Shut Your Eyes

Season Tickets

Vero was the picture of perfection.

I chose to ride with her to the game instead of with Max; he had to arrive much too early for my taste. I checked the peephole before opening the door and smiling at the small woman in front of me. Her hair was perfectly styled into a sleek ponytail, and a bright smile showed off her straight white teeth. A dark gray sweater was draped snugly on her petite frame and she wore dark blue jeans tucked into knee high black suede boots.

As usual, she made me feel under-dressed. In a simple pair of black skinny jeans and one of Max’s jerseys, I was dressed more for the stands than the family suite, but I’d never shown up to a game without the name ‘TALBOT’ sprawled across my back and I wasn’t about to start now.

“Maggie!” She squealed and I quickly pulled her into a hug before she could grab me first, forcing her arms around my neck rather than my ribs.

“Regarde-toi en jersey de ton frère!” (Look at you in your brother’s jersey!) She exclaimed as she pushed me back to take a look at me.

I smiled and grabbed my purse off the table that ran against the wall. “Si j'avais su que tu seriez alors habillé, je pourrais avoir pensé à ma tenue un peu plus.” (If I’d known you’d be so dressed up, I would have thought about my outfit a little more.) I teased as we walked out the door. Vero huffed and led me to her car, a shiny silver sedan.

“Bêtises. Tu as l'air absolument adorables.” (Nonsense. You look absolutely adorable.)

We climbed into the car and Vero drove us toward the Consol. “Pourquoi ne pas tu porter le maillot de Marc aux jeux, Vero?” (Why don’t you wear Marc’s jersey to the games, Vero?) I asked, curious as to why she didn’t.

She sighed and rolled her coffee colored eyes, hand waving around lazily in the air as she spoke. “Pour la même raison que je ne vous asseyez pas par le verre avec tout le monde. Marc.” (For the same reason I don’t sit by the glass with everyone else. Marc.)

A laugh flew out of my mouth. “Marc ne veut pas que son propre petite amie de porter son maillot?” (Marc doesn’t want his own girlfriend to wear his jersey?) I asked incredulously and Vero nodded wearily.

“Il pense qu'il va me faire une cible pour l'attention négative.” (He thinks it will make me a target for negative attention.) She said, making air quotes with her fingers as she spoke the words l'attention negative. “Il est tout à fait paranoïaque.” (He’s quite paranoid.)

I smiled and looked out the window next to me. “Je pense que c'est doux. Il veut juste que tu sois sûre, Vero.” (I think it’s sweet. He just wants you to be safe, Vero.)

A smile tugged at the edges of her lips. “Je sais.” (I know)

Suddenly an idea popped into my head – a way Vero could watch the game as it was meant to be enjoyed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

“Maggie, où allons-nous? La suite familiale est dans l'autre sens.” (Maggie, where are we going? The family suite is the other way.) Vero asked as I gently tugged her towards the ticket booth.

“Nous n'allons pas à la suite familiale.” (We’re not going to the family suite.) I answered quietly, bringing Vero around the lines where the doors to the ticket booths were located. I rapped on the black door three times and waited for someone to open it. We only had to wait a moment or two before the door cracked open and an elderly man stuck his head out, ready to slam it shut in the face of any rowdy fans. Once he saw me, however, his tan wrinkly face broke into a grin.

“Maggie Talbot, is that you?” He asked happily and I nodded with a smile.

“Just picking up my tickets, Andy.” He nodded and opened the door a bit wider for Vero and I to step inside. The ticket room wasn’t huge, so we huddled together against the door and tried not to be in the way as Andy shuffled over to a large filing cabinet and poked around inside of it.

“Rainey….Simpson….here we are, Talbot. Margaux A.” He recited as he filed through the names of the season ticket holders. Andy took the two tickets out of the folder and scanned them before bringing them back to Vero and I.

“I’m kind of surprised to see you, Maggie. You haven’t been to a game in a while, and you haven’t used your second ticket since you brought that boy with you that one time. What was his name?” Andy’s voice trailed off as he racked his memory for who I’d brought with me so long ago.

“Gavin.” I supplied quietly, ignoring the nauseas feeling that began building in my stomach.

He snapped his fingers and pointed at me in remembrance. “That’s right. Oh well. At any rate, it’s great to see you back.” Smiling, he handed over Vero and I’s tickets. We thanked him and showed ourselves out of the ticket room into the lobby crowded with fans decked out in black and gold. Vero, who had been wearing a wicked grin the whole time, was practically bursting at the seams by the time we got out the door.

“Qui est Gavin?” (Who’s Gavin?) She asked, a sly undertone to her voice. I ran a hand through my thick, curly hair (a nervous habit) and glanced over in her direction. How was I going to get out of this one?

“Il n'y a personne.” (He’s nobody.) I mumbled as I led us to our seats that were front row behind the Penguin’s bench. Max had pulled some strings for that one, I was sure. Vero huffed lightly in response.

“Tu veux me faire croire cela?” (You expect me to believe that?) She asked from behind me as we walked down to our seats and sat down. Sighing, I looked at her and saw her dark brown eyes staring back at me, waiting for a response.

“Ce soir, oui.” (Tonight, yes.)

It was the only response I could muster up. Vero narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, but accepted my answer and turned her attention towards the ice.

“Ok. Cette conversation n'est pas terminée, cependant.” (Ok. This conversation isn’t over, though.)

I looked back out at the ice too, absentmindedly touching a few fingers to my throat. Covered in makeup it looked absolutely normal; only Max and I knew what lay underneath. I snuck a glance at Vero. She was excited to be so close to the action, you could see it in her face. The boys hadn’t come out yet, likely still getting ready, but she was already beaming. I knew the topic of Gavin would come back up eventually. Vero wasn’t exactly known for letting things go, especially when it came to secrets. I only hoped that when the time came and she asked again, I’d have the strength to say the words.

♠ ♠ ♠

I know it's short.

This chapter was originally supposed to be longer, butttt since I'll be in Denver all week on my senior trip I figured I'd give you guys a little something to tide you over until I get back :) The next chapter will have the boys in it though, I promise!

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