Stay Fierce

The desk I sat at creaked as I shifted in the desk chair; these two pieces of furniture were only a couple that Brent put in my room. Along with those, there was a twin bed, a dresser for my clothes with a full length mirror next to it, and then of course the maple wooden desk with a rolling chair.

Sighing lightly, I twirled a pen in between my fingers. Running a hand through my hair, I bit my lip, staring out of the window in front of me, which gave a nice view of the streets and night life of Chicago.

School was starting tomorrow; first day and all. It was a week since my encounter with the blonde, Patrick, I soon learned as his name. And it was also a week since my brother broke his promise. And the worst part was, he didn’t even fess up to it. No apologies. I went to sleep instead of eating dinner that night and the next morning when he was home, he just went along with the day as if nothing had happened the night before.

I couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous.

How bad could it get? As bad as it is right now. I live with my brother, who I rarely see, only if
I need rides, and I have no friends. I mean, really, what happens when I can drive? I won’t be seeing him at all! Maybe when I need some permission slips signed for the school or something.

I heard the door open and close from the living room along with about five male voices, one of them being my brother. Sighing, I stood up, not being able to focus.

He always has friends over. I just never want to meet them, so I sit closed up in my room, only leaving when I need to eat or go to swim team or school.

I stood from the chair and stretched my arms back, running a hand through my slightly damp hair and grabbing a scrunchie from my desk, putting it up into a messy bun on top of my head.

Opening to door to my room, I braced myself as I walked out.

From what I could see, Brent was sitting on the couch with a brunette and a blonde sitting on either side, and two other of his friends were sitting on the floor in front of the TV. There was a brunette that sat on a stool in front of the counter that had an open window to the kitchen. He looked too serious for his own good.

All of their eyes were on the TV, pretty much glued to it, so I went unnoticed as I walked around them and into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and pulled out the water filer, grabbing a glass from the cup boards and putting it down on the counter, pouring some water into it.

Sighing softly, I put the filter down and put the glass to my lips, savoring as the cold water that quenched my thirst, running down my dry throat. I tipped the glass a little further and spluttered as I drank it a little bit too fast and greedily. Setting the glass down, I continued coughing until the water cleared.

My cheeks heated up and I grabbed a napkin, wiping my mouth and the counter where the water had fallen over.

I felt eyes on me and slowly turned to look out into the living room, smiling slightly and waving. The brunette who sat at the counter before, the all serious one, just kind of stared, I mean, his mouth was still turned into a frown and I averted my eyes from his to those on the couch. Brent, Colin and Patrick looked amused; the rest just kind of looked scared that there was a 15 year-old girl in the kitchen.

“Am, you okay?” Brent called out, the amused look still on his face.

I nodded, my cheeks tingling with red when all the eyes still continued looking at me. I took slow steps out of the kitchen.

“Can one of you please say something or just stop staring? It’s seriously getting awkward.” I mumbled.

Booming laughter erupted, and my cheeks reddened further.

“Come on, Am.” Brent scooted over on the couch and patted the empty space next to him.

I slowly made my way over and sat down, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“So you’re Brent Seabrook’s sister, huh?” A brunette asked. I smiled awkwardly, “Uh- yeah.”

“Patrick Sharp.” He introduced himself.

I nodded slightly. “Amelie.”

Another brunette leaned over Brent’s back, “Don’t talk to Sharpie over there, he’s a looser.
You’re better off hanging with me. I’m Adam Burish.”

I giggled slightly at the glare that Patrick, or ‘Sharpie’, was sending Adam.

“Actually, they’re both losers,” The nearly bald but young team mate of Brent’s grinning form
his place on the floor, “I’m Ben.”

I smiled at them all and bushed a strand of hair that fell out of my bun and into my face.

“So that’s your name.” Patrick, the blonde one, mused from the floor next to Ben.

I glared down at the back of his head.

“Seabs told us you’re a swimmer.” Patrick Sharp casually stated in my direction.

I folded my hands and put them across my lap, nodding.

“How long have you been swimming?” Ben asked.

“Since I’ve been five.”

Adam whistled, “Eight years?”

My face burned red as it occurred to me that he thought I was thirteen.

“Ten.” Brent cut in, correcting his team mate.

“Yeah, this little jailbait’s actually fifteen. Can you believe it? My guess was at least twelve when I first saw her.” Patrick, the blonde one, smirked.

My cheeks heated up even more, if possible. I was sure I looked like a tomato by now.

Patrick Sharp laughed, “Don’t listen to them. You look 15. Maybe even older, 16-ish for sure.”

I relaxed, but the red still didn’t leave my face. “That’s good to know.”

Patrick twisted his blonde head around to look up at me from the floor, “You still look twelve.”

My eyes narrowed and kicked his side. His eyes widened and he pointed an accusing
finger at me, “First you get my seat wet and my car smelling like chlorine, a scent which by
the way, is so strong and revolting it makes me want to puke, and now you kick me?”

I grinned impishly.

“That’s what the smell in your car was.” A deep voice came from behind us and I turned
around to see the brunette at the stool, the really serious one, smirking.

In all honestly, he pretty much scared me at the beginning, and seeing him actually
smirking, let alone talking pretty much surprised me. So I just kind of smiled at him.

“Get over here Tazer,” Adam called from the couch, “you’re sitting over there by yourself like some kind of old geezer.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth and giggled, biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Adam looked over at me and winked, “That kid over there,” he jerked his thumb towards
the ‘Tazer’ guy, “is way too serious for his own good.”

I slightly nodded, curiously peeked over the top of the couch only to see the brunette glaring
at Adam before standing up from the stool and walking over to us.

“I’m Jonathan by the way.”

I was caught a little bit off guard by his deep voice once again, which held a Canadian
accent.

“Amelie.”

“Hey Jailbait, can you say ‘eh’?” Patrick asked me from the floor.

I looked down at the blonde, my suspicions rising, “Why?”

“I’ve always wanted to hear a Canadian say that. And you’re my best bet since all of these
guys would beat me up if I ever teased them about their accent.”

I glared at his blonde head of hair and went to kick him again. Only this time, he caught my
leg and pulled me down to the ground. I slipped off the couch with a shriek, and my butt
landed on the floor. Patrick let go of my leg and smirked as I winced and rubbed my back
side.

“You are such an asshole!” I exclaimed, my cheeks red again, knowing that everyone in the
room saw my embarrassing fall.

“Whoa, she has a pretty big vocabulary there.” Patrick Sharp mused.

My cheeks reddened even further and I huffed, standing up and straightening my shirt, also
pushing the hair that fell out of my bun behind my ears.

The blonde smirked at me, and I glared, “Wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you.”

Booming laughter came from behind me and my cheeks redden as I glanced shyly to see
Jonathan doubling over in laughter.

“Never thought I’d see the day that Patrick Kane would get beat. By a teenage girl too.” He
stated in between his loud laughs.

Patrick Kane. So that was his full name.

I smiled, with more pride this time, and all of the sudden was pulled back onto the couch
and next to Adam Burish and Patrick Sharp.

“Seabs, I think I may have to adopt her.” Adam casually placed an arm over my shoulder.

“Yeah man, she could live with us.” Patrick Sharp added in, placing a hand around my
shoulders too.

Ben’s booming laughter came from the floor, “Amilie, girl, run while you still have the
chance.”

Colin smirked from behind him and Brent, Patty Kane, and Jonathan laughed. Adam and
Patrick just kind of looked set off.

The ringing of a phone cut through the air and stopped all of our conversation as Brent
stood up to answer it. However, Adam and Patrick continued glaring down at Ben,
and I couldn’t help by muse about the fact that even though he looks dangerous, he looks
like a big cuddly teddy-bear at the same time.

“Does anybody know anyone by the name of Sophia?” Brent walked back to us, holding
the phone away from his ear, looking genuinely confused.

A huge smile broke out onto my face. “Sophia McCallen, could it be?!” I basically squealed, freeing myself from the grip of the two hockey players and standing up, nearly running to the phone. I stepped on Patty Kane’s arm by accident and he glared up at me but I paid no attention to it as I grabbed the phone from Brent.

“SOPHIA MCCALLEN, where have you been all my life?!” I yelled into the phone, excitement taking over me.

“Hello? Hello? Amelie? AMILIE. Oh my GOD. I think the question is, where have YOU been?!” Sophia nearly screeched into the phone.

I grinned, “It’s been like, a week babe. Sorry. I missed you, but I had to get settled in.”

She made a noise at the back of her throat before speaking up again, “I don’t care about
that. Listen, Am, can you please check on Josh? He just called me like, an hour ago, and
left a Backstreet Boys song on my voicemail. Either it’s 1998 again, or someone needs to
go back into rehab.”

I rolled my eyes at her first sentence knowing she was kidding, typical Sophia, but they soon widened as she finished speaking. I burst into laughter. “W-wha?” I managed as I attempted to catch my breath.

“I don’t know, and he’s not answering any of my calls!” She exclaimed in frustration.

I started to laugh again and couldn’t stop.

“Gee, thanks for your help.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

I rolled my eyes and managed to halt my laughter, but little giggle still escaped. “I’ll call him!
Sheesh. Listen, I have to go. But I love you! And I really did miss you.” I concluded sincerely.

“I missed you too, babe. Why’d you have to move?” She whined, saddened.

I pouted, “You know why. See you!”

She heaved a sigh, “Bye!”

I hung up the phone and handed it back to my brother, beaming. They had all gone back to
watching something on the TV.

Brent looked at me, “Isn’t Sophia your best friend?”

I nodded, sitting back down on the couch next to Adam and Patrick. “Yeah. She needed help
with Josh, our other best friend.”

Brent raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“He left a full three minute Backstreet Boy song on her voicemail.”

Ben grunted, “Sounds like something Versteeg would do. Tell her to save the voicemail and
play it for him the next time she sees him. Chances are, he won’t remember a damn thing.”

Sounds of agreement came from the other hockey players in the room.

“It’s not like he’s drunk or anything.” I responded.

Ben shrugged, “Kid probably had too much red bull.”

I pondered over the fact before deciding that getting high on red bull would be something Josh would do.

“Will do.” I responded, standing up from the couch and making my way around the sprawled
out hockey players on the floor, all of their eyes glued to the TV.

I walked into my room and slowly shut the door, my mind going over what happened tonight.
A small smiled curved my lips. Maybe everyone didn’t hate me after all. The smile soon
disappeared as my thoughts went to swimming tomorrow.

Not only was swim practice at 5 in the morning until 7:00 tomorrow, when school starts at
7:30, but it was also after school from 3:30 to 5:30.

That would be a total of four hours during which I will have to endure the feeling of being
hated and completely despised by the older girls.

And not only that, it was the first day of school. Meaning another day during which I will
have to go through all alone, no friends.

Sighing, a frown etched onto my face.

Tomorrow was going to suck.