Stay the Night

I had spent most of my life protecting myself from love. Being from a single parent home, I saw how love could totally change a life. Love makes you do crazy things. Things that caused heart ache, stress, and worlds to be flipped upside down. Boys liked me, but I ignored it or I looked over it. I couldn’t understand anyone wanting anything more from me then friendship. High school I had close guy friends, but, nothing deeper ever grew out of them. I had fun, and I was comfortable with that. Yet, here I was lying in bed at the age of 22 debating my life. Next to me was my good friend Jacob. He was the buddy I went to when my best friend Rachel seemed insane. We watched sports, action movies and drank beer together. Everyone knew how he felt about me, but I couldn’t see anything more then friendship. Jacob stirred, causing the sheet to move, revealing his left butt cheek.
I mentally kicked myself, how could I totally blow our friendship with one drunken night of fun?!
I slowly sat up, in hopes not to wake him. I was thankful that he was a deep sleeper and leaving without being notice could be possible. I searched around the room for my dress and coat. They were scattered from the door to the end of the bed. Moving almost as if in slow motion, my feet touched the floor and I tipped toed out the room. Getting carefully dressed on the way. Standing in the adjacent kitchen was Robby, Jacob’s roommate. Standing in a pair of briefs he looked so stupid as he judged me over his bowl a cereal.
“Oh! Don’t look at me like that!” I hissed at him, and continued on my way.
The Sheffield streets were empty as I walked down two blocks towards my apartment. I was not used to the walk of shame so I did my best to blend in with the people that were around. My apartment was in the best location, just a few blocks from the “L” and my university where I was a grad student, Depaul University. After jogging up the 6 flights to my apartment, I was slightly winded and ready to get into my bed. I turned the key in the lock really slowly in hopes not to wake up my roommate. As I opened the door, Elwood, my dog charged the door. Being completely deaf and blind in one eye I had to signal him to enter the house as quietly as I could. Rachel was laying on the couch, watching Grey’s on Netflix. She smiled wide as she looked up at me.
“Oh well hello, Cailynn,” her face held so much joy in it. I knew that she had heard about what happened last night. God damn you Robby, that’s why no one likes you!
“Don’t start,” I groan. Taking off my coat I dropped it along with my bag and shoes on the bench by the door. “This is why I do not drink hard alcohol. I think I will blame this all on you.”
I laid down next to her on our L-shaped couch. “You should’ve known better.... BUT, fine put all the blame on me”
“Already did.” I grunted and pulled Elwood onto my lap. We sat in silence as Dr. McDreamy and Meredith fought over their relationship again.
“Oh, so my pops called me this morning.”
“Yea? What did you guys talk about,” I grunted, not talking my eyes off the TV.
“He’s not using his tickets tonight for the hockey game, so he was wondering if we would want to go.” With this my ears perked up, and I turned quickly to look at her. She knew how much I loved sports, most of all the Blackhawks. Her father’s company owned season tickets to the Bulls and Blackhawks, but, I hadn’t gotten a chance to go to a game with them. Something always came up, and I was forced to stay home watching on TV while Rachel who knew nothing about the game was there taking it all in. In my 22 years I had yet been to a Blackhawks game.
“You’re kidding me right!” I yelped, causing Elwood to perk up from the movement.
She smiled and leaned back into the couch, “Oh, so should I take that as you are free tonight.”
I placed Elwood over as I stood up and began to dance around. “Legit, this is why you’re my best friend.”
“Why? Cause my family has season tickets?” Rachel exclaimed.
“No...its cause you can see I'm having a bad day and you make it so much better.” I cheered, moving towards the fridge.
“It’s not a bad day if you drunkenly decide to have sex,” laughing at my ridiculous reaction, “especially if its with your best friends.”
“Opinions!” I sang, and began to make myself some breakfast. After we ate breakfast, Rachel and I took Elwood for a walk to the local dog park. For October, it was bright and sunny out. Allowing just me to just wear a sweater and jeans. We sat on a blanket, as Elwood ran back and forth with the ball. Rachel sat with her huge sunglasses on, reading me the different articles from the latest Cosmo. Every so often I’d hear something ridiculous and would crack up, causing all the others in the park to stare at us. "...and understand that man’s appearance can cause emotional stress,” Rachel cited in her most clinical voice.
I giggled at the thought of a guy really sitting at home with his buddies, Yea man...lately I feel like my jeans haven’t been fitting right lately. I sat up to look around, expecting Elwood to come back from his latest retrieve. I searched but he was no where in sight.
“Rach, do you see the dog anywhere?” I stood up quick, searching for anything that looked to be my dog. Over on the hill stood two young looking guys with a dog that look like mine. I began walking over, hoping that it was Elwood. “Hey guys... I’m sorry about my dog. I would’ve called for him but he’s deaf so it would’ve been useless.” The two guys seemed to be around my age, crouched down I couldn’t see their faces under their baseball caps.
“It’s totally okay,” a low voice beamed up at me. “He seems extremely friendly.” I signaled my hand to Elwood to have him sit, as the other guy stood up to look at me. I squinted my eyes at him too get a good look through the blinding sun. His face had a strong jaw and a crooked smile on it.
“Hey my name is Jon and this is my buddy Andrew,” sticking out his hand for me to shake it. I caught my breath, recognizing him before he even introduced himself. I did my best to remain calm, and grabbed his hand in a light handshake. Feeling a shot of electricity when our hands met.
“Hi, my name is Cailynn.” I put my hand up as a visor as I watched him smile down at me. “And this handsome dog is Elwood.” Not breaking our eye contact. All I could do is think about is staying normal and calm. The man standing in front of my was THE Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks Captain. Only one of four to ever have the chance to lift of Stanley Cup over his head in the Blackhawks history. A man I have watched on TV every hockey season since he was drafted by the Hawks in the top three. It took everything in my body to keep my heart rate normal.
“That’s an interesting name... Cailynn.” Jon smiled at me
“Yea my family is very Irish,” I did my best to smile back normally, “its just like Caitlin without the T”
“Cailynn! Do you need his leash?” I turned to see Rachel making her way to over to me. Oh god, please do not embarrassed me, I prayed to God. I turned back to look a Jon, as Andrew Shaw stood up.
“How does one end up with a deaf dog?” Shaw chuckled out.
“Oh, umm yeah...” I shook myself out of my dazed, “My best friend was a Psych major and she had a behavioral class where they worked with dogs. I went to visit one day and I met the love of my life.”
“Hey, I thought you would need this,” Rachel said as she joined me at my side.
Chuckling, “Ummm, guys this is my friend Rachel. Rachel, this is Jon and Andrew.”
“Hey nice to meet.... Holy Shit!” Rachel blurted out and I began to silently curse God. I watched as Andrew and Jon laughed, knowing why she had that reaction. So much for trying to act normal...
“Nice to meet you too,” Andrew laughed and shook her hand.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Rachel’s face became red with embarrassment, “I bet you guys were hoping to not be noticed.”
Jon chuckled, “We’re hockey players, you’d be surprised how often we go unnoticed.”
“Its feels good to get some recognition every now and then,” Shaw added.
All I could do was smile, I grabbed the leash out of Rachel’s hand and continue to hook up Elwood. “We’re actually going to be at your game tonight.” Rachel was for sure flirting, which was nothing new since most guys that smiled at her was subject to her “game.”
If I didn’t know better I would say that Jon seemed excited when he said, “You both are?”
“Yeah, my dad has season tickets. So, I’m taking Cailynn to her first game,” I prayed Rachel would stop soon, “she's a huge fan of your guys.”
“Oh yeah?” Andrew chuckled.
“Yeah... I guess so.” I looked over and smile at Rachel.
“Maybe we can work something out,” Jon turned to look at me, “so you get a great first game experience.”
“We like to spoil our fans.” Shaw chimed in.
“How about I get your number?” Jon pulled out his phone and handed it to me. I smiled, and grabbed the phone. Typing the numbers into the phone was the hardest, since my nerves caused my hand to shake.
Rachel patted me on the arm, “This is so awesome!” I handed the phone back and Jon looked at the time and said they had to go. We said our goodbyes, Jon promised to text me in a few to let me know more. Rachel and I walked Elwood back to the blanket and we collected our things.
The whole way back to the apartment Rachel couldn’t stop gushing about our luck in meeting them.“Like who is going to believe us that we met Jonathan Toews. No one is... He’s been on your wall forever!” I chuckled thinking about all the posters and pictures I had of the Blackhawks around my room my Junior year as an undergrad. “Oh my God! They can’t come over to the house.... They will think you are a stalker!”
“Yup, I hunt men down with my blind puppy...” I nervous chuckled, knowing the first thing I do when I get back it take down a few things.
“Wait! Weird question...” I stopped and looked at her as Elwood pulled on his leash to continue going. “Do you think he knows Tebow?” All I could is smile, and continued walking down the city block to our apartment.