Sequel: Chasing Claudia ›
Status: FIN... again!
Goth & Donut
Life In A Northern Town
*7 months later*
I’ve walked in the door of my apartment I’m sharing with Rene. I’ve taken my last final for the semester at University of Toronto and couldn’t wait to relax. Living in Toronto for the past 7 months has been rough. First of all, I miss my grandparents in Guelph. We talk to each other every other night about everything and visit every weekend. Abuela suggested that I should transfer to UG to be closer to home but I insist to stick it out. Secondly, it’s tough to find a decent job in Toronto. Commuting from Toronto to Guelph on the weekends to train kids while working at Tim Hortons for the past few months has taken a toll on me. It was so frustrating that when some costumer trying to hit on me, I splashed coffee on him. I end up getting tired. They probably fired me because I was their “eye candy”.
Then there’s the dating pool. I’ve decided to start going on dates but most of them wanted me to put out within the first hour of the date. Maybe my standards are too high.
I look at myself in the mirror and noticed how different I look. I still kept the skinny jeans, the Converses, and the occasional Hello Kitty item, but I really matured as far my style goes. I dyed my hair to a chestnut brown color with a couple of blonde streaks since jet black hair washes me out and I didn’t feel like staying a blonde. My body changed as well. I remember when I first met Drew, I was very willowy and no curves because I was skating all the time. Now my body completely filled out and while I’m still very slender, I got boobs and a butt now. If I decided to go back training, I probably can’t do any triple jumps now.
Most of all, I miss Drew. We email and text each other every day since he moved to Los Angeles over the summer. He went to their development camp shortly after the draft and stayed there. We would talk about the usual things like being a little homesick to dating all kinds of people to life in general. He assures me that I’m in good hands because of Luke. Luke was drafted by the Leafs and made the team out of training camp. He doesn’t live far from where I live and always call to check up on me. However, Luke is not Drew.
I sat on the couch watching the snow fall on the pavement, wondering if things would get better. Suddenly, I’ve heard my cell phone vibrating and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Hey Janelle.” A guy with a thick Westerner accent ring my ears.
“Well, hello Luke. How are you?”
“I’m alright. Enjoying the day off before our game tomorrow. By the way, would you please answer the door?” At that moment, a knock was coming from the door. I walked up and answered it, seeing Luke hanging up. “Thought you should need some company.” He closed the gap between us and gave me a hug. Luke and I have become good friends since we don’t have Drew around.
“You know you don’t have to check up on me all the time, Schenner.” I walked over to the couch to sit down.
“I promise his word.” Luke smiled as she joined me. “Remember the day of the draft?” Who could forget that.
Everyone was waiting at the restaurant for Drew and his friends finish with their media rounds. I was talking to Luke’s younger brother Brayden and Drew’s younger sister Chelsea when both came into the room. Both were sporting their new jerseys; Drew in a Kings jersey, Luke wearing the blue and white Maple Leaf. We’ve talked for a bit before Drew saying something to Luke.
“I know you have a crush on her and all but please take care of Janelle. I trust you, dude.”
“Earth to Janelle!” Luke tried to snap out of my thoughts. “Pretty boy is here.”
“I know.” I explained to him. “It’s just very hard. I thought living here would be easy but it’s not. Besides you and Rene, I don’t know anyone here. I don’t really socialize in school. Those idiots at Tim Hortons stayed within their own clique because they are Arab, and most of the people I encountered so far are jerks. Not to mention all the traveling from here to Guelph on the weekends.”
“That’s why I’m here, to make you smile and entertain you.” Luke leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “Damn, you guys don’t have enough drinks.” He laughed as he went over to the kitchen.
“We haven’t gone grocery shopping yet. I feel bad for Drew. With all the beautiful girls in California, he couldn’t find himself a girlfriend.”
“Well I’m sure after what happened between him and Brittany, he just hooking up and whatnot. Speaking of Drew, you’ve heard we’ve made it to the All-Star game?”
“Really?” I haven’t been following any hockey since I’ve moved to Toronto.
“Well not the big game. Just the YoungStars game. I’m surprised Drew hasn’t told you yet. He’s playing. Same goes for Steve.”
“Well that’s great.”
“So I was wondering we should have a Combine reunion and you come along. It’ll be great for you to see Drew again.”
“I would love to but… isn’t the game being played in Montreal?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it where you’re from?” Luke asked.
“I just don’t want to go back there.”
“It’ll be fun. Just stay with us the entire weekend. You don’t have school to worry about until after the Game.” As I was about to give him an answer, Rene walks through the door.
“Well, well. We have a hot stud muffin sitting on the couch.” Rene rushed over and sat next to Luke. “Aren’t you a hot cutie pie?”
“Hey, Rene.” Luke laughed at Rene’s little crush on him. “I’ve just inviting Janelle to come with me to Montreal for All-Star Weekend.”
“Oh you have too, my dear. You get the meet all the All-Stars!” Rene begged. “Oh if you see Sheldon Souray, tell him hi and I love him.”
“Fine, but if I’m going, I’m driving.” I don’t know if I’ve made the right decision. This is worse than going into the ballroom during Prom.
I’ve walked in the door of my apartment I’m sharing with Rene. I’ve taken my last final for the semester at University of Toronto and couldn’t wait to relax. Living in Toronto for the past 7 months has been rough. First of all, I miss my grandparents in Guelph. We talk to each other every other night about everything and visit every weekend. Abuela suggested that I should transfer to UG to be closer to home but I insist to stick it out. Secondly, it’s tough to find a decent job in Toronto. Commuting from Toronto to Guelph on the weekends to train kids while working at Tim Hortons for the past few months has taken a toll on me. It was so frustrating that when some costumer trying to hit on me, I splashed coffee on him. I end up getting tired. They probably fired me because I was their “eye candy”.
Then there’s the dating pool. I’ve decided to start going on dates but most of them wanted me to put out within the first hour of the date. Maybe my standards are too high.
I look at myself in the mirror and noticed how different I look. I still kept the skinny jeans, the Converses, and the occasional Hello Kitty item, but I really matured as far my style goes. I dyed my hair to a chestnut brown color with a couple of blonde streaks since jet black hair washes me out and I didn’t feel like staying a blonde. My body changed as well. I remember when I first met Drew, I was very willowy and no curves because I was skating all the time. Now my body completely filled out and while I’m still very slender, I got boobs and a butt now. If I decided to go back training, I probably can’t do any triple jumps now.
Most of all, I miss Drew. We email and text each other every day since he moved to Los Angeles over the summer. He went to their development camp shortly after the draft and stayed there. We would talk about the usual things like being a little homesick to dating all kinds of people to life in general. He assures me that I’m in good hands because of Luke. Luke was drafted by the Leafs and made the team out of training camp. He doesn’t live far from where I live and always call to check up on me. However, Luke is not Drew.
I sat on the couch watching the snow fall on the pavement, wondering if things would get better. Suddenly, I’ve heard my cell phone vibrating and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Hey Janelle.” A guy with a thick Westerner accent ring my ears.
“Well, hello Luke. How are you?”
“I’m alright. Enjoying the day off before our game tomorrow. By the way, would you please answer the door?” At that moment, a knock was coming from the door. I walked up and answered it, seeing Luke hanging up. “Thought you should need some company.” He closed the gap between us and gave me a hug. Luke and I have become good friends since we don’t have Drew around.
“You know you don’t have to check up on me all the time, Schenner.” I walked over to the couch to sit down.
“I promise his word.” Luke smiled as she joined me. “Remember the day of the draft?” Who could forget that.
Everyone was waiting at the restaurant for Drew and his friends finish with their media rounds. I was talking to Luke’s younger brother Brayden and Drew’s younger sister Chelsea when both came into the room. Both were sporting their new jerseys; Drew in a Kings jersey, Luke wearing the blue and white Maple Leaf. We’ve talked for a bit before Drew saying something to Luke.
“I know you have a crush on her and all but please take care of Janelle. I trust you, dude.”
“Earth to Janelle!” Luke tried to snap out of my thoughts. “Pretty boy is here.”
“I know.” I explained to him. “It’s just very hard. I thought living here would be easy but it’s not. Besides you and Rene, I don’t know anyone here. I don’t really socialize in school. Those idiots at Tim Hortons stayed within their own clique because they are Arab, and most of the people I encountered so far are jerks. Not to mention all the traveling from here to Guelph on the weekends.”
“That’s why I’m here, to make you smile and entertain you.” Luke leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “Damn, you guys don’t have enough drinks.” He laughed as he went over to the kitchen.
“We haven’t gone grocery shopping yet. I feel bad for Drew. With all the beautiful girls in California, he couldn’t find himself a girlfriend.”
“Well I’m sure after what happened between him and Brittany, he just hooking up and whatnot. Speaking of Drew, you’ve heard we’ve made it to the All-Star game?”
“Really?” I haven’t been following any hockey since I’ve moved to Toronto.
“Well not the big game. Just the YoungStars game. I’m surprised Drew hasn’t told you yet. He’s playing. Same goes for Steve.”
“Well that’s great.”
“So I was wondering we should have a Combine reunion and you come along. It’ll be great for you to see Drew again.”
“I would love to but… isn’t the game being played in Montreal?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it where you’re from?” Luke asked.
“I just don’t want to go back there.”
“It’ll be fun. Just stay with us the entire weekend. You don’t have school to worry about until after the Game.” As I was about to give him an answer, Rene walks through the door.
“Well, well. We have a hot stud muffin sitting on the couch.” Rene rushed over and sat next to Luke. “Aren’t you a hot cutie pie?”
“Hey, Rene.” Luke laughed at Rene’s little crush on him. “I’ve just inviting Janelle to come with me to Montreal for All-Star Weekend.”
“Oh you have too, my dear. You get the meet all the All-Stars!” Rene begged. “Oh if you see Sheldon Souray, tell him hi and I love him.”
“Fine, but if I’m going, I’m driving.” I don’t know if I’ve made the right decision. This is worse than going into the ballroom during Prom.
