Only Curious

I poured out a round of shots for a guy's twenty-first birthday. Seeing as the first thing they asked for when they came in were shots I assumed that this wasn't his first time drinking alcohol. I couldn't blame him, I wouldn't be able to say the same thing when I turned twenty-one, but that was probably because the legal drinking age back home was nineteen.

"Hey Chris, you got a call." Kyle said as he walked out of the backroom and to the front bar. "I'll hold the fort down."

I took my time to get to the phone. I put the speaker to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hey kid." A familiar voice rang into my ear.

"Oh Jesus. Are you coming? Please tell me you are! I miss you and everyone else! This is perfect! The semester just ended and I was thinking of visiting for a week or two! Can you fly me home?" I screamed and jumped in enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I have a game there on Tuesday and I'm sure the guys and Alain won't care. If they do then you'll take my spot and I'll find a different way to get there. Also, we'll be on the road for a week after that so we can either drop you to the nearest city and I'll buy you a ticket the rest way home or you can tag along." My brother said.

"Chris! Come to the front!" Kyle yelled.

"Gimmie a minute! I'm on the phone!" I called back, "I'll just tag along, if you don't mind." I told my brother.

"Alright. And I'm gonna stay at your place on the night of the game." He said quickly, "I call your bed! Night!" And the line went dead.

"Jerk." I muttered to myself as I made my way to the bar.

"Hey Chrissy!" Carrie said with a big smile.

"Hi!" And I turned to Mike, "You guys have a game against Vancouver this Tuesday?"

He nodded.

Kyle turned to me, "Right, your semester just ended. So you're going home?" He asked.

"I'm going home!" I repeated enthusiastically, giving Kyle a big celebratory hug.

"Going home? You don't live here?" Pekka asked, curious.

"I'm not exactly an American. I live here, yes, but I have no interest in a citizenship. I'm from Vancouver and since I don't have school right now and my brother's coming to town I'm hitching a ride from him for a week home."

"Your brother's in the Vancouver Canucks?" Carrie asked.

"You know, I never formally introduced myself," I stuck out my hand for a handshake, "My name is Christina Bieksa." I broke out into a quirky smile.

Carrie winced, "Oh, you shouldn't have-"

"Bieksa?!" Weber yelled, "Kevin Bieksa is your brother! I hate that guy! What the hell!"

"I tried to warn you." Carrie whispered.

"Well yeah. I'm gonna be gone for a week or two." I said, making myself a Pearl Harbor with spare ingredients we had around.

"Oh." Carrie paused, "Can I have your number then? I don't have many friends who will tolerate these guys. That or they don't even know what a puck is." She joked.

I laughed along with her and handed her my phone.

"I'll miss you." I smiled at Carrie.

"You'll only be gone for two weeks." She waved her hand, unbelieved.

"I don't exactly have a girlfriend here." I confessed.

"You can't say that anymore." She said with a wink.