Status: It's over! May write a sequel later, not entirely sure yet.

Diamond In The Rough

Chapter Ten

She called you Danny!” Claude’s words haunted me a bit. He did have a point. I had called Dan Danny the last time I saw him…but he didn’t get angry when I did it. I sat there staring at the ceiling, wondering why in the world Dan reacted differently to me calling him Danny. I mean, Claude was his team mate…his bro. I was some random girl he hardly knew. Why was I the one who could get away with it? I sat there thinking about it for a while, but before I knew it I had fallen asleep.

I woke up bleary eyed with the sun streaming in through my open window. I checked the clock. It was only 6 AM, but I couldn’t fall back asleep. I checked my phone, and smiled when I saw I had unread texts. The first was from Dan, apologizing for hanging up on me.

Claude was being obnoxious, so I had to show him what happens to people when they break into my room and start screaming. Sorry about hanging up on you.

The second one was from a number that I didn’t have saved in my phone.

Dan was being a jerk face, and he hung up on you. Don’t believe him if he says it was my fault. Cause it totally wasn’t, and he’s a liar. Love, Claude

I chuckled and replied to Dan first.

It’s okay, I figured that’s why you hung up anyway. Did you get him good?

I was hoping that he’d get a laugh from my response.

Claude, I heard you screaming into the phone, so it definitely was your fault :3

I knew Claude would sulk after reading that one, but I sent it anyway and rolled over. I picked up my book and started reading, and it wasn’t until a few hours later that someone texted me back.

Yeah, I got him good. He’s a total softie off the ice, so it wasn’t hard.

I smirked and rolled my eyes. So typical of him to think Claude’s a softie. Claude is such a sweetheart! I told him that Claude was a sweetie and that he should be nice to him, and I could picture the look he would get on his face when he read it.

Nice? To Claude? I don’t think that’s possible for me : ) I can, however, be nice to you. How about lunch? I read the text and my cheeks flushed. I shook my head. Cass, you know your rule. No dates. You’ve seen what happens when girls fall for guys. They get soft, they lose their independence, and soon enough they're back in their parents’ clutches, but with a sappy, needy, boyfriend attached to their hip. It’s not worth it. Don’t you dare say yes. You don’t even like Dan. He’s a goof ball, remember?

Sure. When and where?

Dammit Cassidy, what are you doing?

*Dan’s Point of View*

Wow, did I really just ask her to lunch? Did I really just ask her to lunch in the cheesiest way possible? Holy crap, did she really say yes?! I didn’t know what to do, punch myself in the face for being so lame, or allow a stupid grin to become plastered to my face. I went for the second one (much less painful) and replied to Cassidy.

How about 12, at Panera Bread? There’s one right near the Skate Zone. I was such an idiot. I walked out into the kitchen, preparing to get my Eggo on, and Andrej raised an eyebrow as he saw me. Claude was passed out on our couch, and I grinned even more widely. I went into the fridge and grabbed the can of whipped cream from the shelf.

“What are you doing?” Andrej whispered, although he probably already knew. I pressed my finger to my lips and walked quietly back into the living room. I crept behind the couch and filled Claude’s hand with the whipped cream before looking around for something to touch his nose with. I found an extra skate lace and brushed it against his nose a few times before…Success! Claude slammed his whipped cream filled hand against his face and woke up with a yelp.

“Dan you are the biggest dick ever,” Claude growled, wiping the sweet fluff off of his face. Andrej and I started cracking up, and Claude’s frown deepened, causing the whipped cream to crease. I quickly whipped out my phone and took a picture.

“What are you doing?!” he screamed, but it was too late. The picture had already been sent to all of the guys, and Cassidy, with the caption “I got him!” Andrej continued to laugh, but Claude wiped the whipped cream off of his face and slammed it onto Andrej’s face.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHY DIDN’T YOU DO IT TO DAN?!” Andrej yelled.

“Because he still has the whipped cream, and you let him do this to me,” Claude smirked before walking into the bathroom to wash off his face. I returned to the kitchen to cook my waffles, knowing that this day could only get better.

*Cassidy’s Point of View*

I checked my phone, and it was a picture message from Dan. I opened it to reveal a picture of a whipped cream covered, incredibly angry Claude Giroux and I started laughing. The picture was absolutely priceless, and I immediately saved it to my phone before setting it as Claude’s caller ID picture. I heard a knock at my bedroom door and I sighed.

“Come in,” I said.

“Cassidy, what could possibly be so funny this early in the morning dear?” my mother asked, striding in. She reeked of expensive perfume, and she was wearing a pastel blue button up blouse with khaki pants and white high heels. Her pearls were strung around her neck as usual, and I bit back the urge to gag.

“Nothing mother,” I said, tucking my phone under my pillow.

“Dear, haven’t you found a job at a hospital yet? If not, I can always get in touch with some of my friends from Penn. You know I’m very friendly with some of the doctors, and I’m sure they would love to have you work with them,” she said, glancing around my room. She hadn’t been in my room in a few years, and I could tell she was surprised. I had pictures of friends from college mixed in with hockey posters, diagrams of the body, and ticket stubs from movies, concerts, and hockey games hanging from every wall. I had a beautiful pink paper lantern with a red dragon on it that a friend of mine had brought back from Thailand, and an absolutely gorgeous painting of Quebec City that another friend had painted for my birthday hanging up as well. Many of my friends had grown distant over the years, especially once they realized how my parents were.

I don’t feel like I’m good enough around them…I can’t help but feel like you see me like they do,” One girl had said. I tried to convince her that I didn’t, but she didn’t believe me. I cried for hours, and that was the last time I ever brought a friend around the family.

“Mother, I know how much you want me to work at a hospital, but after going to school for so many years, I just need some time to…ground myself. I’ve got a great position at Tilly’s, and I’m paying my rent, so I don’t see why it’s such a big deal,” I said.

“Cassidy, you spent all of that money on college and you aren’t even using your education. Instead, you’re a…waitress,” she said, almost whispering the last word.

“Mother, you know that I had a full-ride scholarship for college,” I sighed. She sighed as well and left the room. I immediately pulled out my phone and texted Dan.

Thanks for the picture. It really cheered me up. Tell Claude that look suits him.

I flopped back into my pillows and stared at my ceiling. I hope she never, ever meets him. She’d scare him away more easily than a suitcase full of angry pit vipers.
♠ ♠ ♠
This is probably the last chapter I'll post for about a week. I gotta work on my other fics...can't neglect them, you know?