Say That You Love Me

"Bye Cobus, be a good boy," I blew Cobus a kiss from where I was standing at the front door to where he was sitting at the top of his cat habitat, curled up in a ball. I grabbed my bag off the rack and slid it up my shoulder and turned, seeing Jake leaning against the door.

"Are you done saying goodbye to your cat?" Jake laughed. "Wanna say goodbye to Fern too?" He pointed across the room to Fern, my barely alive Ficus sitting in the corner of my living room behind a large, puffy white leather arm chair where my laptop was sitting, plugged into the outlet next to Fern.

I had brought it with me to Calculus and it almost died in class. Jake walked back with me to my house, so I could drop off my laptop and he had plans to use my TV to check on his bets on sports. He was betting the Buffalo Bills were going to crush the New Orleans Saints.

I had changed out of my clothes into my loungers and just as I came downstairs, my phone went off, with a text from Layla telling me and Jake to go to Tony's for a coffee and to catch-up. I just seen her yesterday and Jake mentioned seeing her this morning at school.

I got changed and put on an oversized off the shoulder grey vneck, black leggings and grabbed my jacket and put on my UGGS. Jake pulled the door shut as we began walking down the street. My phone vibrated as I dug it out of my coat pocket. I opened the new message.

- Packing my stuff to come see you tomorrow :) What are you up to? Ofcourse it was Sid. I moved my overcomb out of my eyes and quickly texted back - Can't wait to see you! Cobus and I miss you <3 I'm heading to Tonys with Jake. We're meeting Layla.

Jake nudged my shoulder as we quickly crossed the road and moved down the adjacent street. I stuffed my phone in my pocket and tried to keep up with Jake. "Sid's coming to see me tomorrow," I gushed, sliding my arm through Jakes. "I cannot wait to see him," Jake waved a finger in the air in a circular motion. "He's spending the night,"

I pulled open the doors to Tony's as we walked in, noticing Layla's fire engine red hair overtop of a sea of people at the back with her boyfriend, Jace Williams on her left. She was whispering in his ear, but he was busy checking out the waitress at the table next to them.

I personally disliked Jace, he never treated Layla with the respect she deserved and always checked out other girls while he was out with Layla. Jace was a blonde, with loose curls shaping his heart shaped face stopping at his jaw, minimal facial hair and dark green eyes. He always wore brightly coloured polos and tore jeans.

Layla had met him through Jake, at one of their practices while he was a late try-out. I had no clue what she saw in him.

"Emily," Layla smiled, leaning across the table to give us both hugs before we sat down in the chairs she pointed to.

I took off my jacket and draped it over the back of the chair as my eyes connected with Jace's who were busy scanning my upper half. I flipped my hair over my right shoulder and leaned back in my chair. Jake and Layla were talkling briefly about his football practice yesterday that she missed.

I dug change out of my pocket and moved to the counter to order my coffee. The barista, Meg, walked up to me, wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled, placing her hands on her register. "One mug of swiss bean coffee, with two sugars," I nodded my head as she began pouring it.

I felt eyes on me as I looked over at Jace, staring intently in my direction. I scoffed under my breath and turned back to Meg, who set a mug on the counter. I handed her the change for my coffee and walked back to the table and set my plate down and taking a sip off the coffee. Jake rolled his eyes at whatever Jace had said and moved towards the counter, digging his wallet out of his back pocket.

I took my chair and sat back down, crossing my legs over one another and moving my eyes towards Layla. "So," I started. Instantly I gathered Jace's and Layla's attention. "Sid and I skyped last night..."

"Ohmygod," Layla leaned forward, capturing my free hand that wasn't wrapped around my mug in hers. "Tell me everything," She loved everything about Sid and I being together, and I mean everything. She's talked to Sid many times and she thinks he's amazing and perfect for me.

"He's coming to see me tomorrow, and he's gonna spend the night," I gushed, feeling the heat meet my cheeks. "He's got a game Saturday against Buffalo, so he's giving me two tickets, to the game," I had an alterior motive for choosing to bring Layla to the game.

I was going to introduce her to some of Sid's single friends, and maybe she'll hit it off with someone and finally ditch Jace. I could see her with either Kris Letang, Geno or TK. Laylas eyes instantly brightened. "I was wondering since Jake has class, would you wanna go with me to the game?"

"Yeah, sure," She smiled. "What time is it at?" Jace didn't seem pleased with Layla's new plans. He sat back against his chair and pouted like a little kid.

"Sid'll probably want us there for the pre-game and all that crap, so 6:30, I'd say," I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was so excited whenever Sid came to see me, and Layla knew it. She adored us together. Even though Jake badmouthed him, I knew he was happy with us together. "We can come pick you up at 6?" My eyes drifted to Jake, sitting with a blonde girl at a table, drinking coffee. Jake was munching a little gourmet cookie. From here, it looked ginger, because those were his favourite.

"Yea-" Layla nodded her head, a large smile plastered on her face.

"No, you're not going," Jace cut her off. Layla and I abruptly turned and looked at him. I was ofcourse glaring viciously in his direction as Layla released my hand.

"Why the hell not?" I blurted out before Layla had a chance. Jace immediately glared in my direction. "She's gonna be with me the whole night, chill out," Jace always accused Layla of cheating on him, always and it was complete bullshit if you ask me, Layla if she's not with him, is either with me or at school, or sometimes at the library studying with Stacie, her Chem lab partner.

"I'm saying no!" Jace spoke in a firm tone, putting his finger down on the table by Layla's mug half full of her favourite Vanilla Bean coffee, with low fat creamer and two sugars.

"You're not her fucking boss! If she wants to go to this game, she has every fucking right!" I yelled back. Jace is an insane control freak, and wants to dominate over everything in Layla's life and it was annoying. Sid and I don't control eachother. We have a mutual understanding. We are both grown adults and have control over our own lives. The only reason I'd tell him not to do something is if he could potentially get killed doing it, other than that, I let him go.

"Stay out of this Emily!" Jace yelled at me, stepping out of his seat. "This doesn't concern you!"

"Like fuck it doesn't concern me!" I jumped out of my chair and leaned across the table. "She is a grown woman, not a dog, she's not at your beckon call!"

"You go to that game, and we are so over!" Jace shoved a threatening finger into her face as he grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the doors.

"Emily!" Layla whined, laying her head down on the table. I sat down in my chair and felt my heart racing violently in my chest. I noticed people at various tables staring over at ours. "You didn't have to do that!" Jake was ofcourse smiling and leaned over to whisper in the girls ear, which was probably to explain what had happened.

"Yes, I did" I defended myself. "He can't control you! Layla, you can do so much better than him, and you totally know it!" I patted her hands before picking up my coffee and taking a drink from it. It was colder now, but I didn't mind it.

"Iam going to have to apologize for this, he's never gonna forgive me," She put her head in her hands. "I hate when you and him start yelling, it always ends up on my plate,"

"If you didn't date someone who was a total cocksmith-"

"I can't get anyone better, Emily," Layla whispered. "Iam not you, I am not like you, I can't get a smoking hot hockey player," Ofcourse she put it in my face how different we are. Apparently Layla referred to me as the blonde goddess, that every guy lined up to be with and she was the girl they pushed to the side to get to me.

"Layla," I smiled. "Let's just forget about this. Jace will calm the hell down in the morning and you are gonna spend the night at my house, no if ands or buts," Jace knew better than to come to my house when Layla was there, I had hockey sticks and bats all over the house and if Sid found about Jace trying to harm me or Layla, he'd have bigger problems than getting beat with a hockey stick.

We got a couple cookies and a muffin to go and Layla and I began our walk back to my house. Jake stayed in the coffehouse talking to the girl at the table. I wanted to know who she was. I had never seen her before, but Jake seemed to know her.

"Who was that girl in there?" I asked Layla, after we got outside the coffeehouse into the snow. The street lights were bright and it was starting to get very dark outside. Last I checked the time, it was 10. The coffeehouse usually closes a little after 11. Layla was putting her hat on as I zipped up my jacket and dug my hands into the pockets finding my phone.

"No idea. Jake knows her, I've seen her at school," Layla mused. "I think her name is Abbie," Her eyes turned and found the sky more interesting before looking back at me. "Jace really isn't a bad guy, I mean he isn't a knight in shining armor-"

"He's a retard in tin foil, Layla," I laughed, immediately stopping at the serious look on her face. "What?"

"You think Sidney is your knight in shining armor?" Layla smiled, twirling her loose curls around her finger. "I mean, think serious for a second, do you see you and Sid together forever?"

I paused for a second as the snow began falling around us. "I really do like him, who knows Layla, I may not end up with him," In all honesty, I was joking, but part of me did believe it. I brushed the flakes off my bag and moved the snowflakes off my chest. "I'd be pissed if he was with anyone else, like after we broke up and shit,"

There was an awkward pause before Layla burst out laughing. "Yeah, right, you and Sid not together, I'm sorry, but you are so perfect, like you are both gorgeous, make a hot couple, and you are going to have the cutest babies," She giggled.

"You really think so? My brother is constantly like 'Sid's gonna cheat on you, it's the age difference', like geez, we are five years apart, not that bad," Sid was just turning 23 this August, and I was following in turning 18 in October.

"My gammie and grandpa are 25 years apart," Layla smiled. I turned and walked up the steps to my townhouse and unlocked the door as Layla pushed the door in and walked through the house, dropping her stuff all over the floor. I hung my bag on the rack and sat my jacket on the coat hook before kicking my UGGS onto the mat and moved where Layla was sitting with Cobus on the floor.

- - - -
"Up next on ETALK," Tanya Kim smiled, walking up to the TV screen. "Has Lindsay really changed her ways? That's up next in over two minutes, but first are the rumours of Edney calling it quits true?"

"Oh, fuck off!" I grumbled, tossing my slipper at the wall beside the TV. It was a plasma 56" Tv set, there was no way in hell I'd throw something at it. "What more is there to report? I haven't seen Sid for like over a week,"

"We spoke with Sidney Crosby first hand this morning after a rigorous morning practice and we gathered some news," I watched intensely as his face popped up on the screen, wearing his underarmour and a black Penguins Hockey ballcap on backwards, showing off his gorgeous brown eyes. Just above his left eyebrow was a large gash, that looked fresh but was scabbed over.

"Ohmygod, what is that gash from?! Who hit him?" I covered my face with my hands. Ten bucks, he got hi-sticked in the face either in a game or in practice.

"Goddamn your boyfriends hot," Layla commented, sipping her juice out of the straw. They began talking about practice and how everything is going and then they got to the part the entire world was waiting for.

"Sidney, can you tell us if the rumours of Edney calling it quite are entirely true?" The reporter asked. Sid's face contorted and I knew he was trying to tell the guy it wasn't his business to know. At first, Sid and I didn't want to tell anyone, because he knew it was gonna get bad for us, but we stuck to our guns and now this is our life. Practically, every day is reporters up our asses trying to get info.

"No. Emily and I are completely fine," Sidney assured him, wiping the sweat off his face. "I don't know where people get their info that for some reason, we aren't together anymore, I know we're not with eachother as much as I'd like to be, but we are still very much together as we were yesterday," Sid always tried to be as nice as possible. He hated to be mean when it wasn't needed.

"There is some speculation that Emily Miller has a secret boyfriend in Buffalo, can you confirm or deny this?" I have a secret boyfriend? He must be a real secret, I've never seen him. Layla rolled her eyes, grabbing up the glittery nail polish off the coffee table and began painting her finger nails. She had a blood red colour already there, but was now covering it with a purple sparkly glitter.

Instantly Sid started laughing. "If he's a secret, how would I know about him?" He smiled. "She has guy friends, like I have girl friends, it's nothing to get worked up over," Yeah, except the girls who hang around Sid are just there for his fame!

"I swear, why does everyone give a fuck if we're together or not?" I tightened the cap on my nail polish and looked at the blue glitter covering my toes. It was winter, and I was wearing boots at the moment but there is no reason why I can't paint my toenails.

"Have you seen your boyfriend? He's hot as hell Em, believe me girls care if you're out of the picture," I gave her a look as I grabbed our empty glasses and walked up the step into the kitchen.

"Well, I'm not, so those girls can fuck off," I seethed, running the water into the glasses briefly and setting them on the dish rack beside the sink on the counter. "Iam so sick and tired of whores sneaking into the locker room, just to fuck my boyfriend," I knew Sid wouldn't do anything, and I could trust him when he says he hasn't, and I know Evgeni wouldn't let it happen.

Layla smirked as she walked up to the island and laid her head down on the counter top. I startled when Cobus jumped up on the countertop beside my hand and began purring. Layla began petting him as I set the washed dishes onto the rack and grabbed up the bottle of wine out of the cupboard and poured some into our glasses.

"Em," Layla grabbed her cup after placing her hand overtop of mine. "If you're worried that maybe Sid will fuck around..." I frowned, nibbling my bottom lip. "I think you can trust him. He cares a shit load about you and I don't think Sid wants anyone else,"

"His Mom is already talking about marriage..." I huffed, sitting on the stool. "Like, we're not in love and granted I don't know shit about a functional marriage but I know you have to be in love for that kind of commitment," I put my fingers through my hair. "And she's talking about kids already too,"

"You and Sid are both gorgeous, you're kids are gonna be totally adorable," Layla beamed. I looked at my reflection in the spoon I was spinning around on the black island counter top. My blonde overcomb had fallen into my blue eyes and my cheeks were still rosy from being outside. "Have you thought about maybe moving in together?" My eyes quickly moved back up to her.

I smiled. "Yeah, we've argued constantly on that. He wants me to move to Sewickley, where he can keep an eye on me and I wanna wait until I'm done school," It was that. There were no hidden reasons. "I think Sid just wants to take our relationship to the next level and I'm not saying no, I'm wanting to finish school, atleast this year. Perhaps in the summer," I spun my black thumb ring around on the countertop. Cobus was laying between us as Layla was still rubbing his belly. Such a spoiled cat.

Layla frowned. "You and Jake are honestly the first people to have accepted me as me, and not shunned me because my hair is two different colours or I pair the weirdest clothes together," I watched the small smile form on her ruby red lips. "But you and Sid are so great together,"

"Layla," I felt the tears trickling down my face to match hers. I didn't know why I was crying, it's like my emotions overtook me and I had no control over them. Partly I thought was because I was realizing how much I was missing Sid and the other part was that I was gonna miss everything here after I move in with Sid. Layla and Jake are my bffs and that is forever.