You Make it Real

Sarah walked into her condominium, slipping off her nude-coloured patent pumps as she threw her keys in the bowl that sat on the table by the door. She had had what felt like the longest day at work, in fact, the entire week in general felt longer than usual. She wanted nothing more than to start off her weekend by changing out of her stuffy skirt suit and into a pair of baggy sweat pants and enjoy a bottle of wine all to herself.

She had just stepped into her bedroom and was about to unzip her skirt when she heard her phone ringing in the other room. Sighing, she walked out into the kitchen and fished her cell phone out of her purse. A picture of her and her best friend flashed on the caller ID. She debated whether or not to answer the call, knowing full well that she was probably going to get talked into going out with her tonight. She loved her best friend to death, but the girl was most definitely a party girl, and more often than not, did not take no for an answer. Sighing again, she gave in.

“Hello?”

“Pack a bag, babe! Nate’s having a party at his lake. We leave in an hour! Andale! Andale!”

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her best friend had clearly already begun pre-gaming and by the sounds of it, she was going to be dragged to this party whether she wanted to or not.

“Nic, I’m so exhausted. I just want to take it easy this weekend....” she attempted to bargain, knowing it would go nowhere.

“O. M. G. You have to come! You HAVE to! Twenty-four-year olds don’t ‘take it easy’ on weekends. We need to get our party onnnnn!”

She could practically hear her friend rolling her eyes through the phone. She enjoyed partying just as much as the next person, but most of the time, she just wanted to be a home-body.
She knew it was a losing battle, with a sigh, she gave in. “Ok, yeah, fine. Count me in—“

“EEEEEE!!!!!! I love you! I love you! I love you! We’re gonna have so much fun!”

“Yeah, yeah. But we are NOT staying the weekend. We leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Deal! EEEEE! I’m so excited! And umm.... you have to drive because I’m already a little tipsy!”

She chuckled at her friend, “yeah, I figured as much. I’ll be over in an hour-ish.”

She hung up and threw her phone on the counter, feeling defeated. Walking back into her room, she threw a few essentials into her TNA duffel bag, and changed into a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. She grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge on her way out the door. She'd been to plenty of their friend Nathan's parties in the past and was well aware of how much alcohol was served at these things, nevermind how much alcohol was consumed, so fooling herself into thinking that this would prevent a hangover, she wanted to make sure she got a head start on hydration.
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She pulled up to her best friend’s house and honked twice. The bubbly brunette was out of the house and in her car within seconds. Nicole practically tackled her, hugging her so tight that she nearly choked. “Party of the summer, babe. Party of the summer.”

“It better be.” She winked at her friend before slipping her sunglasses down and putting the car in ‘drive’.

The drive out of the city was a quiet one. Once they had turned off the perimeter highway, Nicole broke the silence, “Rough day, or what?”

She glanced at her before returning her eyes to the road, “More like rough week.” She sighed, “I love running it on my own, I really do, but sometimes, it just gets to be too much.”

“Why don’t you just tell them to come back?”

“Because they’re my parents, Nic. They left all of this to me because they thought I could handle it. I can’t just call them up and say ‘hey mom and dad, I hope you’re not enjoying your ridiculously early retirement, because I need you to come home and help me out because apparently you were wrong and I really can’t handle it.’.”

“Have you considered hiring someone to help you?”

“Yeah, but a lot of this stuff, I have to do myself, so there’s really no point. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being melodramatic. I’ll get over it. “

“Well missy, we’re going to make you forget all about your stresses tonight. I promise!”

The three hour drive to their friend Nate’s lake went by fairly quickly. They pulled up the driveway to a cabin that looked more like a mansion than a cabin, noticing that the party was very much already underway. The bass was pumping and judging by all the vehicles outside, the place was absolutely packed.

They walked up the steps and into the front door. They were immediately greeted by a boardshort-clad, rayban wayfarer-wearing Nathan. He hugged both girls at the same time and gave them a kiss on each cheek. “Ladies! Welcome! Mi casa e su casa! You can throw your bags in one of the rooms upstairs. Booze is in the kitchen, beach is out back, music is everywhere. Let`s get our party onnnnn!”

Nathan came from money. His family owned numerous car dealerships in Winnipeg, as well as a few in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. When this kid wanted something, money was never an issue. Overall though, he was a good guy that just liked to have a good time. All the time.

The girls found an empty guest room upstairs and left their bags before joining the party downstairs. They bee-lined for the kitchen where they found a counter stacked with bottles upon bottles of vodka, rum and whisky, and every mix imaginable, never mind the sinks and coolers full of ice and cans of beer.

There had to have been at least 30 people in that kitchen alone, a good 25 of them were girls. Nicole managed to squeeze through a few people to mix herself a vodka cranberry before heading down to the beach. Sarah on the other hand, was attempting to bob and weave through bodies to get to the sink full of beers.

She placed her hands on this guy’s shoulders whose back was to her, trying to squeeze past, but as she did so, the guy turned around. Her hands immediately fell away, as though she had been burned, her eyes going wide as saucers.

Scott Harris, her ex-boyfriend of six months stood before her, his arm around a five foot nothin’, half naked, barely legal looking bimbo. They hadn’t seen each other since they broke up, and Sarah would have liked to keep it that way.

“...Sarah...I...”

She put her hand up, silencing him, and shoved her way by. Finally reaching the beer, she grabbed three cans and made her way down to the beach. Scott was the last person she expected to see. After what that dirtbag did to her, she would have been content to never see him again.

She stopped at the bottom of the steps, scanning the beach for Nicole. She found her a little ways down the beach, at a flip cup table. She marched down, and without a word, grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the table.

“What the – what the hell?” Nicole asked, visibly annoyed.

“Scott’s here. What the fuck is Scott doing here?!” Sarah cracked open one of the beers and just about downed it in one gulp.

Nicole’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, “Oh my god! What the hell? Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I need to go. Yeah, I should go. Think you can get a ride back to the city with Ava over there, or something?”

“Hell no, you aren’t leaving! We just need to get another twelve beers into you. I’ll keep him away from you...c’mon, stay and have some fun?”

Sarah sighed, “Yeah, ok. I’ll stay. But I don’t want you to babysit me all night. I’ll go find some more alcohol, and come back and win a round of flip cup with you.” She cracked a smile and downed her second beer, assuring her friend that she would be fine.

Nicole raised her eyebrow at her best friend, not believing her one hundred percent, but let it go nonetheless, “ok fine, but if you’re not back here in five minutes, you’re in trouble, missy.”
Sarah made her way back to the kitchen, making sure to slowly walk around the corner, making sure of no more unexpected run-ins. Much to her surprise, the kitchen was practically empty, save for a few guys, having some beers. Thankfully, neither of them were Scott, but one of them was Nathan.

“Sarah, my girl! Come here!” Nathan pulled her into a hug, and gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek.

“Hello to you too!” she laughed. Looking around the seemingly empty kitchen, she asked, “Where’d the party go?”

Nathan smiled and rolled his eyes, “I invited my boy Jonny to come out. Who would’ve thought the kid would actually show up. He practically got trampled. Fuckin’ rich bastard. Why aren’t you over there, fawning over that kid with the rest of em’?”

Sarah chuckled. You had to love women’s reactions to professional athletes.

Nathan and Jonathan Toews went way back. Their families had been long time friends. The two played hockey together from when they started walking, through triple A days, and all through high school. And to this day, despite the distance and Jonathan’s fame, the two had managed to stay friends.

She wrapped her arms around Nathan, “Aww, honey, you’re the only fuckin’ rich bastard I fawn over.” She laughed.

He looked over at his friends, “See boys, this right here, the perfect woman.” He turned his attention back towards her, smoothing his hand down her hair, “Marry me?”

She burst out laughing. Nathan was known to get overly affectionate and friendly when he was drunk. She pinched his cheek, “Ok, Casanova. That’s the alcohol talking. I’m going to grab some beers and walk away before I get dragged to ye olde’ wedding chapel.”

As she walked away, arms full with beers, she heard him say, “You’re killing me, Sarah!” she turned and blew him a kiss before disappearing into the hallway.

As she walked by the living room, she saw a room full of women, some screeching, unable to believe that Jonathan Toews, hockey god, was standing in their presence, some, pushing their boobs up in their already push-up bikini tops, with hopes of draping themselves over the golden boy. At the center of it all, was a smiling, but slightly uncomfortable looking Jonathan Toews. Their eyes connected across the room, she smiled and shook her head. She saw him chuckle. He shrugged his shoulders and made a mock-distressed face.

She laughed and mouthed ‘good luck’ before turning on her heel and heading upstairs. Oh, Jonny Toews. They had crossed paths a few times in the past, but she wouldn’t exactly call them friends, more like acquaintances.

She opened the door to one of the rooms and immediately felt bile rise up her throat as she saw Scott, naked, sitting on the bed, with a blonde head bobbing up and down on his lap. She slammed the door behind her as quick as she opened it.

“Nine bedrooms in this goddamn cabin and of COURSE he’s the one I walk into. Of FUCKING course.” She muttered to herself as she walked to the end of the hall and pulled down the stairs to the attic. So much for having fun, she thought.

She climbed up the steps that led to the attic, where she manoeuvred her way past boxes and old furniture over to a window that she knew led to the roof.

She sat herself on the roof and lined up her six cans of beer on the shingles beside her. This side of the roof face west of the beach, so she couldn’t see the party, but she could certainly hear it. She hated how Scott had the power to get under her skin and ruin her night. She cracked open a can and took a long gulp. It’s not that she wasn’t over Scott, she was. She most definitely was over the guy, but he hurt her bad. Real bad. And that kind of hurt didn’t just go away with a break-up.

She looked out over the lake. The sun was nearing the horizon now. She admired the beautiful oranges and purples that flowed together in the sky. She was about to start on another beer, when she heard some shuffling in the attic behind her. She figured it was probably just Nicole looking for her, "I'm over here, Nic!"

“So you’re telling me this isn’t only my hiding spot?”

She turned her head at the sound of the unfamiliar voice and was surprised to find that it belonged to Jonathan. “Oh! Hey! Yeah, it’s a good place to go when the party gets a little out of hand...”

“Sarah, right?” he asked.

“Guilty as charged...” she smiled.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, motioning to the spot next to her.

“Not at all! Have a seat!” she moved some of her empties, slightly embarrassed by the count.

He had obviously picked up on her embarrassment, as he let out a light chuckle, and nodded towards the empty cans, “you been up here a while?”

She hung her head, her cheeks turning red, “Sadly, no. Using good old Alexander Keith to help me forget something...” she picked up an unopened can and offered it to him, “care to join me?”

He accepted the can, “Thanks. Don’t mind if I do.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Jonathan broke the silence, “He must’ve been one hell of an asshole, eh?”

She cracked a smile, and he couldn’t help but notice the dimple that appeared when she did so.

“Oh buddy, a grade A certified asshole.”

“Oh yeah? That’s a serious classification. I know this guy?”

“Probably not. He didn’t hang out with Nate’s circle...” he watched her intently, focussing all his attention on the words coming out of her mouth. He looked genuinely concerned, and she didn’t like the feeling that was beginning to bubble up inside of her, so she changed the subject, “but enough about me, what about you, hotshot? Why aren’t down there soaking up all of that female attention?”

Now it was his turn to blush, “Nah, not my thing. I came here because Nate said that it would just be a handful of friends. This is like the entire twenty-something population of St. Vital...”

“The superstar is shy. Who would’ve thought...” she joked.

“Hey now, It’s not like that. I’m sure you know exactly what those girls down there want...and it sure as hell isn’t to know what my plus/minus rating is.”

“Well, I wouldn’t care to know about a -7 rating either. Those girls must be smarter than the look.”

“Ohhh! She’s got hockey jokes! Ouch.” He laughed.

There was no doubt about it, the boy was cute. She could definitely understand why the girls went crazy over him.

She threw her head back in laughter, noticing that the alcohol was beginning to take it’s effect, feeling a little woozy as she did so, “Well, you got to admit, you kind of set yourself up for that one...”

He shook his head, a grin plastered on his face, “yeah, I guess I did. But you’re not even supposed to know what a plus/minus rating is!”

She feigned taking offense, “Whoa there, because I’m a girl, I’m only allowed to care about what the players look like?”

“What? No, no, no! That’s not what I meant! I was kidding!” She took note that he was adorable when he was flustered.

She giggled and handed him a beer, nudging his shoulder with her shoulder, “I was kidding.” She said quietly.

He sucked his cheeks in and leaned back on his elbows, “uncalled for.”

Sarah stuck her bottom lip out, “Aww, did I take down the big hockey superstar’s ego a few pegs? How will I ever be able to sleep at night...”

He pursed his lips and shook his head slowly, “I’m scarred for life. I’m sure I’ll never score a goal again. I hope you sleep just fine knowing that you single handedly ended this hockey superstar’s career.”

She didn’t know what got into her, (ok, she did know, and it had everything to do with alcohol coursing through her veins). She slowly got right in close to his face, until their noses were almost touching, and as she ran her finger down his chest, she very quietly said, “oh, I think I’ll sleep just fine, superstar”. She lingered there a little longer. She could feel his hot breath on her lips, a welcoming warmth against the cool night air. Their noses were touching, the gap between them becoming smaller and smaller. He licked his lips, his eyes never leaving hers. The feeling of his large hand on her thigh, reminded her of her own hand that found a resting place on his chest. Her eyes fluttered shut and she felt a shiver run up her spine as his bottom lip lightly brushed against hers. She was immediately brought to her senses almost immediately at the thought that if this went further, if she went any further, she would be no better than any of those girls downstairs, so she gently pushed away from him, creating some distance between them.

She cleared her throat, turning her head towards the beach and was about to say something to clear the air, but was thankfully interrupted by some fireworks going off over the lake.

She watched as firework after firework lit up the sky, “Nothing beats a Nathaniel Gauthier party, eh?”

“No kidding...” he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards him. She looked up at him and smiled, and much to his delight, she rested her head on his shoulder. Together, they watched the endless rainbow of colors popping in the night sky.