Overdue
Four
I wanted to kill him.
Sidney knew that I wanted to kill him. It was no big secret. I would much rather mope around my apartment than be forced out to some fancy dinner or paraded around town. Neither of these things would cheer me up, and I knew this. However, saying 'no' to Sid was nearly impossible.
"Are you almost done?" Sid yelled from my bedroom, where I knew he was sitting there waiting. I had taken my sweet time in the shower, hoping that he might magically disappear when I decided to emerge. Of course, I had no such luck.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I had my towel wrapped tightly around me. "I'm clean. Are you happy now?" I sneered.
"No," he said bluntly. Standing up, he tossed my black dress towards my chest. Scrambling to catch it, I felt my eyes glare at him.
"You can't be serious," I groaned. All I needed to do was look at his face to know that he was. Grumbling under my breath, I went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. The door slammed behind me, which was counter by laughter from my so called best friend.
Twenty minutes later, I had emerged from the bathroom again, this time looking ready for a night on the town. Sidney's eyes seemed to light up as I stepped into my bedroom, but I chose to ignore him. Even his loving, puppy dog eyes couldn't save him from my anger tonight.
---
"Where are we going?" I asked for what was probably the millionth time in that short car ride. My annoyance was painted on my face, and I could tell it was starting to bother Sidney. Normally, he was the cure to all of my bad moods, so being the cause of one was foreign territory to him.
"You'll see," he answered. It was the same response he had been giving me every other time I had questioned him.
I let out an exaggerated sigh as we kept driving down the road. I didn't know why being forced out of my apartment was such a large deal. Staying in bed all day wasn't a good look on anyone, and he was just trying to help after all. Maybe it was just the sheer frustration that I was now unemployed. Then again, writing for the Gazette had never just been a job to me. It was one of the largest parts of my life, and one that I would probably never get back now. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to burst into tears. Normally, it took a lot to bring tears to my eyes, but lately, I would cry at the drop of a hat.
When we finally stopped, we were located in the CEC parking deck. I felt my eyes narrow as I looked around before they finally fell on Sid. "What are we doing here?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
This time, he chose to ignore my question. His annoyance was reaching the same level as mine, and that was my cue to be at least a bit more agreeable. I watched as he got out of the car before coming around and opening my door for me. "Will you please try to cheer up?" he begged. "You're here to have fun."
Stepping out of the car, I knew this wasn't a completely unreasonable request, but the words that escaped my mouth weren't in line with his request. "You brought me to Consol, and expect me to have fun? What the hell are we even doing? Ice skating?" I noticed how harsh my words sounded, and how hurt Sid looked once they had left my lips. I instantly wished that I hadn't said anything at all.
But instead of sulking off, like I expect him to do, Sidney slammed my car door, causing me to jump. "Dammit Stephanie. Will you stop being a spoiled little bitch for two seconds and just go with it? I understand you lost your job, but it's not the end of the fucking world!"
In all the years I had known him, Sid had never gotten very angry with me. Sure, we had our annoyances about one another, but it always seemed like we were on the same side of a fight, when they broke out. All of the anger I had ever witnessed from him was on the ice, where it needed to be. Hearing him yelling at me, of all people, was unheard of.
"Me not being able to write is like you being unable to play hockey, Sid! You know how you were when you first learned you couldn't play!"
"And you don't think I'm pissed?! I haven't been able to get on that ice for months. I've been out of commission for a lot longer than you have. I know the frustration. I know how much it fucking hurts, Steph. But it's no reason to mope around like the world is crashing down!" His expression began to harden even more with every word.
I felt my jaw clench at his words. I knew he was mad. I knew he was frustrated. He had been pulled away from the game he loved so much, and he had been sidelined for a lot longer than three days. Another hockey season had already begun, and he was still unable to play. I never could relate to what he was going through, and even now I knew we weren't on the same playing field, but I could almost understand now.
"I'm sorry," I finally whispered, looking at my hands rather than my best friend.
He didn't say anything, and I didn't blame him. When I finally glanced up, he was looking straight into my eyes. "Can you please just try to have a good time tonight?"
I nodded, unable to make myself speak. I almost felt like any word that left my lips would be enough to make him scream again, and I wasn't sure if I could take that or not. He nodded back, and slowly started to walk to the entrance of CEC. I followed, much like a lost puppy would do, still unsure of where we were heading.
---
As we walked through the labyrinth that lay beneath CEC, I made sure to stay silent. Sidney led the way, since he knew his way around these halls much better than I did. There had been plenty of times where I had been set free beneath the rink, and I had almost gotten lost during every single trip. Thankfully, I'd run into a player or a coach who knew my face, and was able to point me in the right direction.
We took one final turn before I could hear music playing. I felt my eyebrow raise as Sidney turned back to me. That familiar smile had already reappeared on his face, reassuring me that any ounce of anger he had towards me had already faded. Pushing the door open, I was surprised at the sight inside. Players. Every player from the current roster, and their significant others (or random dates for those without wives or girlfriends). I waved to a few of the players I was closer with before turning to Sid. "What's this?"
"Welcome to the start of another hockey season," Sid chimed, taking my hand and leading me into the crowd.
The get together was to celebrate the start of yet another hockey season. It was typical for the guys to have some sort of gathering when the season began, but it was never normally anything like this. Last year, the guys just went out to a bar. Seeing everyone gathered together caused my sour mood to simply melt away. And the fact that Sidney had decided to invite me, of any other girl, brought an even bigger smile to my face.
It was things like this that made me feel like Sid was the only one for me.
Sidney knew that I wanted to kill him. It was no big secret. I would much rather mope around my apartment than be forced out to some fancy dinner or paraded around town. Neither of these things would cheer me up, and I knew this. However, saying 'no' to Sid was nearly impossible.
"Are you almost done?" Sid yelled from my bedroom, where I knew he was sitting there waiting. I had taken my sweet time in the shower, hoping that he might magically disappear when I decided to emerge. Of course, I had no such luck.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I had my towel wrapped tightly around me. "I'm clean. Are you happy now?" I sneered.
"No," he said bluntly. Standing up, he tossed my black dress towards my chest. Scrambling to catch it, I felt my eyes glare at him.
"You can't be serious," I groaned. All I needed to do was look at his face to know that he was. Grumbling under my breath, I went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. The door slammed behind me, which was counter by laughter from my so called best friend.
Twenty minutes later, I had emerged from the bathroom again, this time looking ready for a night on the town. Sidney's eyes seemed to light up as I stepped into my bedroom, but I chose to ignore him. Even his loving, puppy dog eyes couldn't save him from my anger tonight.
---
"Where are we going?" I asked for what was probably the millionth time in that short car ride. My annoyance was painted on my face, and I could tell it was starting to bother Sidney. Normally, he was the cure to all of my bad moods, so being the cause of one was foreign territory to him.
"You'll see," he answered. It was the same response he had been giving me every other time I had questioned him.
I let out an exaggerated sigh as we kept driving down the road. I didn't know why being forced out of my apartment was such a large deal. Staying in bed all day wasn't a good look on anyone, and he was just trying to help after all. Maybe it was just the sheer frustration that I was now unemployed. Then again, writing for the Gazette had never just been a job to me. It was one of the largest parts of my life, and one that I would probably never get back now. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to burst into tears. Normally, it took a lot to bring tears to my eyes, but lately, I would cry at the drop of a hat.
When we finally stopped, we were located in the CEC parking deck. I felt my eyes narrow as I looked around before they finally fell on Sid. "What are we doing here?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
This time, he chose to ignore my question. His annoyance was reaching the same level as mine, and that was my cue to be at least a bit more agreeable. I watched as he got out of the car before coming around and opening my door for me. "Will you please try to cheer up?" he begged. "You're here to have fun."
Stepping out of the car, I knew this wasn't a completely unreasonable request, but the words that escaped my mouth weren't in line with his request. "You brought me to Consol, and expect me to have fun? What the hell are we even doing? Ice skating?" I noticed how harsh my words sounded, and how hurt Sid looked once they had left my lips. I instantly wished that I hadn't said anything at all.
But instead of sulking off, like I expect him to do, Sidney slammed my car door, causing me to jump. "Dammit Stephanie. Will you stop being a spoiled little bitch for two seconds and just go with it? I understand you lost your job, but it's not the end of the fucking world!"
In all the years I had known him, Sid had never gotten very angry with me. Sure, we had our annoyances about one another, but it always seemed like we were on the same side of a fight, when they broke out. All of the anger I had ever witnessed from him was on the ice, where it needed to be. Hearing him yelling at me, of all people, was unheard of.
"Me not being able to write is like you being unable to play hockey, Sid! You know how you were when you first learned you couldn't play!"
"And you don't think I'm pissed?! I haven't been able to get on that ice for months. I've been out of commission for a lot longer than you have. I know the frustration. I know how much it fucking hurts, Steph. But it's no reason to mope around like the world is crashing down!" His expression began to harden even more with every word.
I felt my jaw clench at his words. I knew he was mad. I knew he was frustrated. He had been pulled away from the game he loved so much, and he had been sidelined for a lot longer than three days. Another hockey season had already begun, and he was still unable to play. I never could relate to what he was going through, and even now I knew we weren't on the same playing field, but I could almost understand now.
"I'm sorry," I finally whispered, looking at my hands rather than my best friend.
He didn't say anything, and I didn't blame him. When I finally glanced up, he was looking straight into my eyes. "Can you please just try to have a good time tonight?"
I nodded, unable to make myself speak. I almost felt like any word that left my lips would be enough to make him scream again, and I wasn't sure if I could take that or not. He nodded back, and slowly started to walk to the entrance of CEC. I followed, much like a lost puppy would do, still unsure of where we were heading.
---
As we walked through the labyrinth that lay beneath CEC, I made sure to stay silent. Sidney led the way, since he knew his way around these halls much better than I did. There had been plenty of times where I had been set free beneath the rink, and I had almost gotten lost during every single trip. Thankfully, I'd run into a player or a coach who knew my face, and was able to point me in the right direction.
We took one final turn before I could hear music playing. I felt my eyebrow raise as Sidney turned back to me. That familiar smile had already reappeared on his face, reassuring me that any ounce of anger he had towards me had already faded. Pushing the door open, I was surprised at the sight inside. Players. Every player from the current roster, and their significant others (or random dates for those without wives or girlfriends). I waved to a few of the players I was closer with before turning to Sid. "What's this?"
"Welcome to the start of another hockey season," Sid chimed, taking my hand and leading me into the crowd.
The get together was to celebrate the start of yet another hockey season. It was typical for the guys to have some sort of gathering when the season began, but it was never normally anything like this. Last year, the guys just went out to a bar. Seeing everyone gathered together caused my sour mood to simply melt away. And the fact that Sidney had decided to invite me, of any other girl, brought an even bigger smile to my face.
It was things like this that made me feel like Sid was the only one for me.