Is This Really Happening?

What the hell just happened? Did Jonathan Toews seriously just say that I was pretty? Oh my God, did he like me? My mind was going crazy as I sat down in the stands of Johnny's Ice House.

I looked down to the ice and saw that Dad was skating with the team. "Good thing he knows how to skate," I whispered to myself. Then Dad looked up and waved at me. I was still pissed at him for not driving me here, so I just stared at him angrily.

After practice I got to meet Coach Q, and he was really nice. Then Dad came up to me. "We're gonna go out to lunch, okay?"

"We meaning who?" I asked venomously.

"Me, you, some of the team."

"Can I leave now and get a walking head start?" I asked bitterly.

"You don't even know where you're going."

"Fine. Where are we going?"

"Palace Grill, and wait a minute. How did you get here in the first place?"

"Jonathan gave me a ride. HE had room in his car for me."

"Hey. Don't give me no attitude. I said I was sorry," he said, raising his voice. He was getting pissed at me, but I had a reason to piss him off. He let his own daughter walk by herself down the streets of downtown Chicago. I think I deserved a little payback.

"Yeah, I know. I heard you. I'm gonna leave now while you're all changing, because I actually know where Palace Grill is," I said, backing up to the door. Palace Grill was only about 150 feet away from the rink. There was no way I could get lost.

"Fine. We'll see you there," he said as I went out the door.

Jonathan's P.O.V.---

"Hey Jon!" I heard Paul shout to me as he came into the locker room.

"What's up?" I asked, a little nervously.

"Thank you for giving Jean a ride here. I owe you one," he said, coming over and shaking my hand.

"Oh, no problem. Any time. But why couldn't you giver her a ride here, if you don't mind my asking. She IS your daughter after all."

"A few of your teammates wanted to see it, and they took all the seats."

"What about in the back, in the trunk? There was plenty of room back there. I saw your car," I said interrogatively.

"Aw shit, you're right. Shit! She probably hates me now," he said, both angry and sad at the same time. "And, why do you care, exactly?" he asked.

"Um, well...I kinda like her," I said hesitantly.

"Really? Huh."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. You should talk to her. Maybe she'll open up to you. She likes you, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she has for a while. She's just really introverted. She never talks to anybody."

I pondered that as we left for Palace Grill. Not many of us were going; just me, Paul, Kaner, Seabs, Duncs and Sharpie. We all walked over together.

When we got inside, we couldn't find Jean at first. We all sat at the bar and looked all around the restaurant for her.

Eventually I found her, sitting in a corner next to a window. She was just staring out of it; she looked like she was thinking about something. Her back was to the door and she had her headphones in, so I don't think she heard us come in. 'I wonder what she's thinking about,' I thought to myself.

"Hey Jean!" Paul shouted over to her. She turned around; she must've heard him after all. He waved his hand so she would see him and come over here. She stood up and came over. For some reason, my heart started beating faster as she got closer to us.

"What?"