Rise and Fall

“Are you ready yet?” Brooklyn called to Jocelyn, who was still getting ready to go to the Penguins game that night.

“Hold on!” Jocelyn called out. “I just got home from work, and you didn’t tell me you were taking me to the game tonight, anyways. So, you can give me three minutes to change.”

“You could have just worn what you were wearing. I mean there are always people at the games that wear Steelers stuff,” Brooklyn told her as she leaned against the doorframe, inspecting her nails.

“Yeah, and I would have looked like a bandwagon fan, which I am not,” Jocelyn pointed out. “Come on. I’m ready,” she said as she grabbed her bag off of her bed and walked towards the front door.

Two hours later, they were watching as the Penguins were losing 2-1 to the Capitals halfway through the second period. Jocelyn looked out onto the ice to see a couple of the Capitals players shoving Sid. She looked to see who from the Penguins was going to give him some backup, and she was shocked when she saw no one come to his aide.

She turned around to look at Brooklyn. “Seriously, is no one going to help him?” she asked.

Brooklyn shook her head. “Unfortunately, no,” she admitted. “He’s pissed everyone off so much that no one really helps him.”

“Even Max?”

“Max’ll help him out sometimes if it gets bad. And if it’s really bad, the others will help him, too. But, when it’s just little things like this, they figure he can handle himself,” Brooklyn explained.

A couple of minutes later, they were all over Sid again, with no one coming to his defense. “This is seriously because of how he acts after they lose?” Jocelyn asked.

Brooklyn nodded her head. “Yep.”

“And they honestly think that by me going out with him that it’ll calm him down?” Jocelyn asked skeptically.

“That’s what Max thinks, but I don’t know. Why?” Brooklyn asked, keeping her eyes on the ice.

“I’ll do it then.”

Brooklyn just nodded her head. As the words sunk into her mind, she quickly whipped her head around to stare at Jocelyn. “What did you just say? Did you say you’ll do it?” she questioned.

“Yeah,” Jocelyn said. “I mean if this means that they’ll back him up again, and I don’t have to watch him try to take on two or three players, then why not?”

“J, I told you that they stand up for him if it’s something major.”

“You don’t consider three guys trying to fight you something major?” Jocelyn questioned.

“They’re not going to fight him. Besides, he can stand up for himself. He doesn’t need the guys by his side all the time,” Brooklyn told her.

“Why don’t you want me to do this?” Jocelyn asked as she kept an eye out on the ice.

“Like I said before, I don’t want to see you get hurt. But, if this is what you want to do, I’ll support you one hundred percent, and I’ll help any way that I can,” Brooklyn said.

“Thanks,” Jocelyn told her with a smile. “But, you never know, if they can pull out a win tonight, then maybe all of this won’t be necessary.”

An hour and a half later, Brooklyn looked over at her sister and said, “I think it’s necessary.” The Penguins had lost 3-2, and they didn’t convert on any of their six power play chances. Brooklyn knew Sid was going to react badly, and she knew the team wasn’t going to be happy.

“So, how do I convince the captain of the Penguins to go out with me?” Jocelyn asked.

Some girl who had been sitting near them during the game came walking up to them. “Did I just hear you correctly?” the girl asked, flipping her blonde hair back. “You’re trying to go out with Sidney Crosby? Well, I can tell you right now, it’s never going to happen.”

Jocelyn just stared at her, trying to hold back her laughter.

“And do you want to know how I know that?” the girl continued. “Because he’s going home with me tonight,” she said with a smirk.

“Really?” Brooklyn asked. “And, what exactly is your plan?”

“Oh, it’s simple, really. My best friend, Rose, is going to hook-up with Max. Then, she’s going to hook me up with Sidney,” the girl explained, pointing to a tall red head who apparently was Rose.

Jocelyn couldn’t contain her laughter any longer.

“What are you laughing at?” the girl asked.

“There’s just one problem with that whole plan,” Jocelyn told her.

“What?” the girl asked.

“Max won’t be hooking up with Rose. And do you want to know how I know that?” Jocelyn mocked. “Because this is his girlfriend,” she said pointing to Brooklyn.

“Would you like to meet him, though?” Brooklyn asked.

“Yeah,” Jocelyn said. “He always loves meeting his fans and then going home with his girlfriend,” she said smirking.

Ten minutes later, Jocelyn, Brooklyn, Rose, and the other girl, who they learned was named Irena, walked into the locker room.

“Hey, Brooklyn,” Max said, giving his girlfriend a kiss. “Who are your friends?”

“Oh,” Jocelyn began. “This is Irena and Rose,” she said pointing to each girl. “Irena is planning on hooking up with Sid tonight. Apparently, she doesn’t know about his rule. And, Rose, here, is planning on sleeping with you tonight.”

“Wh-what?” Max choked.

“Yep, that’s what they told us,” Jocelyn told him. “I did say that Brooklyn might not be too keen on that idea, but they didn’t believe me.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Max told them. “But, I’m taken,” he said, putting his arm around Brooklyn and pulling her in towards him. “And, just so you know, Sid doesn’t date during the season.”

“Oh, I’m not looking for a boyfriend,” Irena said. “I’m just looking for a one-night stand.”

“He doesn’t go for those either,” Brooklyn told her.

“What? Have you tried?” Irena asked.

“Okay, I think it’s time for you two to go,” Jocelyn said.

“And who made you the queen of the locker room?” Irena asked.

“Yeah, it’s definitely time for you to go,” Max told them, escorting them to the exit.

Jocelyn turned around to see Sid storming to his locker, which she was currently in front of. He threw his things towards the locker, with a couple of items hitting Jocelyn in the process.

“Ow,” she said quietly as something sharp grazed her leg.

“Sorry,” Sid said curtly, not even looking at her.

“Listen, I’m sorry you lost the game, but you don’t have to take it out on me,” Jocelyn told him.

Sid looked over at her. “I’m sorry,” he apologized sincerely.

“Thank you,” Jocelyn said as he went back to throwing things in his locker. “Hey, Sid, I was hoping to ask you something.”

He stopped his tirade and looked over at her. “What?” he asked.

Mustering up all the courage she had, she looked him in the eye and asked, “Would you like to go on a date with me sometime?”