Whatever It Takes

“You’re a hockey player?” she managed to stumble out as her brain worked to process the information. Patrick’s smile grew more brighter and cockier, “Yeah, and I’m pretty good too from what they tell me”. She nodded and went to take a sip of her drink until she noticed it was empty. She felt herself build up a wall all of a sudden, her interest diminishing slightly. Obviously there had to be a catch, she thought as she tried to make sense of this all. She had been involved with enough athletes to know that there was more than one meaning to their association with the word “player”.

He was kind of bummed out that she didn’t know who he was, but also excited. It meant that she spent this whole night talking to him without a secret agenda like some girls had. He was sure she was impressed; yeah she was acting a little bit weird but it was a lot to take in he told himself. She cleared her throat and gave him a small smile. “That’s cool,” she said easily, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Anyways, thanks for the drink” she continued as she waved the now empty glass, “I should get back to my friends though”. She put the glass down on the table beside him and looked him one last time in the eyes, “it was really nice to meet you”. Before he could get a word out, she was off and moving to her table across the platform.

“I’m not even going to ask what you did to send that hot girl running, although it was only a matter time before she did” Seabrook joked as he walked over and stood beside a confused Patrick. “Dude, I just told her I was a hockey player and she ran off. Like, is this a joke? That never happens,” he told Seabrook, as he tried to figure out what he had done wrong. Seabrook shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe your just not her type. I mean she is way too hot for you” he joked until he saw Patrick shoot him a glare. “There’s plenty of other girls here who know who you are and are dying to talk to you” he continued as he gave Patrick a shove towards the girls still standing beside the platform and eyeing him, “go cheer yourself up”.

“Oh my God” were the first words Arianna heard as she made her way safely back to her table. She turned to see Lisa, Michelle and all their friends starring at her in awe, each one more excited than the next. “Patrick Kane?!” Lisa yelled as she grabbed Arianna by the hand and dragged her closer to the group of girls, “explain”. Arianna’s head was spinning, all of the nights drinks finally catching up to her. “It’s nothing, I spilt his drink, he bought me one, we talked,” she said vaguely as she looked around for Marissa. “You are so lucky” one of Michelle’s friends said, a peroxide bottle blonde with a deep tan and an even deeper v-neck dress. Kaci, (was that her name, Arianna thought as she rubbed her head lightly) was starring at Patrick from across the platform like he was a piece of meat. Arianna followed her gaze, to see him flirting with some girls beside the platform. Just like I predicted, she thought as she felt herself be disappointed for a split second. “If you want go talk to him,” Arianna heard herself say to Kaci, although she could feel herself boil up with jealousy at the thought of it occurring. She shouldn’t care, she told herself; he was exactly everything she tried to avoid in a guy. It was only a conversation, she told herself, don’t make it into something it wasn’t. Kaci looked like she was contemplating it until Michelle elbowed her and gave her a glared. This was all getting too much for Arianna, “have you guys seen Marissa?”. Lisa gave her a curious look, “she went to the washroom” she replied as she gave her Arianna a look that said they would talk more later. Arianna nodded and made her way down the platform and into the sea of people on the dance floor to find Marissa.

She had never been happier to see a washroom in her entire life. The dance floor had been so packed it took her nearly 20 minutes to make it from their booth in the back to the washroom at the other end. “Marissa?” she called out into the somewhat busy washroom. “Ari?” she heard a voice say from behind one of the stalls. “Mar, are you ok?” Arianna asked as she made her way over to where the voice came from. She heard the door unlock and saw Marissa emerge. “Ya, why wouldn’t I be?” she asked bubbly, yet confused as she looked at her best friend. “Well thank you God you are, because I’m not,” Arianna confessed as she grabbed Marissa and sat her on the bench inside the washroom, telling her all about her encounter with Patrick.

(An hour later)

“I still think you made a mistake” Marissa said loudly into her ear, as the two girls tried to make their way once again through the crowd of people and toward their booth, “you should have given him a chance”. “We both know what athletes are like” was all that Arianna would respond, as she focused on shuffling past people and moving forward toward their booth. She had confessed to Marissa in the washroom about the whole incident with Patrick and how she had ditched him in a hurry. She had been surprised when Marissa didn’t side with her on what she considered to be a good judgment on her part. Finally their booth was in full view and Marissa ran up the stairs ahead of Arianna. She laughed at her best friend’s wackiness, making her way slowly up the steps.

Suddenly she felt strong hands grab her wrist gently, “Sorry to bother you” she heard a male voice say. She turned around to see an attractive tall dark haired guy smiling at her. “But I have a tiny favor to ask you” he continued as he let go of her wrist and she walked back down the one step to face him. “Ok” she replied, her hands on her hips, giving him a small smile. He was at a table that was located right in front of her booth at the bottom of the steps with a group of guys who were now all starring at her and smiling. “It’s my birthday” he began as he moved himself in a little too close to her, “and as the birthday boy it’s my birthday right to have a drink and dance with the most beautiful girl in the club” he continued as he grazed his hand lightly up and down her arm and up to her neck. She took a step back, and moved his arm away from her. This was why she hated arrogant guys; they thought they could have anything they wanted. “Well good luck finding her” she replied as she moved to try and pass him. He grabbed her arm again, pulling her back towards him a little too forcefully, “I already did”.