How We Operate

Violet floated about at work making plans for a new party and thinking about food and drinks and colors and phone calls. She had a quota to fill with celebrities invited and attending. And she knew exactly how to fill it.

She put in a call and it went to voice mail, just as she expected. Kris was at practice but he would call back and help her out. He would get the Penguins to come. It would be great and her boss would love her.

Violet waved to her co-workers at five as she was leaving and made her way back home to find Matt sitting at the couch pulling at his eye brow hair. This was a sign of high anxiety for him.

"Shit." Violet muttered. Caught up in her own happiness she had forgotten Matthew and Julie and their budding relationship. Violet, without asking questions, sat down next to her best friend and hugged him. He let her pull him into her arms and eventually lay with his head in her lap.

"I don't know what to do." Matt said, his upset evident in his voice. "I sound like a little girl, but Julie is acting like a boy." Violet sighed and ran her hand through Matt's hand, scratching his scalp the way he liked it.

"What do you mean?"

"I texted her two days ago and she didn't text back. And then I texted her and asked her if she wanted to hang out and she said no sorry with no explanation and I think I screwed things up some how."

"You didn't. Want me to talk to Julie? I can go over right now and just find out what's gong on."

"No, then she'll know I'm being a freak. I don't like when girls freak out and here I am, you know, freaking out like a sixteen year old girl. All I need is to cry and start cyber stalking her and I'm the picture of desperate."

"Look, Matt, I love you. And I know you'd never cyber stalk anyone. And you won't cry. You don't cry. At least not to my knowledge. Look, just leave her be. Forget about her. She probably doesn't like being chased. Just move on for a few days and I'm sure she'll call you back. Remember? This happened with Stella in freshman year. And she was practically crying to get you to go out with her again."

"I guess you're right. " Matthew sat up and looked at her. "Well, this advice worked once so I guess it'll work again. What do you want for dinner?"

"How about I make you grilled chicken on a bed of wild rice with red pepper and cucumber salad?" Matt looked at her like she was insane. "Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. I'll make that when I need to impress my mother. Microwave pizza rolls, ice cream sundaes, and s'mores and mac-n-cheese?"

"That's better. But instead of ice cream sundaes why don't you throw in egg rolls and and I'll make us gigantic milkshakes?"

"Delicious!" Violet sang. The two best friends made their way into the kitchen and six minutes later, thanks to the handy dandy microwave, they were settled in front of the TV in their PJs and were watching the Bruins-Canadiens game when there was a knock on the door.

"The last egg roll says it's a non-malicious bird." Matthew said, turning around on the couch and watching Violet answer the door. Violet's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Yes, the Penguins were there. But besides her time spent with Geno, which was limited so far, no one else on the team had seen her nearly naked. Violet was wearing Matt's old high-school hockey jersey and boy shorts with very high socks. She also had a bowl of macaroni and cheese in one had. Fuck.

"Uh, why do you guys keep showing up here randomly? It's a freaking Friday. You have a game tomorrow afternoon." Matt grunted over the couch.

Instead of responding normally Tanger waltzed right inside and took Violet's seat. "We had to tell you yes we'd love to come in response to that message you left me. We all will. The whole team." Violet sighed and opened the door for the rest of the team mates and found the usual pack of Penguins.

Geno stayed back as the rest of the Penguins filed in, laughing and asking Violet to make more food. Geno was staring at her rather hungrily.

"Put on pant." Geno said, tugging at the jersey trying to cover her butt. "Might be okay with Matt but not them." He pulled Violet into his arms. "I no want any to look at you." Violet laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hi," She said and kissed him. Geno's kiss, like his eyes, was hungry.

"Hi." he whispered back. They kissed once more before anyone noticed.

"I'll go put on pants. But I have to go cook for your hungry team mates. Why are you all here?"

Geno shrugged, refusing to let go of her waist. "Bored. I want see you. They did too. Go dress. Then cook. I save you seat." Evgeni kissed the top of her head and walked toward the rest of the guys to watch the game. Violet closed her eyes and walked into the kitchen, forgoing the pants, and popped the rest of the microwaveables in and pulled out her phone.

If she could be happy so could Matt. She sent Julie a text asking her what was up with Matt. Just as she was placing the food on the plate her phone buzzed. Julie said she didn't know, but was planning on calling him tomorrow. Satisfied Violet closed her phone and headed toward the living room with the food.

"This may not be enough because you're all gross disgusting cows but it should be fine for now." Violet put the plate down and watched every single boy grab the food. Only a few pieces remained. "You said you were going to save me a seat." Violet said, standing in front of Evgeni.

"No pants." Evgeni raised his eye brows and looked at her legs. "But you sit here with me." Violet sank down onto Geno's lap and played with his hair and watched the game while the guys joked and played.

When the game was over most of the guys got up to leave, bidding the roommates good bye. Evgeni lingered by the door.

"Do you want to stay?" Violet asked quietly. Geno nodded and Violet closed the door and led him to her bedroom. "I don't think you've ever seen my room." Geno shook his head no. "Well, here it is," Geno smiled when he saw it.

The room, although she had cleaned recently, was a bit of an organized mess, just like Violet. Geno kissed her temple. "We can't uh," He let the unsaid word linger in the air. "But I still want stay. Sleep." Violet smiled and discarded her socks before climbing into bed with Evgeni.

"Glad you no pants now." Evgeni ran a hand up her thigh, his fingers lifted the edge of the boy shorts. Violet bit her lip.

"I thought we couldn't." Evgeni smirked.

"I not." He drew lazy circles around her thighs.

"You're going to get me all antsy." Violet grabbed his hand and tucked it around her waist.

"No pant make me antsy." Violet laughed and Evgeni kissed her nose. As the couple began to drift off Matt banged open Violet's door.

"What?" Violet groaned sitting up. Geno groaned and hid his eyes in Violet's waist.

"Julie. Fucking Julie." Matthew said, the closest to tears Violet had ever seen him.