Status: Uh....story kinda died. You can blame it on Bettman :P
While You Were Away
XXXVIII
I leaned against the wall, watching as Val put his stuff in his car so he could leave to get to the Joe on time for game 1 of the first series. He had been acting odd ever since the whole thing at Justin’s house and we hadn’t talked very much.
“Are you alright?” I asked as he walked towards me.
“I’m fine,” He said shortly and I frowned at him.
“Seriously Val, what’s going on?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, giving him a look.
“Nothing is going on,” He snapped and I felt my eyebrows raise.
“Obviously there is, because you’re never an asshole for no reason,” I said and turned to go back in the house, rolling my eyes. I heard him let out an annoyed groan before turning to go back to his car. After hearing his car leave I let out a huge sigh, wishing he would just tell me what was wrong, instead of just acting weird.
-
Walking into the Joe, you could tell it was the beginning of the playoffs. The buzz was amplified and the excitement was in the air. I heard the crowd start cheering as I made my way to my seats as quickly as possible, seeing as I had showed up a lot later than I had wanted to. Realizing I had missed the Wings infamous intro, I sat down in my seat after grabbing the rally towel placed there.
Val had gotten me a seat behind their bench, as always. I watched as they finished skating around the ice and came back to have a seat. Justin noticed me as he sat down and turned to face me, giving me a look. I felt confusion wash over my face, seeing as he had his ‘we need to talk’ face on. He turned back around and I just shook my head, not wanting to focus on that.
-
Watching the game progress, I could see that both teams wanted the first win of the series. Not long into the first, however, the Coyotes scored. The crowd that had been cheering so loudly was significantly quieter now as they watched the team celebrate their first goal so soon into the first period.
As the period winded down to an end, I watched as the guys tried their hardest to score. It was getting intense, and the fact that no one had scored since the beginning of the period was starting to get the fans anxious. Val had gotten hit, hard, right in front of me. Since then, his game seemed to be more intense than ever. I had watched him, wondering what it was that got to him.
The buzzer sounded, signifying the end of the period. I watched as the guys filed off the ice, trying to keep the thought of defeat off their minds, seeing as it was just the first period break. I leaned back in my seat, not paying attention to anything around me really. I heard bits and pieces of the conversations around me. Some people commented on the hit on Val, others on how much they despise Doan.
-
Halfway into the second, I watched as Klesla made an attempt to hit Todd into the boards. He missed, but it was obvious that Todd was still pissed. I felt the excitement bubble up inside me as they exchanged words. I couldn’t help it, I always loved hockey fights, ever since I was a kid. Seeing Todd slip up and fall to the ice, taking Klesla with him, I knew it was over. The refs broke up the fight and sent them both to the box.
After awhile, a chant started to pick up. After realizing it didn’t sound like the usual “Let’s go Red Wings” chant, I tried to decipher it before gasping as my eyes widened. If you were into hockey, you know there were many people who hated Todd Bertuzzi. I had to deal with it, especially when people found out we were friends. That’s why I felt a swell of pride in my chest when I realized that the crowd was actually chanting Todd’s name. I grinned before joining in the chant.
-
I leaned against the wall outside the locker room. I had been ready to leave when I got a text from Val, asking me to stay so we could talk. As I waited, I tried to figure out what was going on with him. Nothing I came up with made any sense.
“Hey,” I heard, causing me to turn towards the hallway the guys came out of. Val was standing there with an apologetic look on his face.
“Well?” I asked, jumping right to business.
“I know I’ve been acting like an asshole lately,” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah Val, you really have. What’s up with that?” He winced when I agreed with him.
“I don’t know, to be honest. Some guy was saying shit about you the night everyone was at Justin’s and, I don’t know. It got under my skin and just put me in a bad mood I guess. Then seeing how you were with Justin…I just…I don‘t know…” I stared at him for a second.
“That’s really no excuse at all Val. Some random guy said something and you just react in some insane way? And you were jealous of Justin and I? That just doesn't make sense...What made you get over yourself?”
“You, earlier today. And when I saw you cheering for me, even though I was an idiot…” He looked down and bit his lip before looking back up at me. “What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry…could you forgive me?”
“Val, you know I’m always going to forgive you. But I hate when you do this… I don’t know what I’m going to do if it keeps up,” I said quietly and he bit his lip again.
“It’s not going to continue, I promise,” He said, just as quiet as I had been. He approached me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him. I sighed as I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back.
“I love you Val,” I mumbled into his chest, resting my head against him.
“I love you too Amy.”
“Are you alright?” I asked as he walked towards me.
“I’m fine,” He said shortly and I frowned at him.
“Seriously Val, what’s going on?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, giving him a look.
“Nothing is going on,” He snapped and I felt my eyebrows raise.
“Obviously there is, because you’re never an asshole for no reason,” I said and turned to go back in the house, rolling my eyes. I heard him let out an annoyed groan before turning to go back to his car. After hearing his car leave I let out a huge sigh, wishing he would just tell me what was wrong, instead of just acting weird.
-
Walking into the Joe, you could tell it was the beginning of the playoffs. The buzz was amplified and the excitement was in the air. I heard the crowd start cheering as I made my way to my seats as quickly as possible, seeing as I had showed up a lot later than I had wanted to. Realizing I had missed the Wings infamous intro, I sat down in my seat after grabbing the rally towel placed there.
Val had gotten me a seat behind their bench, as always. I watched as they finished skating around the ice and came back to have a seat. Justin noticed me as he sat down and turned to face me, giving me a look. I felt confusion wash over my face, seeing as he had his ‘we need to talk’ face on. He turned back around and I just shook my head, not wanting to focus on that.
-
Watching the game progress, I could see that both teams wanted the first win of the series. Not long into the first, however, the Coyotes scored. The crowd that had been cheering so loudly was significantly quieter now as they watched the team celebrate their first goal so soon into the first period.
As the period winded down to an end, I watched as the guys tried their hardest to score. It was getting intense, and the fact that no one had scored since the beginning of the period was starting to get the fans anxious. Val had gotten hit, hard, right in front of me. Since then, his game seemed to be more intense than ever. I had watched him, wondering what it was that got to him.
The buzzer sounded, signifying the end of the period. I watched as the guys filed off the ice, trying to keep the thought of defeat off their minds, seeing as it was just the first period break. I leaned back in my seat, not paying attention to anything around me really. I heard bits and pieces of the conversations around me. Some people commented on the hit on Val, others on how much they despise Doan.
-
Halfway into the second, I watched as Klesla made an attempt to hit Todd into the boards. He missed, but it was obvious that Todd was still pissed. I felt the excitement bubble up inside me as they exchanged words. I couldn’t help it, I always loved hockey fights, ever since I was a kid. Seeing Todd slip up and fall to the ice, taking Klesla with him, I knew it was over. The refs broke up the fight and sent them both to the box.
After awhile, a chant started to pick up. After realizing it didn’t sound like the usual “Let’s go Red Wings” chant, I tried to decipher it before gasping as my eyes widened. If you were into hockey, you know there were many people who hated Todd Bertuzzi. I had to deal with it, especially when people found out we were friends. That’s why I felt a swell of pride in my chest when I realized that the crowd was actually chanting Todd’s name. I grinned before joining in the chant.
-
I leaned against the wall outside the locker room. I had been ready to leave when I got a text from Val, asking me to stay so we could talk. As I waited, I tried to figure out what was going on with him. Nothing I came up with made any sense.
“Hey,” I heard, causing me to turn towards the hallway the guys came out of. Val was standing there with an apologetic look on his face.
“Well?” I asked, jumping right to business.
“I know I’ve been acting like an asshole lately,” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah Val, you really have. What’s up with that?” He winced when I agreed with him.
“I don’t know, to be honest. Some guy was saying shit about you the night everyone was at Justin’s and, I don’t know. It got under my skin and just put me in a bad mood I guess. Then seeing how you were with Justin…I just…I don‘t know…” I stared at him for a second.
“That’s really no excuse at all Val. Some random guy said something and you just react in some insane way? And you were jealous of Justin and I? That just doesn't make sense...What made you get over yourself?”
“You, earlier today. And when I saw you cheering for me, even though I was an idiot…” He looked down and bit his lip before looking back up at me. “What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry…could you forgive me?”
“Val, you know I’m always going to forgive you. But I hate when you do this… I don’t know what I’m going to do if it keeps up,” I said quietly and he bit his lip again.
“It’s not going to continue, I promise,” He said, just as quiet as I had been. He approached me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him. I sighed as I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back.
“I love you Val,” I mumbled into his chest, resting my head against him.
“I love you too Amy.”