Made in the USA

Brandon’s POV

“So are you coming over?”

I was currently talking with Nas on the phone as I got out of practice. I was pretty tired and I still needed to go to my apartment and see if they had fixed that stupid pipe. My move in had been delayed because the pipe burst on the floor I live in. So my kitchen was flooded. I had to go back to Nas’ house and tell her. She laughed and said she liked having me around.
I liked being around Nas. I was Brandon when I was with her not a hockey player. She fed me and rubbed my back. I helped out when I could, but honestly she was perfect and my mom told me that every time I talked with her on the phone.

“Yea but not right now. I need to head over to my place first. They said they fixed the pipe and they dried the carpet in the living room” I said.

“Ok then ill see you later then. What do you have in mind for dinner?”
I got into my car and looked out the window. It was getting pretty chilly outside.
“I can eat anything” I said laughing lightly.
I heard her laugh lightly and I switched to my Bluetooth.
“Do you live by a Starbucks?”
“Yea I do why?” I asked.
“Mason asked me if you could buy a pouch of coffee? Said you, Pat and Jon drank it all the other day and he’s dying. He had to go to work without any coffee”
“Yea sure ill get it for him” I said.
“Ok he’ll pay you back.”
“Oh he has work right?” I asked as I began driving.
“Yes sir, I’ll let you go I need to go to the grocery store”
I laughed and nodded.
“Ok then ill see you later” I said.
“You too be safe!”

I smiled and she hung up and I parked in front of the apartment. I got out of the car and waved at my neighbors who were an old couple. They waved at me back and I walked into the complex. I walked upstairs and opened the door. I nodded a little impressed because they had remodeled. This had boosted the rent a good $200 more but ehh I could afford it. I checked for any leak and well there was no leak. I frowned a little because it meant I could move back to my place. I shrugged it off and walked back downstairs.

“Afternoon” I told the old couple.
“Afternoon Brandon”
I smiled and they made me stop for a while.
“When are you moving back in?”
“Tonight” I said nodding at them.

They nodded and looked at each other.

“Well where have you been staying?”
“Uh my girlfriends house” I said.
They smiled at me and I chuckled.
“Ahh is it the pretty brunette, the one you were talking to?”
I nodded and Mrs. Smith smiled at me.
“When can I meet her?”
“I think she’s coming over tomorrow” I said.
They smiled at me and nodded.
“Well I hope she’s treating you well”
I nodded and they smiled.
“Yea I’m actually going to her house after I run an errand” I said.
“Oh how old is she?”
“19” I said.
“College?”
I nodded and they smiled.
“She’s an Anthropology major” I said.

They smiled at me, and Mr. Smith gave me a pat on my shoulder.

“Well then we will let you go”

I nodded and said my goodbye to them. I walked into the Starbucks and got the coffee. I paid for it and smiled awkwardly as a woman tried to set me up with her daughter.

“I have a girlfriend mam” I told her politely.

She gave me a fake smile. It matched her fake hair, fake boobs, and probably fake eyelashes to. There was no way those were real.

“Oh, maybe some other time then”

She handed me a number and I raised an eyebrow and looked at the paper in her hands. I gave her a smile and shook my head.

“No thank you” I said walking around her.

I heard her huff and call me some names. I ignored it and walked out of the Starbucks. I held the door open for an elderly couple that thanked me and congratulated me on the Stanley cup win. I talked with them for a while before walking back to my house. I saw a girl and I felt like I recognized her. She looked really familiar, really familiar. She looked up at me and gave me a forced smile. That’s when I noticed something she looked really scared. She looked really tired and she was trying to look down and avoid people as much as she could.

“Grace?” I found myself saying.