Try to Live

Alice wrapped her arms around the muscular torso, smiling at him when she pulled away. They both sat down in the booth and waited for the waitress so they could order drinks.

Jake smiled at her. The two hadn't talked since they were about nineteen. And even though they were exes, they still stayed friends. Alice missed him.

"So what's been going on with you?"

She shrugged, "nothing really. I've just been going to work, going to Hawks games. What about you?"

"I'm here on business, actually. For my work, one of my coworkers and I are shopping and looking around for interior things for the hotel. The little 'group' I'm in has to come up with a new idea for a hotel, so I guess spying on other hotels is my job." Alice laughed and took a sip from her drink. "It's a little competition. Our boss wanted us to have fun."

Alice nodded, grinning at him. "You seem to have such a fun life. I kind if wish I stuck with that motive."

"Trouble in paradise?" Jake laughed, referring to Andrew.

"Actually there's no paradise." He scrunched his eyebrows in confusing. "Yeah, Andrew dropped the bomb to me a month ago. And the real kicker? He's still living with me."

Jake coughed. "Wh-what?"

She nodded. "Yup. He's suppose to be moving in with a teammate and selling the apartment to me, or whatever you want to say. But I don't get why he's still living with me, I mean he can leave."

Jake agreed with her. They ordered their food and soon after it came they started eating.

"So what are you're plans for tomorrow?" He asked once they were done eating.

"I actually have to go to a charity event for the Blackhawks."

"Hm." He moved his hands so they were clasped together on the table and leaned forward.

"What, I know that look. What are you plotting this time?"

Jake chuckled. "Well I know you want him back, right? So how about I go as your date? I can make him jealous of you having another date, then he'll be dying to get back together with you."
Alice shook her head and thought it over. If it got them back together, she was all in.



Alice wore that blue dress, with silver heels that were only a few inches off the ground because, even though going to all these events, she was never great at walking in big heels. She just didn't have good balance. Silver was also the color of jewelry she decided on. There was three silver bracelets on her right wrist, a ring on her right thumb, and also a necklace with a heart shaped charm hanging off. Her hair was in waves and kept down.

She walked down the hall, seeing Andrew was standing in the kitchen texting on his phone. He looked up at her, freezing once he saw her. His mouth went dry and he attempted to swallow.

"You look... beautiful." He was kicking himself for letting that go.

"Thanks." She blushed. "You look pretty good yourself."

Andrew smiled brightly and went over to the fridge and took out a water bottle. He studied her as she picked at her fingers, a nervous habit of hers. His eyes roamed her body, her face. Everything looked perfect and he'd be lying if he said he was happy they were apart.

"You know, I'm sorry."

Alice looked up at him to find his dark eyes staring intently into hers.

"I shouldn't have been so mean to you. You don't deserve that."

"Andrew, it's fine. Just, please let's not talk about that right now."

He sighed but nodded reluctantly.

There was a knock on the door, making Alice walk over to it and open it. Jake stood there with a suit on, looking rather handsome. He smiled and hugged her, telling her she looked great. They walked inside and Andrew looked at them skeptically. His eyes flashed with hurt, confusion, and anger all in one. He narrowed his eyes briefly before clearing his throat.

"Jake," he said in a stiff tone, shifting rather uncomfortably.

"Andrew, good to see you man." He went over to where he was still standing and gave him a man hug. Andrew was now very uncomfortable. He didn't know Alice was going to bring a date, now he just seemed like the loser who broke up with his girlfriend and couldn't get a date, but she could. Oh wait, that's exactly what it was.

"Yeah, you too. I'm going to get going. Players are suppose to arrive early."

Right after he walked out, Alice burst into laughter and clung to Jake's shoulder for support. "Players don't have to get there early! It's so bothering him!"

"Perfect, then my genius plan is working. Do you think you'll get him to admit it tonight?"

She shrugged. "Tonight? No. But possibly in a week. Are you going to fake date me once you leave?"

"Whatever it takes to help a friend out." He slung an arm around her shoulders. "Now lets go."

They arrived at an art museum in downtown Chicago. The event was suppose to raise money for a new art college that was going to open up in around a year, and the Blackhawks decided to help and raise money by auctioning merchandise off. Mostly signed by the players. The first thing Alice did was enter a drawing, that costs twenty dollars, for a stick and jersey signed by all the players. She knew she wasn't going to win, and she didn't even want to win.

Lindsey soon came up to her, squealing and tugging on her arm. "This is a brilliant idea!" She glanced over to Jake and outstretched her arm. "Nice to meet the genius. I'm Lindsey."

He chuckled, shaking her hand. "I know I'm pretty smart."

Lindsey looked back at Alice. "Andrew has been glaring at you the whole night. It's awesome. One of the rich people's daughter keeps flirting with him and touching him and he just brushes her off and continues to pout." Alice followed her gaze to the corner of the room to see Andrew watching her, but quickly turned his head the other way.

Alice laughed and wrapped her arm around Jake's waist. "Where's Bella?"

"I saw her like, an hour ago. She was talking to Viktor."

She scrunched her face. "Oh ew."

Lindsey laughed and started backing away from them. "I'll need details about everything tomorrow morning. Coffee?" She called and Alice nodded.

She turned around and faced Jake grabbing his hand then leading him to a long table where they were going to sit when the auctioning starts.

"Thanks for doing this tonight. I really hope it pays off." Alice grabbed a chip from one of the many colorful bowls on the table. It was labeled with who made it and what they named it.

He followed her actions. "No problem at all. Though I may not get a girlfriend while we're doing this. I don't think any girl would like having their date ditch them for a phone call from another woman."

The brunette shoved his shoulder playfully. "I promise it won't be long."

Soon Marcus Kruger sat on the left of Alice, and Dave Bolland and his wife sat on the right of Jake. With Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews across from them.

Alice turned towards Marcus. "How are you doing, Baby Swede? I haven't talked to you in a while."

He smiled at her and spoke softly. "Amazing. Nia is moving here next season with me." Nia was his girlfriend from high school and it was about time she was moving in with him. "How's... Andrew?"

"Jealous," Alice nodded her head to an oblivious Jake who was chatting it up with Dave.

Marcus smirked as well. "I'm on to you, Wonderland."

She hit him in the stomach with the back of her hand as she kept a straight face.

"Just saying, it might take more than just bringing a date to an event."



And it did take more than just bringing a date somewhere. Or at least Alice hoped. After the charity event, Andrew really hadn't made any comments on her 'relationship' with Jake. He talked to her, but was even more distant than he was before. Some nights though, they would even have dinner together, keeping it casual of course. Jake would call her and she'd pretend to be all lovey dovey with him.

It had been already two weeks, and now Alice and Andrew were having one of their dinner nights together.

"So, you and Jake still together?" Andrew asked after a mouthful of orange chicken from the Chinese place down the street. He never asked questions about Jake. Alice concluded that something had to be up.

"Yeah." Alice swallowed the rice nervously and plastered a fake smile on her face. "We're doing pretty good also."

"Well, I'm happy for you." No no no, this was not what she wanted to hear from him. She wanted him to be the crazy, jealous ex who swept her back off her feet again. "And since you have a boyfriend, I thought that I should get a girlfriend too."

Alice choked on her pop, but Andrew didn't notice as he continued.

"Yeah, she's amazing. I went on a date with her a couple nights ago and I'm hoping to talk to her soon."

Alice continued to cough, but managed to place another smile on her face. "That's great, Andy! When do I get to meet her?"

He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, you've already met her. You remember Nikki, right?"

This time, she couldn't hold the contents in her mouth. She spit out rice that ended up on top of the table, as well as the other open containers. "Nikki?" She croaked out with her eyebrows up in surprise.

"Yeah," he replied and began cleaning up the mess she made. "I know you don't like her, but trust me she's changed."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbing the containers and walked to the kitchen to put them in the fridge. "Sluts never change," She mumbled as she passed by him to her room.

"Oh come on," Andrew laughed, tugging on her wrist to stop her. "Do you think I like you dating Jake?"

Alice opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She shut it in shame.

"Exactly. I don't."

He went back over to the table trying to clean up. Alice's head was spinning and she suddenly became dizzy as thoughts flooded her brain. Did he basically just admit he still liked me?

"Andrew-" he shook his head, cutting her off from her plead. She gave up trying to talk to him after two more attempts and continued to her room.