Say That You Love Me

Two Days Later

The smell of Starbucks coffee drifted into my room and made it's way under the covers where I was sleeping, my head smushed against the Egyptian cotton pillowcases and laying on the matching sheets that were soft to the touch and the colour of warm sunflower petals. I slowly moved my arm that was previously under my head out of the covers into the cold air from the open window a few feet from my bed. I had opened it last night when it was a little hot in my room.

I pulled the heavy blue and green striped king-sized comforter off my head as my blue eyes opened to greet the morning.

I yawned, did a weird stretch letting every bone in my body crack as I stepped out of bed unravelling my green pjshorts that were all rolled up and doing another quick stretch, I slipped my feet into my slippers and made my way out my door, itching at my baremidrift with bitten down orange glitter covered finger nails.

The smell of coffee started getting stronger as I approached the island counter centred in the middle of the floor, a few feet from the granite counters lining the walls.

I noticed the sun was shining from the patio door on the wall to my right through the glass against the doors of my stainless steel french door fridge. I grabbed a vessel mug from the cupboard and poured myself a cup adding in the sweetener as I stirred it around in my cup and startled as I turned around and found Layla sitting on my couch with Cobus sitting beside her.

"Wow," Layla briefly glanced over at me. "Here I was, afraid Cobus was going to attack anyone who broke in," I walked down the step and sat down in the puffy arm chair as Cobus discarded Layla and jumped into my lap.

I yawned, setting my mug down on the endtable. "What are you doing here?" It was 9:10am. I had no desire to be up this early, with no classes today or any other plans with Jake at practice before their game tonight and Layla having a lab at noon and Sid playing a game in Vancouver tonight. Jake asked me to go to his dorm around noon, but other than that I was planless.

"I was bored, Jake wasn't answering his phone so I thought I'd come over here," She explained, turning up the volume on the TV and looking towards me. She had blue eyeshadow on her left eye, and red on her left, both circled in black makeup with a dark red tint to her cheeks. Her red hair was pulled into a tight high pony, her bangs pinned to her head by a plaid bow.

"Heathers being a bitch?" I asked, petting Cobus hearing him purr. She smiled. "Three more weeks, Layla, three more weeks," Layla was counting three weeks until Heather; her roomate left for Christmas break and finally, next term she was moving into a boarding house so Layla officially would have the room to herself.

We had a long weekend, and I still had no idea what my plans were. Jake was heading home to Jersey and Layla was going back home to Boston, so I would be all by myself. Layla grabbed her mug off the coffee table and sipped on it.

"Morning girls," My attention was taken to the bleached blonde girl walking through the patio doors, her phone glued to her hands. She was dressed in blue sweat pants, a white tank and a yellow cardigan.

"Hi Lisa," I greeted, smothering my mouth with my hand at the face Layla was making as Lisa dropped into the opposite arm chair, in the middle of us. Cobus eyeballed her, and looked up at me, before burying his head in my leg. "How are you this morning?"

"Justins still not home," Lisa whined. In a quick second, Cobus jumped off my lap and ran up the stairs. Lisa has a very high-pitched whine to her voice and it hurt poor Cobus's ears. I frowned, knowing I'd have to coax him out from under my bed where I knew he liked to hide. "He was supposed to be home 5 minutes ago, he's not answering the phone at work or his texts, what could he be doing?"

"Probably working," Layla and I muttered at the same time. Lisa's been dating her boyfriend Justin Hebert for about two and a half years and she is the most psychotic girlfriend I have ever met in my life. She calls his work constantly, texts him constantly and if he doesn't answer within a certain amount of time, he's cheating on her. She shows up at his work constantly and it gets him in deep shit with his boss.

She doesn't work, or do anything for that matter. It's all Justin.

Lisa and Justin moved into the townhouse behind mine after he got accepted to BSC this semester and got a job answering phones at this car repair place about four blocks away. Ever since Justin started playing football with Jake, Lisa and I met at one of their games.

"Iam so done with his bullshit," Lisa grumbed, moving places to sit beside Layla on the couch. "He just does not appreciate anything I do for him," Layla and I looked at eachother and shared a look. "Can one of you text him for me?" Quickly Layla placed her hand over her phone and whipped it underneath one of the couch pillows.

"I left it at home," Lisa quickly looked over at me, hope deep in her blue eyes. This was her thing. She thought that if Justin wasn't answering her, she could catch him answering one of us and assume he's cheating on her. Just to be clear, Justin has never ever cheated on her, but yes Lisa has cheated on Justin constantly.

"I was texting Sid all last night and it's completely dead," I explained, knowing full well I charged it last night and it was sitting on my end table. "I haven't even charged it," I didn't want to get Justin in trouble for answering me, because I knew he would. Justin was a really nice guy and I was still racking my mind as to why he was with her when this was their life all the time. I go almost a whole day without talking to Sid, but I have never thought he was cheating on me. Nor would I ever.

I quickly grabbed my cup and brought it out to the sink where I rinsed it and set it on the dish rack, hearing Layla and Lisa carrying on a conversation about her latest fight with Justin. I hurried up the stairs to get ready to go see Jake at his dorm. I had an hour to get ready.

I threw open my bedroom door and pranced across my hardwood floor to the bathroom where I turned on the shower and pulled my hair into a clip. Cobus walked into the bathroom. I watched him walk under the toilet and curl into a ball. I shut the bathroom door and stripped down as I got in the shower, and began to wash up my body and hair.

Within 20 minutes, I was showered and dressed in tight dark blue jeans and a grey long sleeved shirt. I had done my hair and make-up and slipped my phone into the bag I was taking with me as I walked out and headed down the stairs. Cobus had trotted into my closet and was sleeping on the stack of blankets.

"Hey, are you going somewhere?" Lisa jumped out of the arm chair and walked up to me, where I was sitting on the island counter, pulling my UGGS on and tucking my pant legs inside. I nodded my head, not feeling the need to specify. "Can you drop me off at AAC please? He's still not answering." AAC was the name of the mechanics shop Justin worked at.

"I guess so," I sighed. Layla rolled her eyes, sliding her scarf around her neck. I hopped off the island and grabbed my bag, as I threw on my coat and we all made our way out to my Wrangler parked in it's spot.

Layla called shotgun and practically pushed Lisa to the ground as she ran for the car. Lisa slipped in the back as I crawled into the drivers seat, placing my bag on the console. I started up the car and backed out of the driveway as I sped out onto the road.

"I can't believe he's not answering," Lisa whined, sitting forward resting her arms on the backs of our seats. I braked at a stop light and looked over at Layla, who still had her phone stuffed into her bra and was deep down praying to god that it didn't vibrate. I had set mine to silent. "If he's fucking someone else, I swear to god," I watched tears filling her eyes. "I can't deal with this shit anymore, I love him, why does he always do this to me?"

We stayed silent. I knew deep down Layla wanted to rip her face off just because this was what she did. She bitched and bitched and bitched about Justin not answering her and then ten to one, they'll get into a fight, and be back together in a matter of a few days. So far, by my count they've broken up 18 times this month.

Sid and I broke up one time, in the year we've been together, now that doesn't mean we haven't fought, we fight constantly especially over not seeing eachother for long periods of time. It killed us both, but hockey makes Sid happy and that's all I want is for him to be happy.

I pulled up outside the doors of AAC and watched Lisa climb out of the back. I rolled down my window. "Are you okay to get back home?" I asked. We lived about 4 blocks from here and Justin drove or took the bus to get to work and it was roughly an hour walk from our condos.

"I'll get a ride with Justin," She smiled, walking up to the doors. I quickly stepped on the gas and sped out of the parking lot.

Layla dug her phone out of her bra and ran her fingers across the screen. "Son of a bitch," Layla growled, slipping her phone against her ear. She nibbled her brightly painted red bottom lip and leaned back against her seat. I stopped at a stop sign and pulled my phone out of my bag, turning the screen on. I had one new message.

I opened it. "Sorry babe, we had to drop Lisa off at Justin's work," Layla rolled her eyes. "She wanted me to text Justin, and I turned my phone off," Layla was talking to this guy Jace Taylor she's been seeing on and off for roughly 6 months. I wasn't to fond of him, he was kinda arrogant and definitely wasn't the type of guy I'd picture Layla with. "Well I'm fucking sorry Jace, chill the hell out,"

I turned my attention to my new message. - Can you call me when you get this? I placed my phone back in my bag and sped up, turning down the right hand side towards The Courtier Building where Jake lived. He had to live on campus, or close to campus because of his daily three hour practices and games practically every weekend that Layla and I frequently attended.
Jake waved from his spot on a curb by the parking lot where I was just pulling into and hurried over to the car when it stopped. I rolled down my window as he came walking up.

He was wearing a grey muscle shirt that was full of sweat, red gym shorts and his runners.
"Hey Jake," I smiled, rolling down my window as the cool winter weather floated in the car and settled around us. I turned off the engine so the heater wouldn't have to work overtime. "We just dropped Lisa off at AAC," I mused, leaning on the door. Layla continued her conversation with Jace, after she got out of the car and was now walking around the area of the car.

"Justin not texting her?" Jake smiled, flexing his bicep and stood straight up, running his fingers through his hair. I nodded my head. "God, they sicken me. Honestly, she tried that shit with me, I'd be like 'Fuck you bitch'," Honestly I knew Jake would. Jake was a sweet guy, he really was, but if a girl was mistreating him, or bitching because of something stupid, Jake would would bluntly tell her fuck off.

Layla stumbled back into the car and slammed her phone into the console which directed both our attention towards her, sitting in the seat with her arms crossed over her chest. "Stupid fucking self-centred son of a bitch," Layla muttered under her breath before glancing over at us. "Jace just bitched me out for not picking up the phone when he called, like, are you fucking kidding me?! I apologized and he said 'don't talk to me' and hung up, fucking prick,"

Jake handed me a paper and walked off. He hated drama especially Layla and Jace's drama, they were full of it and it was usually Jace being a bitch to her about pointless crap. Sid could send me a messagae at 8 in the morning and I could not call him until 2 in the afternoon and he wouldn't bitch me out.

- - - - -
"They got in this huge fight," I whispered into the mic on my MacBook. Sid was on the screen, sitting cross-legged with a movie playing in the background. We were skyping from his hotel room in Vancouver. Ofcourse I kept him up to date with all the latest drama in Buffalo as he did with me in Pittsburgh. I was writing down notes for my test on Friday in English. We had a massive essay section that was worth 85% of our mark. "It was sad, but if you know Lisa and Justin like I do, they'll be back together within two days,"

I was laying stomach down on my bed, with Cobus sitting up at the head of my bed on a pillow sleeping. Every once in a while, my foot will move over and I'll touch him and ofcourse, I'll hear about it from him.

I had walked into Buffalo's Animal Rescue two years ago to volunteer on a weekend and saw Cobus sitting in a cage, growling at everyone who walked past his cage, except me. He stared intently at me and stole my heart and by the end of the day, he was mine. The workers were shocked when he purred and rubbed himself on me. I cried purfusely begging them to let me adopt him, because he was suppossed to be euthanized within the week.

My MacBook was up on one of my pillows pointed down towards me.

Sid had a cap on backwards and leaned into the camera, stretching his arm overtop before appearing with a water bottle as he got comfortable. I had seen Flower excuse himself from the room when we started skyping roughly an hour ago. "I can't even picture being in a relationship like that," He shared, sipping some water out of the bottle. "Ohh, I didn't tell you how lunch for Geno went,"

I quickly slipped my papers onto the floor as I got comfortable and pulled my laptop onto my lap. "Don't leave anything out, start from the beginning," I watched Sid smile as his adorable laughter met my ears. This was part of the whole conversation I had been waiting for. Studying could wait until later or tomorrow at the coffeehouse.

"Well, I guess she was about 20 minutes late," Sid rolled his eyes. "And all she wanted to talk about was her hair and Geno tried to tell her how practice was, but she's apparently a girly girl who doesn't like hockey," Not like I was shocked or anything. Girls who like hockey are a dime a dozen.

I know some girls who go to games to scope out the hot guys and stalk them, we call them puck bunnies, they give girls who actually know the sport a bad name. I used to watch Skelleftea games with my Dad when I was little as he was the GM at the time, so I've known hockey from the diaper era. Hockey is a brutal sport, and I loved the fights except when Sid gets in the fights, then my hearts in my throat.

"So, what's going on with them now?" I asked, leaning forward after placing the laptop back onto the pillow. "Tell me he's not still going to go with her,"

Sid frowned. "Yeah, they are doing coffee tomorrow morning, because she flew in for the game,"

"They aren't even dating," I furrowed my brows. "She better not hurt him Sid," Sid knows that Geno and I are like brother and sister, and that I would punch that bitch in the face if she disrespects my Geno in any way. "What do you think about her?"

"Meh, she's not my type for sure," Sid waved his hands in the air. "She's to girly, she bathes in her perfume and talks like a braindead five year old," He rolled his eyes. "But enough about her," He flipped onto his stomach and looked right in the camera. "Are you doing anything Friday?"

"This friday?" I questioned, seeing the knowing look in Sid's eyes. It was only Monday. "Nothing as of right now, I'll probs end up going for coffee with Jake and Layla, but that's probably it. Why?"

"Well, I was gonna make it a surprise but whatever," He waved his hands around before he got off the bed. I said his name but he didn't reappear. What was he doing? I said his name louder as I climbed onto my knees.

Cobus padded to my side and nuzzled against my arm, obviously trying to comfort me. I heard some shuffling before Sid appeared, carrying an item in his hands. "I got a ticket to come see you Friday, we may or may not have a game against the Sabres Saturday night,"

"How long are you gonna stay for?" I questioned, laying back down on my stomach. Cobus squeezed in beside me and laid on my arm.

"I could do overnight, but I got a ticket for you and one of your entourage to come to the game," He smiled widely. There was something about Sid's smile that excelerated my heartbeat. "We are doing something for our anniversary,"

"Oooh like what?" I was entrigued. He wanted to celebrate our six month mark, so we went out for chinese and watched a movie at his house then we doubled with Flower and Gemma the following morning for breakfast.

"I'm not telling you," Sid laughed. I narrowed my eyes. "It's a surprise,"

"I don't like surprises," I stroked Cobus's head, hearing his purring and felt him nuzzle against my cheek.

Roughly an hour later, after I was done studying and Sid said he had to go, to get some sleep before their skate, I set my laptop on the floor and crawled into bed after midnight.