Status: *** I plan to update every few days. Thanks for any comments/feedback received!
She's Not Afraid
Two
I couldn't get her out of my mind. She was more beautiful than I thought. Those dim lights at the club did her no justice at all.
"Hey! Neal!" I slow my pace on the stationary bike.
"Sup Kuni. Beau, you little shit." The guys were just coming in for practice. Since I'm injured, 6am is my workout time.
"Hit the ice yet?" Chris asked.
"Had a little puck handling sesh, still too bruised." I hated being injured. Word was getting around that if I had a perfect season, I could be up for the Rocket Richard this season. Like that would ever happen.
"How about your appointment yesterday?" The corners of my mouth turned. Jesus, Celeste was gorgeous.
"Yeah, it wasn't bad." I played it cool.
"Except for miss hottie from the club..." Beau chimes in, wiggling his eyebrows like a little sissy.
"Hottie? What...who?!" Out of nowhere I'm surrounded by more guys. Geno, Pauly, Suttsy and Tanger were crowding my personal space.
"Oh Nealer, not the blonde. She was a total bonehead." Suttsy tried to validate that she was indeed, one dumb-ass blonde.
"No. Lazy mean brown head girl. She no like you though." Geno winked and Kuni reiterated his broken english.
"Ahhh, the leggy brunette. The one who turned you down before you even had a leg in." I nodded my head.
"Celeste. Her name is Celeste." The boys wooed in unison. "Oh shut the fuck up. Don't you guys have practice or something?" I changed the subject as they all smiled and walked towards the dressing room.
"You like this girl. Don't fuck it up, Nealer." Pauly swaps his hand on my arm.
"I have nothing to fuck up..." I moan.
"Not yet, brotha." He turns around and flashes a thumbs up.
***
This headache was too much for me to handle. My brain wanted to explode and it hurt to keep my eyes open.
"Looks like you caught the 24-hour flu, girlie." Jessie walked in my room, an empty bucket and a nice cup of hot lemon tea in her hand.
"Ah thank you. You're the best." I took a sip of the tea, careful not to burn the top of my mouth. "I need to call Matt. There's no way I can go to work today."
"James Neal. That is all." She gave me the 'you're going to work whether you like it or not' look.
"Do you see me? I'm gross, there's no way in hell I should go to work." I pick up my phone and dial Matt. It's a rare sight to see me call out of work, let alone, get sick but lucky me today was the day.
"He said he'd take care of it." I tell Jessie who is sitting on the edge of my bed, checking her phone.
"Done." Jessie's thumbs work hard on her phone and a sigh of relief followed.
"What's done?" I sit up trying to glance at her iphone. She pulled her phone away quickly, shoving it into her pocket.
"I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
***
His phone went off like an atom bomb. Phone calls, texts, tweets - all at once, simultaneously. One new voicemail. He picked up the iPhone, caressing it on his ear.
"Hey James, it's Matt from Integrated Fitness. Look, Celeste can't make it in today so I'd love if you'd call back to reschedule. She's free tomorrow and Monday. Just let us know!"
"Fuck." He mumbles. James was waiting all day for their appointment. He checks his twitter, re-tweeting some fan requests and birthday shout outs but before he closes down the app, he notices a mention he can't refuse to read.
@JessiesGirl22: I kno u wont c this but Celeste is sick. I have a plan.
James follows the girl, remembering back to the night at the club. She was the blonde next to Celeste, the one eyeing him up all night. He takes the reply off twitter, direct messaging her privately.
@Jneal_18: Is she ok?
James sat un-patiently waiting for her to reply then a ding alerted his phone. New message.
@JessiesGirl22: She's got a 24-hour bug. Maybe you could come by, she'd love to see you. We live at Crawford Square, apt 213.
@Jneal_18: I'll be there.
James ran out to his ferrari, plugging in the address to their apartment complex in his GPS system. He stopped at a grocery store and grabbed a few things before walking to the cafe next door to grab some drinks. He was impressed, Celeste lived right in the heart of Pittsburgh. He realized that he drove by her place every day to go to practice.
He parked in the visitor's lot, looks coming from residents walking outside. He grabbed the bags, locked his car and snuck to find apartment 213.
"Hey you made it." Jessie appeared in a pair of short blue jean shorts and an oversized tank top which fell perfectly on her shoulders. Her blonde hair fell to the middle of her back, he never noticed the blue tips before. "She's upstairs. First door at the top, lucky bitch got the bigger bedroom!" She laughed.
Just as James was half-way up he turned to Jess. "She knows I'm coming right?" Jess smiles awkwardly. "Shit." he growls.
At the top he finds the door, with a sign that reads "If the door is a rockin, don't com a knockin." and he couldn't help laughing to himself. He liked a girl with a sense of humor, especially sexual humor. It was a trait he found incredibly sexy.
"Come in." A raspy voice comes from behind the door. He takes a deep breath and enters to the unknown. He noticed posters everywhere, mostly sports posters with a mix of terrible boy bands from the 90's. Oh nostalgia.
There were shoes everywhere, soccer balls, an autographed Pirates baseball in a protective case and then in the corner, a duffelbag with the Penguins logo and 4 hockey sticks leaning against the wall.
The main attraction was the sick lump cuddled under the dark red comforter.
"Celeste?" He squeaked, his voice soft but anxious. As far as he knew, she had NO idea he was coming and that she had zero interest in him.
Movement comes from the bed. He watched her as she sprung up, a confused look on her face.
"How in the....what are you....James Neal....why are you in my room??" He expected this reaction but it wasn't about to ruin this moment. He walked to her bed, sitting down on the corner, placing the grocery bags on the floor and the coffee on her bedside table.
"I heard you were sick and I was called to make a house visit. You couldn't come to me so I came to you." He tried smiling, hoping it would salvage the awkardness of the situation.
"Who made you come?" She asked quickly realizing she phrased that poorly when she saw a sly smile on James' face.
"Well if you must know...." He dug into the bag and pulled out a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Celeste. "Unfortunately it wasn't you but your very attractive roomie." He watched her take the flowers, smelling them and then grinning.
"Well, I hate her. And she's single so have at it big boy." She smelled the flowers once more. Even when sick she is still so beautiful. He thought.
"I figured by over abundance of coffee mugs in your office the other day you liked coffee," He nods his head to the latte on the table next to her. She took a drink then sniffing. "Tissues. I got plenty of tissues!" James dug through the bags, throwing two boxes at her. "Aloe Vera, should help your nose from getting sore."
"Why are you doing this?" She readjusted herself, her back laying against the 5 pillows stuffed behind her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"I uh...well. I hate being sick and not having anyone take care of me." He felt his cheeks heat up. "Figured you could use some of this stuff. There's soup downstairs warming up and I brought enough cold pills and syrup to last 5 years."
Celeste laughed. It was a cute laugh. Is there anything this girl can't be adorable at?
"Thank you. Definitely unexpected but appreciated." She flashed her 100-watt smile at James which made him hot inside. "Did Matt call you? I assume we need to reschedule. I can't really give massages right now."
"How about you teach me how to give a massage?" He studied her face closely. "I mean, you never know when I need to rub someone up." He smiled.
"Are you always this straight-forward Nealer? You're a walking boner!" She laughed hysterically which caused her to cough voraciously.
"Hey you okay?!" He moved closer, his hand was on her leg as he calmed her down. She felt his hand and inched away.
"Just a coughing fit. Being sick is a glamourous task." James could feel things were getting awkward. Moved too fast dipshit. Put your dick away for a moment! He thought.
"How about a movie? We could go downstairs, eat lunch and have a movie marathon?" She looked skeptical.
"Ah why the hell not. You came all this way for someone you don't even know. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to eat free soup with one of Pittsburgh's finest hockey players."
This was the first time James caught her attention. He felt as if he was breaking through to her, even in the littlest way.
"Hey! Neal!" I slow my pace on the stationary bike.
"Sup Kuni. Beau, you little shit." The guys were just coming in for practice. Since I'm injured, 6am is my workout time.
"Hit the ice yet?" Chris asked.
"Had a little puck handling sesh, still too bruised." I hated being injured. Word was getting around that if I had a perfect season, I could be up for the Rocket Richard this season. Like that would ever happen.
"How about your appointment yesterday?" The corners of my mouth turned. Jesus, Celeste was gorgeous.
"Yeah, it wasn't bad." I played it cool.
"Except for miss hottie from the club..." Beau chimes in, wiggling his eyebrows like a little sissy.
"Hottie? What...who?!" Out of nowhere I'm surrounded by more guys. Geno, Pauly, Suttsy and Tanger were crowding my personal space.
"Oh Nealer, not the blonde. She was a total bonehead." Suttsy tried to validate that she was indeed, one dumb-ass blonde.
"No. Lazy mean brown head girl. She no like you though." Geno winked and Kuni reiterated his broken english.
"Ahhh, the leggy brunette. The one who turned you down before you even had a leg in." I nodded my head.
"Celeste. Her name is Celeste." The boys wooed in unison. "Oh shut the fuck up. Don't you guys have practice or something?" I changed the subject as they all smiled and walked towards the dressing room.
"You like this girl. Don't fuck it up, Nealer." Pauly swaps his hand on my arm.
"I have nothing to fuck up..." I moan.
"Not yet, brotha." He turns around and flashes a thumbs up.
***
This headache was too much for me to handle. My brain wanted to explode and it hurt to keep my eyes open.
"Looks like you caught the 24-hour flu, girlie." Jessie walked in my room, an empty bucket and a nice cup of hot lemon tea in her hand.
"Ah thank you. You're the best." I took a sip of the tea, careful not to burn the top of my mouth. "I need to call Matt. There's no way I can go to work today."
"James Neal. That is all." She gave me the 'you're going to work whether you like it or not' look.
"Do you see me? I'm gross, there's no way in hell I should go to work." I pick up my phone and dial Matt. It's a rare sight to see me call out of work, let alone, get sick but lucky me today was the day.
"He said he'd take care of it." I tell Jessie who is sitting on the edge of my bed, checking her phone.
"Done." Jessie's thumbs work hard on her phone and a sigh of relief followed.
"What's done?" I sit up trying to glance at her iphone. She pulled her phone away quickly, shoving it into her pocket.
"I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
***
His phone went off like an atom bomb. Phone calls, texts, tweets - all at once, simultaneously. One new voicemail. He picked up the iPhone, caressing it on his ear.
"Hey James, it's Matt from Integrated Fitness. Look, Celeste can't make it in today so I'd love if you'd call back to reschedule. She's free tomorrow and Monday. Just let us know!"
"Fuck." He mumbles. James was waiting all day for their appointment. He checks his twitter, re-tweeting some fan requests and birthday shout outs but before he closes down the app, he notices a mention he can't refuse to read.
@JessiesGirl22: I kno u wont c this but Celeste is sick. I have a plan.
James follows the girl, remembering back to the night at the club. She was the blonde next to Celeste, the one eyeing him up all night. He takes the reply off twitter, direct messaging her privately.
@Jneal_18: Is she ok?
James sat un-patiently waiting for her to reply then a ding alerted his phone. New message.
@JessiesGirl22: She's got a 24-hour bug. Maybe you could come by, she'd love to see you. We live at Crawford Square, apt 213.
@Jneal_18: I'll be there.
James ran out to his ferrari, plugging in the address to their apartment complex in his GPS system. He stopped at a grocery store and grabbed a few things before walking to the cafe next door to grab some drinks. He was impressed, Celeste lived right in the heart of Pittsburgh. He realized that he drove by her place every day to go to practice.
He parked in the visitor's lot, looks coming from residents walking outside. He grabbed the bags, locked his car and snuck to find apartment 213.
"Hey you made it." Jessie appeared in a pair of short blue jean shorts and an oversized tank top which fell perfectly on her shoulders. Her blonde hair fell to the middle of her back, he never noticed the blue tips before. "She's upstairs. First door at the top, lucky bitch got the bigger bedroom!" She laughed.
Just as James was half-way up he turned to Jess. "She knows I'm coming right?" Jess smiles awkwardly. "Shit." he growls.
At the top he finds the door, with a sign that reads "If the door is a rockin, don't com a knockin." and he couldn't help laughing to himself. He liked a girl with a sense of humor, especially sexual humor. It was a trait he found incredibly sexy.
"Come in." A raspy voice comes from behind the door. He takes a deep breath and enters to the unknown. He noticed posters everywhere, mostly sports posters with a mix of terrible boy bands from the 90's. Oh nostalgia.
There were shoes everywhere, soccer balls, an autographed Pirates baseball in a protective case and then in the corner, a duffelbag with the Penguins logo and 4 hockey sticks leaning against the wall.
The main attraction was the sick lump cuddled under the dark red comforter.
"Celeste?" He squeaked, his voice soft but anxious. As far as he knew, she had NO idea he was coming and that she had zero interest in him.
Movement comes from the bed. He watched her as she sprung up, a confused look on her face.
"How in the....what are you....James Neal....why are you in my room??" He expected this reaction but it wasn't about to ruin this moment. He walked to her bed, sitting down on the corner, placing the grocery bags on the floor and the coffee on her bedside table.
"I heard you were sick and I was called to make a house visit. You couldn't come to me so I came to you." He tried smiling, hoping it would salvage the awkardness of the situation.
"Who made you come?" She asked quickly realizing she phrased that poorly when she saw a sly smile on James' face.
"Well if you must know...." He dug into the bag and pulled out a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Celeste. "Unfortunately it wasn't you but your very attractive roomie." He watched her take the flowers, smelling them and then grinning.
"Well, I hate her. And she's single so have at it big boy." She smelled the flowers once more. Even when sick she is still so beautiful. He thought.
"I figured by over abundance of coffee mugs in your office the other day you liked coffee," He nods his head to the latte on the table next to her. She took a drink then sniffing. "Tissues. I got plenty of tissues!" James dug through the bags, throwing two boxes at her. "Aloe Vera, should help your nose from getting sore."
"Why are you doing this?" She readjusted herself, her back laying against the 5 pillows stuffed behind her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"I uh...well. I hate being sick and not having anyone take care of me." He felt his cheeks heat up. "Figured you could use some of this stuff. There's soup downstairs warming up and I brought enough cold pills and syrup to last 5 years."
Celeste laughed. It was a cute laugh. Is there anything this girl can't be adorable at?
"Thank you. Definitely unexpected but appreciated." She flashed her 100-watt smile at James which made him hot inside. "Did Matt call you? I assume we need to reschedule. I can't really give massages right now."
"How about you teach me how to give a massage?" He studied her face closely. "I mean, you never know when I need to rub someone up." He smiled.
"Are you always this straight-forward Nealer? You're a walking boner!" She laughed hysterically which caused her to cough voraciously.
"Hey you okay?!" He moved closer, his hand was on her leg as he calmed her down. She felt his hand and inched away.
"Just a coughing fit. Being sick is a glamourous task." James could feel things were getting awkward. Moved too fast dipshit. Put your dick away for a moment! He thought.
"How about a movie? We could go downstairs, eat lunch and have a movie marathon?" She looked skeptical.
"Ah why the hell not. You came all this way for someone you don't even know. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to eat free soup with one of Pittsburgh's finest hockey players."
This was the first time James caught her attention. He felt as if he was breaking through to her, even in the littlest way.