You Had Me at Hello

Morgan’s P.O.V

I woke up Friday morning to the sound of Jen typing away on her laptop and once I noticed that it was already 11 o’clock decided not to throw a pillow at her for waking me up. I got up and got ready for the day then went into the bedroom to talk to Jen about her date the night before.

“So how was it?”

“How was what?” she replied.

“Your date with Mike?!?!”

“Oh… it was good.”

“Just good? What did you guys do?”

“Fine. It was great. He took me out to a nice restaurant then we got ice cream then went for a walk around the mall.”

“That’s cool. Did you have fun?”

“Yeah it was a blast. He is really funny and we have a lot in common.”

“That’s awesome. So when are you guys hanging out again?”

“Well, he asked me to go to a charity event with him today at an arcade.”

“Sweetness. Alex asked me to go too.”

“Good, I’m glad that I will know someone there other than Mike.”

“Of course. Not that it would matter; I know how you are around kids and arcade games. You would have been fine. But it will be fun to be there together.”

“Agreed. What time is Alex coming to get you?”

“He should be here in like twenty minutes. When will Mike be here?”

“Same time.”

“Good deal. So has he kissed you again?” I asked and saw her blush. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I said laughing.

“That’s not all,” she said still blushing.

“Jennifer Ann!”

“What?!?! Oh come on! You know me! I just meant that he asked me to be his girlfriend,” she said before walking into the bathroom to get ready.

“Wait what?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What did you say?!?! Please tell me you said yes!! Jennifer!!” I screamed though the door.

“Of course I said yes… after he fought with me for like half an hour about it.”

“And you are just now telling me this why?”

“Because I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”

“I will never understand you,” I said just as I heard a knock on the door and went to answer it. When I opened the door Mike and Alex were standing at the door. After giving Alex a hug, I turned to Mike and told him congratulations and gave him a quick hug and threatened that if he hurt her I would make sure he never played hockey ever again. Alex looked at me questioningly and I told him that he was dating Jen. Alex then hit him upside the head and “yelled” at him for not telling him. I just rolled my eyes and asked if they were ready to go. We proceeded to head out of the hotel, Mike and Jen holding hands and Alex wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped my arm around his waist. He kissed my head and we walked out to his car. We said good bye to Jen and Mike and got into his car and drove to the arcade.

When we got there I was surprised that there were so many people at the arcade. When we got out of the car, Alex took my hand and led me into the chaos. Jen and Mike met us inside the door and I knew that Jen had to be freaking out inside because I knew how much she hated being in crowds, especially if it was loud. We still had a few minutes before the event would begin so the four of us stood off to the side talking until we were told that the children were arriving. While we were waiting Nick walked up to us and as soon as I saw him I reached over and gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

"Better watch your girl Alex. She has had her eye on Backstrom for as long as I have known her." Jen said teasingly. To which I laughed softly into Nick's shoulder. Alex replied saying that he would have to be careful to never leave Nick and I alone together as this was the second time in as many days that he had had to hear about me liking Nick.

All soon as I stepped out of Nick's embrace, Alex pulled me into a hug and dropped a lingering kiss on my lips before releasing me and taking my hand. After standing and talking for a little while longer about random things the children and parents were let in and after a welcome speech by the charity's director we all spread out to wait for the kids to come meet up with us.

We all took our places and waited to meet the children that we would be spending several hours with that day. Alex and I were assigned a beautiful little girl who was there with her father who was a soldier serving in the National Guard. Many of my friends from high school were serving or had served in the National Guard and many members of my family were serving in a branch of the military. That was one of the reasons that I was so excited to be here. I always try to thank any members of the military that I got a chance to because I know, as much as someone who is not involved can, how much they sacrifice. About half way through the day, someone made an announcement and asked everyone to be quiet because they had a surprise for one of the little girls. We found out that her mother had just arrived home the day before and that she had been deployed for almost a year. When the little girl saw her mother and started running toward her crying I knew that it was a sight that I would never forget. The mother dropped to her knees with tears in her eyes and held onto her little girl. After a few minutes everyone returned to their games.

I left the group and walked down a hallway with tears streaming down my face. After a minute, Alex caught up to me looking very worried.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in a whisper.

“Nothing is wrong. It’s just that things like that always make me cry really hard and I just wanted to get away from the group to compose myself.”

“I’m glad that you are ok. And I understand. I know that it’s not the same but when I first moved to America, my parents still lived in Russia so whenever I would get to see my parents I felt like that. I don’t cry but sometimes, even now I feel like I’m going to.” He wrapped me in a hug and after a little while I stopped crying and after wiping my eyes I let go and took a step back and told Alex that I was going to go wash my face and I would meet him back near the games in a few minutes. He kissed me quickly on the lips and went back to play skee ball with the little girl and her father. After I washed my face and made my way back out to the game room. I took a second to admire how adorable Alex looked with the little girl and to wonder what it would be like to see him with our child. I quickly shook off the thought calling myself crazy because we had only known each other for a few days and it wasn't like we were even together before walking up to the little group. We continued to play games until it was time to go, then after getting pictures with the soldier and his daughter and giving them autographs we headed back out to the car.

“I just want you to know that I normally don’t cry about much. I am more likely to cry about something that happens in a book or a movie then I am about anything that happens to me.”

“I figured that you weren’t a girl to cry a lot. That just doesn’t seem like something you would do. So what do you want to do now?”

“Want to see if Mike and Jen want to do something?”

“Sounds good to me. Want to call Jen and ask if they want to go to dinner and a movie or something like that?”

“Sure,” I said smiling as I dialed Jen’s number and put my phone on speaker phone so that Alex could hear as well.

“Hello?”

“Hey Portman, you and Mikey want to go get dinner and see a movie with Alex and I tonight?”

“Sure Fulton.”

“Where do you want to go?” Mike asked.

“Where ever is fine with me. Alex?”

“I don’t care. Mike you decide.”

“Fine. Babe, what do you want to eat?”

“How about we go to Olive Garden?”

“Perfect! Jen I love you,” I said into the phone.

“Sounds good to me, meet you guys there?” Alex asked.

“Yup, see you there.” Mike answered.

“Ok, bye guys.”

“Bye, see you in a few.”

When we got to Olive Garden, we were quickly seated and all decided on what we were going to get. Jen and I chose to just get soup, salad, and breadsticks while the guys each got a different type of pasta. Our food came and we all ate and talked and had a great time getting to know each other better. Once we were done I pulled out my phone to check for movie times and after a few minutes of discussion, we selected what movie we wanted to see and left to go to the theater. Once we got there we took our seats in the middle of the theater and waited for the movie to start.

All of a sudden I heard the two girls behind us talking and heard them mention Alex and so I started to listen. I know that you shouldn’t do that but they weren’t exactly being quiet. The next thing I heard, if I wasn’t as mature as I am would have caused me to turn around and punch one of the bitches in the face. As it was, I saw Alex’s hands clench into fists. I just reached over and grabbed his hand in an attempt to get him to calm down. It was nothing that I hadn’t heard before and it was true to an extent. I realize that I am not the prettiest nor am I the skinniest person around and I was fine with that. I am happy with how I look and long ago came to terms with it. I was willing to just let it go but then they started in on Jen and that was the last straw. I turned around and glared at them. At first they just glared back defiantly but as I continued to glare I could see that they were both a little nervous.

Trying to be cool the one spoke up and asked what I wanted in an extremely annoying voice.
“I would like for you two to shut up and apologize to my friend and learn to mind your own business, but as I’m guessing that will be too difficult for you, I will settle on you just being quiet.”

“Oh really, are you going to make us bitch?”

“Really? Bitch? Honey I have been called way worse but way better people. If you really think that is going to offend me you are sadly mistaken. Now as I said, please be quiet.” I turned around in the seat to watch the movie and the next thing I know, I’m covered in pop and pissed. I stood up, glared at the little bitch with my pissed off face (as my friends call it) and said two words: “Outside. Now.”

The little bitch stood up and walked outside looking like she thought she was hot shit. Once we got outside she looked like she was going to try to fight me. I stood looking at her with Jen, Mike, and Alex standing behind me. Jen had a smirk on her face and Mike and Alex looked concerned. The bitch took a swing at my face and right before she connected, my restraint training kicked in and the next thing she knew, she was on her ass in a cradle hold that she wouldn’t have been able to get out of if she wanted. I calmly looked up at Jen from my place behind the bitch’s back and asked if Jen would please call the police as I wanted to file a complaint.

At one time when we were waiting the bitch’s friend looked like she wanted to try to hit me but as soon as I turned my glare in her direction she backed off. When the police showed up we explained the situation and as it was all caught on the theater’s security camera and I had members of the Washington Capitals backing my story the police never questioned my story and simply led the bitch to their car and took her away. Her friend followed after giving me a parting glare.

Once they were gone I turned to my friends to apologize to my friends for missing the movie when Alex pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

"What was that for? Now you are covered in pop too," I asked blushing.

"That was for being so fucking hot taking on that girl without even flinching. And it's no big deal. Nothing a shower won't take care of. Where did you learn that move?"

"I'm a red belt in Tae Kwon Do. That was one of the first few self-defense moves that we learned. I also am certified to restrain anyone who is a danger to themselves or anyone around them," I answered with a smile.

We decided to give up on the movie and as we were getting ready to leave, the manager came out and after asking what had happened offered to refund our money and kept apologizing to us for the bitch’s (though he didn't call her that) behavior. We accepted his offer and told him over and over again that it was not his fault and Alex said that the next time we were all here together we would be back. This gave me butterflies thinking that maybe that meant that Alex would want to talk to me again after Sunday when I left. We decided to go our separate ways for the evening with Mike and Jen going off to do something and Alex and I going to take a walk. He took me home a little after eleven and after kissing me, left to go get some sleep for tomorrow’s game against the Black Hawks.

After he left I got a shower and went to bed. I heard Jen come in just as I was about to fall asleep but before I could say anything I was asleep.