Impulse

"Cheer up," I commanded as we stepped out of Emma's little red car.

"I'm trying," she told me, trying to smile for emphasis. She adjusted the hem of her Sidney Crosby jersey and pulled it lower over her leggings. "It's just," she said, her breath visible in the chilly air, "This is hard."

I nodded, though I only knew the half of it. And I was pretty sure Emma wasn't in a place to talk about it just yet. So I left it be. "Ready to go?" I asked, glancing up at the high-rise. I adjusted my own Alex Ovechkin jersey, pulling my fingers into the sleeves to keep them from freezing. "Here," I said as we walked toward the building, "just to make the costume complete." I handed over a pair of bunny ears before putting my own pair on.

"The boys are gonna flip," she said with half-amusement. The closest to animation she'd gotten to in a while.

"It'll be awesome," I giggled back, smiling as our heels clacked across the concrete. "Do you know what they went as?" I asked. Jordan had been very careful to conceal their costumes to me all week.

Emma just shrugged. "Haven't really asked Taylor, I guess," she said before going silent again.

I just pursed my lips together, wishing really badly that Emma would be happy. At least for tonight.

We entered the apartment in silence - Andrew Cogliano's place, so I heard. I had yet to know who the guy was beside one of the players on the team. Apparently he was a nice guy, and - according to Emma - super hot. I disreguarded that, though. Or at least tried to.

We stepped into the elevator still in silence. "Hey Emma?" I said as the doors closed and we began to glide upward.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking at me in the reflection of the elevator doors.

"Happy Halloween."

*

I plastered a fake smile onto my face, wanting to get out of here as fast as possible. I greeted Andrew with a hug, before walking right into the kitchen to get my first drink of the night. I passed Maddie a Jaggerbomb, before downing one myself.

“Nice costumes,” Jordan said from behind us, and we turned around to see both guys in green bodysuits.

“What are you supposed to be?” Maddie asked from beside me, eyebrows raised in confusion.

“I think they are attempting to be The Green Men…” I supplied, no real emotion in my voice. Jordan frowned, before sending Madelyne a look I didn’t understand.

“And you guys are puck bunnies.” Taylor mumbled, giving me a hug, and grasping the fluffy tail Maddie had superglued to my ass. Jordan swiftly grabbed Maddie’s bunny ears, and placed them on his own, green, head.

“I think I might have really good luck tonight.” Jordan stated, with a wink. In one swift motion, he had bent down, grabbed Maddie’s stiletto-clad foot, and started to drag her out of the room. I rolled my eyes, but didn’t find it humorous.

“Nothing?” Maddie called from upside-down. Taylor just turned and grabbed himself a drink.

*

By eleven, there were probably about thirty people there tops - not a very big party, which I was fine with. Mostly, it was just a lot of people dressed as something clever playing Call of Duty and shooting pool. So far, I'd met Betty Boop, Flash, and not one but two John Waynes. I even got a few dirty looks for my Ovechkin jersey. And I loved it.

I weaved through the small crowd to find Jordan on the couch, involved in watching a few of the other guys playing an intense game of COD. "Here you go, babe," I said, handing him a beer before squeezing past Taylor and Emma on the couch as I went to sit. I saw Jordan shift weirdly as I went to sit, but didn't think much of it and sat down anyway.

Bad choice.

A loud, long fart sounded out and I immediately felt myself blush deep red, even though it wasn't me. Everyone whipped around and stared at me, eyes wide with shock with a few cracking up. I just sat there, open mouthed and blamed. Jordan was the first to burst out laughing.

"Jordan!" I squealed, reaching down and pulling out the whoopie cushion he'd set on the couch before I sat down. He just shrugged and nodded toward Emma.

I followed his gaze to see the ghost of a smile traceable on her lips. Suddenly, my hostility - as well as my embarrassment - dropped a few notches. I understood what Jordan was getting at here.

I just wish he'd find a different guinnea pig to play his jokes on.

*

Watching Maddie kick Jordan’s ass at Call of Duty made a grin appear on my face. Although I still felt like shit, being with my friends was exactly what I needed. Taylor carefully weaved his hand through mine, and I curled up closer to him, minimizing the space between our bodies.

“I love you babe, and we will have a baby soon enough, hopefully after we are married.” Taylor whispered, wrapping his free arm around my shoulder, and pulling me into a solid kiss.

A kiss that revealed a lot more than what he was saying.

I felt a hint of anticipation as he broke away, and caught the completely blunt wink he sent in my direction. I shifted my gaze to the concentrated couple still playing the video game, and allowed a slight blush to colour my cheeks a nice shade of pink.

Tonight’s going to be a good night.

*

"Where'd Taylor and Em go?"

I wasn't sure who'd asked it, but everyone began immediately searching for the two lovebirds. They were just on the couch a second ago...

"Maybe home?" I guessed, pausing our game before Jordan could cheat.

But he was looking around for the duo, too. "Damn," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. His spandex-like costume stretched to its limit over his torso. "I was hoping to pull out my last big trick before Em left..."

Eyes turned on him for a moment. "Oh yeah?" Chicken Nugget challenged, "And what was that?"

Jordan eyed my dangerously. "Pull a bunny out of a hat."

I gulped and felt the urge to remove my bunny ears. "Here," I said to Nugget, handing him my controller. "Take over for me - I'm gonna go get more popcorn quick." Jordan winked at me as I left.

I scooted my way through the crowd, nodding to a few of the girls at the counter as I passed them. Nudging by John Wayne #2, I reached the pantry and pulled it open, trying to remember which shelf Andrew said he kept the popcorn on-

"Oh fuck!" I squealed, immediately slamming it shut.

Trying to ignore the strange looks, I darted back through the crowd. All I could see was the image of two blurred bodies, as well as a mix of green and Crosby tossed on the floor. When I got back to the living room, I squeezed back into the chair next to Jordan and buried my face in the sleeves of my jersey.

"What's up?" he asked, eyes on the TV screen as he took out a guy with a sniper. "Where's the popcorn?"

I just shook my head.

For a second, he glanced at me. "What?"

I supressed a giggle. "I think I found Taylor and Emma," I said, barely above a whisper.

His eyebrows raised.

I raised mine back. "In the pantry."

Jordan just laughed.

*

After exiting the pantry, Taylor and I struck up conversation with Ryan Jones and his wife, cleverly dressed as the characters from Angry Birds. I felt rejuvenated after Taylor and I’s little escapade, anxiously awaiting for when we would get home.

Oddly enough, I feel like this fight just strengthened our relationship. As we made our way through the party, greeting friends and meeting new people, we couldn’t seem to get our hands off each other.

Soon enough Andrew Cogliano was announcing that the party was officially over, and I followed my Green Man out the door and to the car. I spotted our counter-parts exiting the house shortly after, and climbed into the passenger seat, forcing the late couple to sit in the back.

“What’s up?” Taylor asked, about five minutes into the drive. I exchanged a confused look at him, before turning in my seat to face my friends. I raised an eyebrow as Maddie’s face was engulfed in a blush, and Jordan tried to stifle a laugh.

“Apparently you.” Jordan responded to Taylor’s question, which provoked some confused glances between us.

“What the hell are you talking about Ebs?” Taylor replied, turning on to Main Street, signaling to turn into our parking garage. I turned back to face the front, thinking Jordan had probably had a few too many.

“Maddie went to go get us some popcorn… But I guess the pantry was occupied, eh?” Jordan executed with a teasing tone. I was shell-shocked, and completely embarrassed. Once Taylor pulled the car to a stop, I fled. I fore-went the elevator, and raced up the stairs, tears falling down my face as I reached our door. I used my key to unlock it, before running to our bedroom and locking the door behind me.

“Emma?” Taylor called, heavy footsteps fell outside the door, and I could hear him jiggle the handle, realizing that the lock was on. “Baby, please open the door. It’s just me.” Taylor pleaded, but I was already on the bed, sobbing like a baby.

My breath started coming in short gasps, and I instantly recognized the start of one of my rare panic attacks. I rolled onto my back, trying to get as much air intake as possible, before exhaling slowly and evenly. I could hear Taylor pacing outside the door, but couldn’t get over my sheer embarrassment.

I heard the handle jiggle once more, and jumped when the door was forced open. Taylor grinned victoriously, before looking at me worriedly.

“Emma, baby. Don’t listen to a single thing Jordan says. So we got caught in the middle of proving our love for one-another? I don’t regret it. I love you, and I always will. Can you please just stop crying? I hate seeing you cry. You’re too beautiful to cry.” Taylor said, gathering me up in his arms, and rocking me like I am a toddler.

And I loved every minute of it.

“I swear to god if I don’t end up marrying you, there will be hell to pay.” I mumbled into his neck, before relaxing in his arms, and shortly falling asleep.

*

I stormed out of the elevator, thankful to escape its suffocating atmosphere. Jordan must have sense something was up, because he was practically stepping on my back of my heels as I barged into the already open apartment. It wasn't until we got to his room that either of us spoke.

"What's your problem?"

I kicked a heel off, not even cringing as it hit the heater with a bang. "Are you kidding me?"

He collapsed back on the bed and shrugged. "What?"

"Did you really have to call out Taylor and Emma like that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. I slipped out of my other heel a little less obnoxiously. "That was really low, Jordan."

"I was just being funny."

"Well you weren't being funny!" I snapped, turning to face him head on. "You made Emma feel like shit and now Taylor probably feels bad, too."

"Holy shit," he said, trying a grin, "would you calm down?"

"Fuck no!" I said in a yell-whisper - the last thing I wanted was to disturb Taylor and Emma. "Do you even realize how much she puts up with with you two? You better damn well apologize tomorrow." Ripping off the Ovi jersey so I was just in a tanktop and leggings, I snatched a pillow from the bed as well as the throw from beneath Jordan and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, unaffected.

"To sleep on the couch," I mumbled, padding out of the room in bare feet.

I couldn't have said how long I laid on that couch stuck somewhere between wake and sleep. The conversation kept rolling through my head until I'd analyzed every last word. Jordan didn't even try to put up a fight - part of me knew I'd feel a lot better about the situation if he'd defended himself a little more. And it hurt knowing that he didn't. Like he didn't even care.

On my fifteenth or sixteenth time working through the fight, I heard the floorboards creak behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, all I could see was a husky shadow. It wasn't until it came closer that I realized it was Jordan, in sweats now instead of his costume.

"Hey," he said quietly, his blue eyes sparkling dimly in the moonlit living room. "Scoot over."

I scrunched my eyebrows together. "Why?"

His face was hard as he responded. "We are sleeping together tonight, and if it can't be on my bed, then it will be on the couch. So scoot over."

Slowly, I smiled. "Sure," I said, pressing into the back of the cushion as Jordan squeezed onto the couch next to me. His large arm wrapped around my waist while the other toyed with my hair. He pressed a kiss to my forehead before getting himself comfortable; his breathing steadied.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he said into the silence.

That's all I needed.

I was asleep within five minutes.