Just Bent

The next night, Hadley strolled into the arena arm in arm with Brayden Schenn who was a scratch for that night. He had been feeling ill for the past 24 hours and Laviolette had sit him just to be safe. Brayden was not pleased to be missing a game, especially against the Penguins, but he knew it was for the best.

Hadley had since been informed who the Flyers were playing that evening and he she hugged herself to Brayden’s arm a little tighter. She wasn’t as strong as she pretended to be.

“Ready for a real one?” Brayden asked. There were only four more games left in the regular season and the Flyers were fighting for a playoff spot.

“I suppose.” She smiled, untucking her hair from under the collar of the blaze orange jersey that hung on her frame. She wore another black long sleeve tee under her jersey, and two tank tops under that. She found that she was always cold in the arena, no matter how many layers she wore. “Care to buy me a cocoa?” She asked, batting her eyelashes at him as they made their way to the downstairs player’s lounge.

“Anything for my date.” He teased.

“Don’t you think if she were your date, she’d be wearing your jersey?” Claude asked as he emerged from the lounge. He walked right up to Hadley, encircling an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Looks great on you,” he winked.

“Thanks, Claude.” She blushed, feeling warm and sure of herself in his arms. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to feel this every day, to always feel that safe with him.

“Back of Giroux, you get to play hockey, I get the girl.” Brayden put his hand up, “and now, I’m going to buy the lady a cocoa, and possibly a much better looking jersey.” She giggled, squeezing Claude’s bicep before stepping away.

“Score some goals tonight, huh?” She asked, “good luck.” She and Brayden disappeared from the lounge and headed down the hallway to the elevator. They opted to sit up in the nosebleeds where some of the visiting scouts sometimes camped out for an eagle eye view. They would be hiding in plain sight. Turning the corner, they passed some of the visiting team and she squeezed closer to Brayden, letting a curtain of her hair cover some of her face. She noticed them as they passed, Pascal, TK, James and Matt. They were on their way to find an open space to kick around a soccer ball and she exhaled in relief when they got on the elevator.

“You’re safe.” Brayden teased, bumping into her. “Don’t worry, I’d happily lay out Crosby if he crossed our path.” He added, making her roll her eyes but smile nonetheless.

“Thanks Bray.” She grinned, linking arms with him once again as the elevator doors opened. A few moments later, she was happily cradling a hot chocolate and a cup of hot, salty fries. She was also thankful for the escalators that took them up to the cheap seats, sitting practically in the last row of the entire arena. Brayden made small talk with a few of the administrators that sat up there as well as the rest of the stands slowly filled with fans.

Hadley grinned and bumped into Brayden as the intro video to the game played after warm ups. The fries were long gone and she was nursing the last of her hot chocolate, wanting to make it last.

“Do you ever get used to that?” She asked, tying her hair up into a ponytail with a binder and a flick of her wrist.

“No.” He shook his head, “our little sisters always tease me when they come to watch games and see the intro video. Even more so now that Luke and I are on the same team.” He explained.

“How awesome is to be playing on the same team with Luke? Or do you wish you were on separate teams?” She asked, finishing off the last of her cocoa.

“For a long time he was a super big deal in Toronto, and I only just kinda got my feet wet here before he signed here. It could have been interesting to see if I ever got as popular on my own and not just part of the Schenns, but playing with Luke is a lot of fun and not many other guys get the chance to play with their brother.” He shrugged. “Except the Staals, that family just breeds weirdness.” He added, laughing, but then laughing even harder when he realized she didn’t have much of a clue as to who the Staals were.

The announcer first started with the away lineups and her eyes roamed, even when Sidney’s name and number were announced, drawing wild disapproval from the crowd. She wished she didn’t feel a pang in her stomach at the way they booed and jawed at him. Sure, he wasn’t that great to her, but he didn’t deserve the things everyone was shouting at him.

“They say worse things about Claude when we visit there.” Brayden added as if he could read her mind. She tried to let it roll off of her shoulders, but her hands twisted nervously around one another.

“Why was this a good idea again?” She asked as they stood for the national anthem.

“Next time, we’ll sit on the glass when the Blackhawks come to town.” He insisted, “much more exciting.” He teased. She simply nodded as they listened to the anthem.

The game was intense, and as the minutes passed, the more and more sick Hadley felt. This was her first time watching Sidney play in person and to see Claude, Scott, and seemingly every other Flyer go after him so hard made her nauseous. The truth was, she was never going to stop caring for Sidney, she couldn’t help that. Sure, she sometimes caught herself wishing things would have ended differently with them, but that just wasn’t how it played out.

Brayden watched his friend as she nervously tore up a brown paper napkin in her hand, which was in shreds by the time the third period started. The Penguins were up four to two but the game was becoming more and more physical as the Flyers grew frustrated with the score, someone even landed a hard jab to Sidney’s cheek before Matt Cooke took after the offender. She ran to a concession stand quickly and grabbed a Sprite for herself and a Cherry Coke for Brayden, allowing herself to miss a few minutes of the game that she desperately wanted to end.

There was a giant scrum at the final buzzer and Hadley wanted to look away but her eyes were glued to the ice. Thankfully Sidney was on the bench at that point, but she still felt uneasy as she watched Claude go after a few of the guys that she had come to respect in the past.

They made their way downstairs arm in arm once again but this time, there lower lever was much more crowded.

“I’m just going to use the bathroom quick.” She insisted, “I’ll meet you there.” She added. Brayden nodded as she disappeared into the family bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged after touching up her hair and wiping away some of the makeup that had creased from worry lines. Stepping out of the bathroom, the people had for the most part moved to either the home or the away side of the lower concourse. Except for the Penguins captain, that is.

“Sidney.” She tried to keep the name from sounding like a gasp.

“Had.” He looked down at her with a sheepish smile. She reached up to cradle his cheek where it had swollen from the game, a few distinct lines from someone’s glove imprinted in his skin.

“Does it hurt?” She asked with a bite of her lip. It pained her how easy it was to speak with him like that.

“No, it’s not bad.” He relished the feeling of her hand on his cheek.

Claude Giroux had noticed Hadley’s absence when Brayden appeared in the lounge following the game and almost immediately there was a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn’t want Crosby finding Hadley. Brayden informed him that she had gone to the restroom and he made his way over there, adjusting his tie on the way.

When he came upon the two in the hallway, acting as if they were somewhere much more private, he saw red. He hated the way she was touching his face so intimately.

“Hadley!” He didn’t want it to come out sounding like such a bark, but it did. She jumped at the voice, slamming her hand down back at her side as Claude approached. She noticed the unnatural color of his cheeks as he eyed up Sidney. “We’re going to get some drinks, remember? Everyone’s ready to go.” He added, not even acknowledging Sidney’s presence.

“I was actually going to see if Hadley had an hour or so to talk,” Sidney glanced between the two, wondering how they ever even met.

“She’s already got plans for the night, sorry, Kid.” Claude still stared down Hadley, not wanting to glance in Sidney’s direction.

“Hadley?” Sidney asked, placing his hand on hers even though it seemed she was in a serious staring contest with Giroux.

“I, um, I’m sorry Sid, I did agree to go out tonight.” Claude pretended she didn’t sound so sad answering him. “But I could call you.” She offered softly. Sidney glanced over at Giroux one more time before locking eyes with her.

“I look forward to it,” He risked another punch, leaning in to kiss Hadley on the cheek before turning on his heel and heading back to the visitor’s side of the concourse. Claude wasn’t sure what to say, so he stayed silent as she faced him once more.

“You didn’t need to shout at me like that, I’m perfectly capable of hearing you at a normal level.” She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling anxious and wanting to ditch the jersey she was wearing. She wished she had her zip up from Brayden’s car.

“I didn’t shout.” Claude wrinkled his nose and furrowed his eyebrows, following her closely. “I was doing you a favor, remember?”

“You shouted, and I don’t need you doing me any favors, Claude, I’m a big girl.” She fisted her hands in her jersey and fidgeted with the tote over her shoulder.

“I didn’t shout, Hadley.” He insisted, “You’d know if I was shouting.” He was using his full stride to keep up with her. “So you wanted to run into Crosby? Because since I’ve met you, you wanted nothing to do with him.” He insisted.

“I didn’t want to run into him, but I can talk to him like an adult without you shouting at me.” Claude reached out and grabbed her wrist, halting her to a stop as his face finally turned the same color as his hair.

“I was not shouting.” He barked louder than before. “This is me shouting!” Hadley looked up at him with wide eyes as she yanked her hand back from him.

“Do not grab me like that ever again.” She warned. “I stopped being someone’s ragdoll years ago.” She stuck a finger in his face. Claude instantly felt a cloud of guilt and embarrassment wash over him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” He ran a hand through his hair.

“What’s going on with you, Claude? Why are you freaking out at me? Nothing happened with Sidney, I asked him how his cheek was, he barely said – “ She didn’t get the chance to finish her rant as Claude had all but pinned her to the wall and fused his lips with hers. She gasped, allowing him to trace his tongue across her lower lip before pulling away.

“That’s why I’m acting like an idiot.” He held her head in his hands. “I’m crazy about you, Hadley.”