No Thank You

“I think you guys are sitting right behind our bench, at least that’s what I’m hoping.”

Scotty had parked in his usual spot, waiting for his sister and ex girlfriend to vacate the vehicle so he could lock it. Things between him and Alex had been a little bit frosty for most of the day, and he had been somewhat grateful that she had avoided his company for the last few hours.
Kyla had given him her piece of mind as soon as Alex had stormed out of the house, but he remained very opinionated when it came to his ex girlfriend’s indiscretion with Sidney Crosby.

Alex had been to evening games with him often enough to know around what time he would leave and conveniently reappeared minutes before, a big smile on her face.

“As long as we’re not sitting right behind the penalty box and have to see your ugly face more often than necessary, all is good. Wow, feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been here the last time!”

Kyla stuck out her tongue at her older brother and successfully evaded his hands as he tried to grab her. Alex missed this, the banter between both Hartnell siblings.
No longer being with Scott had surely changed a lot in her daily life. Having dated a professional hockey player for just over 2 years did require her to adapt to his stressful schedules during the season: long stretches of him being on the other side of the country, early practices, conventions, meetings, game days and their pre-game routines.
The off season was the time he would not make any excuses and spend as much time as he could with her, her work schedule permitting. She always took time off to go up to Canada with him during that time, maybe even a week when just the two of them would disappear altogether.
She would never have admitted it to him or anyone else, but after two years of scheduling her life around his, she felt almost lost being able to do whatever and whenever she wanted.

“Whatever, you two know you love me.”

Finally having both women close enough to him, he pulled them closer against his body and hugged them to his sides, kissing their heads. He had recognized the clouded look on Alexandra’s face immediately: she missed this; him.

“I think A. loves you even more than I do, seen that she’s actually wearing one of your old jerseys. I will never know how she manages to pull off to wear this vile color.”

All three were laughing and chatting as they made their way towards his team’s locker room, the anticipation of entering the holiest of rooms got the better of Alex and she grabbed Scott’s hand, entwining her fingers with his. He smiled down at her and pulled her into his side again just as they rounded a corner and Alex ceased movement immediately.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

About 20 feet away, players of the Pittsburgh Penguins were filing out of the away team’s locker room for pre-game skate in full gear. Sidney Crosby was standing across from the door leaning against the wall, chatting with Matt Niskanen and their coach.
His head snapped up as him and Matt noticed the small group walking towards them and Sid’s mouth fell open upon seeing the woman that he had ended his 6 months dry-spell with just under a week ago; she was holding hands with the Flyers’ #19, neatly tugged against his side.

A blind man could have felt the tension that had suddenly sparked up in the small stretch of hallway, stares that could have killed were exchanged between the tall ginger Forward as soon as he laid eyes on the captain of the away team.

“We go the long way around!”

It was Kyla who spoke up after what seemed like forever and pushed both her brother and Alex in the other direction. She was very well aware that they hadn’t gone unnoticed, but remembering her brother’s temper earlier in the day she thought it was wiser to steer clear of a possible confrontation.

“How could you possibly forget that this way would lead us past the fucking away team locker rooms! How embarrassing!

Alex hissed as their steps quickened, trying to gain as much distance from the Penguins as they could. Her cheeks were flushed and she was considering pulling off the jersey thanks to the sudden increase in body temperature.

“And why are you embarrassed! Because your latest one night stand caught you in perfect harmony with me? Because he’ll probably think that you’re a puck bunny now, sleeping with a different hockey player every night? Hell, I would do the same if I was in his position!”

Scott’s voice clearly carried anger, his whole body screamed of agitation as they finally arrived in the corridor that held his own locker room. Catching Alex shaking her head vigorously and sucking in her lips in order not to bite back, he let her keep walking as his sister and him stopped in front of the locker room.

“That was totally out of line Scott. She said she regretted that night, but clearly it was an awkward situation back there. Just…please try and calm down before the game. And don’t even think about pulling something later on with Crosby, you know she’d never forgive you. You never gave her reason to resent you, but this whole situation is fucked. The more you steer clear of him tonight, the more she’ll see that you are trying to make an effort to ignore whatever happened between her and-“

“But she fucked Crosby! She’s a Flyers’ fan! She fucking dated me for 2 years! How the hell am I supposed to ignore that the woman I love fucked I guy I hate on the ice!”

He interrupted her speech as they locker room door opened and both Timmonen and Talbot stuck their heads out to see what all the commotion was about. Huffing in an annoyed manner, he caught a last glimpse of Alex as she disappeared behind a door that would lead her into the main parts of the Wells Fargo Center, not having taken one look back at him or Kyla. He knew that it didn’t take much to make her uncomfortable in a situation and that his last comment must have stung a good bit especially seen that she was far from a puck bunny. In the years he had known her, she had always been rather reserved about the perceptions people would have of her. He still believed that if she would have cared less of what people thought, she would have moved in with him the moment he had brought up the subject.

“And from all I was able to see these last two days, she still loves you to some extend. You guys didn’t split up because it didn’t work anymore, but because she had to relocate to be independent in her field of work. Whatever happened back in Pittsburgh between him and her was a lapse of good judgment, she said so herself. Just…let it be Scotty. He was a rebound; she hasn’t contacted him after which should tell you as much. Let it go.”

Kyla stood right in front of him, putting her hands on top of his shoulders and kissed his cheek. She wasn’t dumb; she knew that something like this could easily throw off his game and could possibly turn into something nasty on the ice. She just hoped that her words were hitting home somewhere.

“I’m going to see if I can find and talk to her. Don’t be an asshole Scott.”

Squeezing his shoulders gently before turning the way Alex had left just a short moment ago, Scott squeezed his eyes shut tightly in an effort to will the whole situation away, but he couldn’t ignore the questioning looks both of his team mates were giving him as he opened them again.

“Don’t even fucking ask.”

He said between clenched teeth as he pushed his way past them to start and get ready for the game.

…………

“Well done babe!”

Alex was screaming as she was pounding her flat hands against the glass right behind the Flyers’ bench, Scotty having scored the 2-2 tie against the Penguins with just 3 minutes to go in the 3rd period. He was skating back towards the bench with a huge grin on his face, bumping gloves with his teammates on the bench. As so often this season, the Flyers had been working their way back from trailing 0-2 until the 3rd, Giroux and now Scotty making clear that they were not ready to lose against their arch rivals on home ice.
Scott could see his ex jump up and down, screaming with a big smile on her face as he passed the bench.
It had been hard to try and ignore the presence of Sidney Crosby on the ice all game, simply turning a deaf ear to remarks both Neal and Malkin were making about Alex being a loose girl or her having found a replacement for him in their captain. But he had managed to do so solely because he did not want drama off the ice with Alex. This goal had pretty much topped his efforts. It was corny to think, but this goal was purely for her.

“Almost over, they’ll totally go into OT!”

Kyla screamed from right beside her, taking notice on how Alex had referred to her brother as “babe”, liking the implications.

“Don’t count your blessings yet, damn Penguins are good in getting one in with only minutes to go.”

Her eyes were on Sidney as he lined up for face-off, determination and concentration making his jaw almost pop. There had been no unnecessary penalties from Scotty, even though she had seen that there was a good few chirps from the Penguins directed at him throughout the game. Alex had hoped that Scott would prevail and simply ignore anything thrown his way and he had not disappointed. But she had also noticed that all the Penguins players that had been present at Nealer’s little party had been egging him on all night.

The lines had changed and Scott was sitting on the bench, heaving to try and rest his body as much as he could before his next shift as the puck dropped yet again, with under 2 minutes to go. He mentally prepared himself for overtime, having faith in their goalie that had at least kept 35 out of 37 shots out of the net so far if statistics were to be believed.
But Briére caused a turnover just seconds later, the puck somehow finding Crosby’s stick as he skated back towards Bryz, avoiding Schenn and Simmonds on his way to the Philly crease. The whole bench was standing at this stage, the crowd getting vocal once more. The horn went seconds later, Sidney burying it in the net top shelf, being surrounded by his line mates as he celebrated the goal.

A bitter taste rose in Scott’s mouth as the Pittsburgh Captain made his way towards the Penguins’ bench, bumping fists and then stopping right in front of the Flyers’ bench, pointing his glove right past the players and smirking.

“You wanna fuck a winner babe? I’ll fucking fuck you right in this fucking team’s locker room later!”

Alex couldn’t understand a word that was said over the noise, but whatever it was the Captain of the Penguins had shouted, the entire Flyers’ bench was ready on their feet. The satisfied smirk on Crosby’s face not only made her hate him for whatever he said but also ignited a fire in her belly. Scott jumped over the boards leaving his gloves behind. He had been holding out all game long, but this was the last straw and Crosby was certainly pushing it. He landed a right hook in the face of his opponent as his left held on to the other mans jersey. He saw red. Sidney’s sorry attempts on getting hits in were miserable as he landed punch on punch on the younger man.

“You know how she never once mentioned your name when I was doing her? She knows you’re a loser and that she can do better Hartnell!”

2 refs interfered but it took 3 more players to pull them apart. Scott was sent right off the ice to the locker rooms whereas Crosby was pushed towards the penalty box for instigating. The crowd had gone mad for someone actually taking on Sidney Crosby, though no one knew what the exchange of words had been.

On his way off the ice Scott was trying to zero in on Alex but could only see his sister standing next to an empty seat, her face confused.

“He was fucking asking for it!”

Scott shouted towards his younger sibling as he stated walking towards the tunnel, the punches he had landed on Crosby’s face not managing to make him feel better in the least. He had been asking for it, he had been talking about Alex like she was a common whore! Throwing his helmet against the walls of the tunnel he emitted a loud scream, anger and frustration cursing through his body. He had defended her honor, she would understand.