Storm Before The Calm

♀

“Team Staal is at the RBC Center. Team Lidstrom got the RecZone. Staal and Lidstrom flipped a coin after the Draft.” Skinner explained, as he pulled into the RBC parking lot. It was swarmed with cars because of the All-Star 5k, which no athletes participated in, for fear of being attacked by fans.

“Ooh. First to pick players. Best arena. Ya'll are just killing it.” I said. He looked at me funny.
“What?”

“Ya'll?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow. Ally laughed in the backseat.

“Hey, I was born in the south! I-”

“-say 'ya'll' sometimes, but not 'ain't'.” Ally repeated with me. I turned around and glared at her. I guess I said that a lot. She scrunched her nose at me and finished putting on her makeup. I chucked a quarter at her, that was rolling around the cup holder. She squealed when it hit her arm.

“Whore!” she replied.

“Slut!” I retorted.

“Prostitute!”

“Bitch!”

“Skank!”

“Harlot!” I laughed, after I had nothing else to say. We all laughed.

“You're weird.” Skinner concluded. He pulled around to the back parking lot where the players parked. He flashed his ID to the dude at the gate, who opened the gate up, so we could get in. He pulled into a spot and parked the car. I got out, stretching and pulled my Hurricanes hat over my head. Ally climbed out of the car and zipped up her North Face. Skinner slung his huge hockey bag over his shoulder and locked his car.

“This way.” he said. Ally and I followed him into the building and down a small hallway. We turned to the right and Skinner turned to face us.

“You guys go down that hallway right there.” he pointed with his hand. “You'll notice it, once you see it.” He smiled and turned to the locker room.

“Wait!” I said, before he entered. He turned and I grabbed his Blue Jays hat and switched it with my Hurricanes one. He laughed and went into the locker room. Ally and I started to walk down the hallway, until somebody interrupted us.

“Olive!” a voice said. I turned to see Eric Staal, shirtless, and just in his hockey pants. I fought the urge to look at his abs because he was basically like a big brother to me.

“Hey Eric!” I smiled. He tossed something at me and I caught it, seeing it was my keys.
“Tanya drove it on the way here. She didn't wreck it, I promise.”

“Thank you, so much. Good luck, captain Staal.” I saluted him and he laughed, saluting back.

“Skinner is so vague. 'You'll notice it, once you see it'. What the hell is that supposed to-” Ally began, but then we saw what he meant. It was the hallway that the players went down during the game. The fire-up hallway. The one with the huge Canes logo on the wall and you see the players hopping around and high-fiving in right before they hit the ice. Ally and I grinned at each other and high-fived. After a quick photoshoot for our cameras, we left the hallway and went out the door. With a quick shove on the bar, it opened and we were in the empty arena. Well, almost empty. There were a couple Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs) there, but that didn't make the moment any less special.

“Olive!” a voice yelled. I turned my head in the direction it came from, but saw no one. “A little to the right. Down a couple rows...” I looked to see Tanya Staal.

“Hello Mrs. Tanya!”

“Girl, I know are you aren't talking to me, calling me Mrs.! Get your cute batootie over here!” she instructed. She picked up Parker, who was squirming around. She hoisted him on her hip and waved us over. We started to make our way over there.

“Tanya Staal and you are on first name basis? No big deal.” Ally joked, as we climbed through the seats. I nearly tripped up a step, but caught myself on a seat.

“Mike Green porked you? No big deal.” I joked. Ally gasped and slapped my arm, but laughed. We got over to her and the rest of the WAGs and their children.

“Ladies, this is Olivia, but she goes by Olive. And this is her friend...” she trailed off.

“Allyson. You can call me Ally.” she said, smiling. The players hit the ice, led by Eric Staal. Tanya cheered and whistled. Parker clapped his hands and giggled, wiggling around. Tanya set him on the ground and he walked to the glass, where there was a booster seat. He hopped on it, so he could see. Cam Ward was at the end of the line and his wife, Cody , smiled and waved, blowing him a kiss.

“Which one is yours?” one of the wives asked me.

“Well, I-”

“Skinner!” Tanya said, way too excited.

“You guys are so cute together!”

“Cutest couple ever!”

“I thought it would never happen.”

“Ladies, I-” I tried to interject.

“I was beginning to think he may 'play for the other team'.”

“Skinner? Don't be ridiculous!”

“She's so gorgeous!”

“Thank you. But we aren't-”

“I can see their wedding now.”

“Can you imagine their kids?”

“Kids? I'm only eighteen! Not to mention-” I got cut off again, my cheeks on fire.

“She's rocking that Blue Jays hat. Isn't that his?”

“Do you think they've slept together, yet?”

“GUYS!” I yelled. It shut them up. It also turned a couple of the player's heads too. I heard Skinner's giggle from across the ice, which made me laugh a little.

“Skinner and I don't date. We don't sleep together. We don't 'talk'.” I said, using air quotes. “We're just friends.”

All the WAGs looked at me like, “Oh.”

“So, yeah. I hope I didn't come off too bitchy, but it's kinda awkward when people assume that we're dating.” I added. Actually, they were one of the first people to suggest it. I guess I was still a little sensitive over the kiss that Skinner and I had.

“You didn't! It's fine.” one of the WAGs said. Ally and I finally sat to watch the practice.

I talked to a couple of the WAGs, but to be honest, I was engulfed in the practice. Since it wasn't a regular season game, the guys were messing around and talking. I saw Ovechkin laughing and Letang laughed with him. As soon as Ovechkin skated away, Tanger turned his back, scrunched up his nose, and stuck his tongue out, just so we could see. Ally and I giggled and he winked at us.

“Tanger, you are the enemy, but oh, the things I would do to you...” Ally whispered under her breath. I cocked a brow. “It's an expression. I'm not actually gonna do it.”

“You do realize that now that we know half of these guys, saying stuff like that is kiiiinda awkward.” I replied, blowing a bubble in my gum. Ally reached out and popped it with her finger. I wrestled with my tongue to try and get off all the gum from my face. I sucked off the remainder of the gum off of the finger that I had used. I looked up to see half of the team staring at me, sucking my finger. Ally slapped my finger out of my mouth and I blushed, waving at everyone. The dudes started to laugh and Skinner giggled and shook his head, but skated to the other side of the circle, around the coaches, out of our sight. I didn't realized that I had crinkled my nose in disapproval until Ally laughed at me.

“Mad that your boy is gone?” she joked. I stuck my tongue out at her and blew another bubble with my gum, popping it loudly, in her ear.

We watched them do their plays and worked on positioning. After the practice was over, the WAGs went to go wait in the cars for their husbands and boyfriends. Skinner was, of course, the last one on the ice. Every practice I went to, that boy stayed the longest. He was always the first one on and the last one off. He was practicing shots and I made my way up to the glass. I was standing and watching him. It just looked so easy. He balanced so well on the skates and he handled the stick like it was another limb. He glided across the ice with ease and scored like it was like saying the Alphabet. Everything came so naturally to him, and that's why it was such a joy to watch him play. I smiled as I saw him gather the pucks.

“Skinner, why are you always the last one off the ice?” I asked, cocking my head to the side and smiling at him. He smiled and skated to me. His cheeks, rosey and his hair damp with sweat. I wanted to do nothing more than run my fingers through his hair.

"I dunno." he said, bashfully, taking off a glove and wiping his sweat. He scratched his nose and put the glove back on. "You want to come out?" he asked, gesturing to the ice. I looked down at my flip flops.

"Uh..." I didn't want to mess up the ice with my street shoes.

"You're fine. They have to Zamboni it anyways." he promised. I grinned and made my way to the tunnel, so I could get on the ice. He followed me, on ice.

"If I fall, will you catch me?" I asked, looking at him. He smiled at me, locking eyes.

"I won't let you fall." At this point, I knew I was blushing, so I just turned away and focused on walking.

I stepped on to the ice and immediately slipped. He held my arm, lightly, but with strength to hold me up. I got my other foot on the ice and stood, smiling at him. I clapped, celebrating the fact that I didn't fall. He laughed and put his stick down on the ice. Then, he took my hands in his.

"Where to first, my lady?" he asked. "Does the penalty box suit your fancy? Perhaps the bench?"

"Penalty box, of course. I've been a bad girl." I joked, winking flirtatiously, and slapping my own butt, like I had been spanked. He laughed and skated slowly backwards as I attempted to walk in flip flops, on ice, laughing all the way.

"Let me just..." he said, stopped me. He let go of my hands and picked me up, swooping me in his arms. I squealed and laughed.

"This is waaaay easier." I admitted. I was glad nobody else was in there. Tanya would drill me about it if she had seen. Once we got to the penalty box, we sat down and I stared at the ice. It was beautiful. The messy, scruffed up ice and the pucks strewn about, just felt like come. Skinner's stick carelessly laid on the ice and the logo at center ice was like a beautiful portrait to me. I stared like it was my newborn child.

"Hey Jeff." someone spoke. I looked to see a trainer skating across the ice holding skates and socks. I laughed and nonchalantly wiped away the tears that had apparently appeared. I'm not an emotional person, but when it comes to hockey, well... hockey is basically my life. Let's just say I almost knocked over my t.v. when Steckel hit Crosby and when I found out he couldn't play, I was in such a fit of emotions that I had to stay home from school for two days.

"Thanks." we both said, simultaneously as he skated away. I put the long socks on and tied the skates, which fit surprisingly well. Skinner patted my knee.

"Bench?" he asked. I nodded. We got up and he let me out first. He grabbed my hand again. Even though I didn't need help balancing, I let him take it.

We got to the bench and sat down. I felt so amazing. I'm a die hard fan, and here I am, getting to sit in the spot of a lifetime. I let the whole arena sink in. I pictured the fans, cheering Skinner's name. I put my head on his shoulder and I stared out into the nosebleeds. He put his head on mine. And I closed my eyes. This is perfection. After a couple minutes, Skinner finally spoke. I loved his voice. That sounds really creepy but his voice is the perfect balance of scratchiness and pureness. It was so soothing and I loved it.
"Hey. Wanna go to center ice?" he asked. I opened my eyes and looked at him, nodding enthusiastically. He laughed and stood, taking my hand and ushering me there. He stood on the red part and I stood on the black. My mouth was gaping and I was awestruck.

"Wow." was all I could mutter. Skinner sat down and patted the ice next to him. Not even thinking, I sat down. I squealed when my thin yoga pants hit the ice and instinctively rolled over, into Skinner's lap.

"That was mean!" I yelled, slapping his arm. I couldn't help but laugh, though.

"I didn't think you were actually going to do it!" he laughed. I sighed, looking out at the arena. He was seated on his ass, his legs extended out. I was on his crotch, my left foot outside of his left shin and my right foot outside of his right shin.

"Everyone thought you were my girlfriend today." he said. I laughed, turning to him.

"Oh? Everyone assumed we were banging." I said. He laughed.

"Really? I thought the dudes would assume that." I put my right leg on the same side as the left and talked to him.

"I know! Someone said we were the cutest couple ever." I laughed. He did too. "And someone said that I was gorgeous."

“You are." he said. I blushed and looked away. I snorted.

"Thanks, but nooo way." he put his gloved hand around my jaw and I looked at him.

"I'm serious." he said.

I had turned to face him and just straddled him, seeing it was easier than sitting oddly with my neck craned. I took off my hat and undid the braid that was now dry. My hair waved around me and I went to put the hat back on. Skinner, who was now gloveless, reached out and tucked the hair behind my ear. I looked at him and he looked at me. I don't know why, but I put my arm around his neck, kissing his pale rose lips. We pulled apart for air and he had that same worried look that he had the first time that we kissed.
“What's wrong?” I asked. He grabbed my wrist and read the time on my Hurricanes watch.

“We have to go.” he said, nonchalantly. Wow, Skinner. I put his Blue Jays hat on and put my hair in a low ponytail. More concerned about the time than kissing me? How thoughtful. I stood up, sliding down to his skates, to help him up. It probably shouldn't have happened anyways. I should stop feeling these things for him. Both times that we have kissed, he regrets it. I can just tell by his expression. It should stop happening. I need to stop pursuing him. I took his hands in mine and he tried to get up, but pulled me down with him. I squealed when I hit the ice, the freezing cold surface chilling my bones. He laughed and stood, helping me up. I shivered and he put his arm around me, giving me his gloves.

“Want to help my collect the pucks?” he asked. No. I want you to kiss me and mean it. But, instead of saying that, I pushed on his gloves and nodded. He skated to one end and I skated to the other. He picked up his stick and shoved them along, while I just kicked them to a general direction. He got them all and dropped them in a bucket with some cleaning solution, I assume. I skated over to him, after getting my flip flops from the penalty box, and we both went down the hall to the locker room. I took off the skates and socks and slipped on my Rainbows, handing everything to Skinner.

“Alright. There may be naked guys in here and if Subban is, you will not get out of there alive.” he joked. “There is a mini-kitchen over there. You can get something from the fridge, if you want, and just wait for me in there. I should only be ten minutes.”

“Sounds good.” I said, making my way over there. He went into the locker room.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up...” I said into my phone. I had texted my parents and reassured that we were coming over. I was calling Ally and desperately wanted to talk to her.

“Sup, bitch.” she said, into the phone. I stood up, beginning to pace already.

“THANK GOD.” I said, into the phone. I waved to Cam as he passed by.

“Whoa! What's wrong?” she asked, concerned. I was pacing like a mad man.

“Alright. After you left, all the other WAGs followed. So, Skinner invited me on the ice. We sat in the penalty box, on the bench-”

“Oh my god, I hate you!” she interrupted. I shushed her. “Sorry. Continue.”

“Then we went to center ice. We sat down, me on his lap. Then I ended up turning around and we kinda sorta kissed again. Then he grabs my wrist, checks the time, and says we have to go.”

“Lolwut?” she asked, snorting. I didn't find it funny.

“Yup. He looked worried and then we got up and left, and pretended like it never happened.”

“Wow. That... that sucks. Do you like him?” she asked. I sat down and stared at the wall. Did I like him? I just as hell acted like it. And I can't picture my life without him now. He's so funny and nice and... perfect. My cheeks blushed. “Hello?”

“I don't know, Ally.” I replied, my cheeks still on fire.

“Are you thinking about him right now?” she questioned.

“Well, you asked me if I liked him. That requires some thought.”

“Are you thinking about him right now and blushing?” she asked. My hot cheeks were probably a crimson red and I sighed.

“Yes. I like him, Ally.” I said.

“Well, do you think he likes you?”

“To be honest, no. But the thing is, it doesn't matter to me. His fame, his money, his fortune. I like him, as a person. Sure, it's a plus that he plays on my favorite team. He probably thinks I only like him because he's a hockey player. I never should have kissed him. I wish it had never happened. I'm only going to want more.”

“Control yourself girl. You were only just... uh... testing the waters.” Ally said, giggling.

“What are you-” I asked, wondering why she was laughing.

“Sorry. Mike is distracting me. I gotta go.”

“Learn from me, Ally!” I replied.

“Sorry, I can't hear you over how awesome my life is.” she said, loudly. I laughed.

“Fuck you, too, then.”

“Bye.”

“Love you. Bye.” I said, hanging up. I huffed and adjusted the Jays hat and Skinner walked around the corner, a smile on his face. Those lips... how I wished to kiss them again.

“Ready?” he asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

“Yup!” I said, hopping off the chair I was sitting in.

♂

I showered as quickly as possible and got dressed in the clothes that I had brought. I figured jeans and a plain t-shirt was a good enough outfit. I don't know. They are just her parents. They aren't the president or anything.

“Gonna go hang out with your girl?” Claude Giroux asked, striding into the locker room, completely naked. Something about him always made me uncomfortable. There were a couple players on Team Staal that I didn't like and they always tried to knock me over during games.

“Yeah.” I simply replied, not wanting him to know much more about me.

“She's hot.” he said, simply, sitting down on the bench and going through his locker.

“Thanks.” I said, running a brush through my hair and throwing everything in my bag.
“I'd tap that, if she wasn't your girl.” he blatantly said, putting on underwear. Alright, dick, nobody talks about Olive like that. She doesn't deserve to be treated like a piece of meat.

“Well, it's a good thing that she's my girl, then.” I spat, putting on her hat and grabbing my bag, basically running out of the door.

My girl... my girl... It rang in my ears. I wish she was my girl. I wish that I wasn't so cautious. I've been hurt so many times by girls that just want me for my money or fame. I hate that I get so nervous after we kiss. I can practically feel all of those lost relationships. But Olive feels different. She was such a unique, quirky person, but was really a beautiful girl, inside and out. Once I had left the room, I walked down the hall and heard her sweet voice talking.

“... I only like him because he's a hockey player. I never should have kissed him. I wish it had never happened. I'm only going to want more.” were the first words I heard her say. I stopped in my tracks, my mouth literally open. I thought she was different. I thought about just leaving, but I couldn't do it. I liked her too much. Maybe we could just be friends. I don't mind buying her the occasional gift. Friends don't buy friends things everyday, though. But maybe she could learn to understand that. I made a mental plan to keep being her friend until the All-Star weekend is over. Then I can choose whether or not I want to talk to her anymore.
“What are you-” she said into the phone, but was cut off.

“Learn from me, Ally!” she spoke again, to her best friend. Yeah. Learn not to break somebody's heart. Mike Green was a cool guy and I didn't want to see him hurt like me.

“Fuck you, too, then.” I already feel fucked over, thanks, Olive.

“Love you. Bye.” she said, hanging up. I love you too... I waited a couple seconds, then put on my signature smile and walked around the corner.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Yup!” she replied, hopping out of the chair. God, she was so cute. It's going to be so hard to pretend to be happy about this. But I don't want to lose her.

♀

“OH MY GOD!” I squealed, turning the radio up. We were almost to my house.

“What?” Skinner asked, terrified. I guess I had scared him.

“IT'S MY FAVORITE SONG!” I squealed, drumming to the beat, turning it up.

“I can't even hear the GPS-” he started to say, but I interrupted him by singing.

“Why do you build me up?” I sang, holding out and imaginary microphone for Skinner to sing the back-up vocals. He didn't. He just looked at me funny. “Buttercup, baby, just to let me down!” I extended the mic again, but he just stared at the road. I muttered “let me down” for his part, and then went on to my part. “And mess me around and then worst of all!”

“Worst of all.” he finally budged, muttered it under his breath. I fist pumped, dancing in my seat.

“You never call, baby, when you say you will!”

“Say you will.” he sang, a little louder.

“But I love you still, I need you!”

“I need you!” he was almost as loud as me, now.

“More than anyone darling! You know that I have from the start. So build me up, buttercup, don't break my heart.” I sang.

“Turn right on Oak Tree Lane.” the GPS whispered under the music.

“Awww, man.” I said, turning the song down. “We're here.”

“Destination is on the left in 400 feet.” it said in the robotic voice. I clicked it off and we pulled into my driveway. I hopped out and he got out too, locking the car. He waited for me to walk around to his side of the car and I linked arms with him. I would hold your hand, but I don't want you to run away again. 'Cause, you know, that tends to happen a lot.

“Ready to meet my folks?” I asked as we walked up the walkway.

“I guess so.” he laughed, as we walked up the steps. I unlocked the door and opened it.
“Hopefully my mom won't attack you.” I said simply, walking in.

“That's reassuring.” I heard him say, as he followed me.