Castle Walls

He looked absolutely miserable.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it but she sauntered across the restaurant and slid into the booth beside him. He looked up in surprise but she only smiled brightly at him.

"Hi, I'm Danni."

"Do I know you?" He asked.

"Well no but you looked like you needed a friend so here I am."

He studied her face. Her smile was kind and her eyes sparkled, her smile reaching them and beyond. Her hair brushed her shoulders and was brown, but a pretty, shiny shade of brown that seemed to make her green eyes somehow greener.

"So I was thinking," Danni started, "that we should have dessert and then get out of here. Lets have some fun. You look like you need fun."

"I need a normal life," Ryan thought to himself. "Why do you think I need fun?" he asked her.

"Because you haven't smiled once the whole time you've been in here. And you're eating alone."

"I broke up with my girlfriend yesterday."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You should definitely have dessert then." Danni looked around, spotting his waiter and motioned him over. She smiled up at him when he reached the table.

"Can we get two slices of the amazing peanut butter pie?" Danni asked.

"Of course," the waiter nodded.

"So, tell me about yourself," Danni prodded him.

"My name is Ryan. Um..."

"What do you do?"

"I, uh, um," he fumbled over his words.

Danni laughed lightly. "It's okay; you don't have to say. I know."

"You know who I am?"

Danni shrugged. "Yeah. Your face is sort of all over town you know. It's a cute face by the way." Ryan blushed. "You're what, 20?" Ryan nodded. "I'm 22. Just graduated college and traveling around for the summer. Wherever the road takes me."

"That sounds so....carefree."

"It is. I'm guessing carefree is not something you get a chance to do often."

"No, not for a really long time."

The waiter appeared, setting two slices of the dessert down on the table. "Thank you," Ryan said politely.

"I'll be right back," Danni said, standing and heading in the direction of the bathrooms.

Ryan watched her walk away, the light swish of her hips making him dizzy. She was maybe 5'6 and she was wearing a flowing white skirt and a gauzy white sleeveless top. He noticed the simple bronze colored sandals on her feet and how all together, she had a hippie vibe about her dress.

She moved with ease through the crowded restaurant, slipping back in beside him and digging right into her dessert. They ate in silence and when she had finished her last bite, she turned to Ryan.

"Ready?" She asked as she stood, grabbing her purse.

"I haven't paid," he replied in confusion. She only smiled, leaning down to grab his hand and pull him out of the booth. She held onto him tightly and led him through the restaurant and out the front door and into the warm Edmonton night.

"We have to go back!" Ryan protested as Danni led him down the street and away from the restaurant. "I have to pay."

"No you don't. That, Ryan, is called the dine and dash. Bet you've never done that before." He looked at her in horror and she laughed.

"Lets break down some more of those walls, Ry. You up for a game of mini golf?"

"I've never...."

She giggled. "Of course you haven't. I have a terrible competitive streak when it comes to mini golf but I will go easy on you tonight. This way," she encouraged him. She kept her hand in his and Ryan fell into step beside her.

"Are you for real? Did one of the guys put you up to this?"

"You can pinch me if you think you're dreaming. And I don't know any of your teammates. I'm only vaguely familiar with who you are. I just happened to see your face on a billboard before I went in that restaurant tonight."

"Do you like hockey?"

"I do."

"You're not Canadian."

"No, I'm American."

"Where are you from?"

"Philly."

"You're a Flyers fan?"

She nodded. "Sorry to disappoint. I never did follow any of the teams in the west. We're here," she announced. Stepping inside, she walked up to the girl at the cash register and paid for them both. She grabbed a putter and then turned to Ryan. "Pick one," she said. She grabbed a hot pink ball and a neon green one for Ryan, tossing it to him.

Danni led the way to the first hole and lined up her shot. She fist pumped when her ball landed in the cup on one stroke. "Yeah baby!" She shouted enthusiastically. Ryan smiled.

"Sorry," Danni said. "I really get into this."

"I see that," Ryan replied. He set his ball down at the tee and lined up, tapping his ball down the small green. It bounced off the wall and then into the hole. He grinned.

"Beginners luck," Ryan offered with a shrug. Her eyes narrowed.

"You better not have lied about never playing before."

"I golf."

"Not the same. I'm terrible at golf but this, I rock at mini golf."

"I could give you some pointers, at golf I mean. I'm not terrible."

"I think I'll stick with this," Danni laughed. "Maybe drive the golf cart around though. Now quit trying to distract me. Lets play."

The course was mostly empty so Ryan and Danni took their time playing through, taking it more seriously than necessary. Danni did a little dance on the sixth hole when she got another hole in one and Ryan hit back with a little dance of his own on the next hole when he got his own hole in one.

Ryan couldn't remember the last time he had felt so at ease and comfortable in his own skin. He and Danni laughed and joked and he couldn't get the smile off his face as they made their way to the last hole. They were tied and Ryan let Danni go first. She concentrated, debating her shot before taking it. It came to a stop inches from the hall.

“Mother fucker,” she swore.

Ryan set his ball down and swung, sailing up the green and into the hole. Ryan whooped loudly, throwing his putter to the ground and his arms in the air in victory. Danni scowled as she moved up to tap her ball into the hole.

“I demand a rematch.”

“You’re on,” Ryan laughed.

“Tomorrow? Same time, same place?” Ryan nodded and they shook hands. “You are going down tomorrow. I’m not going to play nice at all," Danni told him.

Ryan smiled and his eyes twinkled. “You weren't kidding about that competitive streak. It was only one stroke. That’s close.”

“Close is not good enough,” she pouted.

“How about I buy you a drink to make up for it?”

“I have a better idea.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not telling. You just have to trust me.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“You know my name, and where I’m from, and about my family. I’d say you know the essentials, just as I know the same about you. Now, do you trust me?”

He stared down at the girl before him, who stared back at him with her hands on a her hips and a sassy smile on her lips. “Yeah, I trust you,” Ryan heard himself say. Her smile grew wider and she took his hand in hers again.

“Do you have a car?” Danni asked.

“Back at the restaurant.”

“Did you valet?”

“No; I parked around the corner.”

“Perfect. Lead on, Ry.”

They set out from the mini golf course and back towards the restaurant. They turned the block before and Ryan led the way over to his Ford truck. “Nice wheels,” Danni commented.

“Thanks. It was my first big purchase.” He unlocked the vehicle and Danni opened her door, climbing in the passenger seat. Ryan got in next to her. “So where to?”

Danni rattled off an address that Ryan vaguely knew and started to drive. A comfortable silence fell over the truck and fifteen minutes later, Danni directed him into a parking lot. She jumped from the truck as soon as it was in park and ran down the path towards the swing set, hopping easily over the small locked gate meant to keep people out at this time of night.

Ryan stood hesitantly before the gate, reading the park rules, which clearly said the park was open dawn to dusk. Dusk had passed at least an hour ago. Danni laughed at him. “Come on, Ryan! Live a little!” She called out to him. “Be dangerous! I bet you don't even have a single dangerous bone in your body!”

She was pumping her legs, swinging higher and higher when he finally took a step over the gate, his eyes darting all around, waiting for someone to step out of the shadows and arrest him. He walked down to her and took a seat in a swing beside her. She slowed and smiled over at him.

“Just have fun,” Danni advised. “No one is gonna arrest us and if they do, just flash your dimples. Hopefully the cop will either be a lady, a huge oilers fan, or totally gay. Either way, I think we’ll be fine.” He chuckled and soon, they were racing each other to see who could go higher, laughing away.

Danni came to a stop, hopping from her swing and making her way to the balance beam, climbing up and making her way across and then back. Ryan slowed to a less frenzied pace and watched her as she moved from the balance beam to the slide and then across the monkey bars, a smile never leaving her face.

“What time is it?” Danni asked when she walked back over.

Ryan glanced at his watch. “Midnight.”

“You tired?”

“No.”

“Wanna watch a movie?”

“All the theaters are closed.”

“I know. I meant at your place.”

“Yeah, okay.” He stood and this time he reached for her hand first, wrapping his fingers around hers.

“We have to stop at a gas station or something first though.”

“Why?”

“We need junk food. You can't watch a movie without junk food. I bet you don’t have any junk food at your place. And if you do, it’s probably some crazy healthified version of junk food. That is just gross.”

“I'm pretty sure we have popcorn.”

“We?”

“I have a roommate, Justin.”

“Oh. Will he care that I’m there?”

Ryan shrugged. “I have a TV in my room,” he offered shyly, looking at Danni from the corner of his eye. She nodded.

“That’s good then. You know, just in case you do something spazzy,” she teased.

“I’m not spazzy.”

“Your victory dance was totally spazzy.”

“It needs practice. I’ll perfect it before our rematch.”

"You won't need it. I am going to cream you."

"Best two out of three?"

"You are so on. I can't wait to kick your ass."

"Lets make a bet then."

"Getting cocky are we?" Danni asked. The tips of his ears reddened and he felt the blush creeping up in his cheeks as she climbed into the truck again.

"If I win, you have to wear an Oilers jersey to the Flyers home opener next season," Ryan said as he turned his key in the ignition.

"If I win you have to wear a Hartnell shirsey under your uniform for the Oilers home opener next season."

"If I win it has to be my jersey."

"Oh man; I was really hoping to wear an Eberle though." He cast a side eye at her and she smiled innocently. "If I win you have to tweet a picture of you in the shirsey to Hartsy."

"If I win you have to have dinner with me."

Ryan wasn't sure where the words came from; they just tumbled right out. He looked straight ahead, embarrassed of himself. Just as he was prepared to take it back, Danni spoke.

"I'd let you take me to dinner, with or without a bet. But if I win, it has to be the restaurant we met at tonight." Before he knew what happened next, he heard the click of her seat belt and then her lips pressed against his cheek. He felt his skin tingle as she pulled back and buckled back up.

"So, now that the bet is all settled, junk food?" She asked. Ryan laughed and drove across town, stopping at a store so she could stock up on junk food. He waited in his truck for her and she returned five minutes later with two bags full.

"What did you buy?" Ryan asked.

"The essentials, of course," Danni replied. "Chocolate, gummi bears, skittles, cherry coke, popcorn..."

"I told you that we had popcorn."

"Yes but is it extra movie theater butter popcorn? I doubt it. So I got us some."

"I can't eat that."

"You don't indulge? Ever?"

"Not usually."

"First time for everything, right? That's what tonight's been all about. You'll be fine. Besides, isn't your season over? Didn't I read somewhere that you're having shoulder surgery next week?"

Ryan nodded glumly. "Yeah."

"So this is perfect. We'll indulge a little now and as soon as you start rehab you'll burn it all off. Problem solved."

He couldn't help but laugh along with her. It was crazy. He barely knew her but somehow she was everything he needed. For so long he had felt like he was locked up in this world of being the best at his sport. Hockey was everything he knew and everything he lived for. Maybe it was time to do something just for him.

He continued on to his apartment, Danni carrying the conversation. He parked and Danni followed him inside. He took the bags from her as they walked inside and Danni took the opportunity to slip her arm through his as they stepped onto the elevator. They stepped off and he fumbled with the keys in his hand but not surprisingly, found that the door swung right open, unlocked, of course, which meant Justin was home. He kicked his shoes off and Danni followed suit, her sandals beside his.

“Nuge!” Taylor Hall shouted out. “Come play Black Ops so our teams are even!” He didn’t look up from the TV screen in front of him. On the couch, he was flanked on one side by Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz on the other. Neither of them turned to look at Ryan either.

“Maybe later,” Ryan answered as Danni slipped into the kitchen, sticking a bag of the popcorn in the microwave and starting it. She waited patiently in front of it as it began to pop.

“What are you doing?” Justin asked before yelling loudly at Jordan. “Ha! I killed you fucker!”

Jordan grumbled. “I’ll get you back.”

“Good luck trying.” He shoved Taylor into him and Jordan pushed him back. It only took that moment for them to start shoving each other and shouting, disregarding Ryan in the background.

The microwave dinged and Danni pulled the bag out. She turned to Ryan. “Which way to your room?” she asked. The three boys stilled instantly at the sound of a female's voice in the apartment.

Ryan’s breathing hitched as she moved past him towards the hall, her body just barely brushing against his. Taylor’s mouth fell open as she passed and Jordan stared after her. Justin turned to look at Ryan and Danni waited, hands back on her hips with the sassy smile Ryan was starting to really like.

“I’m sure you’ve all seen a girl before,” Danni finally spoke. “Which one of you is Justin?”

“Uh, I am,” Justin answered, raising his hand. Danni nodded.

“Since Ryan has apparently lost the ability to speak, which one is his room? And don’t you dare incorrectly tell me yours instead of his. I’ll know.”

“Of course you’ll know. Ryan is a slob and my room is clean.”

Danni giggled and looked over to Ryan. “Did you want to amend our bet so that I clean for you, Ry? I actually enjoy cleaning.”

“Bet? What bet?” Jordan asked, turning to look at Ryan

“If I get you a french maid costume, will you clean my place?” Taylor asked, licking his lips.

Ryan hit Taylor in the back of the head as he walked to Danni. “No she won’t,” he answered for her. “And it’s none of your business,” he told Jordan.

“Whatcha got there, Nuge?” Justin asked, eyeing the bags he carried.

“Junk food,” he replied.

All three guys exchanged a look and Danni giggled as Ryan walked towards her and his teammates stared after him. “Good night guys!” she called out as Ryan tugged her forward with him and into his bedroom. He closed the door behind them and clicked the lock into place.

“She’s hot,” Taylor finally said. “How did the Nuge pull that?”

“He probably smiled at her. You know how much girls fawn over themselves when he does that,” Jordan answered.

“He doesn’t talk to girls,” Taylor pointed out.

“Maybe she talked to him.”

“I wouldn’t mind if she talked to me.”

“Now I want popcorn,” Justin whined. He got off the couch and walked into the kitchen. “Score! She left the unopened bags.” He tore one open and popped it in the microwave, dancing in place as he waited for it to pop. He brought it back, setting it on the coffee table.

“Stop thinking about Nuge’s girl, Hallsy,” Justin said. “You ready to play?” he asked. They grabbed their controllers and resumed their game without another thought to the pair in Ryan’s bedroom.

“Your friends seemed surprised to see you with a girl,” Danni mused as she settled back against the pillows at the head of his bed.

“I don’t think they expected to see me with anyone, you know, because I broke up with my girlfriend yesterday.”

“Oh yeah, that. What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“She was cheating on me back home.”

“She doesn't live here?”

“No.”

“That must have been tough.”

“Yeah, it had its challenges.”

“So what are we watching?”

He held up The Other Guys. “This okay?”

“I haven’t seen that yet.”

“It’s one of my favorites.”

“Well then we definitely have to watch.”

He pointed towards the bathroom attached to his room. “Do you mind if I change?”

“No, go ahead.”

He nodded. “Do you want to change?”

“Are you inviting me to stay the night? Forward much, Ryan? What kind of girl do you think I am?” He opened and closed his mouth several times, not sure what to say to her next before her serious expression gave way to a giggle and he knew she had been teasing him, again. “Tiny problem, Nugie....I don’t carry a suitcase with me.”

“I could loan you something...” he trailed off.

“You are adorable, you know that?” Danni said, climbing off the bed to stand next to him.

He blushed. “Yeah, I get that a lot. Hallsy is the hot one and Ebs is just Ebs. Girls love them.”

“Don’t sell yourself short; you’re pretty cute too. Justin though, that’s a hot piece.”

“Oh, well, I can hang out with the other guys and you and Justin...”

Danni smiled and went on tiptoe, closing her lips over his to quiet him. “I was joking, Ry.”

“Oh.” He blushed again and Danni giggled.

“Clothes?” she prompted him.

“Right...” He turned towards his dresser and pulled out a clean pair of athletic shorts. “If you roll down the waist they should fit okay.”

“Oklahoma City?”

“We played there during the lockout.”

“Gotcha.”

He handed her a clean t shirt and she skipped into the bathroom. Ryan found the shorts he had been wearing that morning and then looked around his room, which was indeed a mess. In his defense, he hadn't planned on bringing anyone back with him. He doubted Danni cared but just in case, he hurried around the room, stuffing as much as he could into his closet before she emerged.

“It’s all yours,” she said as she walked back into the room. Ryan swallowed hard as his mouth went dry. She had piled her hair on top of her head in some sort of messy half bun, half ponytail thing and his shorts and t shirt hung loosely off of her much smaller frame. She climbed back onto his bed and looked back at him.

“What are you waiting for? I’m starting the movie without you.” She picked up the remote and pressed play as Ryan darted into the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face and then dried it off quickly, pulling off his jeans and then putting on the pair of shorts. He pulled his shirt over his head, dropping in in the floor. He walked back out into the bedroom and found Danni with the movie paused, waiting for him, an array of junk food spread out before her.

“I just need a shirt,” Ryan said quietly.

“No you don’t,” Danni said, never taking her eyes off her candy haul. He turned the light off, leaving the only light in the room coming from the TV and moved towards the bed slowly. Finally, Danni looked up and smiled at him. “M and M?” she held out the bag, shaking it at him.

He climbed onto the bed, it shifting under his added weight, and leaned back against the wall, putting two pillows behind his back. “I really like gummi bears,” he admitted.

“My favorite, an excellent choice.” She grabbed the gummi bears, the M and M’s, and the popcorn before moving up beside him and scooting close to him. Ryan lifted his arm so she could lean against him and Danni reached across him for the remote, unpausing the movie. She dropped it beside him before cuddling against him as the opening scene started.

Ryan had to remind himself to breathe as the smell of the popcorn mixed with the light smell of her perfume. Here he was, with this beautiful girl who had made him do things he had never done before, things he never thought he’d do in a million years. He wasn't sure what exactly had brought her into his life but he was glad she had waltzed right in, even if he had no idea how to explain the way she made him feel in that moment. It was a feeling he hoped never went away.



“Do you remember that next morning?” Ryan asked, reaching across the table to take Danni’s hand in his.

Danni laughed. “I will never forget Justin’s face from that morning. It was kind of like that look of shock when I won our bet.”

Ryan frowned. “You will never let me live that down.”

“You looked so good in Flyers orange though.”

“You look even better in my jersey.”

“Well if anyone could make an Oilers jersey look good, it’s me....or Ebs. Ebs makes it look pretty good.”

“You can’t tease me on our anniversary.”

“I can do whatever I want; it’s why you like me.”

“It’s why I love you,” Ryan corrected.

“Aww, Ry, you love me. That’s so sweet!”

“Will you quit teasing me?” he blushed.

“No can do. I like to see you blush; that’s why I love you."

“At least we’re in agreement on one thing.”

“That we love each other? I knew you were going to fall in love with me after I made you dine and dash.”

“I can’t believe you brought me back here.”

“Why? Did you expect them to have a giant sign with your face on it with a glowing do not serve neon sign above it?”

“Something like that.”

“Wanna know a secret?” Danni asked.

“What?”

She moved from her seat and slid in beside Ryan. She kissed him before whispering to him, “I paid the bill that night.”

“What? How?” Ryan asked in surprise.

“When I excused myself, you assumed I went to the bathroom. I actually found your waiter and paid him and then let you think we skipped out on paying.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. You really thought I’d make you dine and dash? Everyone knew who you were; no way you could get away with it. You never thought it was weird that no one called you into someone's office to blast you out?”

“I honestly thought that somehow, we'd gotten away with it.”

“God you’re precious.”

“I think you should move in with me this summer,” Ryan blurted out.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We should move in together this summer. It’s been a year. You stopped traveling around after we met, you got a job here and you have your own place here even though you’re always at mine so let’s live together. It’s dumb to pay two rents when I can afford one for both of us.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Awhile. Danni, you see me for me. You looked past everything I’ve ever been and taught me to have fun and take life less seriously. Instead of self imprisoning myself and feeling empty, you filled my life with love and laughter and everything else that matters. So yeah, I’ve been thinking about this the last couple of months. I want us to move in together. It’s the next step and I love you.”

“I love you too, Ry.”

“So you’ll move in with me?”

“Of course I’ll move in with you. Do you know how embarrassing it is to carry extra underwear around in your purse all the time, just in case?” He blushed again and she giggled. Danni guided his lips to hers and kissed him. “I’m glad you let your castle walls down for me.”

“I’m glad you’re there to tear them down.”

“So how does this work? Do I move into your place or do we find something new? Does Justin come with us or is he stuck on his own?”

“How about a game of mini-golf, winner take all?” Ryan suggested.

“Terms?”

“If I win, you move into my place next week. Justin stays but next season, it’ll just be us.”

“If I win, I get to wear a Flyers jersey if Philly comes to town next season.”

“We’re betting on our living arrangements”

“I liked your plan though.” He shook his head at her.

“If I win, you can wear your Flyers jersey if we play them BUT you have to have a sign that says I heart Nuge to hold.”

“When I win, I’ll wear my Flyers jersey and carry your sign, but on the back it’ll say But Nuge hearts Hartsy with the picture.”

Ryan groaned. “You never play fair.”

“I know.”

“Come on,” Ryan said, throwing several bills down on the table. “I’m gonna kick your ass tonight.”

Danni laughed. “That is rich, Ry. Absolutely rich. You’re going down.”

“We’ll see; I’ve been practicing on the road.”

“That is cheating Mr. Nugent-Hopkins!”

“There was never a rule that I couldn't practice.”

His practice had paid off, beating Danni by three strokes that night. His victory dance had also improved, Danni telling him looked fifty percent less spazzy as he had the year before and demanding a rematch. Ryan had laughed at her and then taken her home. Eleven months later, when Philadelphia rolled into town, the jumbotron caught Danni on screen, her orange Flyers jersey worn proudly, and her I heart Nuge sign held over her head with even more pride. When she met Ryan after the game, he enlisted a little help with a sign of his own. Simmonds, Couturier, and Giroux, lining the hall, each with a sign with a word apiece and Ryan holding the last one.

Will. You. Marry. Me.

She said yes.

FIN