Counting the Ways to Reject You

COREY’S POV

Her car was in the driveway when I pulled up so I knew she hadn’t gone off and wrecked Kaner’s house. Not that Star would let her anyways.

I parked and got up to the door, expecting it to be locked, but alas, it was actually open.

I shrugged off my coat and stuck it in the closet before wandering around to find Natalie.

I heard the music before I saw the young woman and I knew she was upset. I found her in the living room, knees drawn up to her chest, staring out into the blizzard that was covering her backyard.

I sat down next to her and she took out her earbuds slowly and laid them next to her, music still blasting from them.

“He didn’t mean it Nat,” I said, staring out into the white snow. “He was just mad that one of his best friends is hurting.”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah. I’m replaying it in my head. He looks too shocked to mean what he said.”

She was so rational sometimes when it came down to feelings.

“You’re giving me that look again,” she said, her voice flat. “That look you always give me when it comes down to feelings.”

I chuckled. “They all think you’re a robot sent from Mars to kill off the goaltenders.”

She cracked a small smile. “They don’t know what happened this past weekend Corey. They shouldn’t judge.”

“What did happen Natalie?” I asked her.

She smiled and I had to blink to make sure it wasn’t an illusion. Her smile was different than the everyday smile she wore to the rink. This one reached up all the way to her eyes.

It was a real smile.

She never answered me, but just placed her ear buds back into her ears again, but she switched the song and a happier song filled her ears.

I placed a hand on her shoulder and stood up to leave. I was opening the door to the blizzard outside when she spoke.

“Eight o’clock tomorrow. Do not be late Corey Crawford.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry Nat. I won’t tell anyone.”

NATALIE’S POV

The next day at precisely eight o’clock Crow skate out onto the ice, ready for that morning’s practice before that night’s game against the Blues.

“Get warmed up. Tazer’s taking some early shots on you.”

“Are you going to beat Kaner up or just shoot him looks of death all day?” he asked, a smart ass smile on his lips.

I shot him the finger, but couldn’t suppress a smile. Corey Crawford was an easy one to love.

Patrick Sharp was a whole other level of love.

A hockey stick rapped against my skates and I turned to find a sorry looking Kaner looking at me.

“I’m sorry I called you a tease. It was really mean and uncalled for and I’m a mean person and I already punished myself by not letting myself have Tazer’s cinnamon swirl bread.”

He looked so serious and I couldn’t help but double over in laughter. I was to the point where I couldn’t breathe, when someone was helping me to my feet.

“Nat? Are you okay?” it was Patrick Sharp.

I took a deep breath, wiping the tears from my eyes and looked over at the two Patricks who looked equally confused as to why I was laughing.

“Does Tazer know how you punished yourself?” was all I said, before skating back to my goaltender.

Damn those hockey players for making me laugh hysterically over something so small.