Forever and Ever;;55

I took the elevator back up to the our floor. I hoped that they all weren't back yet. No such luck. When I stepped of the elevator, there was one of the worst possible people. Aaron. He quickly saw me and came over. I hid the sweatshirt behind me and tried my best to act normal.

"Where are the guys?" I asked him.

"Downstairs at the arcade, where have you been?"

"Oh, I was just outside." I searched for my room key in my back pocket.

"What do you have there?" He pointed to the hoodie.

I heard the elevator ding, but didn't pay much attention until I felt someone tugging at my hands. Aaron mouthed something, so I turned around. Meech. He pulled the hoodie out of my hands and ran down the hallway, I ran after him and Aaron followed. Be ran down tons of rooms, and the farther we ran, the more out of breath I got. I couldn't believe I was even running, my cast wasn't giving me any problem. It felt like it was back to normal. It must have been healing well. We came up to a turn, Derek whipped right around it, as I did. I heard a 'thud' but didn't bother to look back.

I was gaining on him, a picked up my pace and was able to get ahold of his shirt. He looked down, and I jumped on his back. He bent far over to I fell right off of him. I let out a small scream before hitting the floor. That one did hurt my foot. Sharp pain started in my calve and worked its way down to my foot. "Shit." I said. "Whoa, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I'm fine." Derek sat down next to me, both of us breathing heavily. He started to unfold the sweatshirt.

"Whats the big deal, it's just a..." He stopped and looked at me. "Oh, that's why."

I shook my head, I almost felt ashamed. He tossed it on my lap and stared at me, waiting for me to say something.

"It's not mine. It's Sidney's. He wouldn't let me wear my shirt around Pittsburgh."

"Why were you with Sidney? Does Jimmy know?"

I shook me head again. "Lunch and no.."

We both sighed at the exact same time, "I didn't want it. He insisted I keep it. I don't like the Pens one bit. I'm going to tell Jimmy about us being friends, just right now is not the right time."

"I understand. It will be our little secret." He winked.

"Thanks dude, I appreciate it. I'll talk to him though."

"Good." I didn't usually talk to Meecher like this. It was nice though.

I sat up and tried not to put pressure on my foot. Derek cringed, "That's not good."

"I know, I shouldn't have been running."

I tried to help him off the floor but groaned, "You're too heavy!"

He flashed me his guns, "It's all muscle baby!" We walked back to the room together, just now realizing we lost Aaron on the way.

"When did we lose Aaron?"

"Didn't you hear that thud? We lost him at the first turn." We laughed. "That's hilarious!"

I finally made it back to my room, we ran around the whole hotel, I hurried in the door, making sure that Jimmy wasn't in the room. I tucked the hoodie in the very bottom of my suitcase, hoping Jimmy wouldn't find it til' we talked.

Now, I was off to find the guys. They were in the exact same spot Aaron said they were. The arcade. All of the guys were surrounding the Air Hockey table. I laughed, just like them. Jimmy spotted me and came over, putting his arm around me. "I was looking for you. Aaron said you were chasing Derrick around. "Yeah.." I flinched as I put to much weight on my foot. "Whoa babe, you shouldn't be running around."

"Yeah I know. I'll be fine though." I walked over to the table and payed more attention to the game. It was my dad against Draps. They took it very seriously. Whoever lost probably had to sit in the back by the toliets on the way home, or something like that. Draps was up by two goals, and there was only 1:02 left in the game. Draps slammed the disc making my dad back out of the way. "Ding!" Draps scored, sealing the deal.

A "Ohhhhh!" came from all of us and we all piled on Kris. Making him fall. I decided I would join in. I saw a flash from someones camera, it was going to be a good picture.

***

Before I knew it, it was game time. I sat in the away locker room with the rest of the guys. They all did their little quirks that they did before most games. I looked around, knowing this was it. We had been waiting for this all season. I almost wanted to be out on the ice with them, but I knew that wasn't possible. We had been waiting for this moment all year. I wanted to take it all in.

I scanned the room for Aaron. And finally found him next to the trainer. I felt like I should talk to him before he played, it usually helped.

"Aar, you better kick some ass out there tonight, or I'll be kicking yours!" I told him as I walked over.

"Uhm I'm thinking you won't have to worry about that."

We walked out to the bench, I stood next to Jimmy who was in charge of counting face offs. I placed my hand over my heart for the national anthem. I was just glad I didn't have to hear Karren Newman's voice anymore this year. Before I knew it, the first period was underway.

Forever and Ever;;54

I sat across from Ozzie on the plane, the table in between us covered with playing cards. Pavel sat to my right. Somehow they had gotten me to join in on a game of Go Fish. "You have five?" Pav asked Ozzie in his strong Russian accent. "Nope." Ozzie replied.

He threw down his cards and yelled at Ozzie, "You cheat!" Then stomped of to the back of the plane. We looked at each other for a second, then burst out laughing. Anyone who knows the game, knows you really can't 'cheat'.



By the time we were done laughing, I had tears in my eyes. I walked back to where I was sitting with Jimmy. And he looked concerned. "Why are you crying?"

"It's a good cry. Promise." He nodded and looked out with window once again.

I felt around for my phone in my pocket, which had been vibrating for about five minutes. The only person I knew of who would be calling or texting was Sidney, and I was right.

"Hey"

"Hello Sidney"

"When are you landing?"

"About 5, I think. Why?"

"I was wondering if we could meet up, get dinner or something.

"Sidney, if people on this plane knew that I was talking to you right now, they would kill me."

"Was that a yes?"

"You have a game tonight, there's no time."

"Are you forgetting I eat before game."

I sighed. "I'll call you when we get to the hotel."

"Ok."

***

When we landed in Pittsburgh it was 4:45. And when we got to the Marriot it was just past five. I called Sidney outside, not really wanted anyone to know I was talking to him before such a big game. Most of the guys were going someplace else to eat, but I "didn't feel good" and decided I would stay behind. Once I knew everyone was gone, I took out my phone and dialed Sidney's number.
"Where are you?" Was the first think he asked.
"Marriot."
"Ok, I'll be there in a few."
That was probably the shortest conversation I had ever had with him. Something was up, because he always loved to talk to me.

I walked out front, to see Sidney' Range Rover to my left. I checked to make sure that none of the guys were around, and the walked over to his car.

He gave me a one handed hug when I slid into the black leather seat.
"I missed you." He said with a smile.
"I missed you too?" I replied, awkwardly.
"I have the perfect place to eat, you'll love it."
I smiled slightly, "That's good."

On the radio I could hear people talking about tonight's game.
Sidney switched it off quickly, "Sorry."
I didn't say anything. I just looked out the window and stared at all the Pens fans walking the streets. This town loved their team. I figured that maybe today was not a good day to wear my Wings shirt.


We pulled up to some restaurant I had never heard of before.Sidney searched around in the backseat. I pulled out a sweatshirt with a Pens logo on it, and threw it in my lap. I looked at him, not sure what he was doing.
"Trust me, you don't want to go in there wearing that." He said, referring to my shirt.
I laughed, "Thanks."

We sat neer the back, trying not to draw alot of attention, but it didn't really work. Not even five minutes into the meal, a swam of girls spotted him. They got there autographs, pictures, hugs, whatever floated their boat. I sat there, kind of awkwardly, uncomfortable in this sweatshirt, as stupid as it may sound.
I played with the cuffs of the sweatshirt, trying to act like I didn't care, even if I did.
"I'm sorry about that." Sidney said, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"It's fine.."
I noticed his hands were shaking somewhat, he must have been nervous.
"Wow Sidney.."
He looked down at his hands, then placed him in his lap, not saying anything.
"I wouldn't know what you go through everyday Sid, It doesn't make me mad. I'm around it all the time."
"People expect so much out of me... they're expecting me to lead this team to the cup tonight. The pressure is crazy."
"Look around Sidney! People love you. I love you. In a friend way of course. If people love you as much as they say, they will understand Your young, and your amazing athlete. Your gunna get there. If it's tonight or not, I'm not sure."
I could tell he was listening to me. He took me seriously.
"Hey, you've made me a Pens fan... sort of?"
He laughed, "Awesome"

I looked down at my phone. It it was getting closer to game time. Sidney paid for the meal, the the gentlemen I knew he was, and we went back to the hotel.

He pulled up close to the doors, "You better hurry up, I don't want to start any problems." He laughed.

"There won't be any, they know I'm friends with you, sort of."

I began to take of his sweatshirt, until he stopped me.

"Keep it.. for now. Your coming to a Pens game soon, right?"

"Sometime next season. Sure"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

This time he gave me a full hug and kissed my cheek.

"Good luck tonight Sid. Do your best."

"I will."

I closed the car door and watched his drive away.

I looked around, making sure the coast was clear, and pulled the sweatshirt off. I would wear it sooner or later, but definitely not now.

*Ok, just an FYI, if your not understanding the story.

SHE'S NOT CHEATING ON JIMMY IN ANYWAY. Noooo. Don't feel bad for him, she'll be telling him soon. You'll have to see how he takes it. I love my Jimmy wayy to much to do that to him in the story.

She's not falling for Sidney. Nor is she blowing her own team off.

She's trying to become better friends with Sid and work things out.

She's going around secretly because some of the guys might be mad if they knew, seeing that they are facing them in the final game.

She's not becoming a major Pen's fan or any of that jazz.

She's not sneaking around really, just not sure how the team would take it.

Shes not breaking things off with Jimmy in anyway. The story is about the two of them, I'm just trying to make it interesting. No feeling bad for Jimmy, he'll understand about them being friends ;)

Questions? Just let meh know, Thankss*

Forever and Ever;;53

I sat down at the table, flipping through my menu. I didn't really have an appetite, but thought I should order anyway. Jimmy flipped through his menu, I could tell he was annoyed. Finally he looked up, but I looked away.


"What's going on?" He asked.


I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know, I don't usually feel this way."


I played with my fingers, "Tell me."


He would get it out of me like he usually did, "You're going to think it's stupid."


"No I won't."


"Well...it's just that hockey season is going to be over and I just get so weird about it. It's childish, so just forget we even talked about it."


"That's not stupid at all. But were going to have all summer with the cup, so it will


go by super fast. Promise."


I laughed, "Yeah hopefully."


"Oh and were going to New York to see my parents, at least once."


"As long as you promise we can go to Cambridge and visit my family."

"Of coarse."





Jimmy looked at his watch, we needed to be at the Detroit Metro at 2:30. It was getting close to one. Jimmy threw down thirty dollars on the table and we went back out to the car.


"We better not miss this flight Jimmy, or I'm going to kill you."


"It's not my fault if we miss it, your the one PSMing."


"Am not!"


"Are too!" He mimicked my voice.


I shook my head, "Drive faster!"


***


I sat down by Morgan on Red Bird II, thankfully Jimmy and I made it to the airport on time. Not thanks to me. It took me forever to limp around with my cast. I had practically given up on my crutches, they slowed me down.



I looked around the plane, searching for my dad. He was sitting up front, ne'er Cleary. Pav tripped me as I walked down the isle. I laughed and punched him in the shoulder.

"Pops!" I yelled, trying to get his attention. He turned around, "Yeah?'

"When are mom and El coming?"

"Later tonight, might want to check with her though."

I shook my head, and made my way back to my seat, making sure not to trip over Pavel's foot this time.

***

The plane ride went faster than usual, thanks to Morgan being there with me. We were back in Pittsburgh in no time. Thoughts of the game that brought us back here made my stomach flip. So close yet so far. I was actually pissed at Ozzie about it. He could have had that goal. But me being pissed at Ozzie wasn't going to make me any better at it. So I needed to get over it and move on. I tried to put happy thoughts in my head, like drinking out of the cup for the 3rd time. (: