The Opportunity Has Just Begun

After almost passing out on the bench during practice I knew there was no way I could make it back to the locker room without being questioned by one of the trainers.

"What's going on?" Chris knelt down in from of me as I sat in my stall with my head in my hands.
"I don't know I just haven't been feeling well," I rubbed my face with the towel in my lap, "I thought maybe it would just pass but so far nothing."
"Do you feel dehydrated or something?"
"No I drink plenty of water."

Chris looked at me like he didn't believe me but when Sid butted in saying that water is all I ever drink Chris had no clue where to go.

"Maybe you should rest up tonight, be good and fresh for the Islanders on Tuesday, huh?" he tapped my leg.
"But..."
"Cam," Sid glared, "you have to take it easy. The season has hardly started and we need you out there for as much of it as we can."

I couldn't argue with that, hell I couldn't argue with anything Sid said. He always made sense, always made mature decisions even if it wasn't what he wanted.

"This sucks," I dropped onto the bed spread eagle and exhausted.
"I know, no one like miss games. But need rest," Evgeni followed suit.

We laid in silence for a few minutes before his phone rang. I looked over at him as a smile crossed his face and he began speaking rapidly in Russian to someone. 

I was about to get up and go for a shower so I could 'rest' some more when Geno switched back to English. 

"Alex ask you want to come for lunch."
"Alex?" I frowned having no clue who he was talking about.
"Ovechkin," he clarified.
"But isn't he like supposed to be your enemy tonight?"
"Only on ice, you want to come?" He pushed.
"Who else is going?"
"No one, Alex says team boring."
"Oh ok well I was about to have a shower."
"Not worry look good, we go," he switched back into Russian not giving me a chance to say anything else.

I was confused by Geno's enthusiasm as he rocked back and forth on his toes waiting for Alex to show up at the cafe.

We didn't have to wait long though as the toothless, grinning man walked in and Geno perked up.

"Cameron this Alex, Alex this Cameron."
"Hi," I smiled.
"Hello," he smiled back, "I see you fight Henrique, nice punch."
"Thanks," I didn't really know how to react to everyone's excitement about me fighting. It was something I just had to do.

I felt rather out of the loop as they talked to each other in Russian before Geno was grabbing my hand and leading me over to a table.

"Can you let go..." I slipped my hand from his grasp not liking the touching he suddenly was for.

I sat down in my chair and sat staring at the menu while they continued to talk until the waitress came over. She obviously recognised who we all were but as usually no attention was paid to me, two russian guys were sitting at the table, no one was going to care about little old me in the corner.

"What you want?" Geno turned his attention to me while I stared at the menu.
"Just a salad," I tossed the laminated paper onto the table getting rather irritated with my choice of company and food.
"Sure not want chips? Can have chips," Geno must have thought I was having a girlie moment not wanting to seem unlady like or something if I ordered something ridiculous.
"No it's fine, just a salad thanks," I looked up at the waitress who just smiled back, a hint of jealousy in her eyes.

I pulled out my phone and went into my own little world while the they continued to talk only to snap out of it when my food was placed in front of me.

"You ok?" Geno nudged my knee with his.
"Well you asked me to come out for lunch and even though I am sick I still came and so far I haven't got a how do you freakin do, so yeah I am just peachy," I grabbed my fork and stabbed my lettuce.

It wasn't necessarily the fact that they hasn't talked to me, it was more the Russian, I couldn't understand them so I was forced straight out of any possible conversation before I had a chance.

"Cameron," he spoke so softly, slinging his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side, "I am sorry."

I wanted to pull away but I felt myself relaxing more and more into his embrace. Why was he doing this to me? Why couldn't he just let me be?

"What you want to talk about?" he looked down at me with a soft smile and I knew he felt bad about it.
"Nothing," I shrugged trying not to let him see he was winning.
"Come on, I know you quiet but quiet people interesting."
"I don't know about that," I disagreed instantly, I thought I was rather boring, "why don't you guys tell me about Russia without speaking Russian anymore?"
"Ok can do that," Geno pulled his arm back, squeezing the back of my neck reassuringly.