How We Operate

"It looks like your closet vomited." Matt said leaning in Violet's doorway with a cup of tea in his hands.

"I know! When did I accumulate so much crap?" Violet asked throwing a pair of her shoes on her bed.

"Well that dark green hoodie by your pillow is mine...and those purple high heels are Julie's. And I believe those giant pants belong to your brother." Matt chuckled as Violet let our a frustrated scream.

"My brother hasn't been here since June! Fuck my life. It's fucking December!" Violet stood up and stretched. It was a Friday night and she was cleaning. "And speaking of Julie, no hot date tonight?"

"Smooth subject change, but no. Julie doesn't want to date me-" "YES SHE DOES, YOU ASSHAT!" "-So it's just me and you tonight mi chica favorita."

"It's Friday, Sabado Gigante isn't on." Violet laughed.

"I'm glad you're laughing."

"It's not like he was my boy friend. He's allowed to hook up with whoever he wants. Why should I give a fuck, right?" Matt smiled. Violet was learning. Or at least wasn't being a crying baby. He hated it when she cried.

"I agree. I don't give a fuck. Like Fabolous. I'm going to order a sandwich. What do you want?"

"A chicken club no mayo. And chips, not fries." Matt nodded and walked out of her room.

Violet had a system. Shoes on the foot of the bed, hoodies by the top. Shirts by her drawer on the right, pants by the left. Things she could throw out in the garbage right away were thrown in the garbage right away and important papers were hole punched and put in a binder. By the time the food came sections of her floor were visible once again.

"I forgot the carpet was that color purple." Matt mused when he told Violet the food was there. They ate and watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Matt said it was somewhat like his family, only the movie would be titled My Big Fat Jewish Wedding. Violet said her wedding would take place on ice somewhere where she would be marrying some goalie that her parents liked more than her. Or a Protestant lawyer with a house in the Hamptons, Utah, and a city somewhere that an aunt hand picked for her because she was "inept" at finding someone, apparently.

Violet then ventured back into her room to finished cleaning. It took nearly two hours and she still wasn't done at 12. Deciding to call it a night she picked up her Dickinson sweat jacket to hang up and found her Fluery Jersey at the very bottom of a pile of clothes.

She smiled. "Matt! I found it!" She stuck her head out of the room holding up the jersey.

"Good." Matt smiled. "You can wear it with Henry tomorrow. At least Henry respects goalies." Violet chuckled and placed the jersey on her desk so she would be able to find it in the morning before hitting the sack.

Violet woke around ten and danced around the house for two hours cleaning the living room and kitchen.

"Shouldn't you be doing that in your room?" He asked pointing to the vacuum when he arrived home from the gym. "And why are you so happy?"

"Henry is coming!"

"Gosh, Vi, you're just like an animal the way you run through boys." Violet rolled her eyes. "Don't start, Violet, I know he's a friend and blah blah blah." Matt rolled his eyes. "Clean your room. I can handle the rest of the house." Violet laughed and towed the vacuum into her room.

An hour later she was done cleaning. Two hours later she was getting antsy waiting for Henry. Finally, at 4:30 he called.

"Hey I'm-"

"HENRY ARE YOU HERE IN PITTSBURGH!?" Violet practically fell of the couch when she felt the vibration of her phone. Matt, napping next to her jumped up and looked around asking what the fuck was going on.

"Yes! Yes, I am. I literally just checked in. Give me a half hour so I can get ready for the game."

"Okay, I'll be at your hotel!" Violet threw on her Fluery jersey and gave Matt a hug.

"Don't let the Russian get to you!" Matt called as she ran out the door. "REMEMBER! THE RUSSIAN'S BROUGHT YOU STALIN!"

Her reunite-ment with Henry was thrilling. He had bounded out of the elevator and tackled her in a hug. He was wearing a plain t-shirt that had Penguins written across the front.

"Way to support the team," Violet joked. Henry said he wouldn't be caught dead in Mellon wearing an opposing team's colors but that this was the most he would do. The car ride to arena was filled with laughter and so was the wait for the players. When they finally skated on the ice Violet felt herself tense, but Henry wraped his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder and she unclenched. She had taken a few minutes to explain to Henry her situation. He called Geno an asshole and told her that's why the Rangers were better.

Geno skated by with his usual smirk plastered to his face but Violet could have sworn it faltered when he saw Henry with his arm around her. Violet smiled and cheered on her team making no extra effort to cheer louder when Geno scored. He only scored once, but helped Sid the Kid with an assist. The Pens won. Henry conceded that the Penguins were, in fact, a great team.

"But nothing can turn my blood from blue to any other color," and then he praised Henrik Lundquivst like a god. Violet decided to impress him and found Dane in the halls and convinced him to take them down to the locker room. Violet dragged Henry in and told him to watch.

"Oh my naked Jordan!" Jordan Staal was once again naked. He laughed and covered himself for the courtsey of Henry.

"Oh my Violet,"he chuckled. "Never catch me with clothes on do you?"

"Maybe you should stop walking around in the nude then," Violet chuckled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Geno slowly making his way toward her, his eyes cutting to Henry every few seconds. Taking advantage of the fact Henry was talking to Marc-Andre Violet decided to jump in.

"Hey, Flower! You made some hella-great saves!" Marc-Andre laughed and gave her a side hug. "And look! I finally found my jersey! Now I don't have to wear Matt's anymore!" Violet turned and showed Fluery her backside with his name written on it. When she turned back around Geno was staring at her, confused, almost hurt.

Almost.