In Love With My Best Friend's Boyfriend
Chapter 1
I giggled lightly as I sat on the couch at my friend Kelsay’s house. She laughed with me and we turned off the episode of That 70s Show that had just ended to watch the Red Wings game. They were facing the Blues that night, and we were hoping for a huge victory. We cheered loudly as the final buzzer rang. Her phone rang about ten minutes later. I knew it was her boyfriend because of the ring tone she had it set to.
“Hey baby,” She answered, laughing a little.
If I hadn’t already known it before, I definitely knew it now. They had been going out for a while, but I hadn’t met him yet. All I knew was that his name started with a P or something. I had never paid that much attention before. She laughed loudly and hung up. I turned toward her.
“What up, pudding cup?” I asked and we laughed.
“He wants us to meet him at the arena in, like, five minutes,” She said.
I nodded and she rushed off to go get changed. Sometimes, I wondered why we were friends. We were polar opposites. She was loud and kind of obnoxious, and I was always the quiet one who never really spoke a lot. She came back down ten minutes later and motioned for us to go.
“I have to use the bathroom first,” I said.
“Come on, Shelby! We were supposed to have been there, like, five minutes ago! Can’t you wait?” She whined.
I shook my head and she groaned.
“Fine. Hurry up,” She said, stomping over to the couch.
I ran upstairs and about two minutes later I was back down. She was on her phone with her boyfriend.
“Yeah, Shelby took a while getting ready. You know how it goes. Okay, see you in a few! Bye babe,” She hung up.
I was speechless. Did she really just blame us being late to meet him on me? I thought as I stepped into her living room.
“I’m ready,” I said quietly.
“It’s about time! Let’s go!” She said, grabbing her keys as we left.
She got into the driver’s seat and we left for Joe Louis Arena. When we got there, some of the guys were there, including my absolute favorite, Pavel Datsyuk. He was adorable, and I loved watching him play. We got out and walked toward them. Kelsay gave a squeal and raced right into Pavel’s arms. I froze and felt my heart stop beating. It almost felt like it would shatter. I stared around and most of the guys were too busy pretending to throw up as Pavel and Kelsay made out in front of everyone. I walked back toward the car and sat on the ground behind it, pulling my knees to my chest. Of all the guys I could like on this team, I have to pick to like my best friend’s boyfriend, I thought. I pressed my face into my knees and felt a single tear slide down my face. There was a hand on my shoulder suddenly and I jumped. Looking up, I saw the smiling face of Henrik Zetterberg above me.
“You like Pavel, huh?” He said, sitting next to me.
I nodded. He smiled sympathetically and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“What’s your name?” He asked.
“Shelby,” I said softly.
He smiled.
“Pavel always talks about how his girlfriend always complains about a girl named Shelby always being late. Would that be you?” He asked.
My heart felt like it would shatter at any moment. I nodded and lowered my gaze to the ground. He squeezed my shoulder. I felt another tear make its way down my cheek. Henrik caught it and wiped it away.
“Don’t cry,” He said, pulling me against him. “Pavel knows it isn’t you who’s always late. He knows it’s her. I don’t know why he’s still going out with her, he talks all the time about how he can’t stand her.” He shook his head.
I stared up at him.
“Kelsay can’t know I like her boyfriend. She can’t know he doesn’t like her. It would kill her. Please keep it secret,” I said softly to him. He smiled and nodded. We stood and joined the rest of the guys. Inwardly, I was smiling. I may have a shot after all!
“Hey baby,” She answered, laughing a little.
If I hadn’t already known it before, I definitely knew it now. They had been going out for a while, but I hadn’t met him yet. All I knew was that his name started with a P or something. I had never paid that much attention before. She laughed loudly and hung up. I turned toward her.
“What up, pudding cup?” I asked and we laughed.
“He wants us to meet him at the arena in, like, five minutes,” She said.
I nodded and she rushed off to go get changed. Sometimes, I wondered why we were friends. We were polar opposites. She was loud and kind of obnoxious, and I was always the quiet one who never really spoke a lot. She came back down ten minutes later and motioned for us to go.
“I have to use the bathroom first,” I said.
“Come on, Shelby! We were supposed to have been there, like, five minutes ago! Can’t you wait?” She whined.
I shook my head and she groaned.
“Fine. Hurry up,” She said, stomping over to the couch.
I ran upstairs and about two minutes later I was back down. She was on her phone with her boyfriend.
“Yeah, Shelby took a while getting ready. You know how it goes. Okay, see you in a few! Bye babe,” She hung up.
I was speechless. Did she really just blame us being late to meet him on me? I thought as I stepped into her living room.
“I’m ready,” I said quietly.
“It’s about time! Let’s go!” She said, grabbing her keys as we left.
She got into the driver’s seat and we left for Joe Louis Arena. When we got there, some of the guys were there, including my absolute favorite, Pavel Datsyuk. He was adorable, and I loved watching him play. We got out and walked toward them. Kelsay gave a squeal and raced right into Pavel’s arms. I froze and felt my heart stop beating. It almost felt like it would shatter. I stared around and most of the guys were too busy pretending to throw up as Pavel and Kelsay made out in front of everyone. I walked back toward the car and sat on the ground behind it, pulling my knees to my chest. Of all the guys I could like on this team, I have to pick to like my best friend’s boyfriend, I thought. I pressed my face into my knees and felt a single tear slide down my face. There was a hand on my shoulder suddenly and I jumped. Looking up, I saw the smiling face of Henrik Zetterberg above me.
“You like Pavel, huh?” He said, sitting next to me.
I nodded. He smiled sympathetically and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“What’s your name?” He asked.
“Shelby,” I said softly.
He smiled.
“Pavel always talks about how his girlfriend always complains about a girl named Shelby always being late. Would that be you?” He asked.
My heart felt like it would shatter at any moment. I nodded and lowered my gaze to the ground. He squeezed my shoulder. I felt another tear make its way down my cheek. Henrik caught it and wiped it away.
“Don’t cry,” He said, pulling me against him. “Pavel knows it isn’t you who’s always late. He knows it’s her. I don’t know why he’s still going out with her, he talks all the time about how he can’t stand her.” He shook his head.
I stared up at him.
“Kelsay can’t know I like her boyfriend. She can’t know he doesn’t like her. It would kill her. Please keep it secret,” I said softly to him. He smiled and nodded. We stood and joined the rest of the guys. Inwardly, I was smiling. I may have a shot after all!