All I'll Ever Need

I couldn’t believe this was finally happening.

Though I had heard the knock on the door, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the large mirror in front of me. Suzie, of course, got to have her fun, and of course, I thought it was a bit much, but the more I stared, the more I felt that maybe she made me look like what I needed to in order to be going out with Sidney Crosby.

I didn’t really think I was beautiful, but I liked the way my eyes shimmered when accented with some smoky eye shadow and a line of winged eyeliner. Not being much of the makeup type, I could never really pull this off on my own, so of course Suzie could put it on me perfectly.

I couldn’t believe what she had done with my hair, however. Well, she didn’t do it. She paid someone else to, which I thought was ridiculous.

Turns out, I was just being dramatic. A first date with Sidney Crosby is something to get your hair done for. At least that’s what every person in the salon said when Suzie told them the occasion. As amusing—and a bit exhilarating, to be honest—as it was, I didn’t think it was necessary.

Still, the twists and curls and braids that the stylist did my hair in was absolutely beautiful. I took at least fifty pictures so that the masterpiece was well documented.

Then Suzie thought it’d be a good idea to take a picture of her own, so what started as simple documentation turned into fifteen minutes of nonstop flashing and demands for certain poses that would look “cute” and “spunky,” which I only agreed to because of all the help she had given me.

After all, if she hadn’t come along, I never would’ve picked the dress I did. I would probably still be at the mall trying to decide exactly which dress I wanted. She helped me decide on a simple but gorgeous maroon and black strapless that had a romantic feel without being too sexy. It could be casual or formal, and with the studded flats I was wearing with it, it seemed perfect.

That was really why I couldn’t look away. I saw my own green eyes in the reflection, but the rest of the person was unfamiliar.

Suzie squeaked. “Sid, you look incredible!”

I’m sure he was as red as I was at that statement, but her telling him that he looked good wasn’t what made me blush. It was the inevitable reciprocation I knew he would tell me . . . plus the fact that I was all dolled up in a way he hadn’t seen before. Neither of us had.

When I looked over at him, what I saw surprised me. Of course I had seen Sidney dressed up. After all, it was his before and after game attire, and how many formal events did he have to attend? For Sidney, dressing up had probably become simple, but there was something special about his black suit with the maroon dress shirt to go with it.

Was it a coincidence? Had Suzie told him what colors I was wearing?

She never really let on that she had, so maybe that was just how it worked out.

Sidney stood there in the doorway of Suzie’s bedroom with a huge and crooked smile, those bashful brown eyes shining . . . it was mind boggling. It was hard enough to face myself in the mirror when I realized that Sidney and I were going out on a date, but to face Sidney . . . my heart swelled up so much in my chest that it didn’t feel safe. I could feel each rapid beat as it pounded into my ribcage, and though I felt smothered, I couldn’t stop my own smile.

“You look stunning, Mika,” he said.

To add to the pile of reactions that didn’t seem very healthy, Sidney took my hand so delicately in his own and pressed his soft lips against it.

I pressed my clear glossed lips together and turned my bright red face towards the ground. “Thanks, Sid.”

His crooked smile got a bit smaller, but the joy that left his smile absorbed into his eyes. “Come on. I’d say this night out is long overdue, wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t know about long overdue,” I teased, and as he rolled his eyes, I giggled. “Aw, come on, Siddy Boo. Lighten up. This is actually happening.”

“Definitely a date I’ve had to work the hardest for,” he scoffed, but when my smile dimmed, he immediately brightened it back up. “Which is why I know it’s gonna be the best. Not only is it with the best person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, but it wasn’t easy getting here. Now, I feel like this isn’t our first date. It feels like one much farther down the road, but it’s because I know you so well, so fully, that it’s hard to imagine we haven’t even known each other two months.” He paused when tears started to trickle down my face, and a coy smile pulled across those full lips. “Come on. I’d hate for them to give our table away or something.”

I took Sidney’s hand, and he led me out to the Range Rover. A part of me was nervous about the place we’d be eating because surely it wouldn’t be somewhere we needed to be as dressed up as we were. Well, actually, it probably would, but the idea of eating somewhere so . . . stiff made me uncomfortable.

Like the place Jonathan had taken me? It was too fancy for my liking.

I told Sidney one night over the phone how I didn’t really like eating at restaurants like that, in the middle of telling him about my idea of a perfect date. It was one of those nights he was in Sochi where we’d talk much longer than we intended to, talk about random things that most people who had just met didn’t usually talk about.

Sidney and I weren’t like most people. Aside from the fact that I had never met anyone so pure and, well, wonderful, we had gotten to know each other so well in just a short time.

It could be credited to us living together for a couple weeks now, but I think we knew each other well before that.

When we pulled up at the restaurant, I didn’t recognize it by name. It was rather crowded, and if Sidney hadn’t gotten reservations, I would’ve wondered if we would even get in. People poured out the front door, but the best part about the people waiting . . . they were in casual clothes.

Sidney and I were overdressed, but I’d rather be overdressed than underdressed any day.

He noticed me peering at the crowded, well-lit building with curiosity swimming in my eyes, and he laughed. “Ever been here before?”

“Never,” I admitted. “What is it?”

“It’s a steakhouse,” he said. “But don’t worry. It isn’t one of those steakhouses with the fancy little ketchup bottles.”

My eyebrows rose. “They have baby ketchup bottles?”

A huge grin pulled across his lips, and he nodded. “Only at the fanciest places, though—at least that I’ve seen.”

My nose curled. “I’d rather just try and find some at the store.”

He laughed. “Well, come on. Our reservations are . . . now.”

Like Sidney’s typical way, he hurried out of the car so he could come around and open my door. Unlike what I ever thought, I loved the way that made me smile.

I always thought that I’d hate someone opening my door for me, even after I met Sidney. To me, it felt like they were babying me, or acting as though I wasn’t capable of doing things for myself.

Things were different now. I knew Sidney wasn’t babying me or treating me like I wasn’t capable of doing things for myself. He was being a genuine gentleman, and opening doors for me was just the beginning.

As he helped me out of the Range Rover, he held out his arm for me to hold onto. I gladly did, and the two of us stepped through the large crowd of people who either didn’t even notice us or turned to stare.

When the flashes started going off, I panicked on the inside, but for Sidney, I kept my composure on the outside. Sidney sped up a bit when people started taking pictures, and I was more than grateful. Even though he was doing it for the sake of his own privacy, I was glad to be getting out of the spotlight.

Walking in the building felt like walking into someone’s home—a very popular someone’s home, that is. The warmth and smell of the place immediately pushed against mg face, and my skin tingled from the change. It wasn’t too cold, especially for a Pittsburgh night, but the change was drastic.

The hostess didn’t even need a name. She smiled coyly at us, grabbed two menus, and said, “Right this way.”

I was overwhelmed by how comfortable this place was. The service was fast—even considering our waiter who had NHL dreams that he talked to Sidney about—and the food was delicious. If it had been a first date with anyone else, I probably would’ve been too nervous to eat all of my food, but like Sidney had said earlier, it didn’t really feel like a first date.

Dinner flowed seamlessly into dancing. It was as if he had recorded everything I said that night because so far, everything was spot on for my perfect date.

Sidney took my hand and led me into the prestigious club that only elite people could get into. Well, elite or pretty. The bouncer standing by the door didn’t even ask for ID. He looked at Sidney, smiled widely, and pulled the red rope back.

“Go Pens,” he said as we passed, and Sidney laughed that boyish laugh that stole my heart.

Inside the club was as wondrous as I imagined. The lights were bright and colorful, but blue stuck out the most. The music was loud, and the bass was so deep that it changed your heart rate. It was incredible.

Sidney was watching me as I looked around us, not really sure what to do. As I told him many times, I had never really gone out anywhere. This was all new to me.

So, like I hoped he would, Sidney took my hand and smiled. “Come on. Drink or dance first? You pick.”

“Drink,” I laughed.

There were more people here than I expected for a Wednesday night, but I imagined there’d be even more on a weekend night.

Sidney got back with a couple of drinks, and once again, I was surprised he actually remembered. We didn’t really talk about drinking much because neither of us were huge drinkers, but the one time we did talk about it, we asked the other about their favorite drinks.

It had only been about a week ago since we had the conversation, so maybe I shouldn’t have been too surprised he remembered.

I took the drink he offered me with a smile. “Thanks, Sid.”

We both finished our drinks in, well, less than ten seconds, but there wasn’t a lot of alcohol in mine, so I wasn’t feeling it yet. I didn’t need to be drunk to have fun, however, so when Sidney sat his glass down on the table beside mine, I quickly took his hand and led him out of the floor.

The song playing was one I didn’t recognize, so I was thankful when it ended and another began. It was an upbeat song, but it was a bit slower paced than most club songs. I was surprised they played it—after all, it wasn’t even really popular here.

As the beginning of Magnetic by Jessie J echoed through the large club, Sid’s hands moved to rest on my hips. They didn’t really just sit there, but gripped onto me in an exciting and unfamiliar way.

We had hugged, and every part of me wished that we had kissed. Sidney and I slept together in the literal sense more than I could count, but we had never touched. Not like this. It was unfamiliar to me. Enjoying a man’s touch that was remotely sexual . . . I had never experienced true desire before, not as strongly as I was then, but it took over my mind and body. I closed my eyes and leaned more into Sidney, danced in ways I was even more unfamiliar with.

I had never actually danced with another man before, but Suzie and I certainly hadn’t danced this way the few times we danced together. Before, I didn’t understand being so close to someone and dancing the way I was, but with one arm draped around Sidney’s shoulders and his grip on my hips tight, I did. I danced that way, and I understood.

The song ended before I knew it, and something shifted. To be honest, I really didn’t have a desire to be there anymore. I just wanted to be back at Sidney’s place and alone.

Maybe not alone . . . .

I pulled Sidney’s lips down to mine before I could think twice about it. Yes, I was waiting for this moment for what seemed like forever, but if I thought about it, I might get nervous. I might worry that I wasn’t good enough for Sidney Crosby, so I didn’t think about it. I let everything happen naturally.

I felt like my heart exploded in my chest, but it was beating too hard to have ruptured. Still, I was electric, and every part of my being knew that this was exactly where my life needed to be. Running away from this had been one of the biggest mistakes I could’ve made, and I was beyond grateful that Sidney didn’t give up on me.

This moment was finally here.

Sidney seemed as into the kiss as I was, which led to some . . . out of place kissing. In normal circumstances, I think Sidney would’ve pulled away. He would’ve restrained himself, but this wasn’t just something I had waited a long time for.

It was mind blowing. I had been kissed before, and I’m sure Sidney had as well. Maybe it was just me, but this felt like my first kiss. It felt like everything I had imagined when watching Disney movies, seeing the prince kiss the princess for the first time. True love’s first kiss that awakened a sleeping princess . . . it was beyond what the movies said it was, though. This was magical, but it was also real. I couldn’t imagine kissing anyone else.

When his hands rested along my jawline and his soft lips parted, I knew I had to do something I didn’t want to do.

I pulled away.

Sidney’s brown eyes were wide for a moment before he, too, remembered where we were, and he cleared his throat. “I think we need to get out of here.”

I wasn’t gonna protest. I was beyond ready to go home.