Sugar Rush

Allison avoided the topic. She’d seen the paper the next morning. Crosby and friend treated poorly in restaurant; never to return. She couldn’t believe he’d gone back and made a scene and even verbally and publicly stated he’d never go back. The pictures of him standing with authority in the front of the restaurant made him look terrifying. The anger in his eyes and his large arms crossed over his chest.

She hadn’t talked to him, not even when he’d arrived at her condo after Jordan had called him. She’d locked herself in her room and wished she was brave enough to venture to get her well needed Ben & Jerry’s from the fridge. Instead she’d watched chick flicks on Netflix’s in her room as Loraine yelled at her through the door to stop it.

She went to work and she went home trying to avoid him. She hoped he wouldn’t make another public move any time soon with her. Not with the way – according to Jordan- they were demanding who Sidney’s friend had been. The idiot waitress had given a horrible description of her. The description had cut her deep with how she was stating how fat Allison was.

“Loraine…” Allison asked weakly. Loraine looked up before jumping to her feet. It was late and it seemed to be a miracle that Jordan wasn’t there. “Am I really that fat?” She asked like a small child. Loraine floundered.

“No sweetie!” Allison rolled her eyes at the beautiful model before her. “Look at me. If I thought you were fat, I’d tell you. You know that.” Loraine stated seriously. “You’re perfect the way you are. You’re chubby, but that doesn’t make you fat.” The model nodded at her sternly. Allison laughed and nodded. “Wanna watch the press conference with me?”

“Press conference?” Allison asked stunned.

Sidney was holding a press conference to address the rumor mill that was running wild, all on the tall tales of a teenage girl he’d scorned. Adjusting his suit he sat at the table by himself for once. Usually he had Ray Shero next to him, or Coach. Hell sometimes he even had Mario next to him.

Not this time, he was on his own. Licking his lips he smiled at the group.

“Where’s Mr. Shero?” someone asked. “Are we waiting on him?” They added.

“No. It’s just me today. We’re still waiting on a few other people to arrive though I guess.”

“Why is it just you?” Someone else asked. “Why no Shero, Bylsma, or even Mr. Lemieux?”

“Because this has nothing to do with the Penguins organization. This is strictly me.” Sidney nodded. He got the signal. “Now, since everyone’s here, I’m going to put to rest all these rumors. A few nights ago, I went to dinner with a friend of mine. I went to a place I knew had good food, due to the fact I was a regular customer of the restaurant. So I picked there. Now, I have nothing against the restaurant, other than the way it allows certain employees to treat some of its customers. Yes, my friend is a woman. Yes, we were having dinner together. Yes, the girl making claims at this moment was our server. No, none of her rumors besides that are true. My friend and I went to dinner; it was just that, dinner.” He nodded his head. “She had no right to treat my friend that way, just as she has no right to treat any other customer in the same respect. If it was any of you, or anyone watching this, you all would’ve said something it just wouldn’t be all of this.” He waved his hands at the reporters. “Now, I wish for me it was the same. That I simply got my apology and that our server for the night was dealt some sort of punishment for her actions. That’s all I wanted, was to know that the next time I go there, with my friend or anyone else, there would be no repeats. Not only that but so no one else ever has to deal with such troubles over a simple dinner.” Sidney stated. Someone raised their hands and he pointed.

“The girl is claiming it was a date you were on. Was it?” The asked. Sidney licked his lips.

“I’m going to say this first before anything else. If you see two people out, a guy and a girl, do you automatically assume they’re on a date? No. she did.” He shrugged. “But, yes, it was a small form of a date.” He added with a shrug of his shoulders. “And I thank her for ruining all second chances I may or may not have had.” He forced a tight lips smile.

“You didn’t get a second date?”

“I had trouble getting that first date.” Sidney stated seriously. “And she won’t speak to me at this moment. With good reason. I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone either if I was her, especially me.” He mused honestly.

“Can you recall the exact details of the night for us?” Someone asked. Sidney blinked wondering if they wanted to know that he’d practically mauled Allison against her shop front or not before-hand. He decided they didn’t need to know since it was now a cherished memory of his. His first and last kiss with her it seemed.

“I can. We didn’t have much trouble through being seated and looking at the menu. Our server was actually quite nice and pleasant. Very good with customer service. To me there were no signs that when our food was brought, half of my friend’s food would end up in her lap with the claim of she was flustered. I get people get flustered around me, so I let it slid slightly. But then she filled my friends drink and as she turned to leave, our server, she swatted the glass over, right into my friend lap again. Again apologized to, yet it didn’t seem as honest as the first one. After that we had very little trouble until dessert.”

“When your friend was called fat?” Someone asked, it was a woman who asked. He was grateful for that.

“Not in so many words. Let me ask you this ma’am.” He waved a hand at her and she nodded. “You go to dinner with your husband, boyfriend, someone, you have half your dinner in your lap and then an ice cold drink to follow the once hot meal that was just in your lap. Then you think it’s over with. The troubles are done and over with, the night can go smoothly from then on. So, you order a small desert to share with who you’re with. Such as my friend and I did.” He reasoned she nodded slowly. “The person you’re with gets the desert you two ordered together, and you get a piece of cake that’s almost a fourth the size of the cake with the slight comment of: I figured you’d rather have this. Then the server walks away. How would you feel?” He liked asking them questions, even if it was on a sore subject. “And guys you’re on your first date, same thing. How would you feel hearing that said and seeing that done to the woman you went out of your way to just get her to agree to one date with you?” The room was silent. “Exactly. I was furious but I took her home like she asked, and went back and tried to be calm about it. And I was.” Sidney nodded. “Till I got a phone call from a mutual friend of ours that told me my friend was crying. Then, I admit it; my anger got the better of me. Even with that said. I’m still never going back.” Sidney stated seriously. The room stayed quite. “Does it now make sense from my point of view?” They all seemed to nod and agree.

“I know this probably doesn’t help, but I want to clear up the rumors,” a man stated slowly. “The girl is claiming she’d fat, if she?” Sidney glared slightly at the man and cleared his throat.

“No.” Sidney stated firmly. “She isn’t fat, but she isn’t stick thin either. She’s a real woman, with real curves, with a real form and body. She’s not fat.” Sidney tried not to snap the last words out as spoke but failed slightly.

“So she’s actually got meat on her bone, I don’t mean fat, but she’s more willing to put food in her mouth when she’s hungry than starve herself for looks?” A woman asked with a smile. Sidney nodded.

“Exactly.” The woman nodded.

“I approve.” She laughed at him. He laughed as well.

“Thank you, but I’m not so sure that helps.” He chuckled bitterly.

“She’ll come around.” The woman smiled. He nodded.

“I hope so.”

“So you had trouble getting your first date.” Sidney sighed and nodded. “Why?”

“Because I’m me. Because of all of this, because of the possibility of what could’ve happened, and clearly has happened.” He clicked his tongue at them and shrugged. The room nodded. “So, I hope this clears up any rumors, and questions you might have…” he trailed off pointing at someone near the back as they raised her hand.

“Is she pretty?” They asked. Sidney laughed and nodded. Leaning towards the microphone he licked his lips.

“Most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.” He stated seriously. Moving back in his seat he smiled as they all stared wide eyed. “Any other questions?” No one moved. “Well then have a nice day, and thank you for listening.” Standing he walked off with a slow breath out. Jordan patted him on the shoulder as he was out of view. “Don’t say anything.” Sidney demanded. “She hates me.” He added. All the guys were trying to convince him he still had a chance with Allison even though he didn’t see the glimmer of hope they did.

Allison sat there looking at the laptop as the video ended and swallowed sadly. Loraine glanced at her and sighed.

“Give him another chance? You know it wasn’t his fault. Right Cupcake Queen?” Loraine teased.

“I want a lemon square.” Allison muttered to herself sadly. Standing she moved to the kitchen and began grabbing the supplies as Loraine groaned.

“No lemon squares just hot, awesome sex with the hockey teams captain!” Loraine yelled from the living room but it feel on deaf ears as Allison began preparing her one feel good food and family recipe that had gotten her into cooking when she was a little girl.

As Allison cooked Loraine called Jordan and demanded he connect her to Crosby.

“Yes?” Sidney asked confused into Jordan’s phone.

“Just a heads up. Cupcake queen’s going to be alone, and she needs a friend. I nominate you since I’m going to be a friend to your friend at his place.” Sidney frowned. “She’s cooking, and you can take Jordan’s key… it’ll take her atleast an hour before she tries to lock herself into her room…” she added slowly.

Sidney forced Jordan his phone back and dug through his pockets, demanding the house key. Jordan gave it to him with a laugh and small show of the key. Once the key was in Sidney’s palm he took off running. He rushed right through reporters and out to the parking lot, keys in hand. He didn’t even care that he’d managed to make his SUV tires spin before he took off like a mad man.

“Do you want one when I’m…done…Loraine?” Allison asked confused. On the front door was a hot pick sticky note contrasting the bright white of the door. Taking it she looked at the words.

Since you’re depressing, I went to Jordan’s. Love ya, Loraine.

Rolling her eyes Allison tossed the note in the trash and went back to mixing ingredients. She heard the lock turn and looked out into the living room as the door opened. She didn’t see anyone and put her mixing tools down. She got two steps before Sidney appeared in the kitchen doorway and stopped there, trapping her in the kitchen. Spinning she went back to what she had been doing.

“I’m sorry.” Sidney choked out nervously. “I’m really sorry Allison. I didn’t…I didn’t mean for that to happen.” He said seriously. “I know you don’t wanna see me, or hear from me, but please. Give me another chance?” He asked carefully. She didn’t even look at him, kept mixing.

He sighed heavily and let his shoulders drop. His eyes went to the small cold container in his hands and rolled his jaw. Loraine had called him from Jordan’s cellphone telling him to grab a small pint of Ben & Jerry’s phish food, or cookie dough. He’d done as told. He’d only found phish food.

“Will you atleast eat ice cream with me and we can both be upset about this together?” He asked pathetically. She looked at him confused. She’d already gone through all the ice cream. He held up the little container with a shrug. “Loraine told me to bring it as a peace offering.” Allison smiled and laughed softly. He smiled back just as sadly. “So, what’d ya say? Ice cream?” He tried again, trying to be cute at the same time.

Allison stopped watch she was doing and looked down at the bowl. It was well mixed. She just looked at the lemon yellow center she’d created not realizing she’d zoned out in her own thoughts. It was Sidney sighs that brought her back.

“Okay.” She whispered. He smiled at her slightly.

“Nice sweater by the way.” She looked down the Penguin’s hoodie she was wearing. “I hear their captain’s an asshole though.” He added weakly. That was all it took. It was his way of admitting he’d screwed up on some level.

Allison looked at him stunned. He forced a smile again at her.

She crossed the kitchen, grabbed the front of his suit jacket and brought his face down to hers kissing him deeply. Sidney placed the ice cream on the counter and wound his arms around her tightly, pulling her in close to him as he kissed her back.

“Am I forgiven?” He asked breathless as they pulled away for air. His forehead rested against hers.

“Shut up and kiss me.” She demanded. He nodded doing as told, he didn’t need to be told more than once.