me. I’m going to tell her eventually. I’m one of those people that tells everyone everything that happens to me. Well, maybe not everyone, just my good friends.

            “You’ll tell me when you’re ready,” she stated blankly before turning to look at the TV. We sat in silence for a few minutes before she broke it.

            “So why aren’t you at his house now?” she asked, turning back towards me in her chair and leaning over her legs.

            “He went to Raleigh.”

            “Ah! How could I forget? I’ve been waiting to watch this game forever! I want them to sweep. I think they’ll sweep,” she said, going off into hockey mode Emma, but coming back to nosey mode Emma quicker than I would have liked.

            “So why didn’t you go with him?” she prodded, and just for emphasis, actually prodded me.

            I didn’t want to talk about it. Not with her, not with anyone. Sidney made me mad when it came to these playoff games. I wanted to punch him in the face at times. I know he meant well, but just the way he did it pissed me off, like he was the almighty hockey player and I was just his interior designer slash girlfriend on the side.

-

“Hey, why don’t I go with you to Raleigh?” I had asked him the previous night, acting on a whim and leaning into him, causing him to stop his packing and kiss me.

            “Eh, I’m not too…” he paused to let out a soft content moan. “Sure about that.”

            “Why not?” I questioned, taking a step back and looking at him. His hands were still resting on my lower back and they were slowly working their way around my waist to pull me closer to him. I dug my heels into his white burber carpet and resisted any forward movement towards him.

            I thought I was making great progress, opening up to him, and now, I wanted to go to Raleigh with him, but he basically shot me down. I wanted to cry and pout and make him let me go with him, but I never won any battles if it involved arguing with him.

            “I just don’t think it would go well with my preseason routine…” he stated lamely, shrugging his shoulders and smiling a little.

            “Alright, whatever,” I said, backing away and raising my hands. “Whatever you want Sidney.”

            “No, Aves, come here,” he said, dropping the oversized suits he had in his hand and covering the space between us with two strides. “Look, I really want you to come.” I shot him a look and he continued. “Really, I do. You’re just going to have to believe me when I say that I would really like you there.”

            “Then let me come.”

            “I can’t. I’m almost done with the season. Just wait a few more weeks and you’ll have me all to yourself. I promise,” he said, kissing the tip of my nose.

            I just stood there, pretending to be enthusiastic about the fact that in a few weeks he would be mine. I wanted him now. I was consumed in him. There was no other way to explain it.

            “Okay,” I said, trying to mask the sourness in my voice.

-

            “I don’t want to talk about,” I replied, glaring at her.

            “Come on,” Emma whined like a four year old, oblivious that I didn’t want to tell her anything. “Tell me.”

            “He didn’t want me to go to Raleigh with him,” I said bluntly, getting up from the couch and walking back into the kitchen to get a beer. This is why I never dated before Sidney.

            Emma’s mouth was hanging open and I could pretty much see her tonsils, which, call me crazy, I did not want to see.

            “Close your mouth,” I snapped at her before taking a swig of my beer and feeling my head rush a little when I turned back to the fridge.

            “You don’t seem happy,” she stated, flipping the channels on my TV nonchalantly.

            “No shit I’m not happy. My freaking boyfriend didn’t want me to go with him on a road trip. A ROAD TRIP. That pretty much screams hey, let’s just have sex the whole time,” I said with a raised tone. I couldn’t remember the last time I was so mad. And the reason I was so mad?

            “I fucking love him Emma, and he acts like this is nothing. Here I am, pouring out my heart and soul to this guy, and getting nothing in return when I offer to go with him on a road trip.”

            She was up off the couch and at my side before I could blink. I knew she’d be there for me when I needed her. “Does he know… you, you know, love him?” she asked, sitting at the bar and looking at me with her ever-knowing eyes. I shook my head at her and just lowered my head, feeling sorry for myself.

            “Well, you know what this means don’t you?” she asked me with a hint of adventure to her voice. I knew this wouldn’t end well.

            “No, Emma, I don’t know what this means, but I’m sure you’ll tell me anyway,” I said with no enthusiasm.

            “It sounds like we need to go on a road trip of our own.”

so, question

So this may sound slightly dumb... but I've been kind of writing this story on the side, and it's not about Sidney. Shocker. I keep debating whether I should post it or not... I personally like it a lot, but I'm not sure if you, the audience, will.

It's about two families that go on a family vacation together in Charleston, and some... interesting things happen with the parents' kids.

So feedback? Let me know.

Chapter twelve

You know when you wake up, but you don't open your eyes because you have to pee or something like that, and you're willing yourself to just go back to sleep for five more minutes? That was the exact feeling I got when I woke up the next morning at Sidney's house, not because I had to pee, but because I couldn't believe that what happened yesterday, and last night, was tangible.

I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck and his arm was wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him. I turned over to look at his peaceful face. As I moved, he let out a small sigh and I snuggled even closer to him.

"Good morning," he mumbled into my hair which I'm sure was a sweaty mess. I brought my hand up to feel the frizziness that is my hair. I couldn't have looked decent, let alone smelled it. He smiled, probably at my facial expression when I thought about my personal hygiene. "You look fine," he said, reading my mind.

"I don't, but thanks," I said, smiling into his lips as he leaned in to kiss me. "We need to do something constructive today," I said, looking into those mesmerizing hazel eyes of his. "All we did yesterday was get a couch and then come back here..."

"What was wrong with that?" he asked, a little smile playing across his lips. "I liked what we did yesterday."

"I'm sure you did," I said sarcastically. “Now, when’s your practice?”

“Avery stop. I’m not telling you, because then you’ll plan everything around it and go back behind your walls. Just lay here with me for awhile.”

“But Sidney we-“ I managed to get out before he kissed me.

“Shut up Aves. You’re lying naked in a bed with me, so stop talking business for a second.” I closed my mouth, knowing I was going to lose the battle, and just snuggled into his chest.

-

Around noon, I got his lazy ass up and out of bed and to the hardware store with me. Turns out he didn’t even have practice that day; he was just trying to get me to stay in bed with him. We were wandering down the curtain/blinds aisle looking at all the different types of window coverings. My hand was intertwined in his and we were walking with a kind of drunken lilt, possibly love drunk, and he kept pressing kisses into my ear which made me giggle.

There was something happening to me and I could feel it. The more I opened myself up to Sidney, the happier I was and the more I seemed to laugh at anything that happened. Telling him about my dad and my past was surprisingly cleansing. Things I used to find stupid, like hockey, were now fun and exciting. I guess I could personally thank him for that one. He did drag me to practice all the time and a few games every once and a while.

“What about this for the bedroom?” I asked him, pointing at some white canvas Roman shades. “And you wouldn’t need any curtains or anything if you didn’t want them. They go fine by themselves.”

“I like them,” he said, stepping forward to feel them.

“Okay good, because you would have been getting them regardless,” I replied, grabbing three off the shelf for his room. “Now, onto the lighting!” The weirdest thing happened then. I skipped. I actually skipped off down the aisle with Sidney running after me calling my name. I couldn’t remember the last time I skipped. Probably sometime in high school, but who cares, skipping has an amazing feeling.

“Avery!” Sidney called with hid girly giggle mixed in. “Slow down!” I had broken into a run when he called my name and I was laughing uncontrollably. There’s this domino effect that always happens to me; once I get going, I can’t stop, but at the end of the aisle, I did stop. Only to catch my breath and lean against the display of neon signs, one of which was a Penguins logo. Sidney was a few seconds behind me, but when he reached me, an idea came to me.

“Look!” I yelled, pointing at the sign. “You need that for your house.” He gave me a skeptical look. “No really! I’m not kidding. Well, I kind of was, but you should get it.”

“Aves, are you alright?” he asked me, a smile dancing across his lips as he leaned down to wrap his arms around me and pick me up from my position leaning against the wall.

“Yeah,” I managed between giggles. “Carry me?” I asked like a little kid, wrapping my arms around his neck and making like I was going to jump into his arms. His eyes were dancing as he leaned down to sweep my feet out from underneath me and within seconds, my face was inches from his. I studied his features for a minute while I calmed myself down so I could breathe.

“Kiss me,” I whispered, once I had caught my breath. His eyes lit up and I could feel his heartbeat quicken as he closed the few inches between us with his lips and my breath was taken from me once again.

long time no write

I didn't realize just how long it had been since I last posted an update until I checked the blog this morning while doing AP Biology Outlines... School is a week away, eeek. But don't worry! There is another update in the works; I just can't concentrate with all this biology crap swirling around in my head. Once school starts and things calm down, I'll start posting again, but until then, leave me comments and feedback! (And don't unsubscribe.) (:

-jenna

Chapter eleven

"Alright. We really need to come to a decision," I stated, looking at two couches sitting in front of us. I was getting impatient and he seemed oblivious.

"I can't decide..." he said, looking first at the beige leather couch, and then at the worn brown couch. Personally? I'd pick the brown one. It just looked so much more comfortable and homey.

"Get the brown," I snapped at him, shifting my weight from my left leg to my right leg. My feet were starting to hurt.

"Hmm..." was his only reply.

"Get the damn couch Sidney and stop being a jackass!" I whisper-screamed at him. "You know I get impatient, and yet you sit here and pretend to contemplate which couch to get. The girly one, or the manly bachelor pad one." He turned to me and flashed his melt-me-in-a-puddle-on-the-floor smile.

"You know I'm kidding."

"I know," I admitted, calmer now, all because of a smile.

"So stop worrying I'll get the one you hate, because we both know I'm going to get the brown one." I sighed in relief. I really actually, for a second, thought he was going to get the one I'd see in my mother's house. Not to say my mom doesn't have style, because that's where I got mine from, but her style is just... older.

"God, I feel like I'm buying furniture for a house we're buying together. You know? 'Honey, do you like this one?' That crap," I said, feeling a pillow as I walked by on our way to the beds. What I had just said didn't really register until it was already out of my mouth.

"So you want to buy a house with me?" he asked me with a grin on his face, while he looked at the price tag on a coffee table.

"No. That's not what I said," I stammered, still walking towards my destination.

"That's what it sounded like."

"It's not what I meant."

"So you'd never buy a house with me?" he asked, coming up beside me now and wrapping his arm around my waist. I wanted to wriggle free and say, 'Never in your dreams', but this boy? He's almost magical.

"Well, maybe if you could grow a beard."

"Ouch. That one stung," he whispered in my ear. "You'll pay for that one later."

"Should I be scared?" I asked, leaning into him only the slightest.

"Very," he stated, his lips on my ear. This was getting to be too much. I shrugged his arm off me and skipped over to a fluffy bed. When I turned back around, he looked like a little kid who just had candy taken away from him, head hung low, but when he brought his head back up, he was smiling, trying to disguise his disappointment. Don't get me wrong, I wanted him so badly, but there's always this... thing, holding me back whenever I meet a decent guy.

"Sorry..." I said, trailing off, fingering the edge of the down comforter in had between my hands.

"Why do you always do that Avery?" he asked, a hint of annoyance to his voice.

"I don't know," I lied.

"You know," he said, taking a step towards me, filling the gap. "You know perfectly well what's holding you back."

"It's not you," I said slowly, thinking about how I was going to say this.

"You wouldn't be standing here if it was me," he said, wrapping me up in a hug. "You'd have already run away if it was me."

"It's just, my dad was sort of not in the picture when I was growing up. He struggled with all sorts of addictions, was in and out of rehab, and was just not a very happy or nice person in general. I don't know. It's messed me up," I said. I could feel the tears leaking out of my eyes, staining his shirt.

"Avery, that was a long time ago. You're not there. He's not here."

"I know you're going to tell me that I need to get over it and move on with my life, but it's not that easy," I stammer, trying to pull away from him, but he keeps me where I am. I can't believe we're doing this in the middle of a furniture store where people are staring and scrutinizing Sidney's every move. Every time he touches me, I can almost hear a collective gasp coming from the staff.

"It'll always be a part of you," he said, kissing the top of my head. "How you handle it is the test."

"That's why I have Emma," I stated. "Most people think she's bad for me, but she's exactly what I need. She's my exact opposite," I paused to think about my next words. "And now I have you."

"Don't worry Aves, I'm not a drug addict, I promise," he said with a smile, as I leaned away to look at him. "Let me all the way in Avery. Let me be what you need."

"You're closer than you think," I whispered, feeling my walls crash down around me as he leaned in to kiss me.
----
I have a feeling that stupid brown couch will be used for nothing other than making out. Seriously, we got the dumb thing through the door, more like Sidney heaved it through and I watched and made sure nothing broke, and the second we sat down, we were going at it like high schoolers. After our little talk in the furniture store, I felt so much closer to him in every way possible, and apparently making out is a good way to show this.

"Sidney," I moaned, feeling his hand make its way up my back. My shirt was on the ground next to his on the wood floor. He was kneeling on the couch over me, using one hand to prop himself up.

"Mmm?" was his response.

"Should we be doing this here? On your brand new couch?" I managed between his lips. He pulled away for a second before answering.

"Just think of it as breaking it in," he said, reaching for my pants, and for once, I didn't stop him.

Chapter ten and a half

Because the last one was so short. :)

“Hey, Em, what about this one?” I asked her, holding up a sweater the next day in J. Crew.

“What the hell Aves, are you trying to look like a grandma? Because if so, you are so far succeeding,” she stated bluntly before turned back around to the rack of pants she was inspecting seconds ago. I’m sure even the pants cringed at the way she just attacked that argyle sweater.

Shopping with Emma, always an experience. I can always count on her for her brutal honesty, even if it makes little kids cry. The way she describes the clothes, is, for lack of a better word, redic.

“What about…” I started, picking up another sweater, my new fetish, but before I could even finish, she looked at the sweater, ripped it out of my hand and threw it back on the table.

“Avery, you’re twenty-freaking-four. Just because sweaters are comfortable doesn’t mean you have to buy every single one you see for God’s sake,” she lectured, picking up a lumpy oatmeal colored cardigan for emphasis. “Go, look over there at the brightly colored things. You need some spice in your life.”

“And neon colored sweaters will provide said spice for me?” I questioned dumbly, walking blindly in the direction she pointed, knocking over a rack of graphic tees on my way.

“It possibly could,” she stated, and then paused before continuing. “If Crosby isn’t doing the trick, that is.”

I stopped looking at the traffic-director neon orange sweater that was staring back at me and looked over in her direction. Did she really just say that? Someone’s a little bitchy today, aren’t they? I wasn’t sure how to respond. She was still staring at the rack of blazers in front of her and didn’t seem to think anything of what she just said.

“Uh, actually,” I started, getting ready to tell her about yesterday.

“I knew it!” she yelled in my direction, but I’m pretty sure the saleswoman a few feet away thought she was yelling at her, and looked up alarmed, and actually quite scared. “He’s not as great as you thought he’d be, right, right?! I’ve heard that’s how all hockey players are,” she stated, quite loudly, so before she could finish her sentence with what I knew was coming next, I towed her outside the store, throwing my bubblegum pink cardigan on the floor on the way.

“Shh, Em, stop,” I pleaded as we got outside.

“He’s not good in the bedroom,” she said triumphantly, a silly grin on her face.

As much as I wanted to agree with her and nod my head yes, make her think she’s right, I just couldn’t. I glanced down at the ground and then back up to her. Her smile faltered.

“Wait,” she started slowly. “You’ve slept with him?” she asked in almost a whisper.

“No, no, Emma, I haven’t, honestly, it’s just, we came kind of close yesterday, and I really, really like him, and I feel like I’m myself with him, even though I know that’s so ridiculously cheesy and corny, it’s true,” I said breathlessly, my breathing a little heavier.

“Okay,” she said after what seemed like, 6 hours of waiting for a response. “You’re my best friend. So what if you’re dating my hockey idol, I should be thrilled. I’m sorry I’m such a selfish bitch,” she said with a slight smile. “I’ll try and keep myself in check from now on.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” I said, giving her a hug. “To keep your ass from doing something stupid.”

“Thanks girl,” she said, returning the gesture. “I feel really bad that I just called out your boyfriend… I’ll buy you a sweater!” she said with more enthusiasm than a little kid going to get candy.

“Oh, what about thi-“ I began once we got back in the store, but Emma slapped my hand away from the yellow cardigan I was reaching for.

“Do you want to look like Big Bird?” she snapped at me. “Just go stand in the corner while I get you something decent.”

“Fine. Way to be a pushy bitch.”

“Oh, now I’m a bitch?” she asked with a smile, picking up something with her back to me.

“Yes, you are,” I stated blankly.

“When it comes to what you’re wearing and what you’ll be wearing in public with me bitch, I don’t care how pushy I have to be to get you in something decent.”

Chapter ten

So Cephalaspidomorphi got pretty boring, pretty fast.
This chapter's pretty short, but whatever. I got a chapter done. :)


“Sidney, stop,” I giggled, his lips pressed against my neck “I thought you wanted me to do the…” I paused, gasping slightly as he slid his hand under the back of my shirt. “furniture,” I finished, finding my words again.

“In a minute,” he mumbled pulling me even closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist, and pulling me towards the couch.

I turned my head away from his lips, but that didn’t deter him. They found my hair as he pulled me down onto the couch with him. “Alright, stop,” I said, sitting up and away from him, my steel wall going back up.

This is how it had been the past few days. He’d call me and tell me he needed help with some random thing around his house, but when I’d get there, he’d greet me at the door with kisses, which would then migrate to the couch, where I’d get angry and sit up, serious again. I’m not sure why I always said yes to helping him. Maybe because I always thought there’d actually be something to do, and I can never say no to a job, or maybe because I just can’t resist that cute Canadian accent.

“Stop Sidney,” I snapped, swatting his hand away from my arm when he reached up to pull me back down to him. I usually gave in, but I wasn’t in the best mood.

“Come on Aves,” he started. “Look, you wanted furniture, we’re sitting on it.”

“I hate this couch.” I paused, thinking. “I hate when you do this to me.”

He feigned confusion and asked, “Do what?” A slight smile crept over his lips.

“You know I can’t say no to you. So you call me, all frantic, acting like you actually care about what your house looks like, when all you really care about is making out with me,” I stated, huffily, crossing my arms.

“You want to go look at furniture?” he asked me, unfolding my arms, and pulling me back down onto his chest. I rested my head on its side, listening to his heart beat rhythmically in his chest, and nodded against him, but I didn’t move. I stayed in that position for at least ten minutes, just listening to his heart beat, his arms wrapped around my back.

“Actually, on second thought, let’s not look at furniture,” I whispered, closing my eyes and letting his heart beat take me away.

I woke up in the same spot I fell asleep in; lying on Sidney’s chest, one of his hands in my hair. I raised my head and glanced at his face. His eyes were closed and his breathing was rhythmic. Did I really just fall asleep on Sidney Crosby? Oh God. I sat up quickly, waking him up as I did so. He looked up at me with a slightly confused look on his face before he remembered what I was doing there.

“Hey,” he said, sitting up with me, so I was straddling his torso, my arms around his neck.

“Hey yourself,” I replied, kissing his stubbly cheek. I ran my hand across his cheek. “You need to shave. Or are you already starting your beard for the playoffs?” I asked him with a smile.

“Ha ha, you’re so funny,” he mocked, returning the kiss, but on my lips.

“I saw that ‘beard’ from last year,” I said, making sure to put air quotes around beard for emphasis. “Pretty pathetic.”

“Hey. Watch yourself,” he said, eyeing me with a look I couldn’t quite figure out.

“Or what?” I asked, getting up from his lap, but before I could walk towards the kitchen, my destination of choice, I felt a little tap on my butt. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to look at him. He had a cheesy grin plastered on his face, like a little kid who’s trying not to laugh.

“What was that?” I asked, pivoting around completely to face him, and putting one hand on my hip.

“Just letting you know who’s boss,” he stated, getting up from the couch and taking a step to fill the gap between us.

“Boss of what?” I asked sarcastically. “You can’t even grow a beard,” I stated with a smug smile dancing across my lips.

“Now you’re asking for it,” he said, pulling me back down on top of him on the couch.

His touch ignited something in me. Something I had never really felt before. This feeling? I wanted him so badly it wasn’t even funny. My hands were wandering under his shirt, but I could feel some hesitation on his part; almost as if he was holding back.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, breathlessly, pulling away from him for a second to take in his face. Confusion mixed with excitement, a combination I had never seen before.

“Who are you? And what have you done with Avery?” he asked with a smile. I blushed and looked down at my disheveled shirt that revealed part of my bra. I quickly fixed it and sat up straighter. “Oh, there she is…” he said, trailing off, his smile fading. “You really need to work on having fun,” he stated, kissing my neck.

“I know,” was all I could muster, because really? He’s right. I’m boring, and all I do is work. But with him? For some reason, he makes me feel like I can be myself, as cheap and Hallmark-greeting-card-like as that sounds, it’s true.

good gracious

So I just got back from Maine, and first off, let me say, it was probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life. Everything was so unspoiled and perfect.

Now, down to business. School is creeping closer (September 8th) and I have schoolwork to do that includes reading 3 books, creating 2 biology charts, doing 5 chapter summaries, 250 vocab words and a paper. I haven't done any of it yet, so please, don't think I'm neglecting you, it's just that I have to do well in school this year (I'm taking 2 AP classes) if I want to go to a decent college, and by decent, I mean somewhere along the lines of UVA, or Virginia Tech, maybe even Carnegie Mellon.

I also have to work to pay for the car I just bought, and sometime in the near future, I'm going to need a laptop, preferably a Mac, which is ridiculously expensive. Sorry, but all these things take priority.

Bottom line, don't be angry if updates are far and few, I still love you all. If you really want, read the last chapter and give me suggestions for what I should write, I always take them into consideration when writing. :)

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your summer, and maybe look for an update within the next few weeks. (I know I just rambled on for what must seem like days.) <3

Chapter nine

I wanted to get an update in before I leave for Maine on Wednesday. I can't make any promises, but I'll try to update it again before that. I'm going to be gone for a week and a half, so I apologize now for the lack of updates to come. Enjoy!



I was sitting outside the locker room after Sidney’s practice, still wondering if Emma was actually not okay with me and Sidney, or if she was just being dramatic, when a guy, on the short side, walked out of the door with what looked like skater shoes on. Really? A hockey player wearing skate shoes? I hadn’t worn those since 6th grade. He stopped to inspect me for a second before speaking.

“You must be Avery,” he said holding out his hand to me. I shook it warily as he sat down next to me. “I’m Tyler. Tyler Kennedy.”

“You know me?”

“Well, no,” he admitted. “But Tanger’s been going on about how Sid’s got a girl,” he said with a smile. “I figured I had to see this one for myself.” I gave him a look and he stuttered a little. “No! I mean, I wasn’t looking for you. I found you. And introduced myself, and now I’m sitting here…” he trailed off and turned the slightest shade of pink.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Tyler,” I said with a smile. A smile. I actually smiled around someone who wasn’t Sidney or Emma. A miracle. His honest innocence made me grin.

“Nice to meet you too Avery,” he said standing up from my bench. “If things don’t work out with Sid, call me,” he said with a somewhat serious smile. I laughed at his lame joke, not out of pity, but because I actually thought it was funny; he’s funny. “I’ll see you around I’m sure.” And with that, he walked down the hallway, outside and probably to his car.

Not five minutes later, Sidney walked out of the locker room, hair gelled down to the point where I thought it might get pulled out at the roots, and smiled at me. I got up off of my bench, which was beginning to hurt my back, and made my way over to him. The closer I got, the more I could smell the scent of shampoo and cologne lingering on his skin. God help me in my time of weakness. I mean, what is this feeling? Desire? I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing it.

“Ready?” he asked, placing a hand on the small of my back, my shell melting away.

“Yupp,” I said happily. “I met Tyler,” I stated as we walked to his car.

“Oh, TK?” Sidney asked, unlocking the doors. “He’s hilarious.”

“Seems like it,” I said, pondering my next words. “Was everyone talking about me?” I asked before I could think better of it.

“Sort of,” he said, starting the engine. “It’s big news when I bring a girl to practice.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, but I could already feel the answer.

“I don’t do it often,” he stated, looking over at me. I felt my heart pump faster in my chest, all from his gaze. “You’re different Avery. You’re not one of those girls that stalk my every move. You don’t care that I’m Sidney Crosby. You care that I’m me, and that I have an ugly house, which you, by the way, have got to fix,” he said with a smile. He took my hand I his and I laced my fingers through the spaces between his fingers, right where mine fit perfectly. “Let’s go somewhere,” he said suddenly, turning out onto the road.

“I can’t. I’m meeting Emma at Starbucks at 3,” I stated, almost sad that I was going to hang out with my best friend. Okay, now you can say I’m a bad person.

“What if a business emergency came up?” he asked me with a mischievous smile.

“Well, then I guess I’d have to reschedule my coffee.” Yes, now I’m a bad person.
-
We ended up at LazeRush after I called Emma and told her Mrs. Lamar needed work done on her bathroom and that I had to reschedule our coffee. Needless to say, she was not happy. After a few bad words and some more bipolar behavior, I was off the hook.

“Mission accomplished,” I said to Sidney as we walked into the little building that housed one of the best laser tag places around according to the sign outside.

“Good. Now get ready to be demolished,” he said with a slight growl.

“Oh, competitive much?” I asked with a hint of playfulness.

“I’m just warning you,” he stated, paying for our games and gearing up. Everything smelled of Febreeze and sweat. Lovely.

“I’ve never done this before,” I managed, wrestling with an armband that I was apparently putting on wrong.

“I’ll take it easy on you,” he said, turning the band around and sliding it onto my arm with ease. “I’m pretty much a pro.” Before I knew it, we were walking back into a big dark room with obstacles set up and Sidney was racing off in another direction. All while I comprehended this, I was shot 7 times; 2 in the chest, 3 in the arm and 2 in the leg. I wasn’t even sure where I was, let alone how to work this gun thing they gave me.

I ran behind a big fake boulder, trying to take refuge, and just as I was beginning to acclimate, someone rolled, yes rolled, into my legs. I looked down to see Sidney crawling on the ground.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at him.

“Avery, if you want to succeed, you have to play the game,” he hissed back, peering around the boulder.

“And playing the game involves rolling on a sticky dirty floor? No thank you.”

“Stop it. Stop being so serious. Get on the floor. Do it,” he said to me. I just stared at him like he was crazy. “OH GOD AVERY! DUCK!”

He scared me so much I actually got on the floor. I was convinced I’d have herpes by the time I was done in there. I didn’t know how often they cleaned those floors. They could have never cleaned them for all I knew.

“Now what?” I asked, crouched on the floor beside him.

“Just shoot at things that move,” he answered, firing his gun at someone.

“Okay…” I shot at something that was moving and heard a faint click. “Did I get him?” I asked, excited. I was excited about shooting someone in laser tag. What was my life becoming?

“Yupp, now follow me,” he said, rolling James Bond style across the floor to where he was behind another boulder.

I tried to imitate the move, but failed miserably. Very miserably. Instead of rolling behind the boulder, I rolled into it, putting a hole in it and getting shot 6 more times. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just laid there, staring at the ceiling as people kept shooting me. I felt this odd urge in the pit of my stomach, working its way up my throat and into my mouth. Before I knew it I was laughing. I was laughing at myself for how clumsy I am. I was laughing at Sidney because he was rolling around on the floor like a 6 year old, and I was laughing because I hadn’t laughed so hard in so long.

“Avery! Are you okay?” Sidney asked, concerned. He was crouched on the floor next to me, and once he realized I was laughing, not crying, he began to laugh too. “How’d you even do that?” he managed between laughing fits.

I just shook my head, unable to answer. The laughter just kept coming. There I was, on the gross disgusting floor of LazeRush, with none other than Sidney Crosby, laughing my ass off because I ran into a boulder. Yes, this was better than coffee.

Chapter eight

My lips were still tingling the next day when I woke up. That was probably one of the most magical kisses I had ever experienced in my life. I want to relive that night over and over again. I knew I had to tell Emma eventually, but a part of me wanted to keep everything that happened all to myself. I shared practically everything with that girl. Is it a crime to want to be selfish every once in a while? No.
I dragged myself out of bed and into the kitchen where I started coffee. It wasn’t until I was halfway through the crossword that I remembered I was going to Sidney’s practice today. What time was that again? I couldn’t remember anything, which was very unlike me. I got up and trudged back to my bedroom and picked up my phone. 2 missed calls. One from Emma and one from Sidney. I figured I’d call Sidney now and then Emma later, at his practice, so when she asked me if I wanted to do anything, I could say no. Call me a bad person for avoiding my best friend, but I didn’t want her in my business just yet.

“Hello?” Sidney answered after a few rings.

“Hey,” I said, twirling my hair around a finger, something I hadn’t done in a long time. Every time I talked to him, I could just feel my stiff shell fall away.

“Hey,” he said back. I could almost hear his smile.

“What’d you need?” I asked, flopping myself down on my bed.

“Just to tell you I’m coming to get you at 10 to go to practice,” he said with a slight laugh.

“Okay,” I said softly, smiling to myself. “I’ll see you then.” I flipped my phone shut and realized I was still smiling. The effects this boy had on me.
-
Once again, he was right on time and I was still rushing around putting articles of clothing on, but this time he came all the way in and sat on my couch to wait instead of standing awkwardly in the hall.

“We need to work on your time management skills,” he said with a laugh as we walked out to his car.

“I know it’s terrible,” I replied, getting in his car and shutting the door. “I’m terrible.”

“You’re not terrible, just your internal clock,” he said with a laugh as he pulled away from my building and started towards the arena.

We arrived at the arena around 10:15, only about five minutes after when we left. I never realized how close it was. I guess I just never paid attention.

“I’d start mentally preparing yourself if I were you,” he told me as we walked into the arena, his hand on the small of my back, causing electricity to jump up and down my spine.

“Why’s that?”

“I’m going to introduce you to everyone. Just prepare yourself,” he said with a smile that made me want to melt into a puddle on the ground.

“Okay,” I answered a little timidly. He lead me down hallway after hallway and soon enough I was lost, and we were at the locker room entrance. “Can I go in there?” I asked, slightly scared, for what, I’m not sure.

“Yeah. No one should be changing right now,” he said, but as he opened the door he peeked around the corner, making sure his statement was correct. I had to smile at his attempts to impress me. And for the most part, they worked. He lead me through the door into a room that reeked of sweat and blood. The first thing I saw was the bare torso of one of his teammates. Emma would be in heaven right now, which made me feel slightly guilty that I haven’t called her, but that thought was moved to the back of my head as soon as this guy spoke.

“Yo, Sid, who’s the chick?” mystery man asked with a thick French accent.

“This is Avery,” he said to his teammate. “Avery, this is Kris Letang.”

“Hi Kris,” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. I could feel my shell slowly creeping back up.

“How’d you get this girl to be seen in public with you man? Did you pay her?” he asked with a grin as he shook my hand. I couldn’t help but noticing how good looking he was.

“Good one. When was the last time you had a girl?” Sidney shot back.

“Dude, not funny. Let’s see if you get any help today in practice.”

“Whatever,” Sidney said as he lead me down another hallway to the stalls. “This, is my stall,” he said with a grand gesture at a plaque that had his name on it. Beneath it hung all his equipment including his jersey.

“Very nice,” I said, running my hand over the wood.

“I chose this wood too,” he said behind me.

I turned around to face him, a smile dancing on my lips. “Oh really, Mr. Big shot? Just like your house?”

“Just like my house,” he said, taking a step to close the gap between us. I wanted to say something witty about the type of wood it was or something like that, but then I realized that would only make me sound like a dumbass, so I let him kiss me instead. Our lips were dancing across each other until he slowly pulled back. “I’ve been wanting to do that again ever since last night,” he said his right hand on the small of my back, pulling me towards him.

“Me too,” I said, slightly breathless.

“Now, I have practice. Why don’t you sit in the stands and watch? I’ll meet you afterwards and you can meet some of the other guys,” he said with a grin.

“Alright,” I said, stiffness creeping back into my voice.

“Go through those doors and you’ll be in the arena,” he said, and thought about it for a second. “Well, the ice area. Whatever you want to call it. You’ll be in the stands. There.” I nodded, giggling at his search for the right word. I went where he directed me and found a nice seat with a good view of all the ice.

I thought about everything that happened for a moment, and decided that that was one of the most electric kisses I had ever experienced in my life. Damn him. I never feel like this. I never LET a guy make me feel like this. I also decided it was time to call Emma, and let her in on what has been happening with me and Sidney. I knew she wouldn’t be happy.

“YOU WHAT!?” she screamed at me after I told her about my date. “You fucking kissed Sidney Crosby!?” Once again, spaz.

“Yeah Em. On the incline,” I said slowly, trying to get her to calm down. Just like how she never applies common sense, she never curses. This was bad.

“You think that’s okay!? Kissing a hockey player!?” she yelled into the phone.

“Em, it was just a kiss. It’s not like I slept with the guy,” I said, slightly exasperated.

“It’s not okay!” she said, sounding defeated. “You’re going to leave me high and dry for your new and better boyfriend.”

“No I won’t Em,” I stated. “And he’s not my boyfriend.”

“You kissed him,” she snapped at me. Hypocrite much? How many guys has she kissed, even slept with, and then never bothered to call, or return their calls. More than I can name. The most memorable was Scott Clearwater, a football player for Pitt. A good-looking football player for Pitt. Emma met him at Diesel when she was wasted; surprise surprise. She literally spent the whole night with him. The next day she came to my place a hung-over mess, claiming she now hated him and he was stalking her. Turns out he was stalking her via text message and Facebook. Creeper.

“That means nothing,” I said, suddenly getting angry. “You should know all about that Em. Making out with people and never answering their calls. At least I’m still on speaking terms with Sidney.” There was a pause as she thought about what I said.

“I’m sorry Aves,” she said softly. “I shouldn’t have overreacted. I guess I’m just so used to having you around all the time.” I heard a sniffle. Oh dear God, now she’s crying. Way to go Avery. Despite the fact that I know she’s just going for the sympathy card, I can’t help but feel bad.

“Don’t-don’t cry,” I said, feeling my face screw up in an attempt to find the right words. “I didn’t mean it!” I said quickly.

“YOU DID!” she wailed in my ear.

“No, no no,” I practically yelled. “How about Starbucks? I’ll meet you for Starbucks in a few hours!” I said frantically, trying to get her calm. I feel like I’m dealing with a 6 year old more than often. I heard a sniffle.

“Okay. Come get me at 3:00,” she said cheerily. “Bye Aves!”

“Bye, Em,” I said slowly, wondering what exactly just happened. Typical Emma. Sometimes I really think she’s bipolar.