Relationship Status: In Love With My Career

4

Getting that first fight out of the way was almost more of a relief than the first goal. Scoring a goal is always great, of course, but a goal is a goal. The first fight sets the tone and shows what kind of a player, of a fighter, you are. Fighting, unlike scoring a goal, is unpredictable because you never know who you’re going to drop the gloves with. I ended up with the Devils’ Bobby Farnham- a career fighter. It was bound to happen, so why not with Farnham?

It could have gone better, I might have actually landed a hit on him instead of his helmet. Hand on helmet action usually doesn’t feel too great, so I wasn’t sure if I’d gotten hurt or not until they looked at it. Luckily my hand was fine, but I was a little embarrassed. However, that didn’t stop me from heading to a bar my first night back in Vancouver. I was still favoring my hand a bit after the fight; it didn’t really hurt, I guess it was just an instinct.

“You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you,” a familiar voice said to my left. I looked up to see who was sitting down next to me at the bar did a double take when I finally recognized her face in the dim light of the club. Nurse Andy…. I couldn't keep a smile from creeping across my face at the sight of the nursing student.

I shrugged a response and tried harder than usual to look casual. “I guess I have a bit of a reputation.” She gave me an unimpressed look and moved her hand closer to mine. “That was quite a fight; I should really take a look at that,” she said and picked up my hand to inspect in the sporadic red and purple lighting. It was clear she had been at the club longer than I had and was not up at the bar getting her first, or even second or third, drink. From what I remembered about our short encounter last time, this was uncharacteristic of her, or at least of what I imagined she would be like.

“Are you celebrating something?” I asked as she set my hand down and declared a clean bill of health. She snorted in an unladylike way, followed by a giggle I also did not expect. Okay, so maybe she was on her fourth or fifth drink, and if I were to be a gentleman I would not offer her another drink. But am I a gentleman?

“What are you drinking? I’ll get you another,” I motioned to the bartender to refill her glass when she doesn’t object. He slid her a glass of amber liquid that I can only assume is something strong by the small amount in the little glass. She picked it up to toast and stared at the contents for a moment before speaking. “This is to…. memories lost.” Without explanation she downed the drink and dropped the glass back to the bar and leaned on my shoulder.

Okay, perhaps nurse Andy has had too much to drink. Even I am not low enough to continue things from here. “Do you need a ride home? I’m parked just down the street and I’ve barely touched my drink,” I pointed to my half empty glass of beer.

“You know what fuck boy… I don’t think I want to go home. Not alone at least.” She looked me in the eyes, or at least tried to, and I can tell something is off. I slowly shook my head. “Let’s get you home, okay?" I wrapped her arm around my shoulder and slowly guided her to the door.

As I helped her into my car I couldn’t help but notice how fit she was, like sturdy- in a good way. She was obviously into more than just the recreational yoga and pilates most girls I take home are obsessed with. She refused to give me her address until I promised to come in with her, and a few slurred directions later we were pulling up outside an apartment building. I kept my promise and helped her up the stairs and found her key to get into the building. The elevator was out of order, so we shuffled up the three flights of stairs to her apartment where I again helped her find the right key.

“You’ll stay, right?” She looked back at me with a look crossed between loneliness and a drunken blank stare. I shook my head again. “You’ll be okay. I’ll leave my number if you need to call, but I can’t stay.” She sat down on the couch and stared blankly before mumbling “okay.” I left her with a glass of water and a note with my number if she really needed anything, but I couldn’t stay with her. I wanted to but it didn’t seem right; I barely know her, and she’s definitely got something going on.

I went back to a different bar, but couldn’t get nurse Andy out of my head. I don’t know why she has such a pull over me; I’ve barely met her and the second time was under less-than-ideal circumstances. Whatever girl I ended up with that night most likely got called ‘Andy’ in bed.
♠ ♠ ♠
Video of the fight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV50KhdJPf4​​