The Games We Play

Lacey’s team won that game 4-0. They played MSU again on Thursday and swept them in their fourth game. Derek’s team was also doing well, finishing their second series in five games. The day after Lacey’s fourth and final game against Michigan State, she got a call from Patrick.

“Hey,” she greeted into the phone. “Did Jon tell you? My team beat MSU! We’re headed to the semis!”

“That’s fantastic!” Patrick replied enthusiastically. Lacey could picture his toothy grin as he spoke. “Hey, does that mean you’re free to hang out maybe tonight? You don’t have plans with Tazer, do you?”

“Well, no,” Lacey pondered. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well, since there aren’t any good movies playing right now, want to just get something simple to eat?” Patrick offered. “Want to meet at Uno’s at seven?”

Lacey chuckled. “Are you sure you’re allowed to eat deep-dish pizza? Especially so close to your next series?”

She imagined Patrick shrugging. “What Coachie doesn’t know won’t hurt him. See you then.”

They both hung up and Lacey went back to studying for her physics final. At Loyola, even though the school year would be ending, spring athletics programs that had final tournaments would always run a little bit into the summer. It was much easier than starting the season in the fall and having to deal with the cold, wind and inevitable snow.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. Lacey had four hours until she had to meet with Patrick at Uno’s, which meant that she also had time to invite Derek over for a quick chat.

Derek and Lacey didn’t talk often during playoff time, but since they had both finished their second series and had some time off, she figured they could set their tradition aside just for one day.

Derek popped over and was soon sprawled out on Lacey’s couch with a bottle of Gatorade in one hand, his feet on Lacey’s lap. “Someone got a clip of your goal in Game Three against MSU and put it on YouTube,” he commented. “Pretty epic, I must say.”

“Thanks,” Lacey grinned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She closed her physics textbook and massaged her temples lightly, thinking only one thing to herself: Never again will I take physics as an elective. “I heard your team is doing really well, too. And that Connor got a hat trick in the last game.”

“He did indeed,” Derek confirmed, a wide smile on his face. Connor was one of Derek’s best friends and his line mate on the right wing. “His first hat trick ever, might I add. We beat UCLA 5-2.”

Lacey high-fived Derek and leaned back to rest against the couch cushions. “So,” she began nonchalantly, “I’m meeting up with Patrick for dinner at Uno’s at seven.”

Derek sat up just slightly, hovering his shoulders up from the couch to get a good look at her. “Like a date?” he questioned. “Does Jonathan know?”

Lacey shook her head. “We’re just friends. And I already know that Jonathan’s jealous of Patrick for some weird reason. I don’t want him to worry or get paranoid about it. He doesn’t need to know. And besides, if Patrick tries anything, I’ll flat out tell him that we’re just friends. It’s something I need to talk to him about anyway. That’s the main reason why I agreed to go out with him tonight in the first place.”

Derek looked skeptical. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”

“I do,” Lacey nodded. “I promise you, Der. Nothing’s going to happen.”

* * * *

Patrick was nervous.

He knew that Lacey was off-limits. Strictly off-limits, at that. He knew she was his best friend and team captain’s girlfriend. But that didn’t stop him from wanting her--not one bit.

Back at his apartment, he poured himself a shot of straight vodka and downed it before heading out the door. He just wanted to loosen himself up a bit. He had no intention of getting drunk or anything past buzzed tonight--the last thing he wanted to do was have to get a cab to pick him up after that last cabbie fiasco.

Pizzeria Uno was a quaint, fairly small Italian-style restaurant famous in downtown Chicago for its deep-dish pan pizzas. Patrick walked in through the old wooden doors, the frame painted green and the glass windows slightly dirty, and spotted Lacey sitting at a booth, waving him over.

His eyes ran over her a few times. He tried to be incognito about it. She was wearing nothing fancy, but nothing too casual either. A dark blue blouse with a deep v-neck and three-quarter sleeves, a pair of well-fitted black skinny jeans and blood red suede flats with a large decorative silver buckle by the toe. Patrick swallowed hard.

“Hey, Pat,” she smiled as he sat down.

“Hey,” he grinned. “Congratulations on the win yesterday, by the way. Who are you facing in the semis?”

“We don’t know yet,” Lacey shrugged. “Either Florida State or Southwestern University. Southwestern’s up three games to one though, so most likely them, unless Florida State gets their stuff together and makes some kind of huge ridiculous comeback.”

Patrick nodded, then turned to the menu. “Have you decided on anything yet?”

Lacey gave a shrug. “Want to just split a medium sized pan pizza?”

“Sure,” Patrick agreed. “Tomato spinach?”

“You know it.”

They kept the small talk going for a little while. Patrick said a few jokes that made Lacey laugh. Not the kind of laugh that someone uses to make light of an awkward situation, but genuine laughter that made her lean forward slightly, her eyes crinkling ever so slightly in the corners as her smile widened.

She’s your best friend’s girl, Patrick kept reminding himself as he felt his pulse quicken. Don’t do anything stupid.

* * * *

I don’t like the way he’s looking at me, Lacey decided when she finally settled down and the food arrived. She took in a deep breath and decided now was the time to confront him.

“Hey, Pat?”

He looked up. “Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something?”

She sensed his nervousness. “Sure.”

“Why did you invite me to dinner tonight?”

“You’re my friend,” he replied shortly. “Am I not allowed to go out to dinner with a friend?”

Lacey pursed her lips slightly. “Are you sure that’s all, Patrick?”

He let out a sigh and wiped his hands on his napkin. “Look,” he began. “I know that you’re dating Jonathan and I know what you’re going to say. ‘He’s your best friend, he’s your team captain, he’s this, he’s that’. And I know it all and I’ve said it all to myself already. And believe me, I’ve tried to convince myself that you’re just my best friend’s girlfriend, but...it’s not working.”

Lacey gulped. “What?”

“To me you’re so much more than just a girl,” Patrick explained. “You’re amazing. You’re the most dedicated person I’ve ever met, you don’t care that we’re hockey players, you’re funny, you’re beautiful...and I’m going to sound like a dick for saying it, but I don’t know what you’re doing with Jonathan.” He looked into Lacey’s eyes and said, “I just...I keep asking myself what things would be like now if I had been the one to ask you out to dinner first.”

Lacey bit the inside of her lip and frowned just slightly. “Pat, you’re a great guy. Every quality you said that I have, you have it too, in multitudes. And I knew from the beginning that you liked me. And I chose to ignore it because I know about your reputation. I don’t care whether or not you’ve been with a bunch of girls or if you’ve had brushes with the law. You live for the night. And I...well, I don’t. We’re too different in that way. Jonathan just...gets me.”

Patrick looked a bit downtrodden. “If anyone could change me, Lace, it would be you.”

A sigh escaped her lips. It was tiny, barely audible, but it was full of exhaustion, of exasperation. “You’ll find someone who’s perfect for you someday soon.”

“I feel like I already have,” he murmured. “But she’s currently unavailable.”

The rest of the dinner was a lot more quiet than before. Patrick did his best to wave off the subject and started talking about other things like hockey and soccer. Soon though, it was time for them both to leave.

“How did you get here?” Patrick asked when he noticed that Lacey wasn’t rummaging in her purse for car keys.

“I took a cab,” she shrugged. “I’ll just call another one now.”

“I’ll drive you back to your apartment,” he offered. “It’ll save you like...eight bucks.”

Lacey smiled slightly. “Thanks, Pat.”

Lacey gave Patrick the directions and soon he pulled into her building’s parking lot. He got out of the car and opened the door for her, then walked her to the door.

“Bye, Patrick,” she said with a faint smile.

“Bye, Lacey,” he replied in a quiet voice. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Patrick put a hand behind Lacey’s neck and drew her in, placing a soft, delicate kiss to her lips. She couldn’t even process what was going on. Her mind was screaming, her palms were getting sweaty. She didn’t know what to do. In her mental frenzy, she almost started to kiss him back. Almost.

But as soon as it started, it was over. Patrick pulled away and looked into Lacey’s shocked eyes.

“Sorry,” he breathed. “I just needed to know what it would be like. Just once.” And then he turned on his heel, got into his car and peeled down the road. Standing in the same spot where Jonathan had kissed her for the first time, Lacey leaned herself against the wall and felt panic start to sink in. One question ran through her head over and over and over.

What the fuck just happened?