Sticks & Spirals

A week passed since my showdown with Mr. Seabrook, and I have successfully managed to avoid him. Even though I went to all the home games, whenever I waited for Andrew, I never accidentally bumped into him. Which is all for the better. Apparently he really hates me now.
I have been able to hang out with Rhyne a little bit at the games. Despite my warning, Kris still gives her tickets. She’s very appreciative, but there’s just something about her that doesn’t seem right. Now for the wild outgoing Steeger who suddenly stops being wild and outgoing around her.
I learned she’s a twin. Now that is cool.
I started my rehab too in the week since the showdown. It’s an hour long every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and it’s extremely painful. Without my brace, I find it hard to put weight on my knee. But that’s what happens when you blow it out.
Andrew’s been taking me to most of my sessions because afterwards the pain is so unbearable that I can’t drive. Troy’s fiance Carmen, who I love to death, takes me when the boys are away.
I sighed as I looked at my phone. Andrew is late in picking me up. I know he has practice, but he’s usually on time in picking me up to take me to rehab. The coaches understand my predicament.
My phone suddenly vibrated and I answered it right away. “Andrew, where the hell are you? I can’t be late!”
My cousin sighed on the other end. “I know, Vanna. And I’m so, so sorry. But I’m caught up here at the U.C. I can’t leave yet.”
“But Andrew!” I shrieked, a little panicked.
“V, it’ll be ok. I sent someone else who can take you. He got hit with the puck today and asked to leave instead of go to the meeting. Then I talked him into taking you to your rehab since we both are kind of desperate.”
I sighed. “Who is it? If you say Bur or Wis, I’ll freak.”
“Um, no,” Andrew said, hesitantly. “It’s Seabs.”
I think I just choked on my own spit. “WHAT?!”
“I’m sorry, V! But it’s either him or no session! And you know better than I do that if you don’t go to a session, you’ll be put back on your recovery.”
I moaned and put my head in my hands. “This is just great. I get to spent the afternoon with someone who hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you. He hates what you said to him.”
“Same thing.”
Andrew sighed. “I have to go, Anna. Try to behave, ok? He’s not happy about doing this, but he still is. Take that as a good sign.”
“Fine. Bye, Andrew.”
“I love you, V.”
“I love you too.”
I moaned as I hung up the phone and slipped on my flats. I paced, even though it’s not good for me, until a pound came at the front door.
I sucked in a deep breath and opened the door to reveal Brent Seabrook in all of his glory. His luscious hair was slicked back. Damn, why did he have to be so good looking.
But then I noticed his cheek. “Holy hell! What the hell happened to you!” I gaped.
He looked far from impressed as he walked past me and into the closet, throwing my jacket at me. “I got hit by the puck. Courtesy of your cousin.”
“Oh,” I said stupidly, fiddling with my coat. “Well, umm, thanks for doing this.”
“Whatever. Let’s go. I was told you can’t be late.”
I watched him as he stalked back out of the apartment and down the hall, barely waiting for me to waddle up behind him into the elevator. I couldn’t help but frown as I stared at his back. I hate that he hated me. If only he wasn’t so cute... then I wouldn’t hate that he hated me so much.
Oh, get a hold of yourself Vanna. You don’t have a chance with any of these hockey players. So stop even thinking about it.
I shook my head, getting a glance from Seabs as my dark blonde hair fluttered in my face. He just shrugged and walked out of the elevator.
I followed, not too happy, and he had to help me into his large vehicle since I can’t bend my knee. “Thanks.”
He said nothing as he got into the driver’s seat and used the directions Andrew wrote for him to take me to my session.
The ride was filled with an awkward silence. I just kept looking out the window. I didn’t have the energy to get in it with him, and like all other conversations, I’m positive that that’s what would happen.
Seabrook parked near the entrance and he took my arm, all my weight pressed into him as I jumped from the car. I tried to ignore the smell of his cologne. He smelled really good...
I coughed and stood straight. I didn’t bother thanking him since I knew I wouldn’t get an answer. “Well, you can either wait inside or come back in an hour,” I mumbled, not looking in his eyes.
“Ok.”
I was honestly getting sick of his one or two word answers. But I just ignored him and headed inside to make my appointment in time.
The appointment was long and painful, as always, but I am getting more movement out of my knee, which is a good sign. The pain may be excruciating, but it’s improving. And I need to get back on the ice as soon as impossible. I met with my new trainer the other day, and we both agreed that I have it in me to become great.
I just need to get better first.
After my appointment, I headed outside and became as stiff as a board as I saw Seabrook sitting in the waiting room, reading a magazine. I honestly couldn’t believe that he waited here.
I waddled up to him and cleared my throat. He looked up, his gorgeous eyes shocking me for a minute, but I recovered quickly. I wouldn’t let his good looks cloud my judgement. “I’m done here,” I mumbled, looking down.
Again, the defenseman said nothing as he headed out the door. He didn’t hold it open, which made me want to smack him, but I said nothing. I still didn’t want to fight with him. Especially now that I’m in pain.
He still helped me in his ginormous truck and we were quickly on our way back to my apartment that I share with my cousin.
“How’d it go?” he asked, breaking the silence.
I turned and looked at him, gaping for a minute at the fact he was trying to have a conversation with me. He looked at me, and snapped me out of it. “Umm, ok I guess.”
“Feeling any better?”
“Not really. I’m starting to get movement in it though.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.” I paused and looked at the window. “Look, Brent~”
He cut me off. “Don’t call me Brent.” I looked at him again, trying to fight my anger. “You don’t know me well enough to call me Brent. Stick with Seabs.”
“That’s a fucking nickname! How can Seabs be better than your actual name?”
His jaw clenched, but I didn’t feel bad. Not this time. “Only my close personal friends and family call me Brent,” he said coldly.
“Oh, so you don’t want me to call you Brent because I’m a stupid figure skater and you hate figure skaters because your stupid ex-girlfriend is a whore. And since she called you Brent, I’m not allowed to call you Brent because all of us figure skaters are all the fucking same.”
He was livid. It was literally pouring off of him and I squealed as he purposely went off the side of the road. “Shut the hell up. You don’t know anything.”
“Then tell me, Seabs,” I said viciously. “Tell me to my face that that is not the reason you won’t allow me to call you by your first name!”
Seabrook pulled to the side of the road and looked at me straight in the eyes. Anyone would have flinched back at the look of hatred in his pretty eyes, but I held my ground. I can’t back down to him. Him of all people.
“You want to know, Vanna?” I nodded. “Then you’re right. That’s precisely why. Krista and all her fucking friends were in relationships, and then they all decided to cheat on their men. I found it out by eavesdropping on one of her conversations because Sharpy thought he saw my girlfriend, my Krista, out with another man.
“So yes, I despise all figure skaters right now,” he seethed. “Her and her figure skating groupees all cheated, so why should I believe that you are any different?”
“Because I was raised correctly!” I screamed at him. He didn’t flinch, just like I didn’t. “I hate cheaters just as much as I do, and calling all figure skaters sluts is a stereotype! You know that hockey players are said to be party boys, some cheat. But I don’t think every hockey player is a cheating piece of scum! I still respect you stupid hockey players!”
Seabrook snorted. “Maybe you shouldn’t,” he said through his teeth. “Because who wants to be with a bitch who does nothing but purposely push all the wrong buttons!”
Ok, that was seriously hurt. And it must have read on my face because Seabrook leaned back in his seat, took a deep breath, and took the car out of park and pulled back onto the road.
I looked out the window, my face as emotionless as can be. Most people can’t affect me emotionally. I’m pretty damn tough. But that comment really hurt. I really want him to like me, like I want all of my cousin’s teammates to like me. I don’t understand why, but I just do. I’d like to think that when they all hang out, I could go along too and we’d all have fun.
But I can’t do that with Brent Seabrook. He seriously hates me and all I stand for. I just get on his nerves. Every question I ask he takes personally.
Fine, whatever. He can have it his way.
I wiped a tear that fell from my eye away from my cheek, and I swear that I saw Seabrook looking at me. But I didn’t both looking towards him. He honestly doesn’t care. I’m just another figure skater he knows and I’m only a piece of shit in his book.
And that hurts as much as I don’t want it to. I hate knowing that he hates me, that he won’t give me a chance to be his friend. He won’t have any of it, and after that comment, I don’t think I can deal with it anymore either.
I guess I’m just a bug. I do nothing but annoy him and I’ve known him for all of a week and a half.
Whatever.
He pulled up to the parking lot and made a motion to take off his seatbelt, but I spoke before he did. “Don’t bother,” I said as emotionlessly as possible. “I can do it myself.”
He didn’t say anything as I opened the door and slowly slipped down, careful not to land on my leg and injure my leg even more. I slammed the door and waddled up to the door, entered the key, and walked inside, not even bothering to see if he was still there, watching me to make sure I got in.
I made my way up to the apartment, unknowing of the tears that streaked down my cheeks. I opened the door to the apartment and Andrew, who was in the living room, lept to his feet. “V! How’d it...” he paused as he noticed the tears on my face. “Vanna, what’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.
I shook my head and walked up to him, wrapping my arms around him tightly. He hugged me back, kissing the top of my head. “He hates me.”
“Who? Seabs? He doesn’t hate you, V.”
“Yes he does!” I screamed, catching my cousin by surprise. “He called me a bitch and told me no one will ever go out with me because all I ever do is annoy people and push all their buttons!”
Andrew stiffened. He remembered what happened to me two years ago, and he also knew that what Seabrook said brought back all of the pain. “V, listen to me. He’s just frustrated. He didn’t mean it. And Daniel. Well, he was an asshole in the first place. I told you from day one when you started dating him that he was.”
I nodded, holding my crying face against my cousin’s chest. Daniel was my first and only boyfriend, and he cheated on me. His excuse for doing so was that I was an obnoxious bitch who lived to only piss people off.
Seabrook’s comment was so close to that. I’m not sure if I could ever face him again without breaking down.
“Come on, let’s sit down.”
I let my cousin lead me to the couch, and he pulled me in his lap. He rubbed my arm comfortingly as he spoke softly. “Seabrook isn’t like Daniel. He just needs a chance to have his heart heal. You remember what it was like to be cheated on, and Seabs was in love with this girl. You weren’t in love with Daniel.”
That’s true... but it still didn’t give him the right to say that.
“I don’t ever want to see him again.”
“He’s my teammate, Vanna. You kind of have to.”
“Never leave me alone with him?
Andrew sighed. “Ok.”
I sniffed and focused on the TV. It was a replay of the Hawks game the night before, where Seabrook scored.
The camera zoomed in on his face, and I felt my heart tear a bit.
He hates me for no legitimate reason.
And for some unknown reason, that broke my heart.