Diamond In The Rough

*Dan’s Point of View*

I thought that talking to her after practice would’ve been a good idea, but she just got me more frustrated. I couldn’t get why she got to me so bad, but she did and that pissed me off even more. I decided to take a few laps to sweat out my irritation, but then Claude and Andrej hopped on the ice with us. She grinned broadly and skated over to them. Claude hugged her and I felt like throwing something at him. Woah, Dan…chill. You don’t have any reason to get made at Claude, do you? Andrej gave her a much more appropriate one armed hug, and I skated over towards the group, stopping abruptly in front of Claude and showering him with ice. He glared at me and wiped the ice off of his face, and Cassidy burst out into laughter. I couldn’t help but let a small grin form as she laughed. Andrej looked from me to the now steaming mad Claude, and furrowed his brows. Just then the employees started playing some music over the sound system, and Claude grabbed Cassidy’s hand. She shrieked as Claude took off with her down the ice. She was quick to recover and was soon racing him neck and neck. The small smile that I had quickly vanished.

“Dan?” Andrej asked.

“Yeah?” I growled.

“I think you and Claude need to have a little chat,” he sighed.

“About what?” I asked.

“Her,” he said simply.

“Why do we need to talk about Cassidy?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked before skating off to join them. Damn, I really hate when he does that.

*Cassidy’s Point of View*

Claude and Andrej joined me on the ice shortly after Dan, but once Claude showed up Dan seemed to almost fade. Instead of having fun and goofing off on the practically vacant ice with us, he leaned against the boards, and I could have sworn he was glaring at Claude. Andrej seemed to be on edge, and I couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened during the second half of practice that made Claude and Dan mad at each other. Claude left to use the bathroom, and I seized the opportunity to ask Andrej.

“Did something happen between Claude and Dan?” I asked. Andrej slowed and looked at me curiously for a moment.

“Uh…why?” he asked.

“Well Dan seems more ticked off than usual, and Claude is acting funny too. Almost possessive,” I explained. Andrej sighed and ran a hand through his dark, wavy hair.

“I don’t know exactly what is going on with those two, but I have a feeling it has something to do with you,” he muttered.

“Me?” I asked. He nodded.

“But…what did I do?” I asked.

“You didn’t do anything…but they’re guys, and they’re going to do what guys do around girls as pretty as you are,” Andrej chuckled. I stared at him. Pretty? Wait, is he implying that Dan and Claude are fighting over me?

*Dan’s Point of View*

I couldn’t stand it anymore, and stormed out of the rink. I sat in the lobby and tore my skates off, tossing them almost carelessly into the bag. A kid asked me for an autograph, and I signed it with a fake smile before glancing through the window of the public skate rink again. Cassidy was gone, and Mesz was talking to Claude. I turned around and walked right into Cassidy. She was still wearing her skates, so she stumbled. I grabbed her arm and straightened her out, and she smiled gratefully.

“Thanks Dan,” she said quietly.

“No problem,” I shrugged.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked.

“Um…sure, I guess?” I said, wondering what the hell she could possibly ask.

“Are you mad at me?” she asked. I immediately shook my head.

“No, why?” I asked.

“Because it seems like every time I’m around I do something, or say something, and you get all pissed and leave,” she explained. I sighed.

“No, it’s not you really. I’m just an irritable guy. Why do you think I rack up so many penalties?” I asked, faking a grin. You don’t bother me…but something about you throws me off. That’s what bothers me. I don’t know what it is and that’s what gets me mad. But I can’t tell you that. You’d think I’m nuts. She smiled in relief and sat on the bench to my left.

“Good, because I was a little worried that you didn’t like me. As weird as this sounds coming from someone who’s almost twenty three years old, I don’t have many friends,” she sighed. I raised my eyebrows.

“You don’t?” I asked in surprise.

“Nope. My parents always made sure I didn’t hang out with the ‘wrong’ type of person…I was always being surrounded by their elitist, yuppie friends’ children, and I hated it. So I’ve always been sort of a loner,” she explained. I was starting to wonder what kind of people her parents were.

“That sucks,” I said.

“Yeah, but you get used to it. When everyone around you thinks you’re some burly, brainless goon, you sort of shut everyone out. I wasn’t ever the Barbie type girl, and so I didn’t fit in well with the cookie cutter club,” she muttered. I swallowed roughly.

“I know exactly what you mean,” I said, looking away. I saw Claude being swamped by random girls as he stepped off of the ice, and I sighed. Being the goon always sucks.

*Cassidy’s Point of View*

He knows what I mean?

“You know what I mean? I asked, thinking out loud. His attention snapped back from the rink where Claude was being mobbed, and nodded.

“Yeah. I’m Dan Carcillo. I’m the rough guy…I don’t make pretty plays and win games like the other guys. I’m the goon on the team, and everyone knows it,” he explained. There was something that almost resembled sadness on his face and I reached up, placing a hand on his arm. He jumped slightly at the touch, but I smiled at him.

“I don’t think you’re a goon,” I said quietly.

“You don’t?” he asked.

“Nope. Ask anyone at the diner. People sometimes…sometimes they question your place on the team, but I know what your place is. You bring some fight back into the team. Some games, when you get on that ice, you’re the only one who looks like they care. Sure, you might rough some guys up, but in a way…in a way you’re keeping the spirit of the Broad Street Bullies alive. You guys strike fear into the hearts of your enemies…you’re a rough player, but you’re good too,” I said. I felt a blush creep onto my face, but in that moment Dan just stared at me like I was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.