Sugar Rush

Dinner had started out great, to that they’d both admit. From the hot kisses in front of her store, to the cozy little restaurant talking softly, to one another getting to know each other. While subtly hinting and flirting with the other. It wasn’t their conversation or a wrong story at the wrong time, or even a fluttered touch that shouldn’t have been made, no it was their waitress that ruined the night.

The glares Allison could take from the pre-teen that was nothing but jail bait and completely off of Sidney’s even potential radar for women. He was only looking at the woman sitting across from him. The fact that the waitress had ‘accidently’ let some of Allison dinner slip off the plate and into her lap while setting it in front of her, to knocking over her wine glass while filling it, then to purposefully bringing her a huge piece of cake she hadn’t ordered with a snide comment instead of the small dessert she had ordered.

The cake. That had been the breaking point and they both knew it. The girl had claimed she was rather new and that she was flustered for the first two so Allison had tried to let them slip, the first one she did easily. She understood being flustered in front of Sidney since she was always flustered before the man. The wine glass was harder to let go, and though she did – much like she had on her dinner- the fact that it had happened still stung and hurt Allison’s feeling a little. The cake was simply calling her fat and that hurt deeper than anything.

“I wanna go home.” Allison whispered. She felt ready to cry. What had seemed promising at the start had turned into disaster and she never wanted to do it again. She held nothing against Sidney, he apologized, asked if she was okay, and he’d even asked for a different server – one they didn’t get-, and tried to comfort her. Yet knowing if the treatment she’d just been shown was any precursor for other treatment she’d get shown being around him. Then she didn’t want it.

Sidney only nodded sadly at her, paid the bill, and lead her out to the car slowly. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what to do. He was used to the few girls he went out with, even just friends and nothing more, getting glared at. Never had someone dumped food in their laps, spilled their drink on them, or changed their order to make a statement. Never. He couldn’t believe it and he felt horrible.

“I’m so sorry Allison. I…” he fumbled as they reached the car. He opened the door for her. “I don’t know what that was. That was completely uncalled for, I’m so sorry.” He rushed. She simply climbed in the car with a nod of her head.

“Please just take me back to my car.” She asked softly. Sidney nodded as he closed her door slowly.

He couldn’t argue with being shut down anymore. He couldn’t force his way in simply because she was denying something they both clearly wanted. No, now there was a reason, a viable, tangible reason. He had no idea how to show her he still cared, how to prove to her not everyone would treat her that way around him and or atleast be so blatantly obvious about it.

Sidney did as asked for once it seemed and drove her back to her store. He turned to apologies again, since he’d failed at trying to start a conversation on the ride to the start with not knowing what to say in the current situation, but Allison was already climbing out.

She didn’t look back as she unlocked her little car and pulled the door open.

“Allison, wait.” Sidney called, but she didn’t. She simply closed the door. “Allison, please, just wait?” Sidney asked a bit more desperate as the car started up. He stopped as she drove away slowly. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t me. I swear. I would never do that to you.” He breathed to the retreating car. “Just give me another chance, I’ll prove it.” He sniffed slightly upset with what had happened that evening. “Please.” He begged the cold night air.

Allison was trying not to completely sob. She would’ve waited, she would’ve talked to Sidney, if she hadn’t already been crying. The second she got out of his SUV it seemed as if she couldn’t stop the tears anymore, they had just begun to roll down her apple cheeks.

Crying she covered her mouth as she drove the short distant to her condo. Once her car was parked however she broke into sobs, both hands over her face as her shoulders rocked violently. What had she ever done to that little girl to be treated that way? Was she that fat and was just couldn’t see it the way the girl had? What had she ever done?

Sidney was only two stop lights from Allison’s store, Sugar Rush, when something in him snapped. His sorrow and slight depression over the evening events snapped right into anger and furry.

Who would treat another person like that? Why would anyone call another person fat with a piece of cake? The only way he could understand it was if the person was so big it was bad for their health, then yes, tell them. Not with a piece of cake or to be mean, but to help them. Allison wasn’t huge. Yeah she was a little chubby but he liked her the way she was. She was gorgeous. She had meat on her bones in his eyes and was curvy in all the right places.

Flipping his turn signal he quickly changed lanes heading back to the restaurant with fire in his eyes.

Walking back into the restaurant several of the waitresses looked at him stunned, he knew two hadn’t been there to witness what had happened, but the one had been present, and he had no idea where his server was and he didn’t care.

“I wanna talk to a manager.” He stated simply. The women looked at each other.

“May I ask why?” One woman stepped up with raised brows.

“About half an hour ago I left here with a friend of mine, and one of your serves…” He trailed off seeing the blonde that had tortured Allison. “That one actually,” He pointed at her as she flirted with a group of guys, clearly not working. “Was rather rude. I get she’s new, but dumping food in my friends lap, spilling her drink into her lap, and then bringing her a huge desert she didn’t order in a fashion that just screamed ‘ I’m calling you fat’ is highly uncalled for.” The woman’s eyes went wide. “I want to speak to a manger.” The woman floundered.

“I am a manger…” She whispered nervously.

“Where were you an hour ago?” He asked with a raised brow.

“Not here yet. I wasn’t the manager on duty. I can get you her, if you want…?” Sidney shrugged.

“I just want this to be handled, and handled right.” He demanded. “I’m not going to let my friend be treated that way, or anyone else.” He was angry enough to go to war. He wanted blood. That little girl would regret what she’d done.

While Sidney was getting ready to kill, Allison had finally managed to pull herself out of her car and up to her condo. She sniffled as she walked into the condo. The giggles made her put her head down as she abandoned her shoes at the door.

“Allie!” She heard Loraine cheer. “Are you okay sweetie?” Loraine wasn’t even in the room and she could hear Allison’s choked breathing and sniffles.

“What? Something’s wrong?” Hearing Jordan’s voice for a third night in row in the condo, Allison quickly began to head to her room.

“I think she’s crying.” Loraine didn’t even bother to be quite, like normal. “Allie, sweetie?” Allison pushed into her room just in time to hear Jordan’s confused comment.

“He made her cry?” Sidney had obviously told Jordan what he was planning on doing.

Allison fell into bed only to have the door burst open.

“I’ll kill him!” Loraine yelled. “Sweetie, tell me what he did. Do I need to kill him? Maim him? Torture him?”

“Okay, okay!” Jordan laughed. “Calm down. We don’t even know if he did it.” Jordan tried to reason.

“Oh I know he did.” Loraine seethed.

Allison only sniffled. Sidney had been perfect, and that was where the problem lied. Sidney Crosby was perfect and all of Pittsburgh knew it along with most of the woman who watched hockey. She wasn’t even close to his level of perfection and everyone who knew it would tell her in whatever way they saw fit.

“It wasn’t him.” Allison choked out. Silence incased the room of three.

“I’m calling Sid.” Jordan deadpanned. She listened to him walk away.

“We’ll handle it. Is there anything we can do to make it up to you Mr. Crosby?” The woman asked carefully. No matter how much she tried to hide how flustered, intimidated, and terrified of how the situation was about to play out Sidney could practically smell it, like a shark smells the faintest drops of blood in vast amounts of water.

“I…” he stopped at his phone ringing. Pulling it out he looked at the number to make sure it wasn’t someone important. It was Jordan. Flipping it open he sighed. “Not now.” He demanded.

“Fine, but she’s crying. Way to go man.” With that Jordan hung up leaving Sidney wide eyed.

“She’s…crying?” He asked the dead silent phone. Floundering he blinked several times and his now stunned form scared the three women before him. They could see his anger level rising as he processed over and over again that Allison was crying over the situation.

Sucking in a deep breath, Sidney closed his eyes and let it out slowly to calm himself.

“I’ll go call the GM who can handle this right away.” The woman before him stated quickly rushing off. He nodded slowly still floundering in rage.

“I’m so sorry I had no idea.” His eyes snapped to the girl who’d been there.

“Yes you did. You two were laughing about it from across the room. I’m not blind. I’m not stupid. And I don’t appreciate the lies.” The girl shook her head at his quick harsh tone.

“We weren’t giggling over that.” She stated. Her cheeks flushed. “I just agreed to …how ….how cute you are. She told me you’re better up close, and I laughed…I’m sorry.” She choked back. Sidney licked his lips still trying to calm down. “I wouldn’t laugh at what you said happened. I ….” She closed her mouth. “I’m sorry. I should’ve realized.” He nodded weakly. His was so angry.

“Would you have said or done anything to stop it if you’d known?” He asked, trying to be as calm as possible. The girl nodded.

“I was raised to treat people the way I want to be treated. How your friend was treated is not the way I want to be treated. I would’ve said something.” She stated quickly he nodded at her a little less angry. “I’m really sorry I didn’t know.” She added.

“It’s fine.” He shot out quickly. He didn’t want any more apologies. He wanted action. The girl nodded stiffly.

He was so angry he didn’t realize he’d drawn attention, like he always did, and it wasn’t just of the on lookers and the close few customers. He’d drawn attention of picture takers, and even a reporter that was there for dinner with her husband.

“Back already?” He barely glanced over at the girl before away from her stiffly. “Rude.” She giggled. He almost twitched as he closed his eyes, head tipping to the side. If it wasn’t for the sound of her manager returning he would’ve gotten his blood, instead he waited for the woman to speak as she walked over.

The woman returned stiffly and to Sidney that screamed bad news.

“Um,” Sidney raised a brow at her and crossed his arms over his chest. She floundered and looked at the girl. “You need to go to the backroom, we’ll talk there.” The girl looked confused. “Sarah, cover her tables. Check on everyone.” The girl who’d apologized to him nodded and moved away quickly.

“Why, what’s wrong?” His server asked confused.

“Just, go.” Her manager stated. The girl looked back him and he wanted to see it click and the panic to set in on her face, but it never did. She just eyed him as if she wasn’t sure if he was the reason. Once the girl was gone the manger turned back to him stiffly. “Um, I’m sorry.” She nodded. He nodded his head accepting it. “I talked to the GM, he said, uh…” the woman closed her eyes. Bad news. “That at this time there is nothing he can do.” Sidney narrowed his brows and rolled his jaw irritated. “But to give you these and to apologies.” She held a few meal coupons out. He looked at it before up at her.

“It’s because she’s his daughter.” The other server who hadn’t been there hushed under her voice. Those were the words he needed. Nothing was going to be done about the situation. He wasn’t getting his blood the way he wanted, so he’d get in a different way.

“I don’t care who she is, you don’t let your employees treat customers the way she treated my friend.” He let out a deep breath slowly. “So tell your GM he just lost a regular customer, because under no circumstance am I ever coming back here.” He snapped. Spinning on his heel he left the store with a shake of his head. With those words stated he knew the patrons in hearing range would probably never go back either. He didn’t know the reporter had written everything down with pictures and even more people would never go to that restaurant simply because he never would.

Sitting in his SUV he buckled in, started it up, and called Jordan.