The Crosby Life

The next day was absolutely hectic. I was forced out of the cabin at seven and I had nothing to do besides wander around the eating hall until the guys got ready. I instinctively rubbed my scarred wrist, as I did every time I am lost in thought.
All of the athletes around me were buzzing around; getting their breakfasts and sucking down the food do they can be on their ways to the designated places they need to be for their own sports.
I just sort of stood there, not really knowing what to do, until a hand appeared on my shoulder and I jumped in surprise. “Easy there.” Marty said with a chuckle as I turned around to face him. “Good morning.”
I smiled at Marty. “Good morning. I’m sorry, I was lost in thought.” I said to him, following him as he led me to a table.
Marty shrugged and I sat down across from him. “It’s fine. I had a feeling you were anyways.” He said with a smile. “How are you today?” He asked, and I knew he was talking about last night.
I fiddled with the ring on my finger. “I’m fine, besides the feeling of wanting to kick Jonathan’s butt.” I mumbled, causing Marty to laugh.
“What if I told you I had a plan?” He asked, and I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “He had no right to talk to you like that.”
I smiled wickedly. “Please tell.” I said, urging him to go on.
“I know one of your specialties is shootouts. So I was thinking that you challenge Tazer at the end of practice and hand his butt to him.” He said. He must have read my mind though, because next he said, “Oh, but don’t worry. I won’t go easy on either of you. I will play against you as if it was a real shootout in a real game.”
The grin on my face widened. “Alright, I’ll do it. My skates are in Marc-Andre’s bag. And I can always use Sid’s stick.” I said, thinking and planning everything.
Marty laughed. “This will be fun.” He said, and I saw him look over my head and I realized someone was coming.
I turned around and a group of the guys were coming with their food. Marc-Andre had French toast and my eyes brightened as he sat next to me. I instantly grabbed a piece of the French toast and dipped it in his syrup and ate it. He laughed at me and ate the eggs as I tried hard not to devour all of his French toast.
Everyone was talking strategy all through breakfast, and they ate as fast as they could because they had to hit the ice.
As we all walked to the ice, Brodeur was on the phone. I found out later that it was to tell the coach about the plan to hand Jonathan’s butt to him. Eric hoisted me up on his back and gave me a piggy bag ride all the way to the rink while he and Marc-Andre talked.
Sidney was talking to Iginla and Jonathan before the young Blackhawks captain strolled up on the other side of Eric. “Hey, Sierra.” He said and I replied with a simple hello. “My girlfriend is here in Vancouver, and the coach says she can come to practice today. I was wondering if you’d like to meet her.”
My eyebrows raised in surprise. I didn’t even know he had a girlfriend. It must have happened after he tried to hit on Jenna. “Sure, I’d love to.” I replied, actually meaning it.
Tazer grinned. “Awesome. She will really like that.” He said before falling in step with Sidney once again.
Eric looked back at me. “Who knew?” He asked, and me, Eric, and Marc-Andre all started to laugh as we entered the rink.
I dropped to my feet and walked through the rink hand in hand with Marc-Andre. I stopped outside of the locker room and kissed his cheek. Unlike back in Pittsburgh, I’m not welcome in there. But I didn’t care since I wasn’t playing or anything.
I waited outside when a girl that was a couple inches taller than me with long black hair walked up to me. She was smiling brightly and stopped right before me. She was wearing a Blackhawks hoodie and I knew who she was. “Janessa, right?” I asked her.
She cocked her head to the side and then grinned even more. “Yes, I’m Janessa. Apparently I have already been told about.” She said with a chuckle.
I smiled and held out my hand to her. “Yes, although I just heard about you on the way here. I’m Sierra.”
Janessa shrugged and shook my hand. “I figured he wouldn’t say anything until the last minute. Especially since he told me about the fight last night.” I sighed. “No worries, I yelled at him for it.” She chuckled and I smiled. “By the way, I already knew who you were.”
I nodded. “Most people do.” I said.
Janessa laughed. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Sometimes it is.” I replied.
She was about to say something else when the locker room door opened and Marty walked out. “Coach knows the plan, he finds it amusing.” He said before disappearing to head towards the ice.
Again, Janessa was going to say something but I waved my hand. Marc-Andre walked out, fully dressed in the Team Canada practice wear. He was holding his glove under his arm and injury tape in his right hand. I walked up to him and hugged him tightly. “You look great.” I said softly, feeling pride swell up inside of me.
Marc wrapped his arm around me in a tight hug. “Thank you.” He said and I pulled away. “And I need your help.” He said before noticing Janessa. “Is that~?”
I nodded and cut him off. “Marc-Andre, this is Janessa, Jonathan’s girlfriend.” I said to introduce them.
Janessa smiled. “Hi. I’ve heard a lot about you from Cris.” She said to him. “I didn’t know I would actually get to meet you one day. Then again I didn’t think I’d get to meet the only female NHL player.” She said with a chuckle.
Marc-Andre and I both looked confused. “Who’s Cris?” We both asked at the same time.
Janessa blushed slightly. “Oh right, sorry. I forgot that most people don’t know his nickname. Cristobal Huet.” She said. Marc-Andre and I understood then. “He is really fond of you. Even though he’s older, he kind of looks up to you. Does that sound weird?”
I chuckled slightly. “He looks up to me?” Marc-Andre asked, but Janessa never got to answer as all of the guys started to come out of the locker room. “Oh, right.” He said, pulling me with him as we headed towards the ice.
We were at the bench when he held out his left hand. The splint on his injured finger was falling apart. I chuckled and took the tape from his hand and cut away the splint on his finger with a pair of scissors. “Hold the metal piece.” I directed as I picked at the tape, trying to get end of it. Marc held the piece and I finally got the edge of the tape and started to wrap up his finger. “It’s looking a lot better.” I said.
Marc-Andre nodded as I continued to wrap his finger. “It feels a lot better too. I feel like I can bend it without it hurting so much anymore.” He said. “It should be able to come off soon.”
I nodded. “Yes. You should see if the team’s doctor here can check it out and see what he says.” I suggested, finishing it up. “How does that feel?” I asked.
He flexed his fingers and smiled. “It feels great.”
I stretched up on the very tip of my toes and kissed him softly. Even on the tip of my toes he had to bend down; he’s around 6’4”-6’5” on skates. “Have fun.” I said to him as he skated onto the ice.
Janessa walked up to me and we watched the practice together. It was an extremely busy practice since they had to figure out which players fit best with each other and created a strong line. It was obvious that the two Blackhawks defensemen were going to be on their lines together a lot, they had major chemistry.
Sidney seemed to adapt too just about anyone, but the coach really wanted to have him with a very strong line. Janessa and I shared our numbers and we nearly got hit by a flying puck. “Sorry!” Corey Perry yelled as we both scowled at him for almost hitting us.
At the end of practice, I slipped on my skates, but stayed behind the bench so no one would see. I met Marty’s eyes and grinned. The players were slowly getting off the ice one by one, but I hopped in front of Jonathan’s path as he tried to leave. Janessa looked at me, confused. “Oh, no you don’t.” I said, pushing against him so he slid backwards on the ice.
Jonathan looked at me, clearly confused. Marc-Andre was talking to Marty and he started to laugh, and I knew Marty told him. “What’s going on?” He said as the other players got off the ice and waited on the benches.
Marty skated around the net, stretching out his shoulders and getting ready for the challenge we have put forth.
The coach grinned. “Have fun.” He said as he and Luongo stood by on the doors to the bench so Jonathan wouldn’t try to flee.
Sidney handed me his stick and I twirled it around me, testing it out. Jonathan was staring, more confused than ever. Janessa, who was on the bench, was being filled in by Dany Heatley; she began laughing once the story was complete.
“Jonathan Toews.” I called out to him on center ice. “It is time you face your punishment from last night.” Jonathan’s jaw dropped. “I challenge you to a shootout.”
All of the guys on the bench starting to “ooo” at us. Someone yelled “accept or be a fool!” at Jonathan; I’m pretty sure it was Seabrook. Of course, his actual teammate.
“Well?” I asked, deking the puck back and forth.
Jonathan sighed, knowing he had no choice. “Alright, but you are the one who is going to face humiliation.” He said, taping his stick.
I chuckled evilly. “We shall see, Toews. We shall definitely see.” I said, and everyone was laughing.
Jonathan looked at Brodeur. “You will be playing fair, right?” He asked.
Martin nodded. “Of course. I never let a puck go through purposely, that would only ruin my reputation.” He replied.
Jonathan nodded and I passed the puck over to him. “You’re up first.” I said as I started to stretch out my limbs. I thought I probably looked pretty funny, wearing jeans and an oversized hoodie while wearing hockey skates and trying to show up the Blackhawks superstar. Oh wait, I mean will show up. I chuckled to myself.
Jonathan handled the puck and then flew down the ice and tried to get Marty to one side and then shot it between his legs. But Marty knew that was Jonathan’s signature move and he closed the door on the Blackhawks by going down into the butterfly.
I grinned as the guys on the bench started to cheer me on. Marty passed the puck down the ice to me and I skated in a circle. Jonathan stopped at the bench. “Hey! What about me?” He asked, and I could tell he was annoyed that they were cheering me on.
“Sorry man.” Chris Pronger said. “We are going for the shootout champion.” He said and the team started to murmur agreements. Jonathan sighed and I took the puck and dashed down the ice towards Marty.
I faked a shot to the left and then whipped it to the right. But Marty got a piece of it and it ended up flying over the net. I stretched my neck to the side and skated towards the bench as Jonathan took his turn.
Marc-Andre took a hold of my shoulder and kissed my forehead. “You will get him.” He said and I grinned and nodded, just as Jonathan’s shot was caught in Brodeur’s glove. “Win it, Sierra.” He said in French, and since most of the guys knew French, they all chuckled.
My shot was barely blocked by the New Jersey Devils top goalie, and it was Jonathan’s turn once again.
We were on our seventh round and Jonathan’s shot was off the skate of Marty. The bench was shouting my name and I took a deep breath, relaxing and visualizing in my mind what I was going to do. I then flew down the ice, handling the puck carefully, and faked a shot to the right, and just as the stick would have come in contact with the puck, I twisted my body around the puck and shot the puck to the left, and Marty had no chance in saving it.
My arms flew in the air and the bench roared as I skated around in victory. Jonathan had his head hanged low and Janessa was talking softly to him. I glided up to him and grinned. “Jonathan Toews, justice has been served. You have just been beaten by the only female in the NHL.” I said, and the bench roared once again.
Jonathan sighed and shook my hand. “I’m sorry for everything Sierra. And I accept that I was just made a fool of.” He said and I grinned.
“You are forgiven.” I said.
The coach was clapping and laughing with the rest of us. “I should have begged with the Olympic officials to allow you on.” He said with a grin and I shrugged. “Everyone go get changed. The Russians will be taking the ice soon.” He said and they all disappeared.
“I think that will keep him calm for a while.” Janessa said as we walked down the runway. We both laughed and waited for the guys.
The Canadian players were going to do things today, so the group was split up. Marc-Andre and I walked with our arms entwined with Sidney and Eric because we were going to go out for lunch.
We were laughing around my victory when the Russians started too walked up the path towards the rink. I spotted Evgeni and waved at him. “Hey Geno!” I called to him.
He looked over at me, and a couple of the guys were talking quietly while looking at us. I knew that they were probably saying some not too nice things. “What?” He asked.
I looked at Sidney and he nodded with a grin. “You better win tonight, Russians!” I yelled. “Because when you face the Canadians, you are going down!”
Alex Ovetchkin walked up next to Geno. It was weird, and kind of awkward to see them friendly with each other. “Don’t worry, Canada.” He said, his English better than Geno’s. “And you will be the one’s crying to your family.
The Russian team started to laugh and our group of four glared at them. “We shall see, Russians. We shall see.” I said as we walked away, staring after the Russians with a passion to defeat them.