I Can't Do It Alone

Jocelyn, Tia, and Brooklyn stayed in their seats, waiting on the crowd to leave before getting out of their seats and making their way down to the locker room. The Penguins had won four to one, and Mellon Arena seemed to erupt with cheers. Brooklyn and Jocelyn couldn’t get the smiles off of their faces, but, when they looked over at Tia, they noticed that she was frowning.

“Hey, Tia, you okay?” Brooklyn asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, plastering a fake smile on her face. When Brooklyn and Jocelyn both gave her looks that told her that they didn’t believe her she changed her answer. “Okay, I just can’t stop thinking about who’s sending me those stupid notes.”

“Tia, just stop thinking about it. At least for tonight. I mean, the guys just won. Be happy, celebrate!” Jocelyn told her.

“If it were that easy, I’d be doing it already,” Tia muttered.

“Come on,” Brooklyn said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. “Let’s go to the locker room. Maybe being around all of the guys will cheer you up.”

As soon as they walked into the locker room, Brooklyn and Jocelyn went directly to their boyfriends, while Tia stood close to the door. A few seconds later, she saw Kris walk up beside her. “Hey, good game,” she smiled at him.

“Thanks,” he told her. “You were right.”

“Huh?” Tia asked confusedly.

“You told me I’d get the puck past Brodeur,” he smiled. Tia thought about it for a moment before she finally remembered telling him that exact thing when they had had coffee together.

“I did, didn’t I?” she asked with a laugh.

“Yeah. So, what are your plans for tonight?” he asked her as the people in the locker room slowly started leaving.

Before Tia could respond, Brooklyn and Jocelyn came over to her. “Hey, we’re going to go out with Max and Sid. Do you two want to come with us?” Brooklyn asked, looking between her and Kris.

“No, thanks,” Tia said with a smile.

Kris started to say something, but then he looked back at Tia. “No, I don’t think so either. Thanks, though,” he told Brooklyn.

“Okay,” she said with a smile as she walked back towards Max, who put his arm around her, waving to Kris and Tia, as they made their way out of the locker room.

“You know you didn’t have to stay. You could have gone with them,” Tia told Kris.

“Yeah, but then who would have kept you company and taken you home afterwards?” Kris asked. “I’m assuming you came with Brooklyn and Jocelyn, and that you have no way back home?”

Tia nodded. “Yeah, I kind of forgot about that,” she laughed.

“Well, what do you say we go get something to eat, and then I’ll drop you off at home?” Kris asked.

“Are you asking me out?” Tia asked him, secretly hoping that he was.

“Do you want me to be asking you out?” Kris countered.

Tia laughed before looking back up at him and seeing that he was serious. Knowing that if she didn’t answer him truthfully that Jocelyn and Brooklyn would kill her, she replied, “Yeah, I do.”

“Good,” he smiled. “Because I was asking you out on a date.”

“Let’s go,” Tia said as Kris grabbed her hand and walked her out to his car. “So, where are we going?” she asked him as she looked out the window.

“I don’t know,” Kris said laughing. “I was just driving, not really thinking about where we were going. What do you feel like eating?”

“Anything,” she told him. “Really, I’m not that picky of a person when it comes to food. Plus, you’re the one who just won the game. So, it should be you who chooses.”

“Okay, what do you say about McDonald’s then,” he joked.

“That actually sounds really good,” Tia said seriously. Kris looked over at her in disbelief. “What?” she asked. “It does! But, I’m sure that wasn’t what you were thinking of when you said you wanted to go get dinner, was it?”

“Anything for you,” Kris replied, turning his attention back to the streetlight which turned green, and Tia smiled to herself.

Five minutes later, Kris pulled up into a McDonald’s parking lot. Tia looked over at him. “I can’t believe you actually took me to McDonald’s,” she laughed. “Wow, some special first date,” she kidded.

Kris looked over at her wide-eyed. “You said you wanted McDonald’s!” he exclaimed.

“I’m kidding,” she told him as she got out of the car. “Thank you for taking me here. It really has been forever since I’ve been here, and I’ve been craving it,” she said, giving him a quick hug. “But, are you sure you want to go in here? I mean, people might recognize you,” she pointed out.

“As long as you’re okay with it, I’m okay with it,” Kris replied.

“Hey, if I have my Big Mac, I’m happy,” she smiled as they walked into the restaurant.

There were only a few people inside, and Tia and Kris quickly ordered their food and sat down in one of the corners. “You know, Coach is going to kill you when he finds out what you’re eating,” Tia told him as she took a bite of her Big Mac.

“Well, as long as you don’t tell him, he’ll never know,” Kris replied.

After they had finished eating, Kris drove Tia back to her apartment. He parked in a parking space, and got out of the car. Tia looked over at him. “Kris, you don’t have to walk me up to my door,” she told him.

“Of course I do,” he stated. “I mean, what kind of guy would I be if I didn’t walk my date to her door afterwards?” he asked, grabbing her hand.

“Well, thank you,” Tia smiled. “I really did have a great time,” she said as they walked up the stairs.

“So, does that mean that you’d say yes if I asked you out on another date?” Kris asked her.

“Does that mean that you’re asking me out on another date?” Tia countered.

“Yes, yes I am,” Kris stated.

“Then, yes, I’d love to go out with you again,” she told him with a smile as she stepped in front of her door. She looked down and found another box with a letter on top. “Great,” she said sarcastically, slowly picking up the box and letter and walking inside.