As Fate Would Have It

"Kris, where are we going?"

The city was fading in the rear view mirror, and we had already been in the car for much longer than I had anticipated. When he told us we were going out for a drink, I figured he knew some little dive in town where people were so accustomed to seeing him so much after games that it wouldn't be a big deal and we could talk in peace. That wasn't the case. It had already been a good twenty minutes in the car when I asked the question.

"It's a surprise," Kris answered, patting my knee in reassurance.

Huffing slightly, I slouched down in my seat, pouting slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"I totally hate surprises," I grunt, letting my eyes trail out the windows. I had always hated surprises. When I was a kid, my parents tried to throw me a surprise party and it didn't turn out so well. I found out that day that I'm terrified of clowns. My prom date tried to surprise me with our dinner plans during junior prom. That night, I found out that shellfish makes me swell up like a balloon. Every surprise I had even been handed in my life has somehow turned out badly.

"I'm sure you'll like this one," he reassured, flashing that mischievous grin.

How would he know? It's not like we really knew one another. Just as that thought came to my mind, it decided to root itself among the cracks and grow. I sat up straighter, turning in my seat to face him, "Let's play a game." I declared, grinning now. This idea had just crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but think it would be perfect. "Twenty questions. That way, I can get to know a little more about you. And nothing dirty...please."

Laughing, he nodded in agreement. "You first," Kris offered, looking at my face with that crooked grin I couldn't deny.

"Alright then," thinking of a question too longer than it should have, since I wasn't sure what approach to take. I could jump straight into the deep stuff without skimming the surface, but would that be too much? Finally, I just blurted out the first question that came to my mind. "Why me?"

"Why you...what?"

"Why did you want to get drinks with me? Or...I guess...what makes me so different to you."

Kris let his shoulders shrug. I could tell I had picked a hard question right off the bat. Good job Savannah, I thought. My eyes focused on his face as it twisted in thought. I don't think he was trying to come up with an answer, more of how to phrase that answer. Finally, he spoke, "That look in your eye the night I met you," he began, not looking at me when he answered, "you looked terrified. I could see it, but you also looked thrilled. Not only that, but you didn't look at me with lust filled eyes like every other girl I meet does. I just felt like you were the exception."

"The exception to what?"

Kris laughed, "Isn't it my turn for a question?"

Damn rules, I thought with a sigh. "I guess so."

"Alright then. What's up with you and that guy...Ian?"

I should have know this was coming. I had no intention of playing this game fairly, and neither did he. I knew why he was asking about Ian. It was because he didn't want to find out that I was already serious about some guy and he didn't stand any sort of chance. My eyes fell to my hands, that were playing with the sleeve of my jersey. I didn't know what to say... How did I explain Ian?

"We...date," I fumbled over my words, feeling insecure about my answer. "I guess that's what you could call it. He was the first friend I made when I moved here and we just hit it off. Our first date was a few months ago." Glancing back to Kris, he seemed satisfied with this answer, nodding his head. My turn. "When was your last girlfriend?"

"About a year ago," Kris answered honestly. "We were pretty serious, but things never would have worked out. She couldn't handle the hockey life."

The game went on as we got farther and farther away from Pittsburgh. The questions weren't all as serious, and I learned more about the boy in that car ride than I ever thought I would. His favorite color was red, though he told people black when they asked to show his team pride. Metallica was his favorite band, though I already knew that one. He couldn't stand the taste of green beans, and loved those gray rainy days. I shared secrets of mine that I never thought I would, as in my first kiss (which is an awkward tale no matter what age it happened at), my first drunken experience which involved a goat and the cops. Towards the end of our trip, and the end of the game, I got a question I never expected.

"Could you ever see yourself with me?"

I froze. Wha...What kind of question was that?! My jaw dropped slightly as I looked at him. Kris reached over and pushed my lower jaw back up with a smile. "You better hurry up and answer," he teased, "we're almost there."

It was a good question, and one that I wasn't totally sure I could answer right now. This time with him had been absolutely amazing, even if it was just a car ride. I managed to catch his hand before he pulled it away. I looked over his hands, his rugged and worn in hands. The type of hands that I loved more than anything in the world. Worker's hands. Even though they were covered by gloves when he played, his hands didn't come out smooth and flawless. It's weird getting the answer to his question just from sitting here holding his hand in both of mine, but I did.

"Yes," I practically whispered as I tan a finger over the back of his hand, "I could."