Over Christmas Break

I decided to go. I called my best friend up who didn’t really care for hockey, but she decided to come with anyways. I warned her it would be chilly in the BMO Harris Bank Center since they have to keep the ice cool, and knew she would dress in layers and layers since she gets so cold so quickly.

I spent the day with her, just hanging out with her and her military boyfriend. They had just returned from Japan where he had been stationed for the last three years. He was finally transferred back into the US, but in California, so they were home for Christmas before going to the back west.

“What am I going to do with you in California for the entire year? I’m going to miss out on so much stuff with you guys!” I dramatically drew out the statement. The couple was getting engaged, whether Sam knew it or not, Jack was proposing on New Year’s Day since it would be their third anniversary.

“You won’t miss much, and besides, if you do, I’ll just Skype you to tell you all about it! Just like we’ve done before,” she made it sound so easy. But I knew once she was engaged, it wouldn’t be so easy.

“Eh, why does everything in life have to be difficult?” I asked the clearly in love couple who were cuddled up on the couch while I sat in the loveseat on my back with my head hanging over the side.

“It wouldn’t be life otherwise,” Jack commented. I flipped him the bird and they laughed.

“What should I wear to the game?” Sam quickly changed the topic as she got up and headed for the bedroom they were staying in at Jack’s parents. His parents had gone to his uncles for an early Christmas and would be back in three days.

I followed her to the closet and started rifling through the things on the hangers. I passed by anything that was blue or gold. I finally settled on a black shirt, red scarf, and jeans.

“This, with your black jacket and red hoodie since I know you and you are going to freeze,” I directed. She looked at the outfit and back at me.

“How did you just pick out random things and make them go perfectly?” she asked. I shrugged and continued to shuffle through her clothes. “Am I going with you and Toews or alone?”

“I’ll have to ask. I’m stealing these!” I replied to her as I took her cute black boots and brought them out to my stuff and added them to the pile of things that she had brought back from Japan for me and my jacket and purse.

“I need those boots back before I leave for California! They are my interview boots!”

“Interview boots, really?”

“Yeah, I need good luck charms everywhere I can get them in California.” I shook my head and grabbed a reusable bag from the counter.

“I’m going to head back to the house, see if he’s there, and let you know how you are getting there!” I kissed her cheek and Jack’s and left the house for my own a few miles away.

“Is that you, Harper?” I heard David’s voice float in from the family room while I entered through the front door.

“Yep, what’s going on?” I replied as I shut the door and shed my winter coat.

“Did you find someone to invite to the game?”

“Yeah, my best friend Sam’s going to go with, if that’s okay.”

“Yep, do they need a ride?”

“If you don’t mind, she hates driving in the city!” I exclaimed with the truth.

“Sure, we do have to leave in like an hour so I can be there for pre-game stuff though,” he put his hand on the back of his neck.

“Sounds good, I’ll just get ready and have her meet us over here.” He nodded and I went up to my brother’s room that was temporarily mine and pulled out my Ice Hogs t-shirt and matched it with my black jeans and the boots I stole from Sam. I did my makeup and then my hair in the bathroom before changing and by than, it had been a half an hour and Sam wasn’t here yet. David came to the living room where I stood admiring the tree my family had decorated without me.

“I, uh, thought you could wear this. I didn’t realize you had an Ice Hogs t-shirt,” he said as he held up his game worn jersey. I smiled.

“I can still wear this over the shirt. Thanks,” I took it from him and slipped it on. Sam rang the doorbell a second later and we were ready to go. We got to the BMO Harris Bank Center and David introduced Sam and I to the team in the locker room. The guys took a liking to us and we all got along, except with Jeremy. I don’t know what his problem was, but I didn’t care. We stayed there until the boys kicked us out to get ready. Sam and I than walked with some of the WAGS to our seats where the arena was already filling up before one of the WAGS spoke to us.

“How long have you known David?” she asked. I think she was Brandon Pirri’s girlfriend if I remembered correctly.

“My family hosts him during the season since he doesn’t have family in the area except Jonathan. But I just met him yesterday when I came home for break.”

“That’s a little quick to be wearing his jersey, don’t you think girls?” she asked the others. I just shrugged and walked away from them.

“They think I slept with him,” I exclaimed to Sam as we walked around the arena alone.

“Well, they are just too stuck up to honestly care about another guy and what he does. They just want to judge you,” she reassured me. She went and bought us pop and nachos to share before we went and sat in our seats. I ignored the WAGS and when the game finally started, I was relieved. I could finally focus on something more important than my phone. David was one of the first people out and he made sure to look me in the eyes every time he went in front of the bench. I smiled each time, being friendly, and when he came back to sit on the bench, I turned my attention away from him and towards the game that was finally beginning.