Here I Am

“Man what is wrong with you today?” Tazer skated around my net as I let another in during practice that Friday morning. It was supposed to be a light practice, but a very focused practice before the big game tonight against the Flames and I was anything but focused.

Why?

Because of that girl, Delia Staal from the park.

“Oh nothing really,” I tried to brush it off and stopped a weak shot from Kaner, no doubt a jab at how bad I was handling the puck that day. “Very funny Kaner,” I called, shooting the puck down the ice so he would have to chase it. Little bugger.

Tazer leaned against my goal, every once in a while, sticking out his hockey stick in an attempt to stop a puck that one of the other guys shot. “Come on, I thought we were teammates. And every guy has had a few days like you. Kaner has had lots.”

“Crow finally got laid is what happened,” Kaner told Seabs as they both skated by.

“Only Kaner would know days like that so often,” Sharpie joked to Stally over by the benches.

“It’s not like you get out much,” Kaner scoffed.

“Because I’m married you dumbass!” Sharp laughed.

Tazer turned back to me and let the others push each other around playfully. “So, you got laid?” he asked me.

“No,” I stated simply. “I did not get laid. Now if you all are done shooting pucks at me, I do have a place I need to be,” I said already skating off the ice, not getting an okay for anyone.

“What are we supposed to tell Coach?” Hammer shouted. “We just lost one of our goalies!”

“Ask Scott! He’s great at making stuff up,” I shrugged through the goalie pads and hurried to the changing room to get dressed in my street clothes.

I slowed down once I reached the entrance to the park and tried to make myself presentable. I walked around for a while, kicking around some snow, anxious to see the girl with the coy smile from earlier that week.

“I have to admit, I didn’t think you would show up,” the familiar voice said from behind me. I spun around to find Delia standing there in her knee high boots and her winter jacket.

“Where’s the little guy?” I asked, looking behind her for the Riley.

“His parents travel a lot and this week they’re going to Italy. Riley has been wanting to go to Italy for a few months now.”

“You don’t go with them to help sit Riley?” I asked as we started to walk down the path slowly.

“Nah,” she waved her hand, as if waving off the idea. “Whenever they travel, it’s their time to be a family. His parents aren’t heartless or anything. Their occupations just require a lot of travelling. They do speak every night before he goes to bed, no matter what time zone they’re in.”

“They seem like wonderful people,” I said as we reached the Bean.

She smiled again and my heart skipped a beat. I didn’t realize a girl could have such a beautiful smile. I just couldn’t tear my eyes off of her.

“They really are Mr. Corey Crawford,” the same coy smile rose to her lips again.

The color rose to my cheeks as we kept walking. Well I kept walking. She skipped ahead and spun around on her heel and started to walk backwards, gauging my response.

“So you’ve looked me up,” I said, my heart beating. Would this change everything? Wait. There was barely anything. . . .

“I knew you looked familiar. Riley’s a fan of hockey. I’m actually surprised he didn’t recognize you. You have a very recognizable face Mr. Corey Crawford.”

I opened my mouth but no sound came out. Was she flirting with me? Or was this just her personality?

“I see I stumped you Mr. Corey Crawford,” her brown eyes sparkled. “Not used to people calling you recognizable,” she cut the last word into five syllabuses. I had a feeling that was not what she meant.

“So uh,” I cleared my throat. “You know who I am. I do not know who you are though.”

“I told you my first and last name when we first met,” she told me as we came to a stop back in front of the Bean again.

“Are you related to any other Staal’s?” I prodded just the slightest bit.

Her brown eyes lost the sparkle, but the coy smile never left her red lips. “Mr. Corey Crawford, that is a question for another day. I’ll see you soon,” she said and started back off the way she came, her hands jammed into her pockets, her figure fading into the start of a blizzard.