Drop The Puck, It's Time To Go

“Alright, what is going on?” Tim Thomas asked in an exasperated voice. I ignored it as I continued to gawk at the sight in front of me.
“Ble…Blo…Bob…Bobby Orr!?” I finally squeaked out. “No freaking way!” Bobby Orr let out a hearty laugh, smile increasing the wrinkles all over his face.
“Yes, it’s me. This meeting is highly over due. As the first woman to wear my beloved teams’ colors, I should have greeted you way earlier.” I scoffed.
“At least you did though! You’re my freaking favorite hockey legend! My dad used to always call me his little Bobby Orr and tell me what it was like to witness your games and FUCK! I am RAMBLING!”

“And so it was that the sex tape slut was forgotten in Roxanne McGregor’s mind.” Tyler stated.
“Far from it little Seguin!” I said, turning and pointing at him. “She’s still in my head just pushed back a little because I have finally been honored with the presence of Bobby freaking Orr himself!”
“But I’m still wondering about this whole ‘pulling the stings’ shit.” Thomas commented, crossing his arms and looking at Orr and Coach with a raised eyebrow.
“That detail is not to be discussed here, on the plane ride home though, yes.” Coach stated, heading back into the locker room.

Tyler and Timmy looked at each other before following in, leaving me with my old idol, Bobby Orr.
“I think we shall be going too, I’m excited to be able to chat with you.” Orr stated, almost making me squeal. Bobby Orr? Excited to chat with me? Hey man, shouldn’t it be the opposite way around!?
“Excited to chat with me? I’m more excited to chat with you!”
“So is everyone, but it’s not everyday you see a woman wearing your old colors. That to me is a breaking point, and an exciting one.” Orr stated causing me to smile like a dumb idiot as we entered the locker room, Tuukka just looking at me and shaking his head at my jubilation, a tiny smile gracing his lips.

*****

The plane ride back to Boston was quietly buzzing with everyone’s chatter. We were all high off of our win and ecstatic to get home and play against the Lightning, hopefully dragging on another win. I wasn’t sitting with Tuukka this flight though, instead I was with Bobby Orr in the back with the other Coaches. They were discussing upcoming games and strategy and what we needed improvement on.

Totally not going to think about that right now.

“When they said your last name, it actually caused me to start thinking really hard. It was weird, like I had heard it before.” I looked at Orr curiously.
“How so?” I asked.
“It was a last name I had heard awhile ago, back when I first started becoming the star everyone talked about, when I was about 25? Then when I saw your face and red hair, it hit me. You’re father was James McGregor…wasn’t he.”

I opened my mouth in shock.
“Y…yeah, it was! How do you know?”
“I trained him. He was only sixteen the time I went to his hockey camp.” I just stood there blinking, unsure how to respond to this.
“R-really? You knew my father?” Orr nodded with a smile.
“Sure did, the kid had a lot of talent and I really thought he would get into the NHL. Seems like he didn’t though, sadly, but I’m glad to see his talents weren’t wasted.”

I flushed a little, not knowing how to take this.
“I don’t know, I mean, I guess I do have the talent for the NHL, I just feel like I cheated my way in.” Orr laughed.
“Cheated? No, you were just noticed much later. Everything happens for a reason Roxanne, remember that. You were meant to be employed at the TD Garden and Marchand was meant to get you out on the ice to practice with them. If neither of those things happened, your talents would have been wasted. I for one am glad to finally see a woman in my honorary Black and Gold.”

I laughed a little.
“I hope I’m not a disappointment.”
“Anything but, Roxanne. Watching you play reminds me a lot of your father, the man had a shitload of talent. You have what it takes to bring that Cup to Boston.” I burst into the largest smile I ever had.
“You have no idea how much this means to hear, really.” I said. Orr put a hand on my shoulder.
“I know how it feels Roxy, I’ve been in your position before, may not seem like it now, but I was.” Orr then looked over at Claude, who was busy with paperwork. “But to be honest, greeting you isn’t the reason I am here.” I took a deep breath, adrenaline slowly ebbing away.

“I had a feeling, you’re the reason that slut is the water girl, aren’t you?” I asked, thinking to the brown haired girl who was in the locker room earlier. Bobby Orr nodded slowly.
“Yes, it’s a long complicated story but it’s one you must be filled in on because over the season, I have noticed you and Erika clash only to slowly fix up together into the friends you are now. She means a lot to you, doesn’t she?”

I looked ahead at the seat in front of me, thinking about that brown haired girl who I had idolized before entering the NHL. A woman who upfront seemed like a such a carefree girl, free of troubles and living the high life. Befriended half the league and brought people together. But deep down she was a hurt girl who went through hell to get where she was, someone like me.

“Yes…she does.” I said. “She’s someone who has built up the iron wall she is through pain and suffering over the years. Someone who deserves to be where she is but is being torn down by those jealous of where she is, who think she deserves nothing.” Orr nodded his head.
“She certainly is one of a kind. You’re probably beyond angry over what has happened with this issue with Sean Morrison and her?” I clenched my hands into fists at the mention of the sex tape.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
“I’m angry too, along with Jeremy Jacobs and the coaching staff. Plus countless others across this league.” I looked at Orr.
“Alright, are you finally going to explain why you are here and why we have the sec tape bitch in our reaches.”

Orr chuckled.
“Maybe we need to give her a name. The name is Kathleen and she’s a native of Philadelphia.” I snorted.
“Didn’t see that coming, still doesn’t explain why she’s here.”
“Me and a couple other dear friends from the league, you know of them, have come together to fight for Erika, a player who expresses the true meaning of what it is to be a hockey player for the NHL. Sean Morrison expressed everything of what isn’t a true player.” Orr then got quiet. “But this is Erika’s battle, a battle she has to fight herself but that doesn’t mean there can’t be others in the background helping her along the way. That’s where we come in. Roxanne, what I and the others ask of you is going to be a tough choice, but its something that will have to be done to ensure Erika wins this battle. Sometimes the hardest thing you will ever have to do is the right thing…and that comes into play with what we all ask of you now.”

*****

I stood in the entrance of the apartment, staring at everyone gathered in the living room, chatting with everyone and in good spirits. I was in good spirits but what Bobby Orr asked of me to do, I didn’t have the adrenaline anymore. Tuukka looked over at me, noticing my spiraling mood.
“Is everything okay?” He asked me in a low voice. I nodded slowly.
“For the most part yes, but I’m scared again.”
“Scared about what?”
“You’ll find out in a bit.” I moved into the living room to see Marchand collapsed onto the couch, hands behind his head and sighing in content.
“Ahhh, dibs on the couch…”
“Lazy ass.” Bergeron spat, starring down at Marchy in annoyance for her was about to sit there. I blinked at the sight before realizing it was that couch.

Yeah, that couch.
The unease I felt earlier was forgotten for a bit as I covered my mouth with my hand to try and cover my immature giggle.

Fail.

The attempt to hide the laugh only made it worse and I gave up, bursting out laughing and falling to my knees on the ground. Everyone looked at me oddly, even Tuuk. That was until the Scandinavian saw what I was looking at and put two and two together.
“Oh god Roxy…” He mutter, face palming.
“What is up with you?” Chara asked.
“Nothing…nothing…” I managed to get out.
“Well…if it’s nothing you either tell us or make Marchy move.” Boychuk said, glaring down at him with Bergeron, Marchand smiling back at the two. I snickered.
“Oh that’s easy!” I said. “I can do both at the same time.”
“Roxyyyy…” Tuuk warned from the other side of the room as I completely ignored him. Marchy looked over at me.
“I’d like to see how you accomplish this.”
“Tuukka and I had sex on that couch.”

I have never seen that guy moved faster.

“OH MY GOOOOD!” Marchand cried.
“Oh my god…” Bergeron and Boychuk muttered, both face palming their faces.
“Oh…my…god…” The rest of the room muttered.
“I hate how blunt McGregors are.” Tuukka grumbled.

Meanwhile, dear Bradina had lunged himself over the back of the couch and landed face first onto the floor, sobbing into the carpet.
“My…innoceeeence…” I ignored the whole scene and looked right at Bergy and Boychuk.
“Got him to move.”
“I don’t know if I want to sit down anymore.” Boychuk responded. Bergeron looked around to see there was really nowhere else to go and just shrugged.
“I’m going to anyways.” He plopped down and Boychuk hesitated for a couple of seconds before following suit, Marchand still crying on the floor in the background.

I got up and composed myself, bringing my mind back to the issue at hand.
“Alright guys, you’re probably wondering what the hell we’re all doing here.”
“No, not really, just wondering where the alcohol is.” McQuaid piped up. I turned around to see him riffling through the cupboards.
“Wrong cupboard.” I stated before turning around and looking at everyone else. “Anyways, while that guy is fetching alcohol, I’ll start by pointing out something you probably notice but didn’t give two thoughts about. My job has been replaced.”

“I saw that! The new girl barely talks and when she does she’s a bit snippy…” Horton said. “Actually, now that I think about it, sounds almost like you.”
“Har de har har.” I said. “So hilarious. BUT ANYWAYS! Yeah, new girl is in the locker room but she isn’t there by chance. She was put there by Coach and Bobby Orr.”
“Huh…?” The whole room echoed as twenty-three men just gave me a derp face.
“Yeah, sounds weird but it’s true. The reason being is because that girl is the key evidence to the Harper-Morrison issue; the evidence that blatantly states that Erika is completely innocent and Morrison is framing her.”

“I thought she looked familiar…” Recchi said, looking around thoughtfully.
“Why are we getting involved with that? That’s the Capitals’ issue not ours.” Chara snapped. I chucked a pillow at the Slovakian giant.
“But the Capitals can’t deal with this alone. Erika can’t fight it alone, she’s being framed and it’s not right. How would you like it if one of your teammates was being framed right now for something you know they didn’t do? You’d want all the help you could get in getting the evidence to prove their innocence. Erika’s identity was stolen and warped and that is a crime. Sean Morrison can get kicked out of the league for that shit and I don’t know about you, but the guy deserves to be kicked out.”

“Hate that guy…” Marchand snarled. He hand finally sat up unto his knees and was leaning his head the back of the couch, resting in his crossed arms. “The guy prances around like he’s some legend.” I pointed at Marchand.
“Exactly. Now, Bobby Orr and Coach have asked us to act like the Capitals are one of our biggest rivals and we hate their guts, causing Kathleen to ease down her guard. She is the one, they know this to be true, but we can’t come forth with just a face alone. There has to be more and more is what needs to be found. Leave that to me, you all can act like nothing is happening but…just act like you hate everyone on the Caps…including…Erika.” My heart felt like it cracked at those words and my enthusiasm died.

Tyler spoke up.
“We have to ignore her, don’t we?” I nodded.
“We do…I don’t want to though. She needs all the friends right now but if we’re to pull off this shit we can’t be her friends, it will alert Kathleen and she’ll prance off and we lose all the hope we have for her.” Thomas nodded his head slowly.
“I understand where you’re coming from Roxy. It’s going to hurt but it has to be done.”

Campbells spoke up.
“So let me get this straight. Bobby Orr and Coach have gotten involved in all of this, found the evidence that is needed to prove Erika’s innocence, they’re now asking us to act like we hate the Caps and shit and make Kathleen feel at home while you go around and find that small piece of evidence needed?”
“Yup.” I stated. “And whoever else wants to look for it too can too, it doesn’t just have to be me.” Campbell nodded.
“Sounds good enough, I can do that. As long as I don’t get my ass involved, we’re all good.” There was murmuring agreement through the room. I then got up.
“So all is clear, correct?”

I was then cut off by McQuaid.
“I FOUND THE ALCOHOL!”
“YAY!” I took that moment to sneak out the door to walk outside, needing fresh air and to think over everything that was happening.
Shit…
I didn’t want to abandon Erika, I didn’t have the heart to do it.
But I had to.
I put Sean, Jake, and Kathleen’s faces into my mind and felt the bubbling anger in my gut. I needed to be strong for Erika’s sake. I felt a presence behind me and I turned to see it was Tuukka.

“You don’t have to do this.”

I sighed and looked around at the scenery of Boston, for once not taking it in.
“I have to Tuukka. She’s the reason I play for Boston, really. If she never broke that barrier, I never would be a Bruin. I need to thank her by giving back her career. We’re friends and that’s what friends do.”
“Do you honestly need to involve your team though.” Those words echoed through my head.
“Whether or not you want to involve yourself is up to you. I’m not asking you to but I’ve made up my mind Tuukka, I’m going to bring down Sean Morrison and Jake Ramos. This is what is needed to do that.” I looked at him. “Nothing you say will change that.”

Tuukka sighed.
“Understood…but how does this bring down Jake?”
“Jake is involved, you know he is. The guy is a snake, sneaking around into places others overlook. I wouldn’t doubt if he was the one who found Kathleen, he was the one who made this video go viral. He’s as much as a criminal in this as Sean.” Tuukka was silent for a bit.
“I see…” He then turned to walk away when I spoke up.
“Tuuk, what is bothering you? You seem to be a little distracted lately.” Tuuk stopped from walking back into the apartment.
“Finally met Jake.” Was all he said before going inside.

I bit my lip. Shit, that would explain everything. What the hell did my ex do to him? I bunched my hands into fists. Fuck you Jake…I looked up at the apartment window, watching the chaos unfolding from out here. I allowed a small smile light up my face, knowing that no matter what happened, I still had my team.

You’re not alone in these battles.

My smile faded though as I took out my phone, staring at my contacts and at the name Erika Harper saved in. Did I really have to do this? Did I really have to cut her off? You’ve got to Roxy, if you don’t then Kathleen will get away and Erika will forever be tarnished and Sean and Jake will win. Do you want that? No, that’s what I thought. Taking a deep breath, I hit delete.

Starring back at my phone, I looked at the empty hole where Erika’s contact once stood proud. All her texts were gone, everything. In just a blink of an eye, I cut off one of the things I worked so hard on achieve. So amazing how easy things can be deleted.

Sometimes the hardest thing you will ever have to do is the right thing

Pocketing the phone, I sighed heavily and tried to suppress my tears. Heading back to the apartment, I began to softly sing the first song that came to my head. “My hope is on fire, my dreams are for sale, I dance on a wire, I don’t want to fail her.” Sitting down on a pair of stairs, I looked out over street and the people walking by. “I walk against the stream, fight for what I believe in, I run towards the end, trying not to give in…she’s lost in the darkness, fading away, I’m still around here, screaming her name, she’s haunting my dream world, trying to survive, my heart is frozen, I’m losing my mind…” Standing up I went to head back into the chaos that was my home, hoping to not look like the crazy mess that I was, singing the song Lost by Within Temptation.

Erika is out there screaming, Help me, I’m buried alive and I can’t answer her call anymore.

*****

“Erika called me last night…” Tyler said softly to me that night as we sat in the locker room waiting to head out to face the Tampa Bay Lightning. “I ignored it...but it felt so freaking wrong.” I sighed.
“It does, doesn’t? I erased her contact yesterday and I hated it. I’m so sorry to have to do this to you.” Tyler shook his head.
“Don’t…it makes sense why we need to.” At that moment, Kathleen walked passed us with the orange Gatorade buckets, both me and Tyler carrying the same glare, causing a snort from Lucic.
“If only I had a camera cause that picture would have been priceless.”

“Alright team! Listen up!” Coach Julien entered the room, causing everyone to quiet down and having only one thought fill our minds: hockey. “We’re finally home again after a six game roadtrip. Feels like forever see we saw this ice but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring in a seventh win can it?” We all cheered in agreement.
“Now, Tampa probably has some tricks up their sleeve so let’s get out there and give them a couple of our own tricks!” Getting up, I completely ignored the Erika issued and went out to greet Tampa, not knowing what to expect, but I had a funny feeling that I knew it when I saw it.

*****

“SINCE WHEN DID TAMPA HAVE A FEMALE PLAYER!?” I cried from the bench, water bottle dropping on the floor. Everyone simultaneously tilted their heads at the sight of a brown haired player with the last name Trovato on their jersey.
“Anna…?” I heard Zdeno mutter and I turned to him.
“You know her!?”
“Yes…if it’s the Trovato I’m thinking of.”
“Did you know she was for Tampa!?” Chara shook his head no and I stared back at the ice, watching the new girl intently. Krejci, who was sitting near me, bit his lip.

*****

Anna Trovato, number 17, Italian and Finnish, forward, and played like a god damn champion.
Yup, that’s what I was able to gather about this new player. Now I was back on the ice with the score being 1-1, desperate to score a goal and beat Tampa but I knew a confrontation was nearing. The puck was being wrestled back and forth and the action intense, only to stop as Lucic started mouthing of Trovato.

Aww, Luuuuc, I wanted to be the first!

The fight was intense and I was silently hoping for Lucic to bring her to the ice. Why was I being to hostile to this girl? Pent up frustration coming out on someone I never met and instantly judging? Maybe…the fight ended but my inner MassHole needed to say something to her.
“That was uncalled for! You had no right to do that!” No idea where those words came from, but hey, it caught the woman’s attention.

Shoving me back, she spoke up.
“You tell him to mind his manners about his opponents. He has no right to condescend my team, when his own is at just as much fault as we are.” Whoa, whoa, whoa, what did you say bitch!? No one insults my Bruins to my face!
“That was bullshit, and you know it!” I retaliated, shoving her back twice as hard. I felt I could overpower like I could Erika, call me cocky but it was what I was feeling. I was about to punch her in the face, causing another fight but Krejci, someone I least expected, came out what felt like nowhere and held her back. I looked at him.

Krejci…? You’ve got explaining to do…

I was then held back by a familiar figure, large goalie glove keeping me from attacking the girl.
“Don’t Roxy, this is too reminiscent of when you met Erika.” Tuukka muttered to me. I growled.
“But she’s asking for it!”
“Just do-”
“I should have known that he would choose his girlfriend over a friend he’s known longer than her. Makes sense, I suppose. They always choose the ones they can manipulate and leave the easiest.” Anna spoke up, smirking at Tuukka behind me, his grip on me loosening like he was stunned. I looked back at him to see the face he always had like he was hurt a bit but didn’t want to show it. The fuck is going on!?

“Rask doesn’t know you!” I snapped at her. No one fucking insults my boyfriend, she should know this! Or me! Manipulate and leave the easiest!? Bitch, you’re going to die!

*****

“Krejci, please start explaining. You too Chara, and you too Tuukka!” I pointed to all three of them as they began to get out of their sweaty gear. I was only halfway before my curiosity got the best of me. Who was this Anna Trovato and how did they all know her!? And why did Krejci defend her!?

“Anna was an old teammate awhile ago, back when I was still in the Ilves league of Finland.” Tuukka answered. “Hadn’t seen or heard of her from years. Today was the first time since Finland, actually. She’s changed that’s for sure.”
“So you do know her…crap, I probably sound like a dumb idiot when I snapped at her!” I said, before looking at Chara.
“She played for Finland in the Olympics, knew her from there, same with Krejci over here.” I blinked a bit before talking.
“What? She was at the Olympics? How come no one kenw this?”
“Erika overshadowed her.” Chara spat. “One reason why I can’t stand Erika.”

I looked at Chara.
“So that explains a little then…whatever, not going to think about that stupid bitch from Italy.”
“Hey.” I jumped at that snap, looking over at Krejci who was the one who said it. He didn’t look happy.
“What?” I asked, worry bubbling in the bottom of my stomach.
“I don’t appreciate you insulting her like that, okay? Not going to stand by while you insult and old friend like that, she’s not a bitch. She’s just under some good amount of stress. We all snap and act like who we aren’t under stress, you of all people should know that.” I stepped back a little, slightly stung by those words.
“But you stood by while she insulted me and Tuukka and Lucic too! You guys a bros! Where’s the sense in this?”

“Everything isn’t about you Roxanne, okay? I’ve known her longer then any of you, making her a more valuable friend.” I felt like I was hit in the face by a ten ton weight. More valuable friend?

What the fuck Krejci…what the fuck…

The locker room was awkward, everyone not knowing where to look or do, half of the guys beginning to shuffle out of the room to get away from this.
“Fine…” I said. “Fine…” I turned my back on Krejci and quickly got out of my uniform, getting dressed quickly, wanting to get back to the comforts of home as quick as I could. Fuck you Trovato, even Erika didn’t do this sort of shit. Way to break up locker room moral.

*****

“Erika Harper and Roxanne McGregor seem to be on friendly terms after a short while of adversity between the two. Do you think you will join the duo in their friendship?”
“I have no wish to associate with people who put their sex lives out in the public, ruining their team. I have no desire to associate myself with people who...no thank you, I have no intentions of getting into their female bromance. I came to play hockey, not screw my teammates, plus who knows what else.”

I glared at the girl on the TV at that. Me and Erika don’t want you in our bromance either you! Whatever, she can stay in her own little world. I’ll just ignore her. I shut the TV off after that little interview, curling up on the couch and knowing on the string to my sweatshirt in deep thought. I hadn’t talked to Krejci since the game and didn’t know how he was going to be at tomorrow’s game.

Tuukka was being the supportive boyfriend like he always was, trying to distract me from everything around, even to the point of saying that he wasn’t happy with what went down, saying the Anna Trovato from yesterday wasn’t the Anna Trovato he remembered.
“Didn’t appreciate what she said…I hope you didn’t let that get to your head. I’m not leaving you.”
“You honestly think that was what got to me? You silly Scandinavian!”

The doorway to the apartment opened, signaling that Tuukka was back. I got up to go and greet him but stopped when I saw him.

I looked at Tuukka who held a little grey kitten in his hands.

“They were giving them away and I knew you loved pets a lot and…well, you’ve been stressed out of your mind and never smiling anymore. Knew this would cheer you up.” I bit my bottom lip, smile still curling up anyways at the sight.
“Tuuuuuuuk!! You got me a cat! I love you! Oh my god, the thing is too cute!” Tuukka handed me the cat and I looked at the cute fluffy thing. “AHHH THE THING IS TOO CUTE!” The kitten began to meow at me and sniff my face. I carried it to the couch and sat down with it in my hands. “Thank you hun.” I said, looking up at him with the biggest smile I had.