Just Another Pretty Face in the Crowd

Chapter Ten – Only as a Friend

I finally got back home around two in the afternoon. I have to admit after leaving Sidney’s truck, I was hit with an incredible amount of loneliness. It hit me even worse when I walked in and saw nothing but Caesar waiting for me. Normally this would make me smile, but today I just couldn’t stand the feeling of being alone.

“Hey boy. Did you miss me?” I asked, pulling off my jacket, hat, and gloves and placing them in their appropriate places. I knelt down to Caesar’s level and petted his head, affectionately. He tried with all his might to jump on me and lick my face clean off. “Yea, I missed you, too.”

I stood up and turned the television on, so there would be some noise in the apartment. I walked down the hallway and into my room. I picked out my outfit for the hockey game, which was my Sidney Crosby jersey – ‘Of course.’ – and a pair of semi skin tight jeans with a pretty design on the back pockets.

“Three and half more hours till Sadie comes to pick me up,” I said thinking about what I should do till kill time. “Plenty of time to shower and get ready.”

*******

It was five fifteen when I was officially done with everything. Sadie and I were casually texting each other back and forth about what we were wearing, what time she was going to get there, and other things.

My golden locks spilled over my shoulders since I really didn’t feel like putting them up into a ponytail. I have to say the jersey that I had was a bit oversized. I don’t know why but I loved oversized jersey, I guess I was just self conscious of my body or something, even though I have no reason to be.

I pulled on my old converses and walked out to the kitchen. Caesar followed me and then sat down at his bowl obediently, waiting to be fed. I pulled out his dog food and put a scoop in it. “There you go boy. Bone appetit,”

I walked into the living room, trying to figure out what was now playing on the channel that I had. I was so intrigued by it that I actually stood there for the rest of the time watching it. Sadie’s loud knock pulled me out of my entranced state.

“Coming!” I said. I jogged to the door and opened it with a smile.

“Ready?”

“Yea, let me get my stuff.”

“Don’t you just hate winter?” she asked. “The only good things about it are Christmas and hockey.”

I laughed at her comment and pulled on my pea coat and then slide my gloves over my small hands. I placed my penguin hat over my curls and grabbed my apartment keys before heading out.

“I’m serious. It’s too freaking cold, I hate it!” Sadie continued to rant about how dreadful and how much of a pain winter was to her and the old people who went to Florida to indulge themselves in the warmth of the sun.

“I could do without the cold, but I don’t really mind the snow.” I said shrugging. “Unless it’s a blizzard and there is no chance of survive.”

Sadie laughed, “I’ll meet you in the lobby. I’m taking the elevator.”

I nodded and went straight for the stairwell. I jogged them nicely and pushed open the door way to the lobby, where Sadie was patiently waiting for me. I guess the elevator didn’t have to pick anyone else on the other floors.

“Where are you parked?” I asked walking over to her.

“Not too far,” she said.

We walked out into the cold and found her car about three or four spaces into the right section of the parking lot. I climbed into the passenger seat and she turned the engine over, sending a wave of hot air to hit our faces. The song Tonight by Enrique Iglesias was playing loudly through her speakers, making it almost impossible to think, let alone talk about anything. During the whole trip to the CONSOL arena, I just sat there and looked out the window.

Because of the traffic and stopping to get gas for the car, it was almost six thirty when we parked the car in the arena parking lot.

“You do realize that Sidney isn’t playing tonight, right?” Sadie said, finally noticing the shirt that I was wearing.

“I know but I’m still rooting for the team and this is the only jersey for the Penguins I have,” I explained shrugging about the fact that he wasn’t playing. ‘Plus the fact that I am good friends with the guy,’

“Oh, what other jerseys do you have?” Sadie asked.

“My brother’s jersey for the Hershey Bears, I have an Alex Ovechkin jersey—”

“ALEX OVECHKIN!”

“Only because he and I are acquaintances. I've met him a couple times because of Dustin,” I explained.

She shot me a small, playful glare, "Continue."

“I have plenty of jerseys for baseball. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, most of the Phillies shirt actually,” I said giggling when I realized that. “Anyway, I have some football only Ben Roethlisberger.”

We finally reached the building, which was slowly filling up with Penguins fans. I took off my hat and gloves and put them in my pea coat pockets before going to our seats.

“Did you see any of the guys while they weren’t busy?” Sadie asked.

“Yes actually. A couple days ago Max, Jordan, Marc-Andre, Kris, and Sidney appeared at my apartment door because Tony told them I was having a bad day. Last night, I hung out with them at Coyote’s Den. This morning, Sid invited me to come to practice.”

Sadie’s eyes widen, “I didn’t know you were that close to the guys!”

“I didn’t know either. I only met them at the Coyote’s Den and here at the arena before that. They’re really nice,” I said, smiling at the last sentence.

“I know, they are such sweeties,” Sadie said nodding in agreement. “Who do you think you’re closer to?”

“Sidney,” I said, without even thinking about the answer.

“That’s why you are wearing his jersey!” Sadie shouted with a devious smile on her lips.

“What?”

“You like Sidney!"

“I do not! Okay, that’s a lie. I like Sidney... but only as a friend!” As if on que, my phone signaled that I had a text message. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the sender’s name. Unknown.

“And apparently he likes you, too,” Sadie said with a smirk.

“How do you know?”

“That’s his number.”

“I didn’t even open the message yet!”

“Well! Open it, doofus!"

I just rolled my eyes at her and opened the message: Hey r u @ the arena yet?

I turned away from Sadie, blocking her view of my cell phone before typing my reply: Yea Section 118, Row 4 I believe. Why?

I turn back around and Sadie still had the devious smile on her face. “What did you say?” she asked instantly.

“None of your business, Miss Nosy!” I shouted at her.

“I’m not nosy. Just curious,” she corrected.

“Same thing.”

She huffed and then crossed her arms over her chest. The beeping noise from my cell phone pulled her out of her hissy fit, “What did he say?”

I just looked at her with a weird look, “You are taking this way too seriously because I didn’t even open my phone yet.”

“Open it and tell me what it says!”

I just rolled my eyes at her again and opened the message: B/c Im comin to sit w/ u dumby.

I gapped at the message then at Sadie, “He just called me a dumby!”

Sadie laughed, “Don’t be all dramatic about it!”

“Shut up!” I said. My fingers rapidly ran over the letters on the key pad: Oh, you don’t have to.

“Why are you being modest? Just tell him to come sit with us,” Sadie scolded me.

I looked at her with a sour look, “Why are you spying?”

“I’m not!”

“That’s a lie. You were looking at my message!”

“You left it wide open for me to see!”

We continued to argue until my phone started beeping to let me know that I had a new message awaiting me. Sadie quickly grabbed it before I could and opened the message, letting out a squeal.

“What are you squealing at?” I asked, annoyed that she stole my phone. If she wasn’t my only girl friend, I would have hit her for it.

“He said he wants to!” she said all excited.

“Can I have my phone so I can reply?” I said kind of annoyed that she would take it from me.

She handed my phone over and I quickly scanned over the message myself before replying: Ok, do what you want.

“Stop being so passive and modest about everything,” Sadie said rolling her eyes at my reply.

“Well, I don’t want to sound demanding!”

“You wouldn’t sound demanding. You are the complete opposite of demanding! Just say that there are always four seats around us and to come seat with us!”

I just glared at her but didn’t have time to reply because my phone went off again. I quickly grabbed it before Sadie could even try to. I opened my phone and then read the message silently: K be there in a few.

“Obviously I did something right since he’s coming to sit with us anyway,” I announced.

“I’m telling you, if you told him to come sit with you in the beginning he probably would have,” she said, looking at me.

“Why do you think I told him the section and row number?” I asked.

“You gave him the section and row number?” Sadie asked, furrowing her brow.

“Yes I did.”

“When?”

“The first time I replied back.”

She blinked at me. She was probably wondering how she missed that message even though she was hanging all over me when I was sending them to Sidney.

I just smirked at her and leaned back against the seat, waiting patiently for Sidney to make his appearance. After a few minutes, I caught someone walking over to us. The guy was wearing a Penguins baseball cap and a Crosby away jersey.

“Hey, Dru! Sadie!” I recognized who it was immediately.

“Hey, Sid,” I said with smile. “Nice getup but I think it’s a little too self-centered, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think I do." He defended. "Sadie, am I self-centered or an awesome Penguins fan that clearly loves the captain?”

“For actually knowing that it’s you, it seems a little self-centered, but if someone didn’t recognize you, you’re just an obsessive Penguins fan,” she answered, honestly.

“See, a Penguins fan!”

“Obsessive Penguins fan,” I corrected with a smirk.

Sidney rolled his eyes at me as he sat down, “Whatever.”

“I win,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him playfully.

“Oh yea, you so don’t like him,” Sadie whispered, quietly enough for only me to hear. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her comment. “I might go get something to drink. Want anything?”

“A Pepsi,” I said, simply.

“Nothing, thanks though,” Sidney said politely.

“Okay, I’ll be back,” Sadie said, leaving me with Sid.

“So how does it feel to be a ‘fan’ again?” I asked, doing air quotes.

“What do you mean ‘again’?” he asked, slightly confused. He mimicked my hand motion.

“I mean ‘again’ because had to have been a time where you were sitting in the arena seats or sitting in front of the TV watching Mario Lemieux play,” I explained.

“I don’t know yet. Guess I kind of forget the feeling of being a fan, but then again I’m also wishing that I was on the ice playing.”

“I know what you mean. I hate when I get injured just as much as an athlete.”

“You – Drusilla Thompson – got hurt?” Sidney said, almost like he didn’t believe me.

“Yes,” I said nodding my head, “I tore my ACL during the first college season.”

“Ouch!” Sidney winced involuntarily.

“You’re telling me. I sat out for the whole damn season. The only reason my coach thought I was good was because I was so dedicated. I came to the practices and put in my own ideas to improve our team.”

“You became an assistant coach, of sorts.”

“Pretty much.”

“And your coach didn’t mind?”

“Not really. I’m pretty sure, though, she thought I was extremely annoying because even I thought that.”

“That’s pretty bad,” he said, smirking at me.

“I know,” I said, laughing.

My phone suddenly went off, letting me know that I had a new text message. I looked down at the sender’s name and rolled my eyes. I opened the message: Oh yes so not flirting with SIDNEY CROSBY!

I snorted at her message. I quickly typed my own message back: Be quiet.

“Who was that?” Sidney asked.

“No one,” I answered back.

The lights darkened and everyone started cheering. The search lights started floating across the ice and the announcer was trying to pump everyone up.

“They just have to cut off the lights when I’m walking down the damn steps!” Sadie shouted annoyed that she walked down the row to where she was sitting before.

“Quit your bitching, woman!" I laughed as she struggled through the darkness with the two drinks in hand.

“Do you want your drink?” she asked, threatening.

“I love you, darling!” I said, sweetly and started acting all innocent.

“I bet you do,” she said, handing me my drink.

“I do!”

“Right,” she said, not believing a word I said.

“Shhh! The game is starting!” Sidney interrupted, making me and Sadie giggle.