Young & Wild & Free

Blake was a tomboy. She grew up climbing trees, playing roller hockey in the street and chasing the other girls in the neighborhood with her pet salamander in her hands. But that was more than a decade ago, and she had been making up for her masculine years ever since. Tonight would be no different.

“Oh, look at you!” Phoebe grinned excitedly, leaning back in her chair in their master suite’s walk-in closet, a hand on her pregnant belly.

“Too much?” Blake asked, running an errant hand through her hair, which had been curled into perfect, effortless-looking beachy waves, a small braid serving as a headband.

“You seriously look like a Pussycat Doll.” Phoebe insisted. “We better sneak you out of here without Shawn seeing or he just might not let you go.” She added, making her billet daughter turn bright pink under her olive-toned skin. Blake was wearing a floor-length black silk dress belted around the middle with a think gold braided belt and was slit up to the high thigh. A tasteful amount of cleavage and smoky eyes added to the look along with a pair of Phoebe’s black Christian Louboutin pumps made her look years past the date on her license.

“Oh yeah right.” Blake rolled her eyes. “The only problem is, no place to stick my cell phone!” She frowned.

“Got you covered, hun.” Phoebe hauled herself out of her chair, walking over to her set of drawers and grabbing a small gold clutch and handing it to Blake. “Perfect.” She insisted.

“Thanks Mama.” Blake smiled, making Phoebe’s heart strings tug in the slightest. Blake had switched from calling Phoebe “Pheeb,” to “Billet Mama” to just “Mama” in the few months she had come to live at the Horcoff’s. “Oh, it’s eight-thirty, Ryan should be here any moment.” She said, hurrying down the stairs as fast as she could, but with the high heels, she was keeping pace with Phoebe who waddled slowly behind her.

“No.” Shawn Horcoff shook his head as he saw Blake descend the main staircase within the house.

“Shawn.” Phoebe warned in a stern voice as her husband shook his head in the negative. Blake saw the reflection of headlights bounce off the back wall of the kitchen, signaling that someone had pulled up in the driveway.

“No, not happening.” He insisted, shaking his head more.

“You have fun, there’s twenty bucks in there just in case. Home before two.” Phoebe kissed Blake’s cheek as Ryan answered the door. “Scoot out, guys, I’ll deal with the Captain.” She insisted upon Blake opening the door for Ryan who looked rather dapper in black slacks, a white Oxford shirt & a red skinny tie. Ryan wasn’t going to argue with the captain’s pregnant wife or the abnormal color of pink that his captain was turning as he took Blake’s hand and helped her to the car in her tall shoes.

“You look great!” He smiled, flashing his dimples that instantly made him look eight years old.

“Thanks! I’m pumped for the movie!” Blake smiled excitedly. “I’ve never been to anything like this.” She explained. There was a movie premiere that evening in downtown Edmonton, a new flick starring Chris Pine, Sam Worthington and Emma Stone that had been filmed in Edmonton – and all the stars were going. Blake was going to walk her first red carpet.

“Well I figured you’d want to go and I couldn’t find a real date to save my life.” Ryan laughed once they got situated in his car, making her punch him in the arm.

“I am a real date, dick!” She laughed, the both of them knowing full well that they were going strictly as friends and nothing more.

“Yeah, yeah, but really, you look fricken’ hot.” Ryan insisted. “I for sure couldn’t catch a date this good looking.” He added.

“Oh yeah right. Little Nugie, you could get any girl in a thousand mile radius to drop her panties for you, you’re just too much of a nice guy to actually take advantage of that.” Blake rolled her eyes. “Unlike Taylor or Jordan.” She added, making Ryan blush.

“Ebs doesn’t hook up with randoms, he’s going to marry his girlfriend.” Ryan began, “and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve heard of Hallsy hooking up with anyone for a long time, either.” He gave her a pointed look that she brushed off. She and Taylor had a weird thing going on. They texted a lot, but they didn’t hang out much. She wasn’t the kind to instigate things and since the mix-up they had the weekend before, he had been flakey with her. She knew he was planning on going to the event tonight, but never mentioned taking her. She was allowed to have fun, too. “Here we go.” Ryan sucked in a breath a few moments later as they handed the keys to the valet.

Blake took Ryan’s hand as he helped her out of the car and she kept her hand tucked in his – it was a little overwhelming to see a real red carpet and photographers lined up. Did they really want a photo of them? Just a couple of hockey players. Ryan placed his hand at the small of her back, the two of them just about the same height with her sky-high heels. She smiled brightly and they posed for a few pictures as they made their way down the carpet.

“Ryan, is that your girlfriend?” She heard one photographer shout out. Blake glanced at her friend but they both decided to ignore the question. It wasn’t like they had to say anything in return. Looking down from where they had emerged from the car, Blake’s tummy did a small flip upon seeing Taylor and Jordan just stepping on the carpet. They were both dressed up rather fashionably and hadn’t yet noticed she or Ryan ahead of him.

“Ryan! Who’s the girl?” That got Taylor’s attention.

Taylor Hall’s throat ran dry upon seeing Blake all sexed up and walking the red carpet with Ryan. Were they on a date? No way. But why was she there with him? Why was she there at all? He didn’t care that he was sounding like a dick, but the look of jealousy was rather evident on his face and some of the photographers didn’t miss the chance to shoot pictures of Taylor eyeing up the young brunette.

Ryan and Blake were stopped by The Edmonton Journal, a reporter asking them a few, superficial questions.

“Ryan who is your date tonight?” The reporter asked, recorder in hand.

“This is my good friend Blake. It’s her first year in Canada.” He smiled, looking over the brunette that he had deemed very far out of his league.

“Blake what brings you to Edmonton?” The reporter prodded.

“I play hockey for the Edmonton Crunch.” She replied with a blinding white smile. The reporter ate the young couple up and before Blake knew it, Taylor and Jordan had caught up to them on the carpet. Taylor placed a hand on her hip and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

“Why are you here with Nugie?” He pulled back so she could see the confusion in his face.

“Because you didn’t ask.” She replied, letting Ryan take her hand again as he lead them into the theater. Taylor’s eyes trained on her retreating figure and fought the urge to bite his knuckle.

“She’s something special, huh?” Taylor looked over to the reporter that the two had just been talking to.

“You have no idea.”

•••

By the time the movie let it out was just about ten fifteen. Everyone thought it was a hit and Blake was starting to get antsy, she wanted to go out, dance and talk to people. There was a reception downtown at a club called Wanderlust. Walking from the car to the back door, Ryan had slipped his black leather jacket around Blake’s shoulders, letting her revel in the warmth and cologne – but insisted he take it back when they finally got in.

“Fifty bucks says they don’t even card you.” Ryan laughed as they approached the bar. He was legal to drink being eighteen, but she was still seventeen.

“I guess we’ll see!” She grinned. Ordering a seven and seven, the bartender didn’t even blink as he mixed the drink and slid it over to her. Since the reception was being held at the venue, it was an open bar all night.

“It’s weird to me that you know drinks you like. My Dad pretty much just told me which beers to drink and I stick to that.” Ryan laughed as they settled into a small booth far from the dance floor but close to the bar. He cradled a Moulson in his hands and pretended not to jump when her foot accidentally bumped his leg.

“My friends back home were pretty big partiers. I’m not much of a drinker but I know what I like.” She insisted, pretending not to take notice when she spied Taylor and Jordan entering through the back door not too long after them. When the two were both about half done with their drinks, Blake began to get even more restless. “Come on, let’s go mingle and rub elbows. Then I want to see your moves, Nugie.” She insisted, watching the tips of his ears turn bright pink.

Taylor Hall took a seat at the bar, watching Blake’s curvy figure weave through the crowd, Ryan attached to her as she mixed in with all sorts of people. The girl was a social butterfly and was flourishing in the environment. He had half a mind to inform the bartenders she was underage, just because he could, but he decided against it. It wasn’t her fault she was there with Ryan and not him. He knew they were together as just friends, but he could feel that little green monster clawing at his chest whenever Ryan put his hand on her back or laced his fingers with hers.

Score. Ryan had been momentarily distracted by someone he knew from administration and Taylor quickly pounced into action, leaving Jordan dumbfounded at the bar.

“You look beautiful.” Blake could feel a pink blush creeping up her neck as she turned to see Taylor behind her, one hand on her hip once again and the other holding a what appeared to be a Jack and Coke.

“Thanks.” She smiled, “you look very nice yourself.” She replied.

“Would you mind taking a photo with me?” He asked, nodding his head towards one of the photographers that was wandering the party courtesy of the production studio, who was more than eager to take a photo of the young hockey star and his beautiful friend. Blake turned in his grasp, letting his arm rest across her lower back and his hand catch her hip possessively as she placed her hand on his chest.

“One more with my phone?” He requested, handing over the iPhone to the photographer who nodded excitedly. Blake fought the urge to roll her eyes but posed nonetheless. “Damn we look good.” He commented, letting her look at the photo. She hardly recognized herself, all dolled up and on the arm of Taylor Hall at a Hollywood party. Taylor didn’t hesitate to tweet the photo.

@hallsy04: after party with Blake.

Blake pretended not to know what he was doing and smiled upon seeing Ryan returning to talk to her. For the first time ever, she felt a little awkward around Taylor.

“Do you want to dance?” She asked Ryan as the house band played a smooth slow jazz song.

“Sure!” Ryan knew how to hold hands and sway from side to side. Blake placed her drink on the empty tray of a waiter walking by and let Ryan lead her to the dance floor. Taylor turned on his heel, walking back to the bar and ordering another drink as he leaned against a barstool next to Jordan. “You need to tell me what is going on with you two because I can’t keep up.” Ryan insisted. Blake knew it probably wasn’t fun for him to be kept in the dark, but in all honesty, she didn’t know what was going on either.

“I like being with Taylor, I think he likes being with me.” She started, not sure how to explain their dynamic. “He’s come to some of my games and I’ve slept over at his house.” She paused to watch Ryan screw up his face. “But I think that neither of us is really willing to take it a step further – and I don’t want to be strung along. Plus, what should I be expecting? That we’ll date and be this serious couple?” She asked mostly herself.

“I don’t know what you should expect.” Ryan tried to fill the void as she tried to gather her thoughts. “I know Taylor is a good guy, but I mean, you guys are both young? Are you looking for something serious?” Ryan asked, knitting his eyebrows together.

“I don’t know about serious, but consistent.” She sighed. “And so far, consistency is not the name of his game.” She commented, looking over to Taylor, being able to feel his eyes on her. They held eye contact and she watched as he downed his drink before leaning over to talk to Jordan, the two of the disappearing out the back door.

“But you like him.” Ryan commented finally.

“Yeah, I do.” Blake nodded, “but that’s not enough for me.”