Status: Uh....story kinda died. You can blame it on Bettman :P
While You Were Away
II
I checked my phone for the time as I approached the Staples Center, trying to figure out if I had enough time to get in the locker room. I was basically everyone on the teams younger sister, so they didn’t care that I was there. However, I know how Babcock is, and even though he won’t say anything to me I know I shouldn’t be in there after a certain time. Sighing as I walked in the front doors with the crowd, I handed over my ticket when I realized I was a bit late.
“Looks like I have to wait until after the game to see the guys,” I mumbled to myself, trying to navigate my way through the huge building. I had only been to the Staples Center for games three times before, so I still wasn’t used to it. What can I say, I favor the Joe Louis. Glancing down at the ticket Val had given me earlier today, I realized that it was right by the Wings bench. I smiled as I made my way down to my seat, waiting for the game to start. Checking the time again, I saw that there was maybe five minutes left.
“Do you see that girl right there?” I heard the harsh whisper come from right behind me.
“Who the blonde?”
“Yeah. Do you know who that is?” I discreetly glanced around me to see that I was the only blonde sitting in the row at the moment. Were they talking about me?
“No…?”
“That’s Jack Johnsons girlfriend!” Okay, so maybe they aren’t talking about me. But I don’t see any other blondes, so what the hell?
“Why would his girlfriend be behind the Wings bench instead of the Kings bench, or in one of the suites or something?”
“I don’t know, but that looks JUST like her!”
I tuned the girls out when the game was about to start. I watched the players, cheering for all of them, but keeping my eyes out for Val. When he skated out, I cheered louder. He skated by the bench and threw a wink at me, followed closely by Justin Abdelkader who stuck his tongue out and made a face. I laughed, shaking my head at him as I sat back down in my seat. A Kings player skated by. He looked at me with a confused look on his face, and kept it until he got a good distance away. I looked at the name on the back of his jersey. Johnson. The guy the girls behind me were talking about? Huh, maybe I really do look like his girlfriend…
-
I jumped up, cheering loudly as Val scored the game tying goal with less than a minute left in the third period. I grinned as I watched him celebrate with Hank, Todd and Kris. I saw Justin start to skate over but one of the Kings pushed him slightly. I rubbed my face, knowing what was most likely going to follow. They both faced each other, ready to fight after Justin shoved him back, but the refs jumped in before anything could happen. I could easily read the annoyance on Justin’s face. His fights seemed to be getting broken up a lot lately. Everyone skated back to the bench and I stuck my tongue out at Justin, causing him to smile before looking away.
“So I’m pretty positive you were wrong,” I heard the girl behind me say as we waited for the game to start up again and go into overtime.
“About what?”
“That girl has been cheering for the Wings all night. She’s obviously not dating Jack.”
“Maybe they broke up and she’s just bitter. Think I have a chance with him?” I rolled my eyes, hoping the game would start up soon. When it did, I watched the puck intently. The Wings won the first faceoff and got it right into the Kings territory. They fired off a few shots before the puck was stolen and everyone flew into Wings territory. I winced at some of the shots Osgood took before I saw one of the Kings shoot and I knew it was going straight in, there was no way Chris could stop it. I groaned when the buzzer went off, signaling the end of the game, and a Kings win. Half the arena cheered and half was already out of their seats ready to leave. I waited a few minutes for the crowd to die down before I made my way to the hallway that would take me to the dressing room. I waited outside the door for a few minutes before it opened.
“Hey Amy.” I looked up upon hearing the familiar Swedish accent.
“Hey Hank, how are you?”
“Could be better,” He said with a shrug and a smirk as he took a seat next to me. “Waiting for Val?”
“Yeah, any idea on how much longer he’s going to be?”
“Probably five or ten more minutes. I’ll stay and keep you company.”
“Thanks,” I smiled at the first real friend I had on the team.
“Val’s kinda weird today by the way, just a little heads up.”
“Weird?” I asked as the door opened again and Justin, Darren and Todd came out together, followed shortly by Val.
“You’ll see,” Hank said as he stood up and left with the group, leaving me with my boyfriend.
“That was a nice goal earlier,” I said smiling as I leaned up to kiss him.
“Did you change your shirt?” He asked, looking at me with a weird expression.
“Uh, no? I’ve had this outfit on all day. You saw it before I left to go get Ilari something dumb,” I said, referring to the fact that I always got his brother something useless for his birthday.
“I swear I saw you before the game in this hallway, you were acting all weird. And Ilari’s birthday was a month ago tomorrow…”
“Well it wasn’t me, I guess I have a doppelganger. And yes, I know I‘m late. He doesn’t really care so whatever, right?”
“I guess. So are you ready to go? We have to be at the airport later on tonight, so everyone is going out to eat, do you want to go with them?”
“Yeah, sure."
“Looks like I have to wait until after the game to see the guys,” I mumbled to myself, trying to navigate my way through the huge building. I had only been to the Staples Center for games three times before, so I still wasn’t used to it. What can I say, I favor the Joe Louis. Glancing down at the ticket Val had given me earlier today, I realized that it was right by the Wings bench. I smiled as I made my way down to my seat, waiting for the game to start. Checking the time again, I saw that there was maybe five minutes left.
“Do you see that girl right there?” I heard the harsh whisper come from right behind me.
“Who the blonde?”
“Yeah. Do you know who that is?” I discreetly glanced around me to see that I was the only blonde sitting in the row at the moment. Were they talking about me?
“No…?”
“That’s Jack Johnsons girlfriend!” Okay, so maybe they aren’t talking about me. But I don’t see any other blondes, so what the hell?
“Why would his girlfriend be behind the Wings bench instead of the Kings bench, or in one of the suites or something?”
“I don’t know, but that looks JUST like her!”
I tuned the girls out when the game was about to start. I watched the players, cheering for all of them, but keeping my eyes out for Val. When he skated out, I cheered louder. He skated by the bench and threw a wink at me, followed closely by Justin Abdelkader who stuck his tongue out and made a face. I laughed, shaking my head at him as I sat back down in my seat. A Kings player skated by. He looked at me with a confused look on his face, and kept it until he got a good distance away. I looked at the name on the back of his jersey. Johnson. The guy the girls behind me were talking about? Huh, maybe I really do look like his girlfriend…
-
I jumped up, cheering loudly as Val scored the game tying goal with less than a minute left in the third period. I grinned as I watched him celebrate with Hank, Todd and Kris. I saw Justin start to skate over but one of the Kings pushed him slightly. I rubbed my face, knowing what was most likely going to follow. They both faced each other, ready to fight after Justin shoved him back, but the refs jumped in before anything could happen. I could easily read the annoyance on Justin’s face. His fights seemed to be getting broken up a lot lately. Everyone skated back to the bench and I stuck my tongue out at Justin, causing him to smile before looking away.
“So I’m pretty positive you were wrong,” I heard the girl behind me say as we waited for the game to start up again and go into overtime.
“About what?”
“That girl has been cheering for the Wings all night. She’s obviously not dating Jack.”
“Maybe they broke up and she’s just bitter. Think I have a chance with him?” I rolled my eyes, hoping the game would start up soon. When it did, I watched the puck intently. The Wings won the first faceoff and got it right into the Kings territory. They fired off a few shots before the puck was stolen and everyone flew into Wings territory. I winced at some of the shots Osgood took before I saw one of the Kings shoot and I knew it was going straight in, there was no way Chris could stop it. I groaned when the buzzer went off, signaling the end of the game, and a Kings win. Half the arena cheered and half was already out of their seats ready to leave. I waited a few minutes for the crowd to die down before I made my way to the hallway that would take me to the dressing room. I waited outside the door for a few minutes before it opened.
“Hey Amy.” I looked up upon hearing the familiar Swedish accent.
“Hey Hank, how are you?”
“Could be better,” He said with a shrug and a smirk as he took a seat next to me. “Waiting for Val?”
“Yeah, any idea on how much longer he’s going to be?”
“Probably five or ten more minutes. I’ll stay and keep you company.”
“Thanks,” I smiled at the first real friend I had on the team.
“Val’s kinda weird today by the way, just a little heads up.”
“Weird?” I asked as the door opened again and Justin, Darren and Todd came out together, followed shortly by Val.
“You’ll see,” Hank said as he stood up and left with the group, leaving me with my boyfriend.
“That was a nice goal earlier,” I said smiling as I leaned up to kiss him.
“Did you change your shirt?” He asked, looking at me with a weird expression.
“Uh, no? I’ve had this outfit on all day. You saw it before I left to go get Ilari something dumb,” I said, referring to the fact that I always got his brother something useless for his birthday.
“I swear I saw you before the game in this hallway, you were acting all weird. And Ilari’s birthday was a month ago tomorrow…”
“Well it wasn’t me, I guess I have a doppelganger. And yes, I know I‘m late. He doesn’t really care so whatever, right?”
“I guess. So are you ready to go? We have to be at the airport later on tonight, so everyone is going out to eat, do you want to go with them?”
“Yeah, sure."