The I Love You Challenge

Chelsea woke up the next morning with a sense of pride practically radiating from her. She knew she was the only one who had begun the challenge. Not only was she the most competitive, but she knew Melissa’s ‘I don’t give a damn about anything’ attitude would stop her from getting started. Lizzie was probably her biggest competitor from that group. She loved Jamie to death but they all knew she barely knew how to talk to an average guy, let alone a NHL star. She doubted Jamie would even know how to find a hockey player.

The only variable that Chelsea thought might hold her back would be Crosby himself. She didn’t know how drunk he was the previous night and even though he had seemed very interested she didn’t know if it was sincere or not.

She spent that morning doing some work, reading for one of her classes and catching up on TV shows she had been missing before her cell rang. The phone number on her screen was unknown to her and she silently hoped it was Sidney.

“Hello?” she answered brightly just in case it was.

“Hi, um, Chelsea?” a deep voice came through her phone. It was Crosby and she held back a shout of joy.

“That’s me!” She replied excitedly.

“This is Sidney, we met last night at that club and you gave me your number,” he explained.

“Oh hey, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon!” It was true, earlier she was worried he wouldn’t call at all and here she was speaking to him not even 24 hours after the initial encounter.

“I’m sorry if it’s too soon but you were just so captivating last night and I couldn’t get you out of my head. I needed to talk to you,” he told her. She grinned and sighed silently. That was just so cute. Chelsea could stand hearing that for a while.

“No its okay, I wanted to talk to you too,” she said sweetly.

“Good,” he said sounding relieved.

“I can’t wait to see you again,” she said sighing.

“What are you doing today?” he asked her eagerly.

“I’m free until this evening, I have a class in the late afternoon,” she told him.

“Do you want to meet for lunch or something?” he asked.

“Sure! Do you want to pick me up in like an hour or so and then we can get something to eat?”

“That’s sounds great! What’s your address?” she gave him to address to her dorm and then they hung up. Chelsea rushed to her laptop to type up an email in response to Rule number four (the one about weekly updates) and then spent of the rest of her time getting ready. He showed up at her apartment a little before one and they drove around for a while looking for a place to go. The conversation in the car was effortless they meshed perfectly. This reassured Chelsea, not only would he think chemistry was there but she wouldn’t have to spend the weeks ahead with a complete dud. Sidney was a gentlemen but he also had a good sense of humor.

They decided to have lunch at a small bistro in downtown Pittsburg. He seemed nervous and Chelsea figured it was because he didn’t want to be spotted by a fan. He didn’t say anything though and she had to remind herself that he didn’t know she knew who he was. After they had sat down and ordered, they started to have real get-to-know each other conversation.

“You look so familiar!” she said to him. “I just can’t put my finger on where I’ve seen you before. What did you say your last name is?”

“I didn’t but its Crosby,” he replied hesitantly.

“Sidney Crosby…” she said aloud pretending like she was trying to put it together. “Oh I know! You’re the captain of the Penguins! I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner!”

“Are you a fan?” he asked dejectedly, as if he didn’t want her to be.

“Not of the Penguins,” she remarked.

“Please say you’re not a Flyers fan,” he said nervously.

She laughed. “I wouldn’t be stupid enough to live here if I rooted for Philly,” he breathed a sigh of relief. “No I’m a Redwings fan.”

“I guess I can deal with that. What brought you to Pittsburgh?” he asked.

“Well I’m originally from the Detroit area but I’m here for now studying to become a journalist,” she explained.

“You’re still in school?”

“Yeah I’m a sophomore in college. I’m 21 though,” she told him.

“What branch of journalism do you want to get into? Like breaking news or like entertainment or…”

“I’m hoping sports. I want to work for either a specific team or sports network as a television reporter. I don’t like the writing part as much.”

“Which sport?”

“Well I’m hoping I can get my foot into hockey, because I love the sport so much but if not than probably football.”

“You love hockey?”

“Like it’s the only thing I have keeping me alive.”

“Well we have that in common. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my career that I forget it isn’t the only thing keeping me alive.”

“I played so many sports growing up it consumed my schedule, I know what you mean to a certain degree.”

“Did you play hockey?”

“Not competitively. I stuck to soccer, lacrosse, and basketball.”

“Do you still play?”

“Not for my school but I play pickup basketball every other weekend and I help coach the local high school’s freshmen team in lacrosse.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun,” he remarked.

“It is, definitely. Although sometimes I wish I was still playing competitively. I mean I know it’s harder to make a career out of those things especially for girls but I still think it would be fun,”

“Playing a sport for a career isn’t all that and a slice of pie,” she grinned at his analogy. “It had its downside. Journalism is a cool career. I can already see you having your own show on the NHL Network.”

“That would be ideal! But I still think having a gold medal around my neck would be amazing,” before he could say anything she continued. “Don’t even try to tell me that that isn’t all it’s cracked up to be because I know that would be a lie.”

“You caught me.”

“You scored the winning goal in the Olympics in 2010 right?” he nodded. “I remember thinking that beating your rivals in overtime in game 7 to win Olympic gold must’ve been a highlight in your career.”

“That and winning the Cup the year before,” he told her.

“Yeah I can imagine that being a pretty good moment.” They both laughed.

“You want to know who my favorite captain in the NHL currently is?” she asked him.

“Me?” he asked hopefully.

“Nice try Crosby but no.”

“Lidstrom?”

“No but he’s pretty damn amazing.”

“I give up.”

“Ovechkin.” Sidney’s jaw dropped and a look of horror swept across his face.

“You cannot be serious.” He said sounding like someone had just told him that Santa wasn’t real. She put on her best ‘I’m not joking’ face before she couldn’t hold back the laughter.

“Of course not!” she said in-between laughs. “But you should’ve seen the look on your face!” she exclaimed still laughing.

“That was not funny!” he said beginning to laugh too.

The rest of their lunch went great and as they warmed up to each other it just got better. The drive back to her dorm went quickly and soon they were at the door.

“Do you want to come in?” she offered.

“I have an afternoon practice soon, before our game tonight so I shouldn’t.”

“You guys play tonight?”

“Yeah against the Bruins, it’s going to be a hard game.”

“Maybe I’ll watch from home.”

“You could come if you wanted too. It’s probably too late to get you regular tickets but I could get you into the families’ box. Guys bring their girlfriends their all the time.” He quickly caught what he said and blushed. “Not that I think we’re dating or anything I was just trying to say that you don’t have to be family to get in.”

“Don’t sweat it Sid, I get what you were trying to say. What time does the game start?”

“7:30.”

“Okay I can come if you want me too. Maybe I’ll be good luck.”

“You’ll be the best luck ever. I’ll text you the info and have Jordan Staal’s fiancée hang out with you so you’re not all alone. The other women are really nice though don’t worry.” She agreed and he kissed her on the cheek before walking towards the stairwell. Once he was out of eyesight and earshot she did a small victory dance in the hallway. She knew he was into her and he invited her to a game. Chelsea didn’t believe they would do that for just anyone.

The other girls better get a move on