Friday, August 28, 2009

Chapter 4: A Double Date?

CHAPTER 4

Mel jumped at the sound of Erin’s voice and Sid looked away quickly.

“Sorry, was I interrupting something?”

“No,” Sid replied, looking up from his skates. “I’ll just give you two a moment alone. I’m going to go change and then I’ll come check on you. Ok?”

Melany nodded and watched him cross over to the door, looking back once more before he slid out.

Erin rushed over and launched herself beside her injured friend.

“So, I need to ask you a question Melany. And it’s a very serious question that should require a lot of thought.”

“I need to ask you someth--”

“And I hope that you won’t get upset with me. Maybe we can work something out.”

“Well, Sid wanted me to ask you if y--”

“Now, you know how we had plans tonight? Well, sort of plans… I need to know if you would be terribly upset if I wanted to move our plans to ano--”

“ERIN!”

“What?”

“Shut up for a minute! Sid asked me to dinner. And I mentioned you and he said that you could come and he’d see if Geno wanted to hang out. Now, was what you wanted to ask me more important than that?”

Erin just sat there staring at her with a blank look on her face. Mel was waiting for her to respond. To jump up and down. Anything. Finally, a smile broke out onto Erin’s face.

“That’s funny. Because when I was on my way down here to see you he stopped me and mumbled something about food in broken English. I didn’t really understand him; but he made a couple gestures and I realized that he meant dinner. So I told him I’d need to talk to you first and he figured Sid was in here asking you out.”

“So, we both were asked to dinner by the hockey players of our dreams… that’s just weird!” Mel said as she let out a laugh. But the sudden noise made her head hurt and she lifted the ice pack back up. “Owww….I bet they’re talking together right now. So what do you wanna do?”

“No idea. You got anything in that head of yours? Or did he knock what little sense you had out the window?”

“Funny. Very funny. Make fun of the wounded girl here… But I do have an idea. We just need to run to the grocery store and sweet talk Geno into using his house.” She smiled at Erin who lifted an eyebrow. “It’s a good idea. Here, we’ll start making a list on my phone of what we’d need.”

**********************
“Geno! Where are you?” Sid yelled as he sat in his stall unlacing his skates. He was hoping that he could talk the Russian into doing something tonight. He and Oksana had split recently and it had been ugly. Sid didn’t want to push a new girl at him, but he remembered Geno giving Erin the once over at the game, and he was really looking forward to a possible dinner date. So he’s do anything he could to talk Geno into it.

“Hey Sid. You talk to girl?”

“Yeah. And I nee--”

“Good. You take her out?”

“Well, I want to. That’s why I needed to talk to you. Would you be up for coming out with us?”

“I have plan.” Sid felt hurt. But he shouldn’t have expected Geno to just be moping around. “I go with redhead.”

Sid stopped with his pads half on his shoulders. “You’re going out with Erin tonight?”

“Da. Erin.”

“But Melany said they had plans already. Why would she lie?”

“Not lie. Erin go talk to your girl to change plan.”

“Well, that’s great! Do you guys want to go with us?”

“Where you go?”

Sid looked at him blankly. He hadn’t gotten an answer from Melany when Erin had stepped in. He had no idea what she’d like. Would she be in the mood for a fancy place? Or maybe just something simple. He didn’t do fast food that much in the summer, and rarely during the season. Maybe he should’ve asked a couple more questions instead of sitting there like a 13-year-old with his first crush.

“Sid?”

“Huh? Oh, I don’t know where we’ll go. I didn’t get that far because Erin came in. What are you guys going to do?”

“Don’t know. Wait and see what she likes.”

“Well, I’m gonna grab a quick shower and change. Wait for me and we’ll go talk to them together. Ok?”

“Da.” He slipped his ear buds back in and hit his iPod.

Sid smiled and shook his head as he wandered into the showers. He wondered what the guy was always listening to. Those things were in his ears practically 24/7.

*************************
Ten minutes later the two of them walked toward the training room. Sid knocked and opened the door. Both girls looked up from Melany’s phone and had very guilty looks on their faces. He tensed.

“What are you guys doing?” he asked as Jordy’s comment about a puck bunny flashed through
his head.

Melany looked at Erin and then blushed. With a small smile she looked down before answering him.

“We were watching videos of you guys on YouTube…”

He let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and a loud burst of laughter followed. Mel’s head shot up and she sent him a glare.

“You know, it’s not nice to laugh at people who like you! I mean… as a player… because of your talent… not that I don’t like you… Oh my god I’m just going to stop talking now…” Melany bit her lip and looked at the ground again. Sid decided she was positively adorable when she rambled.

Geno cleared his throat and everyone looked at him. He glanced at all three before realizing that they thought he was going to say something.

“Uh… we go tonight?” He kept his eyes on Erin and pointed his hand back and forth between the two of them.

“Well,” Erin looked at Mel, then Sid and back to Geno. “Mel has an idea… if you two are up for a little double date.” Both of the guys smiled, but she could tell that Geno was a little confused. “Ummm, the four of us,” she pointed at everyone and then clasped her hands as one, “together.” He smiled again and nodded in understanding.

“Great,” Mel chimed in. “Give us directions to Geno’s and two hours.”

Sid tilted his head to the side and wondered aloud. “Why do you need Geno’s address and what could you possibly need two hours for??”

“We need to get ingredients, and any stuff that Geno doesn’t already have. And then we’re going to cook dinner for the two of you.”

“But why do you need two hours??”

“Well, we need to stop at Robinson. I need to pick something up, and I don’t know how long it’ll take. So two hours should give us plenty of time to get everything and drive over to his place. It’ll also give you both time to clean up any mess that he has at the house!”

Geno laughed and Sid was glad to see that he was able to follow along with more conversations nowadays. He was really coming into his own this season. If, no… when we make the run for the Cup again this year, Geno is going to be one of the reasons we win. He smiled to himself and looked up to see Melany staring at him intently.

“Excited that someone is going to cook for you Crosby?”

“Are you any good?”

She feigned shock and grabbed Erin’s arm. “I think he just insulted me! Maybe we shouldn’t invite him and just make the food for Geno.” She hopped off the table and walked over toward the Russian with a smile. “What do you think Geno? Just you, me and Erin? Why don’t we tell Sid he can’t come?”

He looked at her for a moment and Sid could tell he was processing everything she’d said. Then he broke out into a big grin and nodded. Turning to Sid he beamed. “Sid. Sorry. I have plan tonight. You come tomorrow. Yes?”

Sid’s jaw dropped.

“No!”

Then he started to laugh, knowing she’d been joking with him.

“Ok. Two hours. Anymore than that and I’m going to think you’re ditching me.”

“Deal,” Erin said, finally entering into the conversation. She hopped off the table as well and walked over to get info from Geno. Melany sauntered over to him and leaned against another table.

“So Crosby, is there anything you don’t like?”

“Losing.”

“I meant food-wise. Goodness, you really do have a one-track mind don’t you?”

Erin and Geno came over to join them, having sorted everything out.

“Alright. I’ve got the address and we have the list. Let’s get going. Sidney, did you give her your number so that she can call you if we need anything?”

“ERIN!” Melany gasped and nudged her. He chuckled at her embarrassment.

“What? You don’t want my number?”

“No! I mean, yes… ugh! You don’t have to is what I’m trying to say. With your status and everything, I don’t want you to think that I’m just fishing for a way to stalk you or something.”

“Then, you give me yours. And if I need to call you, I’ll make it private so you don’t have my number,” he said with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. He really had no idea how to handle her.

“OK. That works.” Once he pulled his phone out she rattled off the number. “And when you program it, please spell my name correctly. M-E-L-A-N-Y. See you in a couple hours.” And with that, she snatched Erin’s arm and headed toward the door. After the girls were gone he turned to his teammate.

“Well Geno… let’s go get ready for our dates!”

Geno slapped a hand on Sid’s shoulder and just smiled as they walked out of the room and down the hall leading to the back lot. If they left now there wouldn’t be as many fans and they could get back to Geno’s with plenty of time.



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I apologize for the length of time between posts. I want to try and get into the writing process more! Any comments are helpful, good or bad* Let me know what you're thinking out there in reader world! Knowing that you all enjoy this gives me the "omph" to get off my butt and type away*

4 comments:

  1. Aw. I can't wait to see how dinner goes.
    And believe me with how often I update my story I completely understand if there is more than a few days between posts.
    I can't wait to see where this goes.

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  2. I love the "I'll just shut up now." Yep...been there done that

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  3. Cute update!
    I also can't wait to see how the dinner goes!

    As for long waits between chapters.....Quality is better that quantity! =-)

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  4. this was a great update! i cant wait to see how dinner goes!
    cant wait for more!

    ReplyDelete