So Many Staal's, So Little Time

“Hurry your ass up! I’m not being late cause of you!” Eric shouted from the other side of my apartment door. I sighed pulling my hair back into a messy bun before exiting the apartment.

“Happy?” I asked walking in front of him. He laughed and nodded his head, lengthening his stride to keep up with me. Ever since I moved here I’ve been hanging out with Eric a lot. He’s like my security blanket. I could tell him anything and everything, which I did on a regular basis.

Flashback:

“Wait so you are telling me Jared said he loves you, Jordan tried to sleep with you, and you went on a date with Marc?” Eric asked as we lounged across my apartment which we did pretty much every Sunday night.

“Yup. Told you it was complicated.” I sighed, hugging my body closer to his as we watched Charli and the Chocolate Factory.

“You could say that again.”

“It’s just I care about them all so much I don’t want to hurt them. Jared was my first friend in Thunder Bay, we were so close! I was beyond sad when I had to leave for Pittsburgh, I felt like I was leaving half of myself there with him. Then I met Jordan and we instantly meshed. But I always felt guilty cause of Jared telling me he loved me. But when Jordan tried to sleep with me I knew I still cared about him but I just couldn’t do it because of Jared. Then I met Marc and it was just fun. I love meeting new people! So I didn’t think anything of it. When Jordan and I bumped into Marc it freaked me out to have them tell me everything. It just made me feel dirty and skanky.” I turned my head away as I finished speaking whipping the tears from my eyes.

“Listen it’s not your fault. And you are not even close to being called skanky. If you want to see skanky girls hang out by the locker-room after tonight’s game. You’re a beautiful girl and they are all lucky they got to know you. And honestly none of them seem right for you! Jordan is a whore, Marc is really over romantic, and Jared, well, Jared is just Jared! So just get over them.” Eric spoke, wrapping his arms around me.

“I feel like I messed up though. Running away from it all. That wasn’t mature of me. I didn’t even try to solve the problem; I just got up and bolted.”

“That’s why you aren’t over it. You need to face your fear. You can do it.”

End of Flashback:

“Will you stop day dreaming and come on! I need to warm up; it’s going to be a tough game tonight! Jordan doesn’t like losing to me.” Eric spoke jogging ahead of me into the arena. When he said those words I instantly halted in the middle of the street. Before I could comprehend anything Eric’s arms flew around me throwing me to the pavement. A horn blasted and tires screeched as I laid on the cold cement.

“Eric!” I shouted sitting up on the sidewalk, turning my head left and right to locate him. He was standing next to the driver who screamed many things out towards me before driving away in a fit of rage.

“What is wrong with you?! You don’t stop in the middle of a road! You could have been killed.” Eric gushed throwing me into a bone crushing hug. I just nodded my head apologizing before we walked into the arena.

“You know what Eric I don’t feel well I think I’m going to head home. I’ll just catch the game on TV. They don’t even need me to photograph this game anyways…” I started before Eric cut me off.

“Now I get it! This is about Jordan isn’t it? Danielle seriously, you need to get over him. And Marc, and Jared for that matter. You are one person; you cannot please everyone in this world. No matter how hard you try to please them all, it’s not going to work; it’s just going to bite you in the ass.”

“Well thank you Doctor Phil.” I joked playfully hitting his arm as we walked down towards the locker-room. We stood outside the locker room until their coach called them in. he gave me a hug goodbye and I walked back towards the stands.

“Danielle?” a confused, oh so familiar sounding voice stated. I turned on my heel to see Jordan leaning against the locker room door. I couldn’t help but stare at him standing shirtless in his hockey pants and skates.

“Hi.” I stuttered giving him a wave before turning around and powering walking towards the stands.

“Danielle hold up! Will you walk slower! Seriously Danielle wait! Wait!” Jordan shouted as I began to pick up speed. I could hear his skates hit the mat as he ran after me. But I didn’t slow down until I got to the stands, and I never turned back.

“PARTY!!!” the boys shouted spilling out of the locker room after a stomach turning win against the penguins. They defeated them six to five in triple overtime. I could tell the boys were exhausted but the exhilaration of the win kept them alive with adrenaline. We all piled into a few cars before speeding off towards Harrison’s house for what seemed to be the biggest party of the year.

We walked into the biggest house I have ever seen in my life. The foyer I could probably fit my farm house back home in Canada into it. There was a grand staircase to the right that led to the second level and a few steps down towards the left that led to the first floor hallway, branching off into many other little rooms.

The party lasted for hours. Everyone was pretty much adrenalin junkies and downed beer after beer. People danced to the music or laid passed out on the floors around the house. I was surprised I wasn’t sprawled across the floor unconscious by all the alcohol I had drank thus far. My phone started to vibrate in my pocket so I stumbled off towards one of the empty bedrooms so I could answer it.

“Hello?” I slurred laying down across the bed.

“Are you drunk?” Jordan asked in a worried voice.

“Yes I am!” I practically shouted, bursting into a fit of giggles.

“Where are you I’m going to come pick you up.”

“I’m at….” I started before my phone was ripped out of my hands and someone’s lips were pressed against mine.

“What ever happened to forgetting about them?” Eric whispered huskily in my ear between kisses.

“Must have slipped my mind. No idea why.” I laughed kissing him back just as passionately as he slipped my jacket over my head.

“Well we can easily get you to forget about them. Just need a tall, handsome guy to fill their space.” He whispered as he kissed down my neck.

“Oh you are going to set me up with Henrick? So sweet of you.” Apparently the alcohol was working its magic on us as we threw our clothes aside along with my memories of the other Staal brothers.