Blue Paint & Red Lights

It was strange, this feeling of melancholy. Granted, I was never right when the apartment was empty of Antti, but tonight it was different, I guess. I couldn't hear any of the music the family below us usually played. A smile crossed my face when I remembered that one night when they were playing something loud with drums and timpani and I convinced Antti to dance with me. A sigh escaped from my chest as the Antti in my mind's eye sheepishly began to move with the music pressed up against me.

"I need to stop." I told myself as I stood up from our bed where I was sitting on, holding a cup of coffee. I walked over to my phone that was silently sitting on the dining room table as it just started to vibrate loudly.
I quickly covered the ground that was between my body and the table and picked it up, answering it with an, "Antti?"
"You know I love you, right?" The smile I heard in his voice made one stretch across my mouth.
"Yeah." I replied quietly, feeling quite unlike myself, but still obscenely happy Antti had called me.
"I wanted to call you now. The guys are going out and they invited me. I'm working hard for that puppy, Samantha."
I laughed and my smile widened more. "I'm glad you're going to have fun with the guys. Don't worry about the dog situation, Antti, I want one too."
"Good! I'll see you tomorrow- will you pick me up at the airport at five?"
I nodded before I told him, "Of course. Call me when you land. Love you. Have fun!"
After we hung up, I significantly more cheerful and for whatever reason that had possessed me, I began to clean. Not just vacuum here, dust there- I was full out cleaning, on my hands and knees scrubbing the linoleum. Sometimes that happened, my mood would change and I had the urge to clean. Of course, it never happened that way in my teenage years when things needed to be cleaned, but that's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.

The next day at noon I found myself and Angelina in Karolina's front room, watching the game on her rather large television.
"Where does a student find the cash for something like this?" I waved my water bottle at the flat box where the skaters were lining up and listening to the national anthem.
"It's brand-spanking-new, it was a signing bonus when Speedo began to sponsor me."
"Speaking of-" I was cut off by Angelina asking, "What did PK say?"
"He was excited for me until I clarified that I would have to travel in the summer. He had a long face until he like, perked up?"
"Why?" Was the question on both of our lips until she continued.
"He started talking about how he could come to my meets and stuff, because it was the summer and he was able to travel. He was really excited about that." Karolina's cheeks were turning red and I wouldn't let it go.
"Did you two bump uglies!?"
Angelina burst into laughter and began to roll around on the floor where she was sitting as Karolina's eyes widened. "That's none of your business!"
"Karolina and Patrick had sex!" I yelled, jumping up from the floor and pumping my fists.
"Did he do his goal dance afterwords?" I began to imitate him by crouching on one knee and pumping my fist horizontally and then stood up, yelling, "Boom!"
Karolina put her face in her hands to stifle her giggles and Angelina said, "You are..Interesting, Sam."
"Oh god, did he?" I asked Karolina.
"No!" She retorted then said, "Will you just turn around and watch the game? Antti is in net!"
"I know he's starting, woman!" I replied, ruffling her hair like I did to Patrick's and obeyed her wishes by turning around and focusing on the game.
Karolina let out a loud sigh and Angelina giggled once more before her eyes were also glued to the television.

Of course, the first player to score (a goal) was Kane, making all three of us jump up, but Karolina yelled the loudest. Then Byfuglien scored and we were all still doing our little dances when a Rafalski poked it past Antti.
"Oh no." The goal seemed to burst Detroit's confidence, because then they tied it, and scored another goal, all within the first period. Thankfully, the clock was spent and the first intermission began.
"What was that?" Angelina asked, clearly referring to the 3-2 score and the conversation Pat and Eddie were having.
"Antti Niemi does not seem to be having a good game today, Eddie."
"He faced eleven shots this period, and three went in."
"I wouldn't be surprised to see the young Corey Crawford out on the ice if he lets another one through." Pat finished before the commercial break.
I just shook my head as the second period started and Crawford was already in net.
"Coach Q must be seeing something that we're not. He's pulled Niemi after only three goals." Pat Foley's voice penetrated the quiet that had settled on the small front room of Karolina's apartment.
The game ended, 4-3 in favor of the Blackhawks. Sharp's goal had tied it, and Ladd's had given us the lead.
"What happened, Antti?" I asked quietly, watching the postgame begin.
"Well folks, that's a game." Karolina said behind me. Angelina made a noise of approval and I replied, "Thank god. My heart can't take this anymore."
"Has anything happened with you and Antti lately?" Angelina was the one to ask first, even though I could tell Karolina wanted to know also.
"Nope. If an outside influence is to blame for that poor game, it wasn't us."
They nodded, agreeing with me. Our relationship was pristine, it must have been something with the guys or the coaches. Goalies were very suseptible to any type of emotional stress and it showed easily in their play.

That night, five o'clock came and passed and no call from Antti. I was beginning to be worried until I heard him trudging up the stairs with his bag. I opened the door to our apartment and greeted him in the hallway.
"Antti." My arms found their way around his shoulders and his bag was dropped next to us as he engulfed me in his suit clad arms.
He was quiet after losses, but his mood was strange and weighed heavily on both of us as we stepped inside the apartment and he began to put away the clothes in his bag.

"Are you okay, Antti?" I was almost worried about his answer.
When he looked over at me, his eyes were dark. Not the dark that I enjoyed watching when we slept together, or the dark they turned when he concentrated.
"I need to talk to you."
All I could do was nod- I was unable to make more of a movement.

"Do you remember that Finnish girl at the rink a couple of nights ago?"