The Crosby Life

I really, really didn't want to go to practice the next day. I woke up and my cheek and jaw were the ugliest color bruise I have ever seen. The swelling was gone since I slept with an ice pack wrapped in a face cloth on my cheek.
Marc-Andre kissed my cheek, and had to literally drag me to practice. But before we left, I put foundation to conceal the horrific bruise on my face. I had a feeling that it wouldn't stay on though, once I was on the ice and started to sweat-but might as well as try.
Marc-Andre actually threw me over his shoulder to carry me out to the car because I was being stubborn and pouty.
I sulked the whole drive to the arena, and Marc-Andre knew it well. He took my hand and squeezed it. "Cheer up, love." He said. "Everything will be fine."
I sighed and looked at him. "My face is a disaster and you can't play; you can barely practice." I retorted.
At the stop light, Marc-Andre turned to look at me. "Sierra, everything is fine. You need to relax."
I looked away and pointed at the light. Marc-Andre quickly stepped on the gas and we were off again.
I touched my cheek and noticed that we were one of the first ones at the arena, thankfully. "You have a doctor's appointment this afternoon, right?" I asked Marc-Andre as we walked hand-in-hand into the rink.
He nodded and then put his arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer to him. I avoided resting my cheek on him so I wouldn't cringe. "Yes, after practice. You'll probably want to go home with someone else, won't you?" He asked, his warm eyes lingering on me as we walked towards the locker room.
I rested my temple on his shoulder. "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind." I replied.
Marc-Andre smiled and took a gentle hold on my arm before we opened the door to the locker room. "Of course I wouldn't mind. I don't want you bored out of your mind at a doctor's office." He said with a smile.
I returned his smile and he bent down and kissed my lips gently. I smiled through the kiss and then he kissed my left, aching cheek. "I love you." He whispered in my ear in French as he pulled away.
I smiled more and we walked into the locker room. "I love you too." I said, looking at the two other guys that were here.
"Morning!" Max said, loping over to us.
I waved him off as I headed to my locker area, which was next to Sidney's. "Morning." I replied, feeling Marc-Andre's hand leave my arm as he left for his own area.
Max leaned against the wall and watched me closely. "What?" I asked him, a little annoyed at the way he was looking at me.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, and I softened up a bit at the worried tone.
Jay, the other guy who was here, walked up as well. "I heard about last night." He said. "I don't see a mark though, like Maxime said there was."
I narrowed my eyes at Max who grinned. "That's because she is hiding it under makeup." He said, and I threw a punch at him, and made contact with his arm. "Ouch!"
I turned my back to the two guys. "I'm fine." I grumbled, taking off of shoes. "And sadly, Blabs-a-lot is right, I tried to cover it up."
Jay touched my shoulder. "Hey, I didn't mean to offend you." He said and I shook my head.
"It's fine." I replied, shooting a death glare at Max's back.
Jay nodded and left to finish gearing up. The other guys slowly started to pile into the locker room. A lot of them kept questioning me about the bruise that should be on my face, and I decided just to tell them all the truth that I covered it up.
I followed Marc-Andre out onto the ice, and he just skated around. He couldn't do anything besides just skating.
I skated next to Marc-Andre, and I actually looked bigger than him with my hockey gear on. "I hope you can play soon." I said as we held hands and skated around the ice.
Marc smiled. "I will be. The only thing is that I'll probably have to put some padding in my glove or around my finger every time I suit up." He said.
I nodded. "It'll just be uncomfortable?" I asked, confirming what I pieced together from what I said.
Marc-Andre chuckled and we spun in a small circle. "Correct." He confirmed. "But everything will be just fine."
I nodded once again. "I know."
The other guys started to pile onto the ice, so Marc-Andre took his leave so we could practice. I started my warm-ups before everyone else, stretching all my muscles.
By the time everyone was on the ice, and they started the usual stretches, I was done and messing around witha puck.
There is a video that I saw on Youtube of Sidney with Austin and Sid is doing some amazing puck handling. I watched that video over and over again to learn from it for myself; and that is just what I did.
I did most of the same techniques that Sid used in the video, messing with the puck and handling it with accurate movements.
I saw Sidney watching me from the ice and I let the puck rip through the air and tackle into the net. "That was great." He said, an eyebrow raised. I knew he had to realize his own technique.
But we are twins, and our technique has always been very similar, I just used his to better my own. "Thank you, but you should be complimenting yourself. I learned this by watching you." I replied to him, as Coach started getting everyone into our practice positions.
Sidney smiled. "We are too similar for it to be just one person's technique." He said, and I laughed since I was thinking the same thing. "Come on, lets get moving."
I shook my head and chuckled and went over to the bench quickly. Marc-Andre stood there. "I have to head out. Do you want me to pick you up at Mario's?" He asked me.
"Yes, since I'll be going home with my brother." I replied, and he kissed me before leaving.
"Alright, I'll pick you up later." He said as he left.
I pulled on my helmet and joined all of the guys in the middle as we set up our teams to practice.
Just as I predicted, some of the makeup came off, and the terrible bruise showed itself. Some of the guys commented on it, but I just ignored them and focused on slapping the puck into the net behind Curry.
Curry blinked at me in surprise as I looked at the broken stick I now held. "Oops." I said, and John started to laugh.
"Try not to release your anger on your poor hockey sticks why don't you." He said, chuckling more as I rolled my eyes at him.
I went to the bench and took off my gloves as I reached for a new stick. I tested it out and my eye got on my scar along my wrist. I pulled up the sleeve of my jersey and noticed that the scar took on a soft pink color to it. I actually had forgotten about my wrist during our road trip, and it surprised me how faded the scar now was. But that was probably as faded as it was going to get.
I pulled on my gloves again as we started out shootout. We lined up in numerical order and I waited to go.
When I was up, I stick-handled the puck and then sped off down the ice towards Brent. I faked a shot that he was able to read and I shot the puck, but it still narrowly missed his hand and went into the back of the net.
I cheered and everyone laughed at the expression on Brent's face. But eventually he laughed too. "Go Sierra, go Sierra!" I cheered, doing my silly little victory goal dance, which made everyone laugh even more.
"Alright, alright. Let's just finish this." Coach Dan said, even though he was laughing too.
Everyone nodded and I started to head to the locker room since I already got the puck into the net.
I showered quickly, and got back into my normal clothes before the guys came in. I just had to wait until Sidney hurried his butt in here.
I lounged on the bench in the middle of the locker room and stared at the ceiling. My bruise was now revealed, but I didn't care. I just decided to embrace it and deal with it.
I lifted my head as the guys started to come into the locker room, and Sidney tossed his sweaty jersey on my head. "Eww, gross!" I said, throwing it back at him with a crinkled nose.
Sidney laughed and I rolled my eyes, standing up and waiting outside so I wouldn't get another smelly jersey in my face.
I paced outside the locker room, waiting for Sidney to come out. I touched my cheek gently and I lost myself in my own thoughts.