My prince in shining hockey armor

“I need you to be my ‘wingwoman’ tonight,” Jordan announced barging into my office.

“Don’t you have Max for that?” I asked confused about what he really wanted me to do.

“He’s useless,” he quickly answered. “And I really like this girl so I need good advice.”

“I don’t think I can come tonight.”

“Why?!”

“I need to ask to Geno first, I don’t want him to be alone and I don’t know if he is in a mood to go out,” I tried to explain.

“You are ridiculous,” he declared.

“Hey!”

“Ever since he got injured you’ve been following him around like a love sick puppy. He is a big boy and he knows how to handle this things,” Jordan reasoned making me suddenly feel nervous.

“I’m his friend and I can’t stand seeing him so sad. I hate seeing any of you looking so dejected.”

He gave me a look that said that he didn’t completely buy what I was saying, as if he was ready to tell that I only ever worried to such an extreme when it came to Geno.

“I’m just asking you to take a night off and come with us tonight. It’s been ages since you last went out with us and I really really need you there.”

“Okay,” I conceded mostly because I was afraid of what could come out of Jordan’s mouth next. “Now get out of my office.”

Staalsy’s little visit made me realize something. I hadn’t thought about how the rest of the world would react to me being around Geno all the time. Everyone in the Penguins organization knew that we were friends, we’ve been that for a long time and some people even said that it wasn’t surprising because our personalities complemented very well. But my attitude towards him wasn’t entirely friendly anymore and people were bound to notice that.

The worst part was that I wasn’t sure if I could go back to the way things were. I loved being with him and the simple thought of stopping our late dinners, our movie marathons and our endless chats made me cringe. I wasn’t even entirely happy with the idea of going out with the team without him, I knew I would just spend all night thinking about what he was doing.

I tried convincing Geno to come to the club with his teammates and me but he refused saying he was too tired from rehab. He did tell me to have fun because I deserve it and I was tempted to say that I always had more fun whenever I was with him.

The girl Jordan was trying to impress ended up being Jen, the other PR girl. It was funny how awkward Staalsy was around her, he simply lost the cocky act around her and I could tell that he actually liked her. I was a good friend of Jen so it wasn’t that hard to help Jordan out and once that was done I was free to just dance around and drink, but I didn’t do either.

“You seriously need to lighten up,” Max said and put a drink infront of me.

“Just because I’m not as exuberantly expressive as you guys are doesn’t mean that I’m not having a good time,” I said but took the offered drink anyways.

We kept drinking and laughing for a long while. Everything was normal, until this cute blond guy came over and asked me to dance. I could feel everyone looking at me and I didn’t know what to do. The man was cute and all but I simply wasn’t interested.

To avoid getting questioned by the guys I danced with the boy, who’s name was Marcus. But I was quick to let him know that I wasn’t really looking for something and got back to the booth were some of the guys were.

“What happened?” Flower asked. “I thought we wouldn’t be seeing you anymore tonight.”

“He is not my type,” I simply said.

“I forgot your type is Russian,” he commented completely shocking me.

“And hockey player,” Max added.

“You are awful,” I said trying to sound nonchalant. “Next time any of you gets injured I won’t worry about you.”

They left me alone after that but I was just uncomfortable being there, so after a few minutes I got up and went outside to smoke. I wasn’t really a smoker, it was just a thing I did whenever I was really stressed out.

“I’m sorry about that,” Kris said suddenly, he scared me, I was expecting anyone to follow me.

“Don’t ever do that Kristopher,” I scolded.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know.”

We stood there in silence while I smoke the cigarette I had gotten from a friendly girl.

“You really do like him don’t you?” Kris asked as if it was the simplest topic to discuss.

“Maybe.”

“You would be really good for him. It’s obvious that you care a lot,” he said with such an honest voice that I couldn’t be mad at him for meddling.

“I do care a lot, but its not that simple,” I explained. “I love being his friend and I would be lying if I said I would say no to being something more than that, but it’s not possible. He already has someone.”

“I wouldn’t be standing here telling you to try if I didn’t honestly believe he has feelings for you too,” Kris uttered the most hopeful words I’d heard. “I like you too much to give you false hope.”

“You are a good friend Kris.”

He smiled at me and kissed my cheek before heading back inside.

That night I couldn’t sleep. I wanted really bad to believe Kris but I didn’t want to set myself up for heartbreak. It was impossible not to imagine how things could be like, him and me together, actually living under the same roof. I even dared to image what it would be like to kiss him, to hold hands with him and to be looked at with those eyes full of adoration.

I wanted to do something about my feelings for him, I wanted to confess it all to him but I was too afraid to do it. So I just continued to cherish every moment I had with him and kept being the lovesick girl that Jordan said I was.

Around the start of the playoffs I got a call from a PR firm in LA, they offered me a job there. It was an outstanding offer, everything I hope I could get when I was in college. But for some reason, okay, because of Geno, I couldn’t say yes right away.

“You quiet today,” Geno said. We were in a little coffee shop near his house, sitting outside and enjoying the weather that was finally getting better.

“I just have this thing that is bothering me,” I said hoping that he wouldn’t ask what.

“Can I help with that?”

“Not really”

“What is it about?” he asked sounding honestly interested in my troubles.

“About work, I got a job offer in LA,” I let it out.

“You leaving?” he asked schocked.

“No, I don’t know. You know I’ve always wanted a job like that… and I wouldn’t be leaving until the season is over.”

“I would miss you,” he said and reached for my hand across the table.

“I would miss you too, very much.”

After that there was a gloom that fell over us. I felt bad for wanting to go to California and he just didn’t seem to be there anymore. He was thinking of something but I just didn’t have the courage to ask what it was.

When we parted that day sadness took over me. It felt like I had already left. I sat on my couch and cried my eyes out. I hated crying, and to that day there were just a handful of time when I had completely broken down like that. I don’t remember how much time I was sitting there in darkness feeling sorry for myself but I got out of my stupor just past midnight thanks to a knock on my door.

I usually never answer the door that late unless in an emergency, but I was too stunned to make rational decisions and pretty much I opened the door on impulse.

It was Geno.

“Don’t leave,” he said with emotion dripping from his voice. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere yet.”

“You have to stay, always,” he rephrased, “forever with me.”

“I can’t do that.” I couldn’t promise him that, not when I loved him and he just wanted his friend with him. “It’s not healthy for me.”

“Why?” he asked so confused and sad that it broke my heart.

“Because I… I can’t stay here forever being your friend hoping that someday I’ll be something more than that,” I finally confessed. “I’m in love with you, Geno.”

He smiled at my confession, so at least I knew he wasn’t going to take it badly. But then he kissed me, one of those earth shattering kisses, and I knew that I could die a happy woman right then.

“You stay forever because I love you too.”

And that was it. My fairlytale came true. And since that day I’ve been a hopeless romantic with my prince in shining hockey armor that brightness my days and never fails to put a smile on my face.