Began as Friends

Buuuuuuzzzzzzzzzz

Mike reached out slapping the snooze button on his alarm. He groaned and turned his body away from the clock and was now facing the window. Light streamed in through the curtains and he squinted his eyes open a little bit letting out a groan and turning his face down into his pillow.

Five minutes later his phone rang and Mike hit the answer button and the phone rest on his cheek.

He grumbled a hello.

"Get up buddy, big day ahead of us, rise and shine."

"Brooks, I hate you," Mike answered.

"Yeah, same here, now wake up I am coming over in ten."

Click. The line went dead and Mike pushed himself out of bed. After a quick shower he was dressed and locking his door going down to meet Brooks outside. Dressed in a Washington Capitals t-shirt and dark blue jeans Mike slid into Brooks' car.

"Morning there, aren't you a beaut."

"That's what your mom tells me," Mike answered still half asleep.

"Funny Mike."

"So, where are we going today?"

"To Jaimes school, Pine Oak Middle is having a hockey thing we have to run."

"Right, right, Jaimes school? Good, at least we will know someone," Mike said.

"Yeah, should be a good time, I know she'll be there, we're actually meeting her outside in the parking lot I think."

Fifteen minutes later the two pulled into Pine Oaks Middle after a short ten minute drive.

There she was Mike thought. She looked great, as usual. Her blonde hair was wavy around her shoulders and she was in a Washington Capitals t shirt and dark boot cut jeans.

"Hey you guys, come on, starts in ten minutes, where have you been," Jaime said quickly grabbing them by the hands and pulling them through the front doors.

"It's Brooks' fault, he drives like my mother," Mike said getting a laugh out of Jaime.

Brooks let out a sigh and before he could answer Jaime pushed them through the gym doors and the gym erupted.

Just another day, Mike thought.

A voice came over the speakers, "Boys and girls, we have some special guests today, two players from the Washington Capitals, Brooks Laich and Mike Green!"

Cheers erupt again and soon enough various hockey workshops are set up around the gym.

***

He looks great, Jaime thought. Why had she never felt this way about him before, he has always been this good looking and funny, but she never felt anything like she was now, she thought.

As she was gazing at Mike he turned to look at her, waved his hands in front of his face a bit snapping her back to reality and gave her a head nod and a small smile.

"Dammit," she said under her breath. Her knees had gone to jello and her heart was pounding in her chest. How does he do that she wondered.

After a couple of games with the kids the teachers were invited in to join the fun.

Jaime posted herself up next to Brooks when she and a few of her colleagues were called over.

"Let's do this thing J," Brooks said flashing her a smile.

With a minute to go in the pickup game the score was tied at 3-3, Jaime had an idea of what to do to even the score, in both games she was playing at.

Jaime whispered to Brooks and then quickly made her way to the other side of the court where Mike was guarding the net.

"Hey beautiful," Mike said to her tapping her stick with his.

"You're not too bad yourself over there handsome," Jaime replied giving him a wink and batting her eyelashes. Does this stuff actually work on them Jaime thought. "I kind of like watching you get aggressive when you play," she said looking him up and down. Jaime licked her lips and looked up staring straight back at him.

"GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL," yelled Brooks.

Brooks came up behind Mike and said, "stop drooling bud."

Jaime opened her arms up and Brooks swooped her into a victory hug and they ran back down to their net laughing.

I just got completely played Mike thought.

Soon teachers were gathering their classes and children and filing out of the gym. Mike saw Jaime leaving through a side door and ran to catch up to her. As the door was closing behind her Mike grabbed a hold of her arm.

"What was that." Mike said spinning her around to face him, her hair whipped in the air and he caught a whiff of her citrus flavored shampoo.

"What? I was playing the game so Brooks could score, let go of me," Jaime said pulling from Mike's grasp.

He tightened his hand around her slender arm.

"So that flirting, all for a stupid game Jame," Mike said.

"Yes, Mike, what do you want, it was a game," and she pulled free of his arm stumbling back.

"What's wrong with you," she continued.

Mike lunged at her pinning her against the wall. He put his hand to her heart.

"That, that right there," he said feeling her heart pumping faster, "I feel it too, every time you walk into the room, or catch my eye, or say something."

Jaime looked down at his hand and slowly up at him, "I don't know what you're talking abo-"

Mike didn't let her finished and caught her lips with his mid sentence. There, in the hall Mike was kissing Jaime like he had that night outside her apartment, but this time she settled into the kiss rather than fighting it.

Mike pulled away first and looked in Jaime's eyes, "But if this is just a game, then this is just a game." He dropped his hands and pulled open the door to leave.

"Bastard" Jaime said to herself when the door closed.

A few seconds following Brooks poked his head in, "Hey, thanks for the good game and setting this up for us, see you later ok?"

"Yeah, lets all go out tonight," she replied giving him a smile.

"Sounds like a plan, and by the way whatever you two are playing at, I think you both are losing," Brooks said and without letting Jaime reply he turned and let the door close behind him.

"I am definitely losing this one," Jaime said out loud to herself.