The Beginning

There she was, standing right in front of him. She looked just as beautiful as he remembered and as she continued to talk he wondered if they even slept together. He was too drunk to remember her name or the night and the fact she was so calm and collected made him doubt anything happened.

***

Shit, Ellie thought as she continued on speaking.

"So, you will be joining us today then Mr. Green," Ellie asked.

"Call me Mike, or Green, and yeah I think I will," he answered.

"Sorry, Mike, alright then, sounds good lets get out there then," Elle said enthusiastically.

Mike Green or no Mike Green, Ellie was so excited to start her new job. She had changed from her work wear into jeans, a capitals sweater, and grey vans. It would be difficult for her to be a fan of this new team, she was always a Ranger at heart.

"I'm driving then," Ellie suggested.

Nicky, Brooks, and Mike all looked at each other and agreed. Ellie hopped into her Range Rover, Brooks got in the front next to her, and Nicky and Mike slid into the back. Ellie turned on the music and the first song on was Swedish House Mafia. For 1PM in the afternoon on a Wednesday, it was way too loud. She immediately changed the song and had on Eric
Hutchinson.

"You like Swedish House," Nicky asked from the back seat.

"Yes, I love them, just not this early in the morning," Ellie said smiling back at him through the rear view mirror. She glanced at Mike to see him gazing at her, both of their gazes quickly stopped, Mike's going back to looking at the back of Brooks' seat and Ellie's to the road.

***

They arrived at the school and filed in one by one to hundreds of yelling tweens. Brooks, Nicky, and Mike all knew what they were doing and took the reigns. Ellie stayed in the background dealing with the school administrators. Ellie watched as the boys played pickup hockey. Nicky played referee and Mike and Brooks chose teams. Mike chose the girls team and Brooks chose the boys. Ellie found herself laughing at Mike's jokes and playing.

Mike shot a look at Ellie as he deked a kid who must have only been ten, he liked her smile and like making her smile even more. Brooks then sent a a low puck into Mike's goal and began celebrating. All the teachers and students were laughing and enjoying themselves.

***

"You guys couldn't have made that easier for me," Ellie said as they pulled back into Kettler.

"It was fun, that part of our jobs are enjoyable," Brooks said.

"I like kids and hockey, it was good," Nicky added.

"Yeah, well they loved you," Ellie said smiling as she parked. They all got out of the car and headed back into the Ice Plex. "I will be seeing you guys around then," Ellie added as she headed up the stairs.

"You done good," Brooks said with a smile.

"See you around Elle," Mike said, catching himself calling her a nickname.

Ellie's breath caught when Mike called her Elle, it was the nickname her father used for her and no one else had ever caught onto it.

***

As soon as the guys got back into the athletes lounge Brooks turned to Mike, "Holy shit Greenie, that wa-"

"Yeah, yeah it was, I know," Mike finished.

"Oh Mike, she is pretty, I like her too," Nicky said smiling.

Mike punched Nicky in the arm, "yeah well go for it, means nothing to me."

But he knew that wasn't true. What was he going to do with a girl he slept with and now had to see everyday. He was hoping it would have been a one night thing with no contact after that, but something was nagging him, something was telling him to talk to her more, to do something.

***

Ellie's first day ended and she flopped on the couch as soon as she got home. She was just taking off her heels when she heard Abby come through the door.

"Hey," she said, sounding exhausted herself.

"Hey girl," Ellie replied continuing to struggle with her shoes. Abby came over and helped her friend and threw the shoes down the hall. Ellie got up following her thrown heels down the hall and changed into sweats and a hoodie.

The girls met back in the living room looking for what to eat for dinner. After deciding they had no energy to make anything the girls headed out in search of a Burger place.

"Over there, to the right," Abby yelled as the two girls were scanning the streets for a burger place.

Ellie swung the car to the right just making it into the parking lot and Abby let out a laugh, "You have always been a good driver when it comes to quick changes."

The girls hopped out of Ellie's Range Rover and walked in. Ellie and Abby made their way to the cashier and ordered their food. It wasn't until after they were seated that Ellie heard her name being called.

"Ellie," a man's voice yelled out, "Ellie," he repeated.

Ellie turned her head to Abby with a puzzling look saying, "Do I want to turn around?"

Abby quickly nodded her head and smiled leaning to the left of her friend and waving her hand. Ellie turned to see Brooks Laich with John Carlson and Mike Green. Ellie waved back and smiled, hoping nothing more would come of the interaction. Instead all three men got up and sat with the girls.

Brooks remembered Abby from halloween night, and remembered her well, he sat down next to her giving her a kiss of the cheek, "Hey beautiful, fancy seeing you again." Ellie then felt a kick under the table and looked up right into Mike's eyes. He quickly looked down and said, "Sorry."

***

Brooks yelled from the living room, "Mike, get your ass up and we're going to get burgers."

Mike slowly got up and made his way out to see John and Brooks at the door. "Alright, alright, I am coming," Mike said.

The guys left in Brooks car and rode to the burger place down the block from Mike's. Moments later he saw her walk in, she was in baggy sweat pants and a hoodie and he knew it was her. Her long brown hair pulled up in a ponytail, he knew it was her from her smell.

"Ellie," Brooks yelled. Mike put his head in his hands, Brooks was not going to make his problem go away. "Come on boys," Brooks said as a got up and made his way to the girls table.

Mike kept his head down as they got to the girls' table and sat across from Brooks who slid into the empty seat next to Abby. Brooks was putting the moves on Abby so Mike kicked him hard in the leg, it wasn't until he felt a smaller leg under the table jolt back from his kick that he realized it was Brooks.

"Sorry," he said without looking at Ellie.