The Right Kind of Wrong

The holidays literally passing in a rain of glittery snow – Mario had younger sisters who’d discovered the thing at the supermarket, their whole house was sparkling when they’d left it – Emily was pulling her hair into the most complicated do she could muster on her own. It really wasn't that complicate if she thought about it.

Under insistence from both Chris and Chay, as well as a few others, she’d spent most of Christmas Day over at Chay and Hexie’s house just outside of town and with the amounts of snow that had fallen, the lights they’d been putting up for three days made the whole area look like a Christmas card. Thinking back to it, she was really happy she hadn’t turned them down.

As always, she’d spent a few hours on Christmas Eve talking and Skyping her friends and family back in Sweden as it was then they all celebrated and it was with a slight ache in her heart that she’d said bye to them. It was then she was thankful that Chris had talked her into spending the evening at his house, help him wrap his remaining Christmas presents.

Then on Boxing Day they had all spent the day at Mario’s family home – everyone from the hockey team that was still there including their girlfriends or just other close friends – and thinking back at it as she was standing in front of the mirror, applying mascara, she realized that she had never had such a fun Christmas since she arrived in the States.

The Christmas holidays were a very family and gift oriented thing and having spent the previous three ones away from her family, she was happy that everything surrounding her, everyone surrounding her kept her from being sad about being away from them. Especially as the three previous ones had been spent with a guy she thought was her family…

But now Christmas had come and gone in a whirlwind of sparkles and wrapping papers and made way for the New Year’s Celebrations…

Parties being a big thing in Grand Forks, especially around the hockey team, the boys had decided that they should all ring in the New Year in style.

And they really meant style.

They had a dress code! Dress codes – except for masquerades and white-outs of course – were practically unheard of in their circle of friends. As far as Emily could remember, the only time she’d had an invite with a dress code was prom in ninth grade and her aunts wedding some years earlier…

The party – just like the Christmas one – was being held at Chay and Hexie’s house as it was the only place big enough to host that kind of party. And whilst it wasn't strictly a black tie thing, they all realized they should take more than a second to think of what they should wear.

This was exactly why Emily was running around her dorm room in a crazy state. Usually she had friends or family around to help her figure out what to wear, but several friends were still not there and others…well they were also getting ready for the party at their homes.

Considering the well below freezing temperatures outside, Emily had quickly decided against wearing either a dress or a skirt, much to Chris’ chagrin, he’d advised and practically pleaded with her. Instead, she went with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, a dark blue and white, diagonally striped top with a wide neck, letting it hang slightly of her left shoulder – that had been a Christmas present the previous year – and a simple cardigan she knew that she would most likely need as she would begin shivering well before the clock stroke midnight. It had happened several times during the past years – she like winter, the cold, the snow, she liked everything, but the cold clearly didn’t agree with her.

Scrutinizing her appearance in the large mirror, she decided she would have to do and reached for her black, 3inched high heeled pumps, slipping them on before standing up and shrugging on her knee long, black, wool coat. Grabbing her clutch from her dresser and picking up keys as well as her iPhone, she left the room and locked the door behind herself before texting Chris and letting him know she was coming down.

Despite having owned her car for over three and a half years, and having driven it for the three previous winters down in St Paul, MN, Chris didn’t trust that the VW Beetle would be safe out on the snow-covered Grand Forks streets. Especially all the way out to Chay and Hexie’s house.

So he was picking her up. In his – at least in his mind – very sensible and safe Ford pick-up. She still hadn’t fully grasped the love hockey players seemed to have for that particular type of car…

Carefully walking down the flights of stairs as to not trip, she soon reached the ground floor and pushed the door open, immediately regretting it. Braving the icy cold winds that hit her as she walked down the path, she couldn’t help but smile softly as her eyes landed on Chris who was looking mighty comfortable inside his car. His probably very warm car.

Pulling the door to the passenger seat open, she quickly climbed inside and returned the kiss he gave her. “Well hello to you too,” she smiled as she leaned back in her seat.

“I just couldn’t help myself,” he smiled widely. “I haven't seen you since yesterday.”

“You might be close to losing it,” she rolled her eyes before buckling in as he pulled away from the curb. She was surprised as to how close they had gotten in just a short while and how much time they were spending together; she could literally counting the nights she’d spent alone in bed the last three months on her one hand…

That was saying something.




Standing by one of the large windows in the living room and watching all the fireworks that was gracing the skies, as well as talking to a few girls; some she sort of knew and one of them was Bella; Fratts girlfriend, Emily jumped slightly as a tall glass, filled with champagne appeared before her eyes.

“Hey,” she smiled as she realized it was Chris who’d appeared behind her and was holding it out for her.

“Hey,” he replied, quickly kissing her much to the amusement of the girls around them who all catcalled at them, making her blush slightly.

The party had begun with a dinner where only the players and occasional girlfriends or close friends were present, the food was thankfully ordered in on a budget considering that none of them knew how to really cook, and after that, others had begun arriving and now, just moments away from midnight, the party was in full swing. People were everywhere, balloons were hanging from the ceilings with long strands of glitter hanging from them and there was no shortage of music or alcohol, much to the enjoyment of everyone there.

After the dinner, she’d been around Chris for a while, but some time during the night they’d ended up being separated and this was the first time she saw him in well over an hour. And that was something as the house wasn't that big…

Thanking him, she took the champagne glass from him and pressed her lips against his once more before he took her hand and tugged her with him as he headed across the large room. Much to the amusement of the girls she’d been talking with; they were all under the impression that they were ‘perfect’ for each other. Personally she wasn't thinking about it.

The minutes left before midnight passing quickly, they were all soon counting down the seconds along with the program airing on the TV, either standing inside the living room or out on the back deck where it was freezing but the view of the fireworks was better.

Much to her own chagrin, Emily was standing outside, without her cardigan and it wasn't for Chris practically having her wrapped in his arms, she knew that she would be shivering and her teeth would be clattering in the cold surrounding them.

The clock striking midnight in the midst of cheers and hollers, Emily smiled widely as Chris pressed his lips against hers with surprising determination and her eyes fluttering close, she wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She’d never really understood the whole kiss at midnight thing, but in that moment, she knew that she would never want to celebrate the New Year in any other way.

Resting his forehead against hers as they broke apart, champagne glasses still in their hands, he watched her with a soft smile across his lips, silently wondering what she was thinking.

Similar thoughts were running through her mind. Though she also realized that she’d never really felt quite as comfortable as she did in that moment. She and Erik might have been together for almost seven years, but she knew, in her heart, that they had never been quite as comfortable and at ease around each other as she currently was around Chris.

It was a realization that scared the living daylights out of her, but it also gave her faith that her life wasn't ending with her and Erik’s relationship, there was a life ‘after’ it sort to speak.

And watching Chris, trying to not over-think the things that were happening in her life, she knew that she wanted to know everything that life had to offer. Her relationship with Erik had been more hindering than anything and suddenly, the New Year was looking real good...