Just Another Pretty Face in the Crowd

Chapter Four – Coyote’s Den

“Did you decide yet?” were the first words out of Tony’s mouth once Mr. Hampfield finished the most boring class full of numbers, equations, and just plain, old, boring calculus.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him as I gathered my textbook up. My messenger bag was slung over my shoulder. “Tony, you’re my best friend but sometimes you are really annoying,” I said before turning to walk out of the lecture hall.

All Tony did in response was smile proudly. Clearly he was proud of that fact.

It’s true. Anthony DiPollo is my best friend and probably would stay my best friend till the end of time. I know it’s weird for a girl to have a guy as a best friend, but he’s one of my only best friends. Sure, there was Sadie. But I couldn’t talk to her things like I could with Tony. He was my first boyfriend and my first love. We ended it mutually and stuck it out as friends.

“Dru!” he called after me. He walked up behind me with his backpack slung on his one shoulder again, “I got to get going but please text me to let me know if you changed your mind or not, okay?” He then gave me one of his warm hugs.

“Yea, yea, yea,” I muttered, knowing the drill all too well. I hugged him back making my messenger bag fall a little off my shoulder.

“See you later,” he said then turned, walking towards the cafeteria.

“Yep,” I answered, sighing a little. I started walking the opposite direction toward the library, where I hoped that I would have some peace and quiet to do a little bit of my homework.

I walked down the sidewalk that leads students from building to building. I walked past the art department and past the English building when I heard someone call my name excitedly. I spun around, nearly giving myself whiplash.

“Oh, hey coach,” I said with a smile on my face. “Need anything?” I asked cautiously.

“No, just checking on my star catcher,” she said with a wide smile on her face. She always called me her star catcher, maybe it was because I was the better of the two catches the team had. “Where are you headed?”

I instantly knew where she was going with this conversation, “I’m going to the library to work on some Calculus, why?”

“Just wondering,” she said hastily. “What are you doing tonight?”

I scrambled for an answer and I couldn’t help but say the first thing that came to mind, “I’m going to hanging out with Tony and some of his friends, why?”

“I was just wondering. I haven’t seen you in the gym in a little while,” she said honestly.

“I know. I’ve just been busy with work and school. I promise I’ll come tomorrow after work, okay?” I asked. I knew it wasn't good enough but it was better than nothing. If there is one thing I hate about softball, it was the require amount of time in the gym during the off season.

“Okay, I’ll hold you to that,” she said with a small smile on her face. I could see in her eyes it was like I was letting her down.

“Coach Nolan, I promise. I’ll stop by tomorrow after work. I get off at two so I’ll be over at the gym around three,” I said, trying to bring her spirits up. That was one thing about me: I hated to disappoint people, even if it was the coach of my softball team.

She just nodded and then turned around and headed back to where her office was.

I continued toward the library, pulling my cell phone out of my pocket. I quickly scrolled down to Tony’s name in my phone and typed of message explain the situation, why I was going, and that he should be at my apartment around five.

Within seconds, Tony replied: Haha! I should really thank Nolan the next time I see her.

Once again my eyes rolled as I put my phone in my pocket again. I couldn’t believe how cocky he could be.

I finally reached the library and walked in to the silence of the building. Books were lined against the walls, on shelves upon shelves. I sighed in content as I walked into one of the side, study rooms. I put my messenger bag down on an empty chair and pulled out my battered math book. I found a piece of scrap paper and just started jolting down the problems, not really worried if the answer was right or wrong.

~

For the second night in a row I stood over the sink in my bathroom, applying eyeliner and mascara to my eyes. I had a cute pale green blouse with open armed sleeves, faded old jeans, and my abused converses on.

Caesar was lying in the doorway. Every once and awhile he would look up at her with the same expression as the night before, ‘Why are you doing this to yourself?’

I choose to ignore him and continued applying my eye shadow. ‘Damn! I look good!’ I thought and then walked out of the bathroom. Caesar scrambled to get up and follow me out to the living room. I checked the clock on my microwave and noticed it was nearly five.

“Here boy,” Caesar immediately sat down beside his food dish. I pulled out the dog food and dished him his food and vitamins. Right when I was putting the food in the cabinet I heard a knock on the door. “Coming!” I shouted, so Tony would hear me.

I quickly walked over and opened the door, with a smile to see him standing there with his own little smile. “Hey,” he said then stepped in without even being invited. Caesar looked up, over at him almost daring him to get any closer. Like I said, Caesar preferred women not men.

“Let me get my stuff and we can be on our way,” I said. I grabbed my coat, which had my hat and gloves in the pockets, my cell, and my keys. “See ya, boy!” I said as put my arms through the coat sleeves. I pulled on my gloves and through my hat over my head, hoping that it wouldn't get frizzy.

“Ready?” Tony asked as looked over at him.

“Yes sir!” I replied, suddenly aware that I was actually socializing tonight. I locked the door then headed for the stairwell. Tony already knew this and actually held the door open for me as we entered. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” he replied.

We walked down the stairs and entered the lobby. A new receptionist was sitting at the desk. She smiled, “Have a nice night.”

I gave a small smile back then exited the building, seeing that Tony managed to score a spot right outside the door. I went to the passenger side and got in.

“Where exactly are you going?” I asked, curiously. Of course, all I got back was a stupid little cocky smirk telling me that he wasn’t gonna say anything about. I just gritted my teeth in annoyance and looked out the window, hoping to see anything I recognized, which was pretty much everything.

Finally, after ten minutes of driving, Tony pulled into a two-hour free parking lot. He parked the truck and got out, making it beep as he locked it. “Come on, Dru. It’s only a block away now.”

I couldn’t help but glare at him as I got out of the truck, “Really? We have to walk?” I wasn’t really pleased with this fact. I walked all day and now I have to walk to a block to a bar. Rude!

We started out of the parking lot and turned left. Up ahead was a small, lit sign that said Coyote’s Den. It looked like something that you would see in a small town, not in downtown Pittsburgh where hip and trendy clubs with neon blinking signs were located. If Tony hadn’t led me straight to it, I probably would have never even noticed its existence.

“Coyote’s Den?” I asked, not liking the name instantly. I pictured big biker dudes when I thought of the name Coyote's Den.

“Yes,” Tony said, pushing me toward the door. “It’s a really cool place. You’ll like it, I promise!”

I took in a deep breath and opened the door, almost cautiously. I walked in, hesitantly. Despite the outside, it was fairly modern inside. The warmth and comfortable of the small bar hit my face, instantly warming my body.

“See,” Tony said, noticing a small smile that must have formed on my face. “Give me your jacket and I’ll hang it up for you.” I pulled off my winter things and pocketed my gloves and hat. He hung it on a hook of the coat carrier. “Come on.”

We headed for a large, empty table and sat down. A waitress immediately came over with a false smile on her face. “What can I get you?” she asked in fake happiness.

“Well, I would like a lager,” Tony said, showing her his ID saying that he was 21 years old. He knew that I absolutely hated when he got drunk off his ass. He could handle beer but once you give that boy two shots of Bacardi vodka, he is gone.

“I’ll just have a coke,” I said with a small smile. She nodded and then turned on her heels, heading to the back to get our drinks. “I thought there would be others?”

“They’re on their way,” Tony said, leaning back in his chair. "They had hockey practice tonight.”

As he was explaining the situation, a group of big guys walked in the bar. It took me a second to recognize who they were.

“How the hell do you know the Pens?” I questioned as they were hanging up their own winter jackets.
“That is for me to know and you to never find out,” he replied. “Hey guys!"

There was a whole bunch of different greetings from them. Jordan Staal and Max slid another table over and sat down along with Sidney, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Kris Letang.

“Well if it isn’t our most beautiful fan!” Max said noticing me. I must have blushed when he said it because he then chuckled a little as I looked down at the table.

“Wait! What is he talking about?” Tony asked, confused at the statement that Max just said.

“I met them last night at the hockey game. Turns out that Sadie is the coach’s niece and she has season tickets,” I explained, finding my green shirt interesting all of a sudden. It happens a lot when I’m embarrassed.

“Who would have guessed,” he stated more than asked. The waitress came back and handed us our drinks before turning her attention to everyone else.

“What can I get you guys?” she asked, mustering the sweetest voice possible once she noticed who they were. I almost gagged at her false happiness. Sure, she was ‘happy’ when she served us but now she was laying it on a little too thick. I instantly didn’t like her anymore than I had before. The hockey players ordered mainly beers. “Okay, I’ll be right out with that.”

After she left Sidney looked at me. “Long time, no see,” he said with a smile on his face. Now this confused everyone but me.

“I know, right?” I said a small smile of my own on my face. “I actually got away from my apartment two nights in a row, thanks to Tony.”

“I bet Caesar didn't like that at all.”

“He could care less. As long as the TV is on and I come home, he’ll be fine,” I said, smirking at the comment he made of Caesar.

“How does he know about Caesar?” Tony asked. Tony liked Caesar just as much as Caesar liked him.

“We ran into each other over in the park this morning,” I explained once again.

“Oh,” Tony said. “I really don’t like your dog.”

“Why not?” Sidney asked. He really didn’t see a problem with the dog.

"He hates me! I don't know what I did to him but he just hates me!" Tony complained.

"Maybe it was because you hit him when he was trying to play with you?" I suggested, glaring at him slightly.

"How was I supposed to know he was playing!" Tony raised his voice.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Drama queen."

The waitress the walked back out with the five beers. She set them down, leaning over just enough to show the top of her boobs that were pushed up.

I rolled my eyes as soon as she was out of eye sight. "Looks like you guys get a free show with those drinks," I commented in annoyance.

A few of them laughed.

“Why aren’t you drinking?” Marc-Andre asked, with a French accent, looking her soda as he took a sip of his own beer.

I looked at my soda, almost ashamed of it, “I’m actually underage. I'm only twenty.”

“No way,” Sidney said, shocked. “I would have guessed you were at least twenty-two.”

“Yea, I get that a lot,” I muttered and looked down at Kris, who was the only who didn’t speak yet. Maybe it was because he was shy, maybe it was because he was French Canadian and spoke a slightly broken English. “Kris, why you so quiet?” I figure we’re all on first name basis.

He looked over at me in surprise that I actually was even talking to him, “I don’t know,” he said almost in question. He thought for a few moments, “Because I have nothing to say, I guess.”

“Don’t feel bad, Beautiful. Tanger doesn’t talk a lot to begin with,” Max said. I guess ‘Beautiful’ is my new nickname. I really don’t like it but I wasn't going to complain.

In truth, I knew exactly how Kris felt. A couple months ago I was the same way. Till one day, I had a moment realization that if I was happy maybe other people would to.

“Dru,” Tony pulled me out of my thoughts. “How’s your bro?”

I just shrugged. “I don’t know. Haven’t heard from him in a couple days.” It really wasn’t a shocker there. He was busy with hockey and our family, since he was still living at home. I was here, trying to get an education.

“That sucks,” Jordan muttered.

“Yea,” I said, absentmindedly staring at my soda. I twirled the straw around the edge of the cup. I pulled out of my thoughts every once and while to listen to the guys talk about random things, mainly hockey.

I got up not even bothering to tell them where I was going. 'Like they would want to hear my personal bladder issues.'

I washed my hands and dried them, using the paper towel to open the door since the doorknob is the second dirtiest thing in the bathroom, or so I’ve heard.

I stumbled back a little when I ran into something, rather someone. I looked up at the solid person I ran into. “Oh! H-h-hey Sidney,” I stuttered out.

“Sorry about that. Didn’t see you there,” he said, looking down at me.

‘God, I feel short,’ I thought to myself. “I know, didn’t see you coming either.”

“The guys were just wondering where you went. I’m assuming the restroom,” Sid guessed.

“Um, yea,” I said. ‘Well, this is awkward.’ We stood there in an awkward silence, just me looking at him and him looking at me.

“Sid, did you find her?” Staalsy asked, walking back to where we were. “What are you guys just standing there for?” he asked, clearly confused.

“Sorry,” I managed to get out without stumbling over my answer. I walked past the two towering men and sat back down at the table. ‘Definitely awkward.’

After the awkward moment, I was pretty much distant from the conversation, thinking way too much for my own good. I never did like that I thought and analyze everything.

I almost didn’t realize that everyone was leaving. Well, I didn’t, not until I felt Tony pull my arm a little, “Come on, Dru.”

“Oh, sorry,” I said, getting up on my own.

"I'll see you guys sometime soon," Tony said, walking towards the door.

“Hopefully you’ll join the girls at a game one of these nights,” Marc said with a small smile. His smiles were infectious. Just by him smiling, I couldn’t help but smile, too.

“One can only hope,” Tony said. He grabbed my coat from the rack and handed it to me. I put it on in one smooth motion. I grabbed my gloves and my hat out of my pockets and put them on.

“Cute hat for a beautiful girl,” Max said in a flirtatious way. I kind of got used to him being so flirty with me, in a way I liked the attention. I never really had a guy with flirt with me before, not even Tony.

“Thanks, I guess,” I said suddenly feeling self-conscience about my hat. It was a knit hat that was supposed to be a penguin with its black top, white face, and yellow beak.

“You ready?” Tony asked.

I just nodded, “See you guys later,” I said with a soft smile. I got a mumble of good-byes back as Tony led me out of the bar.

“Have fun?” he asked as we got into his truck again.

“Yea,” I replied. “I guess for the first time in your life you were right about one thing. I did like the bar.”