Smile

14.
The team decided on a pizzeria for dinner since it would be easy for the guys with kids since everyone pretty much loved pizza. The guys pushed tables together so everyone could fit and sit together. Richards sat a few chairs across from Jon and Ara. Sitting next to Ara was Taylor and the Crosby’s.

“What are you going to get?” Taylor asked looking at the one paged menu with almost every type of traditional pizza.

“Um, I’m not to sure if I want anything.” Arabella said looking at the menu and then back up at Taylor.

“You ate already?” Jon asked leaning to Ara’s left side joining into the conversation that they were having.

“I ate all of Kaner’s and Parise’s french fries. And then I ate all of Kaner’s vegetables.” Ara said joining in on Jon’s laughter. It wasn’t the first time that Ara has eaten Kaner’s vegetable. She was like the dog that the little kids give their vegetables to because they don’t want to eat it.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Jon asked resting his head on Ara’s shoulder. Her body was still turned towards Taylor so Jon’s whole body was turned a little awkwardly facing Ara.

“I guess I’ll have a vegetarian pizza.” Ara said rolling her eyes playful at Jon. As Richards saw how Jon smiled around Ara he started to like her a little bit more but still was hesitant about this blonde girl.

Everyone ordered and pizza was shared around the three combined tables. The talk that was going on was all about many different topics. It was all fun and in good humor until Richards decided to ask a few questions. He was only thinking about good intentions but good intentions don’t always have the best outcome.

“So Arabella, why didn’t you come to tonight’s game?” Richards asked and then silence took over everyone. It seems like everyone wanted to know the answer or maybe it was just out of shock that Richards asked such a question.

“I just didn’t want to go to the game. I mean there will always be another hockey game.” Arabella said shrugging her shoulders.

“There will never be another game like tonight, there are no alike hockey games. But like you wouldn’t know that right?” Richards retorted back at Arabella. As soon as those words left his mouth, he looked over at Jon who was giving him a death glare.

“Look Richards, you don’t need to like my girlfriend but you do need to respect her. I know what you were trying to imply and who cares if she didn’t want to come to the game. She’s French, hockey isn’t going to be her favorite sport, hell she’s only been to about 40 games, but at least she goes to games. And at least she isn’t a douche to anyone, unlike you.” Jon replied obviously ticked off that his own teammate had the nerve to imply that his girlfriend was a puckbunny.

After Jon’s little outburst at Richards and an awkward silence the conversations started to pick up. Ara didn’t really understand what Richards was trying to imply that Jon so mad. She knew that if she turned to Jon and asked him it would just get him mad all over again.

“Where’s the bathroom?” Ara asked her boyfriend as he was mid way of shoveling a vegetarian pizza down his throat.

“Down that hall, the door to the right.” Taylor replied for her brother’s teammate. Ara thanked her before getting up and made her way to the women’s bathroom. Few seconds after Ara left the table, Kelly Duncan’s fiance left to follower her.

“What was Richards implying?” Ara asked as soon as Kelly entered the bathroom. The girls have gotten close since Abby was friends with Kelly as well.

“It really isn’t important.” Kelly said not wanting to tell Ara exactly because Kelly viewed Ara like a little sister.

“Please, Kel.” Ara said giving Kelly the puppy dog pout. Even though Kelly knew that this was going to hurt Ara, she decided to tell her anyway.

“He was implying that you were a puck-bunny, or basically a slut.” Kelly said as she watched Ara’s face just fell. And her big green eyes got glazed over as a few tears started to fall.

“He think’s am I slut?” Ara asked as her voice quivered. She was wearing jeans, boots, long sleeve and a jacket over. None of the things that she was wearing screamed slut or puck-bunny.

“It shouldn’t matter what he thinks, Ara. Jon doesn’t think your a slut and that should be the only thing that matters.” Kelly grabbing paper towels so Ara could wipe her face.

“But he’s Jons teammate, and Jon respects Richards. I could have ruined their friendship.” Ara replied dotting her eyes as she was not wearing waterproof makeup and trying not to smear her makeup.

“Ara, you didn’t ruin anything. Richards is just jealous of Jon, Jon has an amazing girlfriend while Richards has no one.” Kelly said pulling Ara into a much needed hug.

“Thanks Kel, Duncs is lucky to have you.” Arabella replied looking into the mirror at Kelly. Then Ara started to fix and redo her now smeared eyes.

Meanwhile as Ara and Kelly talked about various things and how they couldn’t wait to return to Chicago again to see the guys. Plus everyone was in on the fact that Sharpie was going to purpose to Abby over the Olympic break. So the girls wanted to see the ring that Abby was going to get. The guys started to leave with their families, Richards had left without a word with Pronger. Seabs, Duncs, Toews and Crosby were the only ones with family still at the table.

The guys were talking about none other than hockey. But instead of talking about how their teams were doing the talk was about the international teams. They knew that they would be playing USA in the gold medal finals. They wanted revenge over the fact that the game that they lost were because of the Americans.

“Ready?” Kelly asked as her and Ara stood in front of the boys. As they stood up and grabbed their coats, Jon noticed that Ara’s eyes were a little red. He put the fact that her and Kel were in the bathroom for awhile and figured out that she was crying.

“You guys can go ahead, I’m going to take Ara to her hotel.” Jon said as they said their ‘byes’ and went off in their own direction.

The couple caught a taxi to the Four Seasons hotel which was wear Arabella was staying at. The ride was quite as they watched the snow start to fall again on the now fairly empty streets of Vancouver. As the taxi pulled up to the Four Seasons and Ara climbed out of the taxi. Jon got out as well but leaned against the taxi.

“Ara, don’t worry about what Richards think about you. He’s just a philly douche and he isn’t that much of a friend to me. Okay?” Jonathan asked his girlfriend as she looked towards the ground.

“Okay, see you tomorrow.” She said going on her tippy toes to kiss him.

The only think was that Jon forgot to tell Arabella that his parents wanted to have lunch with him.