Tangled Heartstrings

Ayla studies all of the unfamiliar buildings and skyscrapers residing in downtown Pittsburgh. They're running parallel to the sidewalk and surround each street. It doesn't matter whether James drives straight or turns because regardless there's an infinite line of structures stretching across the ground. Every inch is clean and polished.

There's mainly restaurants, food chains, and boutiques on each road along with the odd comic book store or music shop. Her personal favourite's a mahogany and brown brick building that's assigned specifically to cinabuns. She discovers herself craving one. They may be confined in a protected vehicle but she can still pick up the scent of the dessert. Suddenly she invisions the smooth, circular pastry with swirled cinnamon and a creamy, white glaze ontop. Why do they have to be so tempting?

"Something tells me you've never seen downtown before." James infers looking at her overwhelmed expression.

"You're right, I haven't." Ayla says. "How did you know?"

"Just in your body language, I can tell by the way you're leaning up against the window and are lost in your own little world."

"Sorry." She impulsively excuses herself scootching back into the passenger seat. Her back's firmly pressed up against the curved leather with good posture causing her to look taller than she actually is. The female's eyes connect to his, giving him the impression that she's all ears. Mis-understood James lightly laughs staring at her for a split second until the light that they're at turns green and he can stomp on the gas petal.

"Hey, why are you apologizing? I was new here once too and I was as distracted as you are." He reflects on the day that he arrived in Pittsburgh. His teammate Matt Niskanen, who was involved in the Goligoski trade, accompanied him. James was the navigator with a map of the city that they purchased at a variety store on the edge of town. The two were completely lost on their trip receiving no assistance from anyone on their way. Rather than help the driver out number eighteen decided to gaze out his window at the cityscape with his lips unsealed and eyes glued to the environment. He was gone and Nisky knew it.

"The first thing that caught my attention was the bridges. They're beautiful. It's too bad my camera was in my suitcase."

"We have the most bridges in the world, Venice comes the closest." James educates remembering pieces of a tourism book that was provided on the bedside table in his hotel room. Floor number 5, suite 23. How he can remember hotel information from three years ago and not what time he woke up this morning is beyond him.

Ayla continues to listen to James as he explains tourist attractions and some attributes of Pittsburgh which, of course, is helping her more than he realises. He feels smart reciting facts. Craig Adams may have went to Harvard and Sidney may be a walking encyclopedia but that doesn't diminish his intelligence. It's now that he concludes exactly how much he's learned while living there.

When they're at an intersection a few blocks away Ayla sees the tip of Consol Energy Centre peaking out from behind a series of closer buildings. James smiles while pointing it out to her. She's astonished at the beauty of the exterior design, windows, and every component present. It's sophisticated and yet a work of art at the same time.

"Have you seen an NHL arena before?"

"I've seen the Rogers Centre in Vancouver, it's not as nice as this one." She confesses as they pull around the establishment and head to the underground parking lot. It's not dark or creepy. There's a dim burst of light shining through making it luminescent and less intimidating.

"You're a Canucks fan? I thought you didn't watch hockey."

"I watch hockey, I've just never seen a penguins game."

"Ah, I see how it is." He exclaims with an offended expression highlighted on his face. James over dramatically hangs his head down towards the pavement while getting out of his jeep. The door slams shut. It makes a loud, frightening racket that makes the female flinch at it's thunderous bang. The noise reminds her of whenever Evan came home from work to their shared apartment and was having a bad day. That sound indicated that there would be yelling and stuff broken.

"I never had a reason to back home." She sighs "You're right you know, I'm going to be living here for a while and I should get to know the city's best sports franchise. Besides, word on the street is you're first in the eastern conference." Ayla flatters winking at him as they walk side by side. They're not holding hands or brushing up against each other but they're comfortably close. A soft breath is blown from her lips. James can feel the wind carrying it over to his cheeks making them warm. Red even.

"Are you ready?" He double checks before opening the door at the top of the stairs connecting the protected parking area to the arena. She nods. In her motion he can see her black hair toss from behind her neck to her side. They walk down the hallway, passed the medical offices, the visitors locker room, by Dan Bylsma's office, and then finally reach the locker room. James openly cruises in.
Ayla stands at the doorway with her jaw wide open. He assumes that she's facinated by the features of the dressing room. It's area, circular construction, the personalized stalls, and the big logo mat untouched on the floor. Quickly her expression progresses to horrified causing James to turn his arched back towards her. What is she so scared of? Loe and behold a familiar face is stylishly strutting out of the shower with all of his skin exposed.

"Oh my god!" Brandon screams removing the towel swung around his shoulders and positioning it over his junk. His heart's thumping rapidly. There's only been one time where he's been caught entirely naked and that was during Tanner Glass's post game interview with Dan Potash. They were on a west game road trip. On that particular night the team was facing Calgary. That meant that everything was red: the other team's jerseys, the merchandise advertised around the arena, and every single door. Tanger unknowingly opened the entrance way only to find a world wide broadcast. His face fell realizing that the viewers could see into the room.

"What the hell Suttsy!"

"Why didn't you knock? That's protocol if you bring a girl into the room." He defends himself, motioning to cross his arms. It doesn't go as planned. His towel accidentally falls to the floor. While he frantically rushes to pick it up number eighteen covers the female's eyes with his palm. Whoops.

"The arena's normally empty on an off day." He counters angrily. If he has any hope of getting a girlfriend she can't be casually introduced to another guy's private parts. Suddenly he feels protective. It's as if he's uncomfortable letting anyone else lay a hand on her, like she belongs to him. Only she doesn't. The reality hits him like a brick, the fact that the pretty girl beside him isn't his.
Brandon slips on a pair of blue jeans making James comfortable exposing her to the room once again. Her eyes blink while she adjusts. The shirtless man approaches her and holds out his hand. It's the polite thing to do.

"I'm Brandon, it's nice to meet you gorgeous and sorry for the awkward encounter. Most girls don't mind a nacked man though." She tries to resist her laughter but it seems impossible. Does he really not know who she is?

"It's nice to meet you too." Ayla pretends like it's the first time.

"Hey James, I thought that management talked to you about charging fans for tours of the rink. They said it was unprofessional."

"I'm not charging her anything, she's a friend of mine." James explains leaving it pretty open. He too doesn't add onto the fact that she was the waitress who served them at the bar they went to a week ago. There would be a chance of him collecting his memories back and he didn't want Brandon to remember that they both had a massive crush on her. Competition, in hockey, was usual for him. In dating however he feels more secure without rivalry.

"Oh well in that case have a good time." He exits the room releasing a breath that he'd been holding. The tension leaves the place the moment that he does. James and Ayla shake off what happened and re-direct their attention to what they came for: a skate. He shows her everything in the dressing room. For example the rock that is awarded to an individual player who excelled in a particular game. It's heavy for her so James helps hold it. There's also the fire hat from last season which is considerably lighter. She doesn't even ask about the shovel in the corner.

She feels comfortable in the room, it's normal and inviting. If you ask anyone who's spent time with a hockey player they'll tell you that they're not aliens, robots, or magical creatures with treasured powers: they're down to earth. They're full of life and have a positive outlook. There's a certain energy associated with them that makes them so appealing, it's the way that they conduct themselves.

Hockey players are regular people who bring out the best in you, like the man right beside her. James makes her happy. It's when she looks up and into his eyes above her that she realizes there's no right time to tell him her feelings. Each time is as good as any. You can't break or increase the chemistry that two people have, it doesn't fluctuate. They have a connection built. It's there and they both can sense it.