The Opportunity Has Just Begun

“Wait what is Geno doing here?” I looked between my captain and the tall Russian standing in the hallway.
“I come too, kids love me,” he smiled putting a hand on my shoulder.
“Sid,” I groaned.

Sid knew that Geno had been bugging me a lot lately. He never actually did anything, except maybe completely distract me from the current relationship I had with Adam.

It was hard enough trying to deal with a long distance relationship as it was but having Geno around, his friendly usual being always there making me laugh it was almost impossible to keep my mind on the man I was meant to be dating.

I don't think using the word love with Adam would explain how I felt about him. I mean I knew I liked him and the sex, it was great but no matter how much I tried to deny it I wasn't sure if it was much more than just that. Sure he was refreshing to be around and was a nice break from my chaotic life, but was that all he was?

“Don't complain,” Sid waved me off, “you two need to meet me there, I have something to pick up on the way there.”
“Why can't we just go with you?” I argued as Geno poked his tongue out at me.
“Because I said so,” Sid had been all captain like on me all morning, from the second he came in and stole my blankets to almost force feeding me at lunch.
“Fine but I am driving,” I snatched my keys off the hallway table.

Geno wasn't one of the few people that appreciated my awesome car tunes or my singing that came with it for that matter but at least by the time we arrived at Southpointe he had given up on death staring me.

“Sid I go home with you,” he looked relieved to see our captain climb out of his range rover.
“Hey I am not that bad,” I felt rather hurt that he didn't enjoy the drive like I had.
“Let me guess, she made you listen to the wonderful world of Disney?” Sid laughed at the clearly distressed looking Russian.
“Yes, never again,” he shook his head frantically.
“Don't lie you loved it,” I squished his cheeks together getting a disapproving grunt from him as he pulled away.
“No,” he grumbled, “keep thinking of crab singing about living under sea.”

We grabbed our bags and headed into the arena where we were greeted by one of the coaches.

“Hi I am Anthony,” he shook each of our hands as we all introduced ourselves.
“Now the kids are out on the ice having a bit of a hit around, we will get them started on some drills before bringing you guys out yeah?”
“Sounds good,” Sid smiled.

Once Geno had finished pulling my laces into knots while Sid disapproved of our behaviour we finally got to go out on the ice and meet them.

Their little smiling faces once we were stepped out their with them made everything feel like it had finally paid off. They cheered, tapped their sticks and looked completely starstruck by us.

“They are cute,” I whispered to Sid as he smiled widely watching them go off and show their talents to us.
“Well this is what you wanted to do right?” he lent closer.
“Yeah this is exactly what I wanted to do"

This whole time I was looking for something to make me feel like I had really made it and it was as simple as bringing happiness to others. I wanted to use my status, whatever talents I had to help others.

I found myself smiling like an idiot when a little boy came up and tugged on Geno's jacket before dragging the big guy off to be his partner.

"Even kids love," he shrugged shooting me a quick smile.

I stood back a little watching the guys work their magic with the kids, who took to it like fish to water.
"Kids easy," Geno had told me over and over last night as I worried about making a mistake with them.

I noticed a little girl lying spread eagled on the ice looking rather defeated as all the kids continued to skate nearby.

"Hello," I stood over her and smiled down at her, "what's your name?"
"Logan."
"Hi Logan, I am Cameron."
"Hi."
"What are you doing do there?"
"Nothing," she grumbled.
"Well what's wrong then? Why aren't you up and skating?" I knelt down next to her.
"The boys keep teasing me," she pouted but still didn't make any attempt to move.

I looked up and noticed Geno staring back at me with a rather fond smile. Was he watching me? And if so why? What was he thinking about?

I glared at him and he just shrugged while poking that stupid tongue back out at me. Which if he kept it up I was going to cut off so he couldn't do it anymore.

"Cameron," I heard the little girl as she rolled over and climbed the her knees.
"Yeah?" I turned my attention back to her.
"How do you stop boys like Geno teasing you?" 
"What? Geno isn't teasing me, he is just being silly."
"Mummy tells me when boys tease me and act silly it is because they like me, maybe Geno likes you."

Ok where was this coming from and why was I getting a lecture about my love life from a six or seven year girl.

"It's just Geno being Geno, but more importantly," I tapped her leg, "what about the boys out there? Maybe they are being mean because they like you."
"No they are just mean," she looked down.
"Well how about you be my partner and we show them who is better at hockey?"
"Ok," she looked up with a rather mischievous smile, "Geno too?"
"Geno too," I agreed helping her up.

So maybe when I got home I was in a real need to talk to Adam. Even if Geno was developing some kind of thing for me he was still with Oksana and I needed to sort out whatever was going on in my head about Adam.