Status: re-post :)
Beside You
Chapter 4
“Gretch…Gretch… GRETCH!”
I woke up startled because someone was screaming my name. Looking around, I saw Dan hovering over me.
“Gretch, are you okay? I think you were having a nightmare.”
My cheeks flushed. I hadn’t had a nightmare since I moved in with Dan. Telling him about Todd must have brought more memories come flooding back.
“Oh was I? I’m sorry, Dan. Did I wake you up?”
Dan chuckled nervously.
“Gretchen, you don’t have to be sorry, and no, you didn’t wake me up. I’m on my way out for a morning skate. You working today?”
I nodded, still half asleep.
“Yeah, at 11:00.”
Dan pointed to my alarm clock.
“Well, you better hustle. I know you and your long-ass showers.”
I chuckled sarcastically at him, throwing a pillow at him in the process as he was smirking on his way out of my room.
“I’ll see you later, yeah?”
I nodded, finally cracking a smile for the first time that morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I arrived at work just in the nick of time. My boss, Charli shook her head at me.
“I know you’re living with a hockey player and all, but you still have a job, you know.”
I was a bit scared that she was going to cut my pay or worse, fire me. I wasn’t late or anything, but Charli can be a hot head at times. She liked her employees to be at least 15 minutes early to set up their till and such before they started their shift. I understood her reasoning, but she didn’t know the kind of night, or life for that matter, I had been dealing with.
“Sorry Charli, it won’t happen again. Dan was taking up the shower this morning.”
She smirked at me and raised her eyebrow at me.
“You know, I’ve always wondered something. Are you dating Dan? Like, is that why you moved to Chicago. I remember you telling me you guys were childhood best friends and all that, but what about now? You said you haven’t seen him in 5 years, and now you’re living with him?”
I forgot to mention how close I’ve become with Charli. She may be my boss and can be a mighty bitch at times, but she’s also one of the coolest chicks I’ve ever come across. I had told her about my relationship with Dan. How we had been friends since we were teenagers and all that. She had mentioned it to me when I first told her that she thought something was up with me and Dan. I tried my best to convince her otherwise, but apparently, she didn’t let it go.
“Charli, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. No, I’m not dating Dan. I’m not dating anyone right now. I’m just a single girl living with her best friend in Chicago, and her best friend just happens to be a hockey player.”
Charli just nodded at me. I could see her asking me again in the near future, but I just wanted to get to work.
Dan’s POV
I arrived at Johnny’s Ice House before some of the team. I walked into the locker room and saw P. Kane and Toews sitting in their stalls. They were talking about something or other, but stopped when I walked in the room.
“Carbomb! Just the guy we wanted to see.”
I raised my eyebrow at the two.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
Pat smirked as he walked up to me. He clapped his hand on my shoulder.
“Well, Tazer and I decided to help you. We’ve noticed you’ve been a little down in the dumps lately. So we came up with a solution.”
I rolled my eyes. This can’t be good. I ran my hand over my face.
“Oh, and just what is this solution? If you say a strip club, I swear to God….”
Jonny cut me off.
“Hey now! Give us a little credit, man. That was one time, and we apologized for it. We didn’t know it would be all older, creepy looking ladies. Besides, this is a much much better idea.”
I shuddered as I remembered that strip joint that those two took me to to “welcome me to Chicago.” It was the most horrific sight I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Okay, okay. What is it?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gretchen’s POV
I was just about to leave work when Charli called me into the back lounge. I walked in to see her sitting at her desk.
“What’s up, Char?”
She smiled at me.
“You got any plans tonight?”
I shook my head.
“None that I’m aware of, I was just going to go home and relax. Why?”
Charli clapped her hands together.
“I’ll pick you up at 6:30. We’re going out.”
I was a little hesitant to say anything in response. It wasn’t like she invited me, she practically demanded I go out.
“Okay, great.”
I plastered on a fake smile, waved and walked out of the store. I walked to my car with many thoughts running around my head. I had a feeling that was telling me nothing good would out from this. I quickly shrugged it off, coming to the conclusion that going out may just be the perfect thing to get me out of my funk.
Dan’s POV
I was more excited for the game tonight than I had been for any other game, aside from my first game in the NHL. Pat and Jonny had a great solution to my “problem”, although I didn’t see it as a problem. I was happy the way things were, no change was needed. However, this change was most welcome. Funny that it took two young punks to convince me to do this.
Flashback
“Now, this may sound a little ‘cliché’ or whatever, but trust us, it works.”
I nodded my head.
“So, I just ask her to wear my jersey to the game? That’s it?”
They both nodded their heads. Pat spoke up.
“Trust me dude, whenever you feel your head getting out of the game, just look out in the crowd. Once you see her wearing your jersey, supporting you, it’ll fire you right back up. Plus, you may score a little something else after the game, too.” He smirked.
I scoffed.
“Guys, come on. I’ve told you, Gretchen’s my best friend, nothing more.”
They rolled their eyes.
“Yeah. Okay. Whatever you say, bud.”
Jon patted me on the shoulder before walking out to the ice.
End Flashback
I skated harder than I had in weeks. I felt my play get better by the second. It was only a practice, but the thought of Gretchen in my jersey, standing in the crowd, made me want to play as best as I could. I didn’t know why this was happening, and it was starting to scare me just a bit.
When I was getting dressed in my suit back at the apartment, I could feel myself get more nervous. It was then that I realized, that I hadn’t even asked her to come to the game yet, let alone wear my jersey.
I was running out of time. I remembered that she would be getting home from work just after I left for the arena, so I left her a note on the counter:
Gretch,
I was wondering if you could come to the game tonight.
I miss seeing you in the crowd.
Plus, you need a night out.
Hope you can make it,
Dan.
P.S. One of my jerseys is hanging in my closet. Take your pick.
I figured that was good enough. It didn’t imply anything. Which worked for me, since I didn’t feel like that for Gretchen….or did I? It would certainly explain my behaviour today.
All that was left now was the hope that she’d see the note in time…
I woke up startled because someone was screaming my name. Looking around, I saw Dan hovering over me.
“Gretch, are you okay? I think you were having a nightmare.”
My cheeks flushed. I hadn’t had a nightmare since I moved in with Dan. Telling him about Todd must have brought more memories come flooding back.
“Oh was I? I’m sorry, Dan. Did I wake you up?”
Dan chuckled nervously.
“Gretchen, you don’t have to be sorry, and no, you didn’t wake me up. I’m on my way out for a morning skate. You working today?”
I nodded, still half asleep.
“Yeah, at 11:00.”
Dan pointed to my alarm clock.
“Well, you better hustle. I know you and your long-ass showers.”
I chuckled sarcastically at him, throwing a pillow at him in the process as he was smirking on his way out of my room.
“I’ll see you later, yeah?”
I nodded, finally cracking a smile for the first time that morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I arrived at work just in the nick of time. My boss, Charli shook her head at me.
“I know you’re living with a hockey player and all, but you still have a job, you know.”
I was a bit scared that she was going to cut my pay or worse, fire me. I wasn’t late or anything, but Charli can be a hot head at times. She liked her employees to be at least 15 minutes early to set up their till and such before they started their shift. I understood her reasoning, but she didn’t know the kind of night, or life for that matter, I had been dealing with.
“Sorry Charli, it won’t happen again. Dan was taking up the shower this morning.”
She smirked at me and raised her eyebrow at me.
“You know, I’ve always wondered something. Are you dating Dan? Like, is that why you moved to Chicago. I remember you telling me you guys were childhood best friends and all that, but what about now? You said you haven’t seen him in 5 years, and now you’re living with him?”
I forgot to mention how close I’ve become with Charli. She may be my boss and can be a mighty bitch at times, but she’s also one of the coolest chicks I’ve ever come across. I had told her about my relationship with Dan. How we had been friends since we were teenagers and all that. She had mentioned it to me when I first told her that she thought something was up with me and Dan. I tried my best to convince her otherwise, but apparently, she didn’t let it go.
“Charli, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. No, I’m not dating Dan. I’m not dating anyone right now. I’m just a single girl living with her best friend in Chicago, and her best friend just happens to be a hockey player.”
Charli just nodded at me. I could see her asking me again in the near future, but I just wanted to get to work.
Dan’s POV
I arrived at Johnny’s Ice House before some of the team. I walked into the locker room and saw P. Kane and Toews sitting in their stalls. They were talking about something or other, but stopped when I walked in the room.
“Carbomb! Just the guy we wanted to see.”
I raised my eyebrow at the two.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
Pat smirked as he walked up to me. He clapped his hand on my shoulder.
“Well, Tazer and I decided to help you. We’ve noticed you’ve been a little down in the dumps lately. So we came up with a solution.”
I rolled my eyes. This can’t be good. I ran my hand over my face.
“Oh, and just what is this solution? If you say a strip club, I swear to God….”
Jonny cut me off.
“Hey now! Give us a little credit, man. That was one time, and we apologized for it. We didn’t know it would be all older, creepy looking ladies. Besides, this is a much much better idea.”
I shuddered as I remembered that strip joint that those two took me to to “welcome me to Chicago.” It was the most horrific sight I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Okay, okay. What is it?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gretchen’s POV
I was just about to leave work when Charli called me into the back lounge. I walked in to see her sitting at her desk.
“What’s up, Char?”
She smiled at me.
“You got any plans tonight?”
I shook my head.
“None that I’m aware of, I was just going to go home and relax. Why?”
Charli clapped her hands together.
“I’ll pick you up at 6:30. We’re going out.”
I was a little hesitant to say anything in response. It wasn’t like she invited me, she practically demanded I go out.
“Okay, great.”
I plastered on a fake smile, waved and walked out of the store. I walked to my car with many thoughts running around my head. I had a feeling that was telling me nothing good would out from this. I quickly shrugged it off, coming to the conclusion that going out may just be the perfect thing to get me out of my funk.
Dan’s POV
I was more excited for the game tonight than I had been for any other game, aside from my first game in the NHL. Pat and Jonny had a great solution to my “problem”, although I didn’t see it as a problem. I was happy the way things were, no change was needed. However, this change was most welcome. Funny that it took two young punks to convince me to do this.
Flashback
“Now, this may sound a little ‘cliché’ or whatever, but trust us, it works.”
I nodded my head.
“So, I just ask her to wear my jersey to the game? That’s it?”
They both nodded their heads. Pat spoke up.
“Trust me dude, whenever you feel your head getting out of the game, just look out in the crowd. Once you see her wearing your jersey, supporting you, it’ll fire you right back up. Plus, you may score a little something else after the game, too.” He smirked.
I scoffed.
“Guys, come on. I’ve told you, Gretchen’s my best friend, nothing more.”
They rolled their eyes.
“Yeah. Okay. Whatever you say, bud.”
Jon patted me on the shoulder before walking out to the ice.
End Flashback
I skated harder than I had in weeks. I felt my play get better by the second. It was only a practice, but the thought of Gretchen in my jersey, standing in the crowd, made me want to play as best as I could. I didn’t know why this was happening, and it was starting to scare me just a bit.
When I was getting dressed in my suit back at the apartment, I could feel myself get more nervous. It was then that I realized, that I hadn’t even asked her to come to the game yet, let alone wear my jersey.
I was running out of time. I remembered that she would be getting home from work just after I left for the arena, so I left her a note on the counter:
Gretch,
I was wondering if you could come to the game tonight.
I miss seeing you in the crowd.
Plus, you need a night out.
Hope you can make it,
Dan.
P.S. One of my jerseys is hanging in my closet. Take your pick.
I figured that was good enough. It didn’t imply anything. Which worked for me, since I didn’t feel like that for Gretchen….or did I? It would certainly explain my behaviour today.
All that was left now was the hope that she’d see the note in time…
♠ ♠ ♠
:)