Summers, Sunsets and Shoulder Surgeries

Lauren rolled over and glanced at the alarm clock. She sat up so quickly that she almost fell off the side of the bed. She was startled at the fact that she had slept for nearly four hours. She silently chided Taylor for not waking her up as she pulled a pair of dark blue sweatpants from her suitcase and onto her smooth legs. As she stepped into the hall her stomach rumbled and she realized she hadn't really eaten anything since her hasty breakfast at an airport McDonald's in the states. She softly padded down the hall and as she reached the living room the sound of male voices and video games filled her ears. She was pulled from inside her own head where she had been thinking of a way to convince Taylor to take her to a really early dinner, only to see four guys and Taylor huddled around the TV, controllers in hand. She realized that she was still only in a sports bra and sweatpants and as she turned to dash down the hall and put something more appropriate on Taylor called across the room.

"Oh hey! Good morning sunshine"

At his voice Lauren forced herself to turn back around and smile at all the eyes now focused on her. To avoid making the situation even more awkward, than it already was, she took a few more steps into the room . Taylor introduced her to everyone.

"This is Nail, Jordan and Ryan" Taylor explained as he motioned to the three guys on the couch who had forgotten about the video game and were still staring at Lauren.

Lauren smiled at the three of them and then found her soft voice. "It's nice to meet you guys" she added, "sorry I didn't know anyone else was here" she apologized as she glanced down at her sleep attire.

The guys laughed it off and went back to their game. Lauren's eyes glanced to the screen and she began following the back and forth of whatever action sequence was taking place. Unconsciously she reached up and pooled her wavy brown locks in a bun atop her head when Jordan spoke up.

"University of Maine Hockey?" he questioned as Lauren glanced back down at her dark blue sweats.

"Oh um yeah. I'm from the states. Maine's the only college hockey team in the state." Lauren graciously replied.

This time Jordan took his eyes from the screen and looked at her with a shocked expression, "You play HOCKEY?"

Lauren giggled at the boys' surprise as she responded saying that she most certainly did not play college hockey and that her parents simply had season tickets and that she had stolen the pants from a friend. Without missing a beat Taylor pipped in,

"But she did used to play hockey"

Lauren shot him a glare as she shook her head. Once again all the eyes in the room returned to Lauren. All the guys were thinking the same thing, how did this petite girl with such a pretty face and toned stomach, ever manage to play the game they had all excelled at.

"Yes I played house hockey for ten years, nothing too competitive and I was not the best by any stretch of the imagination" Lauren sputtered out.

"I didn't even know there was girls hockey", Nail responded in his thick Russian accent.

"She didn't play girls hockey" Taylor responded, "she played with the boys you idiots".

For at least the third time that afternoon all the heads turned towards Lauren where she had perched herself on the floor and where a very pink blush had begun creeping in on her cheeks.

"Impressive" Jordan breathed. Nail nodded as Ryan just stared, making eye contact with Lauren for the first time. Lauren felt a little butterfly in her stomach but it was gone as soon as she turned her head to glance at Taylor.

Breaking the silence that had ensued, Lauren spoke softly, "I really wasn't that good and it wasn't like I was the only girl on the team either, my twin played too". At this the guys once again returned to their game and Lauren let out a breathe she wasn't even aware she had been holding.

Bored out of her mind watching the guys play their stupid game Lauren decided it was her chance to get to ask all the questions.

"So if you don't mind me asking, why are you all here. It's summer, shouldn't the NHL's finest be home with their families?"

"It's too far for me to go home. Plus I'd rather stay here and workout". Nail was the first to respond and his answer did make a lot of sense. Jordan's response made Lauren blush.

"Had to meet this gorgeous cousin Hallsy is always talking about, before I leave for the summer." His eyes darted up to meet Lauren's as he gave her a wink, sending her into a fit of giggles. She turned herself towards Ryan expecting him to answer when for the first time she noticed the sling.

"Oh sorry" she stammered guessing she had hit on a sensitive topic when Ryan returned her stare and just smiled.

"Oh this is nothing. I just had surgery a while ago and I'm supposed to be letting it recover. It's nothing big just an old hockey injury." Lauren returned his smile and stared into his eyes probably longer than she should have when Ryan quipped back with his own question.

"So what brings you to Edmonton?"

Lauren had been dreading having to answer that. On the surface she has just come to visit her cousin. Catch up with her friend whose busy schedule had separated the two longer than it should have. But she knew, as did Taylor, that more importantly this visit allowed her to escape the heartbreak she had still yet to shake. In her sophomore year Lauren had become close friends with one of the foreign exchange students at her school. They talked all the time and he had even convinced her to try out for the tennis team when spring rolled around, so that they could spend more time with each other. She did try out for the tennis team but she had never played before and thus she was placed on JV. Mateo's flashy tennis skills were far better than any of the Americans and he easily glided his way onto the Varsity squad. The girls and boys teams practiced at the same time yet JV and Varsity did not. Thus it was a rare occasion that the two had practice at the same time but when ever they day Mateo always made sure to flirt with her. He would "accidentally" hit balls towards her from the boys courts and purposely smash balls at the fence when she was bent over picking up balls, just to scare her. As the tennis season and the school year proceeded on the two became closer. Lauren went to all his home matches an they continued talking everyday. In late spring their relationship took a step forward when they started going out on dates together. Bowling, the movies even practicing tennis together, all leading up to their first kiss in late spring. Their relationship hardly had time to blossom from there as the school year ended and the two found themselves saying goodbye to each other at his going away party. They had discussed how they both had strong feelings for one another but ultimately it was Mateo who stated that he was leaving, going home, in just a few days and that thus they would be better remaining as just friends. At this Lauren's heart cracked right down the middle. But she thought she could get through the next year as he promised to skype her and message her all the time. She knew he would be returning in a year, the summer between their junior and senior years, to visit everyone. At first the two kept in touch skyping nearly every week and messaging almost everyday, yet as the summer turned into the next school year the time difference started to become too much and Lauren felt the two drifting apart. Yet every time Lauren told herself to give up and move on he would always message her, tell her he missed her or send her a love song about how "you only know you love her when you let her go". Only her best friend knew that the two still talked and she could see how it was eating away at Lauren. Then all of a sudden the messages stopped. Lauren still tried to strike up conversations every now and again but they were short. Eventually he stopped responding all together. When her birthday came and went and she didn't receive so much as a happy birthday she knew whatever they might have had was over for good and it tore her up inside. After a few months she slowly got over it and came up with the plan to visit Taylor for the month that Mateo would be returning to Maine. Once Taylor was filled in on the whole story he agreed in an instant and promised to not let her mother or anyone else know the real reason she wanted to spend a majority of her summer in a different country away from the rest of her friends.

Lauren and Taylor shared a knowing look before Lauren finally responded, "Well I haven't gotten to see Taylor basically at all for two years and I figured now was as good a time as any". Instant relief washed over Lauren when the other guys just nodded and continued playing Xbox.

Trying to avoid having to answer anymore questions, Lauren got up and padded into her room. She grabbed a change of clothes and some makeup and glided across the hall and into the bathroom. A few minutes later she had freshened up and slid into a cute dress. She grabbed some sandals from her suitcase and walked back towards the commotion in the living room. (outfit: http://www.designsnext.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cute-summer-outfits-2.jpg )By now she was down right starving so she decided to jump right to the chase.

"Taylor can we get something to eat?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

"Oh hey Lauren I was just leaving" Jordan said as he stalked over towards her and wrapped her in a quick hug. "It was great meeting you" he added before he released her and she told him the same. Following Jordan, Nail gracefully excused himself, also giving Lauren a quick hug, and before she knew it it was just her and Ryan and Taylor. She walked over to the couch and flopped down, in the now all empty space.

"Okay lets grab a bite to eat" Taylor began as he stood up only to be interrupted by his phone ringing. Lauren groaned as Taylor answered it and started in on a conversation with his girlfriend. Sensing her annoyance Taylor held a hand over the reciever-end of his phone

"Nugie why don't you guys go on without me. I'm not too hungry anyways". Ryan nodded his head in response as he stood up and extended a hand to Lauren. She accepted it and the two were out the door and headed out of the building and into Edmonton.