Who Do You Think You Are?
chapter huit
“Only better?” John asked, with a slight frown.
“I know you can do better,” Alyssa said, reassuring John. “Now go sit down before my dad has a hernia.” John smiled, turned and sat with his team on the bench. The game was soon over, Canada winning 15 – 0.
The team was back at the hotel, the normal celebrations weren’t taking place as the boys were content with their win over Kazakhstan. They were spent to bed early, as they played again tomorrow against Germany. Alyssa was settling into bed when her phone vibrated.
Hey. I might sneak away tomorrow and go to arena. Can I meet you there? – Ty
Alyssa smiled and as she was texting a response, a knock came at the door. She turned to ask John to get it, but he was the in bathroom. Alyssa groaned, threw her phone on her bed and went to the door to see her father.
“Hey Als,” her father said, with some hesitation.
Alyssa eyed her dad, “What’s up?”
“Is there anything between you and John?”
“U-uh, no. Nothing at all. We’re cool now,” Alyssa said, lying through her teeth.
“Great, now get to sleep. We have another game tomorrow,” Pat said, before giving his daughter a hug.
Alyssa walked back into her room, to see John on her bed with her phone in hand. “John,” she growled. “Haven’t we already gone through this?”
“Who’s Ty?” John said, clearly jealous.
“A friend, who lives in Ottawa,” Alyssa said, once again, lying through her teeth.
“Oh, okay then. I’ll…uh, see you in the morning.”
Alyssa nodded and fell back onto her bed, she hated lying to people she cared about, but sometimes it was needed. She had a restless night, her dreams always played out the same scenario; having to choose between the truth and the lies. Before Alyssa knew it, it was morning and the team was getting ready to leave for the arena; Alyssa was nervous about meeting up with Tyler.
The boys were warming up by playing soccer, Alyssa joined in to keep her mind off the approaching meeting between herself and Tyler. Then, her phone started ringing. John was sitting off and he reached for her phone.
“NO!” Alyssa bellowed, sprinting over to her phone. “I got it.” John gave her a funny look, but shook it off, joining the soccer game again.
“Hello?” Alyssa said, trying to catch her breath.
“Can I say that I take your breath away?” Tyler joked.
“Not funny,” Alyssa growled.
“Point taken, do you remember the spot where we met on Friday?”
“I think. If I get lost I can just call you.”
“Great, see you in a bit.”
Alyssa remembered the way and within 5 minutes she found the spot where Team USA had been playing soccer. Tyler had his back to her, the perfect set-up to be tackled. Alyssa sneaked up behind Tyler, and then jumped on his back.
“Hi,” she giggled.
Tyler yelped, almost dropping Alyssa in the process, “Jeez! Are you trying to kill me?”
“No, but Canada would love it if I did,” Alyssa said honestly.
“Does anyone know you’re here?” Tyler said, searching the hallways.
“No, you don’t have to worry.”
Alyssa and Tyler sat and talked for a good 45 minutes, before Alyssa received numerous texts from the team, frantically wanting to know where she was. “I think that’s my cue to go back to the team,” Alyssa said, with a frown.
“Well, it was good while it lasted. I probably should be heading back to the hotel, too. I kinda snuck out. My room-mate is covering for me.”
“Awe, you snuck out for me?” Alyssa said, impressed.
“Well, yah.”
“That deserves a hug!” Alyssa said, wrapping her arms around Tyler’s neck.
Cough.
Alyssa froze, someone had followed her here or someone had come looking for her. She released her arms from Tyler’s neck, but his arm stayed around her waist. She turned around to see John, who looked furious.
“Alyssa,” John said coldly.
“Hi John,” Alyssa said quietly.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your,” John paused, eyeing Tyler up. “Friend.”
Alyssa stayed silent, that’s when Tyler stepped in. “Tyler Johnson. I assume you’re the infamous John Tavares.”
John’s eyes grew wide and directed his attention to Alyssa, “This is Tyler? I thought he was from Ottawa, not the States?”
Alyssa remained silent; John huffed and reached for Alyssa’s arm.
“Woah buddy, let the lady go on her own terms,” Tyler said, calmly.
John growled and looked like he was ready to fight Tyler. The two boys had a stare-down, the silence was brutal.
“Stop already!” Alyssa shrieked, “You two are ridiculous.” She stormed off in the direction of the dressing room, John soon caught up.
“What was that about?”
Alyssa turned and glared at John, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I think I deserve –”
“Just focus on the game, okay?” Alyssa snapped.
John opened his mouth to retort, but Alyssa cut him off, “I’m serious. One more word and we go back to being mortal enemies.”
John hung his head in shame, picked his pace up and walked to the dressing room alone. Alyssa let out an exasperated sigh, things could never be simple were her. The game started and Alyssa found her seat, right behind Canada’s bench. The Germans were tougher than the Canadians had assumed and the score was only 1 – 0 after the first period. The second period ended in a tie, 1 – 1. Alyssa was growing nervous, the Americans had won easily over the Germans 8 – 2; she hoped that Canada could be that lucky.
Evander scored the game-winning goal, both John and Zack added goals again. The teams were lining up for the Player of the Game awards; Alyssa was crossing her fingers for Zack to win. Zack had scored two crucial goals for Canada, making him a clear threat.
“And the Player of the Game for Canada is, Et le Joueur du Jeu pour Canada est…Number 4…Numbre Quatre…Thomas Hickey!”
Alyssa’s jaw dropped, she looked to Zack who was forcing a smile, tapping his stick on the ice. Damn you Hickey, stupid egotistical bast... Zack’s gaze found hers, interrupting her thoughts, ‘Don’t worry, next time,’ he mouthed to her. ‘You better’ she mouthed back.
Back at the hotel room, Alyssa was still fuming about the Award ceremony; pacing back and forth in the room, muttering obscenities to herself. John sat on his bed, watching TSN which was blocked by Alyssa every once awhile.
“Alyssa!” John barked.
Alyssa stopped dead in her tracks, spun on her heel to face John, “What?” she spat.
“What is wrong with you?”
Pinching the bridge of her nose, “Everyone. Hickey being a dick, you being jealous, Tyler just being plain nice and my father putting pressure on me about the US game.”
John turned the TV off; he hadn’t known the amount of pressure that had been put on Alyssa. He motioned for Alyssa to come sit with him, she was hesitant; she was having a mental battle. “Damn it Als, just come here,” John snapped. Alyssa’s eyes grew wide, but walked towards John, crawling into bed with him.
The two laid in bed together, both content without saying a word. Alyssa’s eyes were growing heavy, she knew she should sleep in her own bed, but John’s bed was too comfortable and John was proving to be a nice heater. “John,” Alyssa said groggily.
“Yes?” he mumbled into her hair.
“Just promise me, promise me that you’ll be there for me no matter what,” Alyssa said, before falling asleep.
“No matter what,” John said, before placing a kiss on her forehead and falling asleep too.
“I know you can do better,” Alyssa said, reassuring John. “Now go sit down before my dad has a hernia.” John smiled, turned and sat with his team on the bench. The game was soon over, Canada winning 15 – 0.
The team was back at the hotel, the normal celebrations weren’t taking place as the boys were content with their win over Kazakhstan. They were spent to bed early, as they played again tomorrow against Germany. Alyssa was settling into bed when her phone vibrated.
Hey. I might sneak away tomorrow and go to arena. Can I meet you there? – Ty
Alyssa smiled and as she was texting a response, a knock came at the door. She turned to ask John to get it, but he was the in bathroom. Alyssa groaned, threw her phone on her bed and went to the door to see her father.
“Hey Als,” her father said, with some hesitation.
Alyssa eyed her dad, “What’s up?”
“Is there anything between you and John?”
“U-uh, no. Nothing at all. We’re cool now,” Alyssa said, lying through her teeth.
“Great, now get to sleep. We have another game tomorrow,” Pat said, before giving his daughter a hug.
Alyssa walked back into her room, to see John on her bed with her phone in hand. “John,” she growled. “Haven’t we already gone through this?”
“Who’s Ty?” John said, clearly jealous.
“A friend, who lives in Ottawa,” Alyssa said, once again, lying through her teeth.
“Oh, okay then. I’ll…uh, see you in the morning.”
Alyssa nodded and fell back onto her bed, she hated lying to people she cared about, but sometimes it was needed. She had a restless night, her dreams always played out the same scenario; having to choose between the truth and the lies. Before Alyssa knew it, it was morning and the team was getting ready to leave for the arena; Alyssa was nervous about meeting up with Tyler.
The boys were warming up by playing soccer, Alyssa joined in to keep her mind off the approaching meeting between herself and Tyler. Then, her phone started ringing. John was sitting off and he reached for her phone.
“NO!” Alyssa bellowed, sprinting over to her phone. “I got it.” John gave her a funny look, but shook it off, joining the soccer game again.
“Hello?” Alyssa said, trying to catch her breath.
“Can I say that I take your breath away?” Tyler joked.
“Not funny,” Alyssa growled.
“Point taken, do you remember the spot where we met on Friday?”
“I think. If I get lost I can just call you.”
“Great, see you in a bit.”
Alyssa remembered the way and within 5 minutes she found the spot where Team USA had been playing soccer. Tyler had his back to her, the perfect set-up to be tackled. Alyssa sneaked up behind Tyler, and then jumped on his back.
“Hi,” she giggled.
Tyler yelped, almost dropping Alyssa in the process, “Jeez! Are you trying to kill me?”
“No, but Canada would love it if I did,” Alyssa said honestly.
“Does anyone know you’re here?” Tyler said, searching the hallways.
“No, you don’t have to worry.”
Alyssa and Tyler sat and talked for a good 45 minutes, before Alyssa received numerous texts from the team, frantically wanting to know where she was. “I think that’s my cue to go back to the team,” Alyssa said, with a frown.
“Well, it was good while it lasted. I probably should be heading back to the hotel, too. I kinda snuck out. My room-mate is covering for me.”
“Awe, you snuck out for me?” Alyssa said, impressed.
“Well, yah.”
“That deserves a hug!” Alyssa said, wrapping her arms around Tyler’s neck.
Cough.
Alyssa froze, someone had followed her here or someone had come looking for her. She released her arms from Tyler’s neck, but his arm stayed around her waist. She turned around to see John, who looked furious.
“Alyssa,” John said coldly.
“Hi John,” Alyssa said quietly.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your,” John paused, eyeing Tyler up. “Friend.”
Alyssa stayed silent, that’s when Tyler stepped in. “Tyler Johnson. I assume you’re the infamous John Tavares.”
John’s eyes grew wide and directed his attention to Alyssa, “This is Tyler? I thought he was from Ottawa, not the States?”
Alyssa remained silent; John huffed and reached for Alyssa’s arm.
“Woah buddy, let the lady go on her own terms,” Tyler said, calmly.
John growled and looked like he was ready to fight Tyler. The two boys had a stare-down, the silence was brutal.
“Stop already!” Alyssa shrieked, “You two are ridiculous.” She stormed off in the direction of the dressing room, John soon caught up.
“What was that about?”
Alyssa turned and glared at John, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I think I deserve –”
“Just focus on the game, okay?” Alyssa snapped.
John opened his mouth to retort, but Alyssa cut him off, “I’m serious. One more word and we go back to being mortal enemies.”
John hung his head in shame, picked his pace up and walked to the dressing room alone. Alyssa let out an exasperated sigh, things could never be simple were her. The game started and Alyssa found her seat, right behind Canada’s bench. The Germans were tougher than the Canadians had assumed and the score was only 1 – 0 after the first period. The second period ended in a tie, 1 – 1. Alyssa was growing nervous, the Americans had won easily over the Germans 8 – 2; she hoped that Canada could be that lucky.
Evander scored the game-winning goal, both John and Zack added goals again. The teams were lining up for the Player of the Game awards; Alyssa was crossing her fingers for Zack to win. Zack had scored two crucial goals for Canada, making him a clear threat.
“And the Player of the Game for Canada is, Et le Joueur du Jeu pour Canada est…Number 4…Numbre Quatre…Thomas Hickey!”
Alyssa’s jaw dropped, she looked to Zack who was forcing a smile, tapping his stick on the ice. Damn you Hickey, stupid egotistical bast... Zack’s gaze found hers, interrupting her thoughts, ‘Don’t worry, next time,’ he mouthed to her. ‘You better’ she mouthed back.
Back at the hotel room, Alyssa was still fuming about the Award ceremony; pacing back and forth in the room, muttering obscenities to herself. John sat on his bed, watching TSN which was blocked by Alyssa every once awhile.
“Alyssa!” John barked.
Alyssa stopped dead in her tracks, spun on her heel to face John, “What?” she spat.
“What is wrong with you?”
Pinching the bridge of her nose, “Everyone. Hickey being a dick, you being jealous, Tyler just being plain nice and my father putting pressure on me about the US game.”
John turned the TV off; he hadn’t known the amount of pressure that had been put on Alyssa. He motioned for Alyssa to come sit with him, she was hesitant; she was having a mental battle. “Damn it Als, just come here,” John snapped. Alyssa’s eyes grew wide, but walked towards John, crawling into bed with him.
The two laid in bed together, both content without saying a word. Alyssa’s eyes were growing heavy, she knew she should sleep in her own bed, but John’s bed was too comfortable and John was proving to be a nice heater. “John,” Alyssa said groggily.
“Yes?” he mumbled into her hair.
“Just promise me, promise me that you’ll be there for me no matter what,” Alyssa said, before falling asleep.
“No matter what,” John said, before placing a kiss on her forehead and falling asleep too.