I wake up in the morning feeling a little out of place. I was still in my jeans and shoes and everything when I woke up. My hair, of course was unwashed and sticking up all over the place. I hurry to the bathroom before anyone else can get it. Glancing at my alarm clock as I grab some clothes, I realize I'm too late. Already 6:30. My mom would be in there about now. I run downstairs to get some breakfast. Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Yum. By the time I'm done eating it my mom should be done.
I take a quick shower, not wanting to linger at home while my parents are around. They'll eventually just stop looking at me funny and ask questions. I'm not up for that right now. I don't even know how I'm going to survive a date with Sidney. Everything has just, changed, since the weekend when I was with him. When he was all that mattered, really.
Arriving at school earlier than usual, I sit in my car trying desperately not to overthink things. I have a really bad habit of doing that. I mean, this situation can't be that bad, or confusing. I'm just making it that way. I bang my head on the headrest a few times, my hair flying all over the place. Ruthanne comes up and knocks on my window. "You only do that when you're really upset, are you ok?" She asks after I roll down my window, talking way too fast.
I shrug because it's something that I really don't want to talk about. Maybe she'll have enough sense to leave me alone this time. Usually she bugs and bugs and bugs until she gets me to tell her what's bugging me. I usually turn around and say, "YOU!" But that's about the little stuff that gets on my nerves. I don't know about this one. It's the first serious problem I've had in a while.
She walks around the car and gets in the passenger side. "You wanna skip school?"
"No." I say angrily, knowing the satisfaction Brittny would feel if I skipped and she noticed. And she would. I'm sure she's been on the lookout for me ever since the party.
"Ok. Ok." Ruthanne says, backing off a little. "I was just suggesting it. You look like you need to get your mind off things."
"You know what?" I say, "I do. I do need to get my mind off of things but hanging out just won't do it for me this time Ruthanne." She flinches, even when I'm really mad I don't sound this harsh. And I'm not mad at anyone or anything. Well, except Brittny, but there's always been something to hate her for. I grab my big overly full bag and get out of the car. Ruthanne does the same and jogs to catch up with me.
"What's wrong?" She asks, putting her hand on my shoulder.
"Everything," I finally say, breaking down. Her face goes from shocked to trying to recover her helpful friend look. Even when it's really bad, I've tried to find something positive, and right now I'm having a really hard time doing that. It's funny how things can just build up and build up and finally something that really wouldn't be that important to someone will flip the lid and that person feels so lost and confused. And it's funny that that person thinks they need to keep everything under control, trying to look like nothing's wrong, trying to avoid the subject. Maybe that person should just confront everything head on. Maybe that person is jumping to conclusions about too many things. I sigh. "I just... Sidney just... Brittny." I choke out. Ruthanne wraps an arm around my shoulder and herds me into the bathroom right inside the school. She waits until I'm done crying to give me her makeup bag, knowing how much I don't want to talk about it. I get fixed up and go to class.
The school day couldn't have ended fast enough. I got out of there, jumped in my car, and took off before anyone could stop me. I sped home even though I wouldn't even want to be there when I got to it. I check my phone in the driveway. 2 texts from Sidney. I open it, half expecting a cancellation. Or maybe just hoping for one.
From: Sidney (3:45 PM)
Hey, I'm getting ready to go right now... will be on my way in a little bit.
I sigh and open the next one.
From Sidney (3:50 PM)
if it makes you feel any better, I miss you like crazy. All this Brittny shit's getting old, don't you think?
That, my friend, would be an understatement. Getting old? ha. It's been old and it should have died long ago. Sometimes people make me just want to scream. I pull the outfit I had picked out for tonight out of my desk drawer, don't ask me why I put it there, I just did. I don't text Sidney back, I figure he'll see me when he gets here and that'll be soon enough. This is the first time I haven't been eager to see him when we had something set up.
He comes up to my door all too soon. Of course I've been ready for what seemed like ages but could only have been described as a few minutes. I answer, not feeling as pretty as I look, I'm sure, but his eyes light up when he sees me, and that makes me feel a little bit better. He kisses me on the cheek before grabbing my hand and leading me back to his Range Rover.
We don't talk about much in the car, both of us avoiding the subject we have on our minds. He drives us to a little deserted looking pizzeria on a traffic-less street. He comes around to my side of the car and opens the door for me. I'm getting more and more used to this, soon I'll have to force myself to open the door when there's no-one to do it for me. He holds my hand as we walk in. A man with an Italian accent takes us to a booth not far from the door. To start off I get an iced tea, Sidney gets a Coke. What's with those guys, I wonder, watching him slurp it down.
"So how have you been?" I ask him politely enough.
"I feel like shit." He says finally, after he's done gulping down the Coke he ordered. I feel a little bit better at least knowing he's felt guilty about all this.
"Oh?" I ask quietly, not prepared for that kind of answer.
"Yeah. There's so many things I could do for you. And I really want to, but Brittny just won't stop. She has something against you personally." He says, picking up his Coke again.
"Like I said, we were BFF's! in middle school. We ended up hating each other after that." I tell him again, sipping slowly on my iced tea.
"Oh." He says, "and you still do." He says, stating the obvious.
"Obviously," I say quietly. "So," I say, "what are you getting?" I ask brightly, trying to get steer the conversation away from Brittny. I'm tired of her dominating my life.
He looks down at the menu and flips through a couple of pages. "This," he points to something that I can't read. I look at the picture, it looks like something I would like. I search through the menu for something safe. I decide on a slice of lasagna. The waiter comes back to take our order after noticing that we closed the menus.
"How are you?" Sidney asks after we order. It takes me a moment to think of a response.
"Messed up." I say finally. "I don't know why, and it's so frustrating and I just hate it all." Sidney nods.
"I know what you mean." He says holding my hand on the table.
"At least you always know what's going on!" I say, pulling my hand from his.
"No. That's not true. I don't ever know what you're doing." He says, picking up my hand again.
"Oh." I say defeated. I never thought really about he felt. I was being so selfish. I decide to think about things differently from now on. About both of us. But then there's Max.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Chapter 11
He leans in even closer and kisses me. At first I'm just bewildered, confused for a moment. Then I submit and begin to enjoy the feeling of his mouth on mine. "This is beautiful." I finish when he pulls away.
He says, "I know," and I lean my head on his shoulder to watch the pretty sunset. It's almost dark by the time we pick all our stuff up and decide to leave.
"Max," I say, kind of awkwardly when we get back in the car. "This was fun. Thanks."
"You're welcome." He says after he starts the car. I think about the kiss and how good it felt. And then I think about Sidney. He seemed genuine enough when he was telling us what happened, but it still made me mad. Not so much at him, but at Brittny, I decide. After a couple minutes of thoughts like this rushing through my head I just stop. Max has a New Hit Music radio station turned on so I concentrate on every word of the song that's playing, not giving myself any room to think.
"Caitlin?" Max looks at me from the corner of his eyes.
"Yeah?" I say, turning to look at him.
"What are you thinking about?" He asks.
I pause for a moment, thinking about what to tell him I'm thinking about. "That kiss," I decide, instead of getting back into the Sidney shit.
"oh." He says quietly. I reach over and run my thumb down his rough cheek not knowing why I wanted to. I can't start anything with Max, I remind myself. Especially if things start happening with Sidney. But I can't stand Brittny, and if he doesn't have the guts to tell her to get lost... I just... I can't do that to them. Or myself.
I sit quietly, wishing Max would say something. He doesn't though, he just keeps on driving.
"Max?" I say, turning towards him again, "what should I do?" I ask him for advice since this is a subject I don't feel like taking to Ruthanne.
"well, I guess you know now that I like you." He says, "and I know that you like Sidney. And that you hate Brittny." He says slowly. I tap my foot impatiently, the torturing thoughts coming back into my head. "Why did you come to me for help, anyways?" Max looks at me.
"Because you know Sidney well and I, I just get the feeling that I can trust you." I say.
"oh." He says. "I don't know if I can give you very good advice, Caitlin."
"Huh?" I look at him again.
He grabs my hand from the armrest between us and rubs my knuckles. "Because I really do like you."
"Oh." I say. He pulls up to the curb outside my house and puts the parking brake on. We just sit in the car. "Well, I better get going." I glance at the clock. My mom doesn't get worried until around 10:30, but I can see myself doing something I'll regret if I stay with Max. He leans over and kisses me on the cheek. "Thanks so much Max." I say as he sits back up in his seat.
"Bye," he says as I open the door. I walk into the house a very confused girl. My mom is sitting on the couch in the living room and gives me a funny look as I walk through. I ignore her and go straight to my room to lay down, suddenly feeling exhausted. I check my phone and see a few messages from Sidney.
From: Sidney
I'm sorry. It's not what it looks like!
From: Sidney
PLEAAAAAAAASE Call me..
From: Sidney
Caitlin! I miss you, call me.
I sigh, not really wanting to call him back, but feeling like I have to. His cell phone rings 3 or 4 times before he picks up. "Caitlin?" He says, "I'm really sorry."
"Yeah?" I say, trying really hard to sound annoyed.
"Do you still want to go tomorrow?" He asks, sounding really sad. I feel guilty for being annoyed with him.
"yes." I say quietly, feeling super exhausted now.
"when should I pick you up?" He asks.
"around 4:30?" I say, unsure of whether or not I seriously want to go or if I just feel bad. I sigh.
"What?" Sidney says on the other end.
"You should know," I say, getting a worse attitude by the moment.
"I apologized." He says, "I hate her just about as much as you do."
"Oh really?" I say, not convinced. "That's why you didn't just tell her to get lost."
"Natalie was standing right there!" He says loudly.
"I'm sorry Sidney." I say, not wanting to fight anymore.
"it's fine. It's my fault. Let's just forget this," he says.
I sigh but say "Ok" so that we can end the conversation. "I gotta go Sidney." I say, "bye."
"Bye."
"Well that went well." I say, and fall back into my heap of pillows.
He says, "I know," and I lean my head on his shoulder to watch the pretty sunset. It's almost dark by the time we pick all our stuff up and decide to leave.
"Max," I say, kind of awkwardly when we get back in the car. "This was fun. Thanks."
"You're welcome." He says after he starts the car. I think about the kiss and how good it felt. And then I think about Sidney. He seemed genuine enough when he was telling us what happened, but it still made me mad. Not so much at him, but at Brittny, I decide. After a couple minutes of thoughts like this rushing through my head I just stop. Max has a New Hit Music radio station turned on so I concentrate on every word of the song that's playing, not giving myself any room to think.
"Caitlin?" Max looks at me from the corner of his eyes.
"Yeah?" I say, turning to look at him.
"What are you thinking about?" He asks.
I pause for a moment, thinking about what to tell him I'm thinking about. "That kiss," I decide, instead of getting back into the Sidney shit.
"oh." He says quietly. I reach over and run my thumb down his rough cheek not knowing why I wanted to. I can't start anything with Max, I remind myself. Especially if things start happening with Sidney. But I can't stand Brittny, and if he doesn't have the guts to tell her to get lost... I just... I can't do that to them. Or myself.
I sit quietly, wishing Max would say something. He doesn't though, he just keeps on driving.
"Max?" I say, turning towards him again, "what should I do?" I ask him for advice since this is a subject I don't feel like taking to Ruthanne.
"well, I guess you know now that I like you." He says, "and I know that you like Sidney. And that you hate Brittny." He says slowly. I tap my foot impatiently, the torturing thoughts coming back into my head. "Why did you come to me for help, anyways?" Max looks at me.
"Because you know Sidney well and I, I just get the feeling that I can trust you." I say.
"oh." He says. "I don't know if I can give you very good advice, Caitlin."
"Huh?" I look at him again.
He grabs my hand from the armrest between us and rubs my knuckles. "Because I really do like you."
"Oh." I say. He pulls up to the curb outside my house and puts the parking brake on. We just sit in the car. "Well, I better get going." I glance at the clock. My mom doesn't get worried until around 10:30, but I can see myself doing something I'll regret if I stay with Max. He leans over and kisses me on the cheek. "Thanks so much Max." I say as he sits back up in his seat.
"Bye," he says as I open the door. I walk into the house a very confused girl. My mom is sitting on the couch in the living room and gives me a funny look as I walk through. I ignore her and go straight to my room to lay down, suddenly feeling exhausted. I check my phone and see a few messages from Sidney.
From: Sidney
I'm sorry. It's not what it looks like!
From: Sidney
PLEAAAAAAAASE Call me..
From: Sidney
Caitlin! I miss you, call me.
I sigh, not really wanting to call him back, but feeling like I have to. His cell phone rings 3 or 4 times before he picks up. "Caitlin?" He says, "I'm really sorry."
"Yeah?" I say, trying really hard to sound annoyed.
"Do you still want to go tomorrow?" He asks, sounding really sad. I feel guilty for being annoyed with him.
"yes." I say quietly, feeling super exhausted now.
"when should I pick you up?" He asks.
"around 4:30?" I say, unsure of whether or not I seriously want to go or if I just feel bad. I sigh.
"What?" Sidney says on the other end.
"You should know," I say, getting a worse attitude by the moment.
"I apologized." He says, "I hate her just about as much as you do."
"Oh really?" I say, not convinced. "That's why you didn't just tell her to get lost."
"Natalie was standing right there!" He says loudly.
"I'm sorry Sidney." I say, not wanting to fight anymore.
"it's fine. It's my fault. Let's just forget this," he says.
I sigh but say "Ok" so that we can end the conversation. "I gotta go Sidney." I say, "bye."
"Bye."
"Well that went well." I say, and fall back into my heap of pillows.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Chapter 10
We pull into Mario's long circular driveway. I try to compose myself. I absolutely hate to cry in front of people. Max comes around to my side of the car and opens the door for me like Sidney does. I step out, suddenly unsure of myself. Sure it doesn't look like Brittny doesn't get to me but she really does. She was always too perfect for me when we were "friends" so I was left out a lot. I just didn't know what a real friend was then.
Max walks up to the door and knocks, motioning for me to come up beside him. I do and he pats me on the back a couple of times, waiting for the door to be answered. Natalie answers and lets us in after we've been acquainted. "Where's Sid? Do you know?" Max asks, walking in the door.
"um. He's with a friend, upstairs in his room." She says kind of uncomfortably. Max doesn't seem to care, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the staircase. He jogs up, pulling me along. We walk about halfway down the long hallway to a door that kind of blends in with the wall. Max knocks obnoxiously.
"SID!" He shouts excitedly. Sidney opens the door, looking at Max, then me.
"oh hey guys." He says, "come on in."
Max strolls in casually while I trip on my feet with my hands behind my back. Brittny's sitting on Sidney's bed, looking at me with wide eyes that say, "you actually had the nerve to come over here?" I stand uncomfortably by the door where I walked in. "Hey," I say to Sidney, waving a little. He nods back, just as uncomfortable as I am.
"So." Max says, not as casual as he was before. He starts pacing a little bit now, obviously trying to figure things out. I look at my feet, trying to avoid the burning glare from Brittny. This was a bad idea I keep repeating in my heat. This won't turn out good. My stomach begins to churn. There's an awkward silence in the room. I glance at Sidney, hoping for the best. He still stares at his lap. "What's going on!?" Max finally finishes.
Sidney continues to stare at his lap. Brittny picks at a pink painted fingernail, he blond hair bouncing when she moves her head. Sidney looks up and says, "I can explain."
"Well then do it!" Max says, waving his hand toward me.
"Caitlin." Sidney says, "you know how she is. I was going to cancel because I was mad about all this. Then, I decided you would get the wrong idea." Sidney looks pathetic.
"But what is this!?" I say, flailing my arms around trying to make a point.
Sidney looks down again. "A mess." He finally says, "She came over and Natalie answered the door." He says, "I couldn't just kick her out at that point so we came up here. She took my phone from my desk right before you called and got this harebrained idea. I swear." All the while Brittny is picking at her nails and nodding. I look down and cross my arms on my chest.
Max sighs, "Do you want to go back home Caitlin?" He asks. I nod, walking out of the room quickly. Max says something to Sidney and then follows, wrapping his arm around me, rubbing my back like he was my dad or something. I don't care anymore, I just keep walking toward the staircase. "Caitlin. Sidney wouldn't do this. He's just really stressed." Max tries to reassure me. I rest my head on his shoulder.
"But it's not fair!" I say pathetically throwing my hands up.
"I know honey," Max says, making sure I don't fall down the steps.
We walk out to his car and I climb in sadly. Max starts driving, but not towards my house. "Where are we going?" I ask him.
"Just wait." He says, "you'll see."
Next thing I know, I'm at a tasty freeze. Max gets out of the car, commanding me to stay. He comes back with a vanilla milkshake for me (my favorite. How did he know?) and a strawberry one for himself. I haven't had dinner, so I'm hungry, but I'm not in the mood to eat. "This always makes me feel better." He says with his mouth full of strawberry milkshake. I giggle, laughing at him and feeling better already.
"Thanks Max," I say smiling, happy for the moment. He reaches over and wipes a little vanilla shake from my mouth. I blush, embarrassed about getting it on my face.
"Wanna see something?" He says. I notice the beautiful sunset and think that he maybe quite possibly would take me somewhere to watch it together. I get butterflies, not like earlier with Sidney, that was more of a sickening feeling. This is good.
"Sure." I say, "why not?"
He starts the car again and drives to a park on top of a hill. He pulls a blanket out of the backseat and hops out of the car, coming around to my side again. We hold hands walking to the top of the hill where he spreads the blanket out and pulls me down next to him. "You'll like this," he points to the scene in front of us. A city scene with an amazing sunshine backdrop. I gasp happily. "Max," I start, turning to look at him, but he's already there. So close.
Max walks up to the door and knocks, motioning for me to come up beside him. I do and he pats me on the back a couple of times, waiting for the door to be answered. Natalie answers and lets us in after we've been acquainted. "Where's Sid? Do you know?" Max asks, walking in the door.
"um. He's with a friend, upstairs in his room." She says kind of uncomfortably. Max doesn't seem to care, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the staircase. He jogs up, pulling me along. We walk about halfway down the long hallway to a door that kind of blends in with the wall. Max knocks obnoxiously.
"SID!" He shouts excitedly. Sidney opens the door, looking at Max, then me.
"oh hey guys." He says, "come on in."
Max strolls in casually while I trip on my feet with my hands behind my back. Brittny's sitting on Sidney's bed, looking at me with wide eyes that say, "you actually had the nerve to come over here?" I stand uncomfortably by the door where I walked in. "Hey," I say to Sidney, waving a little. He nods back, just as uncomfortable as I am.
"So." Max says, not as casual as he was before. He starts pacing a little bit now, obviously trying to figure things out. I look at my feet, trying to avoid the burning glare from Brittny. This was a bad idea I keep repeating in my heat. This won't turn out good. My stomach begins to churn. There's an awkward silence in the room. I glance at Sidney, hoping for the best. He still stares at his lap. "What's going on!?" Max finally finishes.
Sidney continues to stare at his lap. Brittny picks at a pink painted fingernail, he blond hair bouncing when she moves her head. Sidney looks up and says, "I can explain."
"Well then do it!" Max says, waving his hand toward me.
"Caitlin." Sidney says, "you know how she is. I was going to cancel because I was mad about all this. Then, I decided you would get the wrong idea." Sidney looks pathetic.
"But what is this!?" I say, flailing my arms around trying to make a point.
Sidney looks down again. "A mess." He finally says, "She came over and Natalie answered the door." He says, "I couldn't just kick her out at that point so we came up here. She took my phone from my desk right before you called and got this harebrained idea. I swear." All the while Brittny is picking at her nails and nodding. I look down and cross my arms on my chest.
Max sighs, "Do you want to go back home Caitlin?" He asks. I nod, walking out of the room quickly. Max says something to Sidney and then follows, wrapping his arm around me, rubbing my back like he was my dad or something. I don't care anymore, I just keep walking toward the staircase. "Caitlin. Sidney wouldn't do this. He's just really stressed." Max tries to reassure me. I rest my head on his shoulder.
"But it's not fair!" I say pathetically throwing my hands up.
"I know honey," Max says, making sure I don't fall down the steps.
We walk out to his car and I climb in sadly. Max starts driving, but not towards my house. "Where are we going?" I ask him.
"Just wait." He says, "you'll see."
Next thing I know, I'm at a tasty freeze. Max gets out of the car, commanding me to stay. He comes back with a vanilla milkshake for me (my favorite. How did he know?) and a strawberry one for himself. I haven't had dinner, so I'm hungry, but I'm not in the mood to eat. "This always makes me feel better." He says with his mouth full of strawberry milkshake. I giggle, laughing at him and feeling better already.
"Thanks Max," I say smiling, happy for the moment. He reaches over and wipes a little vanilla shake from my mouth. I blush, embarrassed about getting it on my face.
"Wanna see something?" He says. I notice the beautiful sunset and think that he maybe quite possibly would take me somewhere to watch it together. I get butterflies, not like earlier with Sidney, that was more of a sickening feeling. This is good.
"Sure." I say, "why not?"
He starts the car again and drives to a park on top of a hill. He pulls a blanket out of the backseat and hops out of the car, coming around to my side again. We hold hands walking to the top of the hill where he spreads the blanket out and pulls me down next to him. "You'll like this," he points to the scene in front of us. A city scene with an amazing sunshine backdrop. I gasp happily. "Max," I start, turning to look at him, but he's already there. So close.
Chapter 9
I spend a lot of my Monday night digging through my closet for something to wear with Sidney tomorrow. For some reason most of my clothes just don't seem good enough. I call up Ruthanne.
"You got anything cute for me to wear tomorrow?" I ask pathetically.
"I don't know. You'd have to come look through my closet." She invites me over. I drive over as fast as I can to dig through her closet. She has always found better deals on better clothes than me. Even the stuff we bought just the other day. I sigh, climbing out of my car.
Ruthanne opens the door for me. I guess she had been watching for me. We run up to her room. "now you can help me pick my outfit!" She squeals.
"You and Kris are just hanging out, aren't you?" I ask her slowly. She nods enthusiastically and opens her closet doors wide exposing all of her awesome clothes.
I look through it and pull out all the possibles. I end up picking a navy and white striped tank that she had from Hollister.
And a pair of my own regular denim shorts. Feeling happy about my choice I sit on Ruthanne's bed. Ruthanne decides on a navy dress with a flowery trim. We laugh because no matter what we're doing, she always looks more dressed up than I do.
We hang out for a little while, talking about tomorrow excitedly. I finally tell her that I absolutely can not stay any longer because my mother will have a conniption if I'm not home for dinner. I hop back into my car and drive home.
My mom greets me in the kitchen when I walk in to get a drink. I pick up a Coke which immediately reminds me of Max's house. I giggle a little bit, opening it up. "What's with you lately?" My mom says, her face the one she uses when she really can't understand something.
"um. I don't know." I lie.
"You just seem so happy lately." I stifle another laugh. If she had seen me this morning she wouldn't think so. I was on the verge of temper tantrum grumpy. I still really don't know why.
"oh?" I pretend not to know what she's talking about, not even realizing that I was so happy all the time.
"Is there a new boy?" She asks, looking like she understood everything better.
"Um." I say, not able to lie about this.
"Who?" She asks, walking over to me and leaning on the island in the middle of our kitchen.
'Um." I say again. "Sidney Crosby." I say and wince, waiting for her reaction. She jumps back, surprised.
"Really?" She asks looking a pretty skeptical.
"Yes." I say. "We're going out tomorrow night for dinner," I say and pick up the clothes I borrowed from Ruthanne.
"oh. Good for you, Caitlin." She says smiling genuinely.
"Thanks Mom." I take my Coke and go up to my room happy that we had that conversation now rather than when Sidney got here to pick me up tomorrow night.
I have 3 new voicemails when I check my phone. 2 from Sidney and 1 from Brittny. I almost have a spit take when I look again at who the 3'rd one is from. As much as I hate her, I have her number, just in case I want to be evil.
"Brittny?" I say to myself, not believing my eyes. I open hers first, just to see what stupid thing she had to say. Listening to it, it says, "Caitlin! Good news! Sidney and I are going out tomorrow." I hear her giggle and a couple other girls in the background. Then I hear Sidney's voice in the background as well. From what I could make out he said something like Get off of me or Oh Please. I close my phone confused. Sidney? With Brittny? I open the 1'st one from him.
"Caitlin. Call me." The second one said. "Caitlin. We need to talk. Call me."
I dial his number, hoping nothing is going on. Brittny answers. "Caitlin! So glad to hear from you!" In her fake voice. I sigh, not knowing what's going on, and not liking it one bit.
"Brittny? What the hell?"
The next thing I know, I hear Sidney's voice. "Give me my phone Brittny." He says, sounding pissed. There's a shuffle, then Sidney's on. "Caitlin." He gasps.
"Sidney. What's going on?" I ask him, suspicious.
"I'm not even sure myself." He says.
"What do we need to talk about?" I ask him, worried now.
"I was going to tell you to cancel tomorrow night. Don't worry about it now. It's fine. We can still go." He sounds like he's in pain.
"OK?" I say, "Sidney are you ok?" I ask him, hearing Brittny's giggle in the background again.
"NO." He says quietly, "but everything will be alright." He says trying to reassure me. The phone starts to break up on the other end. Brittny's back. "Caitlin. Don't worry, your date tomorrow will be fine. You'll be going with Danny and I'll be going with Sidney!" I hear Sidney say something in the background again, but I can't understand him.
"What?" I ask, on the brink of tears now.
"Yep! You know Danny. He asked you out earlier." She says, still using her fakest happy voice. "Bye!" She says and closes Sidney's phone.
I think of something to do. I remember that I have Max's home phone, at his apartment, from when Sidney called me the other day. I call it. "Hello?" Max answers, oblivious.
"Max?" I ask, although I'd know his voice anywhere.
"Yeah. Who is this?" He asks.
"It's Caitlin." I say. "Can you come pick me up?"
"Sure. Where?" He asks, the always helpful Max. I give him the info and run downstairs to tell my mom where I'll be. She doesn't mind that I won't be home for dinner, for once. I wait impatiently, pacing around the living room. My mom looks at me, worried, but doesn't ask. I'm sure she can tell that I would just freak out.
Max pulls up to the curb and steps out of his car to come get me at the door. I run outside motioning for him to get back in. He looks at me confusedly, but does what I want him to. I get in on the passenger side and sigh. "What?" He asks.
"Would Sidney really do this?" I ask him, almost crying.
"DO WHAT?" Max asks, still not totally filled in and getting frustrated.
"Go out with Brittny tomorrow instead of me?" I say, looking down.
"No no no no no no NO!" Max says, "She has annoyed him more than Valeska { ;) } ever did. He likes you. A lot." Max shakes his head.
"I called his phone and she answered. Then she gave the phone to him and he said that he was going to cancel but then she took it back and told me that she'd be going with Sidney and I'd be going with this kid who asked me out earlier." I ramble on.
"Oh." Max says, not sure what to say now. "Where were they?"
"I have no clue." I say, still looking down and trying not to cry. "Could you call him on your cell?" I ask hopefully.
"Sure." And he does it. I hear his end of the conversation. "Sid?...... Where are you?...... Ok... See you there." Max hangs up and looks at me. "He's at Mario's. We're going there now." Max pulls out into the street. I sigh.
"Why?" I ask, "Why can't anything happen normally for me?"
"Cause the guy you want is Sidney Crosby." Max points out, "and now just happens to be a bad time, what with his stalker and what not." Max says, I giggle a little bit, feeling a little better.
"But can't he just tell her to get lost?" I ask, "can't he just..." I trail off and a tear runs down my cheek.
"Caitlin." Max says, "everything will work out."
"You got anything cute for me to wear tomorrow?" I ask pathetically.
"I don't know. You'd have to come look through my closet." She invites me over. I drive over as fast as I can to dig through her closet. She has always found better deals on better clothes than me. Even the stuff we bought just the other day. I sigh, climbing out of my car.
Ruthanne opens the door for me. I guess she had been watching for me. We run up to her room. "now you can help me pick my outfit!" She squeals.
"You and Kris are just hanging out, aren't you?" I ask her slowly. She nods enthusiastically and opens her closet doors wide exposing all of her awesome clothes.
I look through it and pull out all the possibles. I end up picking a navy and white striped tank that she had from Hollister.
And a pair of my own regular denim shorts. Feeling happy about my choice I sit on Ruthanne's bed. Ruthanne decides on a navy dress with a flowery trim. We laugh because no matter what we're doing, she always looks more dressed up than I do.
We hang out for a little while, talking about tomorrow excitedly. I finally tell her that I absolutely can not stay any longer because my mother will have a conniption if I'm not home for dinner. I hop back into my car and drive home.
My mom greets me in the kitchen when I walk in to get a drink. I pick up a Coke which immediately reminds me of Max's house. I giggle a little bit, opening it up. "What's with you lately?" My mom says, her face the one she uses when she really can't understand something.
"um. I don't know." I lie.
"You just seem so happy lately." I stifle another laugh. If she had seen me this morning she wouldn't think so. I was on the verge of temper tantrum grumpy. I still really don't know why.
"oh?" I pretend not to know what she's talking about, not even realizing that I was so happy all the time.
"Is there a new boy?" She asks, looking like she understood everything better.
"Um." I say, not able to lie about this.
"Who?" She asks, walking over to me and leaning on the island in the middle of our kitchen.
'Um." I say again. "Sidney Crosby." I say and wince, waiting for her reaction. She jumps back, surprised.
"Really?" She asks looking a pretty skeptical.
"Yes." I say. "We're going out tomorrow night for dinner," I say and pick up the clothes I borrowed from Ruthanne.
"oh. Good for you, Caitlin." She says smiling genuinely.
"Thanks Mom." I take my Coke and go up to my room happy that we had that conversation now rather than when Sidney got here to pick me up tomorrow night.
I have 3 new voicemails when I check my phone. 2 from Sidney and 1 from Brittny. I almost have a spit take when I look again at who the 3'rd one is from. As much as I hate her, I have her number, just in case I want to be evil.
"Brittny?" I say to myself, not believing my eyes. I open hers first, just to see what stupid thing she had to say. Listening to it, it says, "Caitlin! Good news! Sidney and I are going out tomorrow." I hear her giggle and a couple other girls in the background. Then I hear Sidney's voice in the background as well. From what I could make out he said something like Get off of me or Oh Please. I close my phone confused. Sidney? With Brittny? I open the 1'st one from him.
"Caitlin. Call me." The second one said. "Caitlin. We need to talk. Call me."
I dial his number, hoping nothing is going on. Brittny answers. "Caitlin! So glad to hear from you!" In her fake voice. I sigh, not knowing what's going on, and not liking it one bit.
"Brittny? What the hell?"
The next thing I know, I hear Sidney's voice. "Give me my phone Brittny." He says, sounding pissed. There's a shuffle, then Sidney's on. "Caitlin." He gasps.
"Sidney. What's going on?" I ask him, suspicious.
"I'm not even sure myself." He says.
"What do we need to talk about?" I ask him, worried now.
"I was going to tell you to cancel tomorrow night. Don't worry about it now. It's fine. We can still go." He sounds like he's in pain.
"OK?" I say, "Sidney are you ok?" I ask him, hearing Brittny's giggle in the background again.
"NO." He says quietly, "but everything will be alright." He says trying to reassure me. The phone starts to break up on the other end. Brittny's back. "Caitlin. Don't worry, your date tomorrow will be fine. You'll be going with Danny and I'll be going with Sidney!" I hear Sidney say something in the background again, but I can't understand him.
"What?" I ask, on the brink of tears now.
"Yep! You know Danny. He asked you out earlier." She says, still using her fakest happy voice. "Bye!" She says and closes Sidney's phone.
I think of something to do. I remember that I have Max's home phone, at his apartment, from when Sidney called me the other day. I call it. "Hello?" Max answers, oblivious.
"Max?" I ask, although I'd know his voice anywhere.
"Yeah. Who is this?" He asks.
"It's Caitlin." I say. "Can you come pick me up?"
"Sure. Where?" He asks, the always helpful Max. I give him the info and run downstairs to tell my mom where I'll be. She doesn't mind that I won't be home for dinner, for once. I wait impatiently, pacing around the living room. My mom looks at me, worried, but doesn't ask. I'm sure she can tell that I would just freak out.
Max pulls up to the curb and steps out of his car to come get me at the door. I run outside motioning for him to get back in. He looks at me confusedly, but does what I want him to. I get in on the passenger side and sigh. "What?" He asks.
"Would Sidney really do this?" I ask him, almost crying.
"DO WHAT?" Max asks, still not totally filled in and getting frustrated.
"Go out with Brittny tomorrow instead of me?" I say, looking down.
"No no no no no no NO!" Max says, "She has annoyed him more than Valeska { ;) } ever did. He likes you. A lot." Max shakes his head.
"I called his phone and she answered. Then she gave the phone to him and he said that he was going to cancel but then she took it back and told me that she'd be going with Sidney and I'd be going with this kid who asked me out earlier." I ramble on.
"Oh." Max says, not sure what to say now. "Where were they?"
"I have no clue." I say, still looking down and trying not to cry. "Could you call him on your cell?" I ask hopefully.
"Sure." And he does it. I hear his end of the conversation. "Sid?...... Where are you?...... Ok... See you there." Max hangs up and looks at me. "He's at Mario's. We're going there now." Max pulls out into the street. I sigh.
"Why?" I ask, "Why can't anything happen normally for me?"
"Cause the guy you want is Sidney Crosby." Max points out, "and now just happens to be a bad time, what with his stalker and what not." Max says, I giggle a little bit, feeling a little better.
"But can't he just tell her to get lost?" I ask, "can't he just..." I trail off and a tear runs down my cheek.
"Caitlin." Max says, "everything will work out."
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Chapter 8
Breakfast for me before school? ha. if I'm lucky, I finish my hair in time to grab a granola bar. I'm constantly late. Not that it matters, none of the teachers are worrying about anything. We're seniors. It's our last week of school. They let us do what we want. It's been this way for years and every new principal we get tries to stop it. I don't know why principals are always so... so.... uptight. But it's always hilarious to watch them get frustrated and storm out into the hall.
I drive my black Oldsmobile Intrigue to school every day. It's a decent car. It gets me where I'm going and it manages to stay in good shape most of the time. But, it's a Monday, I'm in a bad mood when I get into the car despite all the things I should be happy about. "The last Monday in highschool. You can do it." I mutter to myself.
I'm the type who blasts my music. Really loud. I mean, who can listen to 3oh!3 with the volume turned down!?
I get to school and go to my locker, taking a few more things out and shoving them into my bag. As if it isn't already way too full. A couple papers fall out. And someone bends down to get them before I can. "Hey," he says. "You dropped these." He hands me the papers but doesn't disappear like I wish he would.
"Thanks," I say politely, shoving them back into my overstuffed bag.
"You're welcome," he says, looking nervous now. "So," he starts. "I'm Danny." He tells me.. All I can think about is how cute he is and how much I like Sidney and how much I really want to get out of this situation.
"I'm Caitlin," I hold out my hand. "Thanks for picking up my papers." I say and turn around to go to my first class.
"Wait!" He says loudly, trying to get my attention over the loud buzz of everyone in the hallway.
"What?" I turn around and try not to snap at him. I don't know him, I remind myself. I can't be mean.
"would you," he stutters. "want to get a coffee with me? For lunch?" He asks hopefully.
"Um." I say, my index finger on my lip--a habit I have for when I'm seriously thinking. "I'm doing lunch with my friends today. Maybe some other day?" I lie, trying really hard to be nice to this new, cute stranger.
"ok." He looks down disappointed and walks away, probably because he knows that I didn't mean it. I don't want to get into anything with someone from highschool during the last week. That would be nerve-wracking.
Ruthanne trots up to me, "Who was he?" She asks in a snotty tone that would only be used because she noticed my pissy face.
"Danny?" I ask her. She shrugs and we walk off towards class.
Ruthanne's Point Of View:
School was really fun. Just a lot of people running around and goofing off. I get home and check my phone.
You have 5 new texts! it reads across the screen. I open one, wondering how I got so many since I last checked it when school ended.
From: Kris
Hey... how are you? I miss you!
From: Kris
Callllllll meeeeeeee.
From: Kris
Are you there?
From: Kris
Ruthanne!!!!!
From: Kris
Where are you!?
I smile when I read them although I hate people who text me like 10 times in a row looking for me. I hurry up and text back.
At home, just got back from school :P.. awww, I missed you too!
And it was true. Even though we were all having fun being idiots at school, he was all I could think about. Before I even knew it, my phone was buzzing again.
I couldn't stop thinking about you. <3 What's up?
I pause for a moment, just smiling before I can even enter:
nothing. <3
and send it. I stop bothering with the texting and just call him.
"hey," he says in his beautiful voice.
"hey," I say back, hoping he thinks my voice is as beautiful as I think his is. "What did you do all day?" I ask nonchalantly.
"Absolutely nothing. Just hung out at my apartment." He says.
I smile, "Sounds like fun," I joke. I know better. Sitting around is never fun unless with a friend. And by the very bored tone in his voice, I can tell that he didn't have much entertainment.
"Oh it was," he says sarcastically.
I hear my mom come in the front door and call me downstairs. Probably to do some chore or another. She's hysterical because I won't be around very much anymore.
"I'll call you later, Kris. My mom is calling." I sigh and wait for his goodbye. I swear I will never get tired of his voice.
"Ok. Bye." He says, sounding really sad. I close my phone, feeling the same kind of sadness and walk downstairs.
I drive my black Oldsmobile Intrigue to school every day. It's a decent car. It gets me where I'm going and it manages to stay in good shape most of the time. But, it's a Monday, I'm in a bad mood when I get into the car despite all the things I should be happy about. "The last Monday in highschool. You can do it." I mutter to myself.
I'm the type who blasts my music. Really loud. I mean, who can listen to 3oh!3 with the volume turned down!?
I get to school and go to my locker, taking a few more things out and shoving them into my bag. As if it isn't already way too full. A couple papers fall out. And someone bends down to get them before I can. "Hey," he says. "You dropped these." He hands me the papers but doesn't disappear like I wish he would.
"Thanks," I say politely, shoving them back into my overstuffed bag.
"You're welcome," he says, looking nervous now. "So," he starts. "I'm Danny." He tells me.. All I can think about is how cute he is and how much I like Sidney and how much I really want to get out of this situation.
"I'm Caitlin," I hold out my hand. "Thanks for picking up my papers." I say and turn around to go to my first class.
"Wait!" He says loudly, trying to get my attention over the loud buzz of everyone in the hallway.
"What?" I turn around and try not to snap at him. I don't know him, I remind myself. I can't be mean.
"would you," he stutters. "want to get a coffee with me? For lunch?" He asks hopefully.
"Um." I say, my index finger on my lip--a habit I have for when I'm seriously thinking. "I'm doing lunch with my friends today. Maybe some other day?" I lie, trying really hard to be nice to this new, cute stranger.
"ok." He looks down disappointed and walks away, probably because he knows that I didn't mean it. I don't want to get into anything with someone from highschool during the last week. That would be nerve-wracking.
Ruthanne trots up to me, "Who was he?" She asks in a snotty tone that would only be used because she noticed my pissy face.
"Danny?" I ask her. She shrugs and we walk off towards class.
Ruthanne's Point Of View:
School was really fun. Just a lot of people running around and goofing off. I get home and check my phone.
You have 5 new texts! it reads across the screen. I open one, wondering how I got so many since I last checked it when school ended.
From: Kris
Hey... how are you? I miss you!
From: Kris
Callllllll meeeeeeee.
From: Kris
Are you there?
From: Kris
Ruthanne!!!!!
From: Kris
Where are you!?
I smile when I read them although I hate people who text me like 10 times in a row looking for me. I hurry up and text back.
At home, just got back from school :P.. awww, I missed you too!
And it was true. Even though we were all having fun being idiots at school, he was all I could think about. Before I even knew it, my phone was buzzing again.
I couldn't stop thinking about you. <3 What's up?
I pause for a moment, just smiling before I can even enter:
nothing. <3
and send it. I stop bothering with the texting and just call him.
"hey," he says in his beautiful voice.
"hey," I say back, hoping he thinks my voice is as beautiful as I think his is. "What did you do all day?" I ask nonchalantly.
"Absolutely nothing. Just hung out at my apartment." He says.
I smile, "Sounds like fun," I joke. I know better. Sitting around is never fun unless with a friend. And by the very bored tone in his voice, I can tell that he didn't have much entertainment.
"Oh it was," he says sarcastically.
I hear my mom come in the front door and call me downstairs. Probably to do some chore or another. She's hysterical because I won't be around very much anymore.
"I'll call you later, Kris. My mom is calling." I sigh and wait for his goodbye. I swear I will never get tired of his voice.
"Ok. Bye." He says, sounding really sad. I close my phone, feeling the same kind of sadness and walk downstairs.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Chapter 7
We got back to Ruthanne's sometime around 3:00. I told her that I needed to get my stuff together and go home, so she drove me back to my place. Really I just want to sleep the days away--dreaming of Sidney--until Tuesday. Just 2 more days.
My parents don't work weekends, so I usually try to be away as much as possible. They're all about spending time together before I move out and go to college. I'm all about avoiding them. For some reason, the past few years I just feel like I don't really need them. Of course I love them, but I can take care of myself.
It's the last week of my senior year and surprisingly, I don't care. I'm not concerned that none of my friends and I will stay in touch. Ruthanne and I will, definitely, and the rest don't plan on moving out of Pittsburgh, so I'm not worried about friends or anything else for that matter.
My parents greet me as I walk in the door. I say hello back, then complain that I'm tired and run up the stairs. In my room, I put my new clothes away and plop down on my bed. "Ugh." I sigh, feeling extremely alone now.
I wake up to my ringtone: Dear Maria Count Me In... I really don't care what the song's about. It's catchy, I like it. I open it up without looking at the caller ID. "hello?" I say sleepily just now glancing at the clock. 5:30, wow. A long nap for me.
"Hey," I hear Sidney's voice on the other end.
"Hey," I'm suddenly awake, happy to hear his voice. "What's up?" I ask.
"Nothing much. I'm home at Mario's." He says.
"oh." I say, "I was just taking a nap." I tell him.
"Did I wake you up?" He asks, concerned.
"yes." I say, trying to sound grumpy and hoping that he won't take me seriously.
"Was it a good nap?" He asks jokingly.
"yes. yes it was." I tell him. "So what are you doing tonight?" I ask, curious to see what an NHL player might have on the agenda.
"Nothing. I finally get a break from the guys," he laughs, "Max ran out of Coke." I laugh too.
"how much did he have?" I ask, still giggling.
"A LOT." Sidney replies. We laugh again. We seem to laugh a lot together. I wonder about this for a moment and just decide that it's a good thing.
We talk like this--randomly and not really about anything-- for the next half hour before my mother calls me down for dinner. I say goodbye kind of sadly but go downstairs to eat.
My mother is serving my favorite tonight. Tacos. Only the best food ever known to man. My family eats in silence tonight. My parents usually drill me with questions about my day, but they're more laid back tonight. I try to start a conversation several times, asking them about their day. They don't say much so I give up and go back to eating my tacos. Yum.
I go back upstairs to my room after dinner. I watch the movie Taken, before going to bed. I'll just say that my dreams of going to France were a little bit broken after that movie. I don't know if I want to go now. I dream about being kidnapped. And I make a vow to myself that I won't watch movies like that before I go to bed ever again.
-----------------------------------------
I'm gonna be gone for like 2 weeks on vacation.
idk how much I'll be able to post while I'm gone.
<3 <3 <3 ---- Caitlin
My parents don't work weekends, so I usually try to be away as much as possible. They're all about spending time together before I move out and go to college. I'm all about avoiding them. For some reason, the past few years I just feel like I don't really need them. Of course I love them, but I can take care of myself.
It's the last week of my senior year and surprisingly, I don't care. I'm not concerned that none of my friends and I will stay in touch. Ruthanne and I will, definitely, and the rest don't plan on moving out of Pittsburgh, so I'm not worried about friends or anything else for that matter.
My parents greet me as I walk in the door. I say hello back, then complain that I'm tired and run up the stairs. In my room, I put my new clothes away and plop down on my bed. "Ugh." I sigh, feeling extremely alone now.
I wake up to my ringtone: Dear Maria Count Me In... I really don't care what the song's about. It's catchy, I like it. I open it up without looking at the caller ID. "hello?" I say sleepily just now glancing at the clock. 5:30, wow. A long nap for me.
"Hey," I hear Sidney's voice on the other end.
"Hey," I'm suddenly awake, happy to hear his voice. "What's up?" I ask.
"Nothing much. I'm home at Mario's." He says.
"oh." I say, "I was just taking a nap." I tell him.
"Did I wake you up?" He asks, concerned.
"yes." I say, trying to sound grumpy and hoping that he won't take me seriously.
"Was it a good nap?" He asks jokingly.
"yes. yes it was." I tell him. "So what are you doing tonight?" I ask, curious to see what an NHL player might have on the agenda.
"Nothing. I finally get a break from the guys," he laughs, "Max ran out of Coke." I laugh too.
"how much did he have?" I ask, still giggling.
"A LOT." Sidney replies. We laugh again. We seem to laugh a lot together. I wonder about this for a moment and just decide that it's a good thing.
We talk like this--randomly and not really about anything-- for the next half hour before my mother calls me down for dinner. I say goodbye kind of sadly but go downstairs to eat.
My mother is serving my favorite tonight. Tacos. Only the best food ever known to man. My family eats in silence tonight. My parents usually drill me with questions about my day, but they're more laid back tonight. I try to start a conversation several times, asking them about their day. They don't say much so I give up and go back to eating my tacos. Yum.
I go back upstairs to my room after dinner. I watch the movie Taken, before going to bed. I'll just say that my dreams of going to France were a little bit broken after that movie. I don't know if I want to go now. I dream about being kidnapped. And I make a vow to myself that I won't watch movies like that before I go to bed ever again.
-----------------------------------------
I'm gonna be gone for like 2 weeks on vacation.
idk how much I'll be able to post while I'm gone.
<3 <3 <3 ---- Caitlin
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Chapter 6
Still Ruthanne's Point Of View ;)
I let them play another game before I say, "Caitlin, we have to go." I feel kinda bad, seeing her disappointment, but she knows my parents just about as well as I do.
"Ok," she stands up reluctantly, squeezing Sidney's hand as she gets up. "I'll talk to you later." She says still holding a smile. "Call me or something." We say goodbye to all the guys, and they still can't take their focus off the game long enough to say anything. Sidney at least walks us to the door, still talking to Caitlin.
Caitlin's Point Of View:
Ruthanne and I walk down the hall toward the elevators, Max's apartment being on a higher floor. "So. You and Kris, eh?" I ask.
"I sure hope so." She says, getting that dreamy look in her eyes again. "He's super nice."
I laugh at her, "So is Sidney," I say happily. "I can't wait until Tuesday."
"Kris said he wants to hang out on Tuesday," Ruthanne says still looking quite dreamy.
"Awesome!" I say, "he's interested!" and we do our silly little girl dance into the elevator. At first we don't notice who else is in the elevator. Until she says something.
"Hey!" Brittny says, using another one of her fake voices. "What are you guys doing here?" She asks like she doesn't have a clue.
"Um." Is all we can get out. She walks out of the elevator, grabbing our arms.
"So." She starts, suddenly snobbier than ever. "I don't know what you guys think you're doing. But you can't have them." She pokes me in the chest. "Sidney's Mine!" She shouts spitting all over me. I flinch a little, trying not to let her intimidate me. She struts down the hall towards Max's apartment.
"Oh my god," I say laughing. Ruthanne is beside me cracking up as well.
"She's really desperate to be better than you. YOU SCARE HER!" We laugh together, still standing in the hall. We look down towards Max's apartment to see him answer the door and then shut it again in her face. She pouts and walks back down the hall, glaring at us.
"You WILL be sorry." She says, getting into the elevator again. We decide to wait until she's out of here before we take the ride down. Sidney comes out of Max's apartment and sees us against the wall by the elevator. He jogs down to us, but he's not finding this as hysterical as we are.
Right before the elevator door closes, he grabs my hand, just to make her mad. "You ok?" He asks. I giggle.
"Yeah," I nod, still laughing. "Did you see her face when you grabbed my hand?" Ruthanne is still laughing obnoxiously, doubled over.
He nods, finally cracking a smile. "I'm glad you don't let her bother you." He says, "She never fails to get on my nerves. Worse than Valeska even." He winks, knowing somehow that I knew about Valeska.
"Oh believe me Sidney, she's been trying to get to me since the 9th grade." I say, not smiling anymore. It gets annoying, so I deal with it by laughing at it. It's really not as funny as I make it out to be. "Well, we gotta go." I say, walking over to the elevator and pushing the button to go down. Ruthanne walks over and stands beside it to wait, trying to calm herself down.
"See you on Tuesday," he says, letting go of my hand reluctantly.
"See you." I say. I have a feeling he stood there for a while after the elevator doors closed.
I let them play another game before I say, "Caitlin, we have to go." I feel kinda bad, seeing her disappointment, but she knows my parents just about as well as I do.
"Ok," she stands up reluctantly, squeezing Sidney's hand as she gets up. "I'll talk to you later." She says still holding a smile. "Call me or something." We say goodbye to all the guys, and they still can't take their focus off the game long enough to say anything. Sidney at least walks us to the door, still talking to Caitlin.
Caitlin's Point Of View:
Ruthanne and I walk down the hall toward the elevators, Max's apartment being on a higher floor. "So. You and Kris, eh?" I ask.
"I sure hope so." She says, getting that dreamy look in her eyes again. "He's super nice."
I laugh at her, "So is Sidney," I say happily. "I can't wait until Tuesday."
"Kris said he wants to hang out on Tuesday," Ruthanne says still looking quite dreamy.
"Awesome!" I say, "he's interested!" and we do our silly little girl dance into the elevator. At first we don't notice who else is in the elevator. Until she says something.
"Hey!" Brittny says, using another one of her fake voices. "What are you guys doing here?" She asks like she doesn't have a clue.
"Um." Is all we can get out. She walks out of the elevator, grabbing our arms.
"So." She starts, suddenly snobbier than ever. "I don't know what you guys think you're doing. But you can't have them." She pokes me in the chest. "Sidney's Mine!" She shouts spitting all over me. I flinch a little, trying not to let her intimidate me. She struts down the hall towards Max's apartment.
"Oh my god," I say laughing. Ruthanne is beside me cracking up as well.
"She's really desperate to be better than you. YOU SCARE HER!" We laugh together, still standing in the hall. We look down towards Max's apartment to see him answer the door and then shut it again in her face. She pouts and walks back down the hall, glaring at us.
"You WILL be sorry." She says, getting into the elevator again. We decide to wait until she's out of here before we take the ride down. Sidney comes out of Max's apartment and sees us against the wall by the elevator. He jogs down to us, but he's not finding this as hysterical as we are.
Right before the elevator door closes, he grabs my hand, just to make her mad. "You ok?" He asks. I giggle.
"Yeah," I nod, still laughing. "Did you see her face when you grabbed my hand?" Ruthanne is still laughing obnoxiously, doubled over.
He nods, finally cracking a smile. "I'm glad you don't let her bother you." He says, "She never fails to get on my nerves. Worse than Valeska even." He winks, knowing somehow that I knew about Valeska.
"Oh believe me Sidney, she's been trying to get to me since the 9th grade." I say, not smiling anymore. It gets annoying, so I deal with it by laughing at it. It's really not as funny as I make it out to be. "Well, we gotta go." I say, walking over to the elevator and pushing the button to go down. Ruthanne walks over and stands beside it to wait, trying to calm herself down.
"See you on Tuesday," he says, letting go of my hand reluctantly.
"See you." I say. I have a feeling he stood there for a while after the elevator doors closed.
Chapter 5
Max answers the door, "HEY!" He says it just like he did yesterday, his voice excited. And I still can't get over that accent. So cute. "Come on in!" He opens the door wider, letting us through. Sidney gets up off of the sofa and greets us. Being a girl, I don't fail to notice that he said hello to Ruthanne first. But I don't care, he hugged me! We walk back over to the couch and I sit between Ruthanne and Sidney. Most of the same guys from last night are here again, playing video games, sprawled out on the floor. They hardly notice when we walk through.
The conversation is random, Max usually asking weird questions, but we all have fun, just hanging out. Sidney got us all a Coke and I secretly wonder how much Max really has in his kitchen. Kris Letang, sitting alone, isn't a big part of the conversation and I know that Ruthanne can't help but stare so I introduce them officially, hoping they hit it off.
She eventually went and sat with him on the love seat, leaving Sidney and I on the couch, not really having an excuse to sit so close anymore. I reluctantly scoot over, but he must feel the same way cause he wraps his big arm around me and pulls me back over. "Where are you going?" Sidney whispers in my ear. I giggle, just because I wouldn't stand a chance if I actually did try to resist him. Being tucked under Sidney's arm is one of my favorite places to be, already.
"Look," I subtly point at Ruthanne and Tanger sitting together. "She likes him," I say.
"I know." Sidney says, "look at her face." And I realize what he's talking about. Ruthanne's eyes were dreamy when she looked at Kris. She didn't even notice our stares, but neither did Kris. I hope everything works out in Ruthanne's favor, meaning a date with Kris. She's dreamt about that for as long as I can remember.
"Wanna play?" I ask Sidney, remembering the good time we had yesterday.
"Next game." He promises. And that's what we do. He sits behind me arms around me like last night and helps me with the buttons. I have a hard time concentrating on the game, Sidney's smell surrounding me, his muscular body against mine. I laugh when I'm the second one to die, dropping the controller. Sidney kisses the top of my head and says, "next time, we'll win." I laugh and we wait for the guys to finish the current game.
Ruthanne's Point of View:
Kris takes my phone and puts his number in my contacts. "Call me." He whispers, handing me his phone. Even Max has joined the group of video-gamers, so Kris and I are the only 2 not playing. I don't think he minds, at least, it doesn't seem as if he does.
"aren't they cute?" I look at Sidney and Caitlin on the floor laughing.
"Sidney really likes her." He says, "he didn't want to take her home last night. She's all he could talk about after he came back." He fills me in.
"aww. Well they're really cute." I say, glancing at the clock.
Kris notices, "do you have to be somewhere?" He asks.
"No, not really" I say, trying to think of any excuse to stay longer than I should. My parents probably wouldn't approve of this, being weird like they are. But Kris is so nice.
"Ok." He says, smiling for a moment then looking down shyly. "So Ruthanne, I kinda have to go, but I was wondering if you'd want to hang out sometime. Maybe Tuesday?"
"Um." I pause, not knowing my plans. But I'm willing to cancel. "yeah." I say smiling. "Call me." He gets up and says his goodbyes, everyone waves, too concentrated on their game to do anything more. I walk over and sit down on the couch closer to Caitlin.
The conversation is random, Max usually asking weird questions, but we all have fun, just hanging out. Sidney got us all a Coke and I secretly wonder how much Max really has in his kitchen. Kris Letang, sitting alone, isn't a big part of the conversation and I know that Ruthanne can't help but stare so I introduce them officially, hoping they hit it off.
She eventually went and sat with him on the love seat, leaving Sidney and I on the couch, not really having an excuse to sit so close anymore. I reluctantly scoot over, but he must feel the same way cause he wraps his big arm around me and pulls me back over. "Where are you going?" Sidney whispers in my ear. I giggle, just because I wouldn't stand a chance if I actually did try to resist him. Being tucked under Sidney's arm is one of my favorite places to be, already.
"Look," I subtly point at Ruthanne and Tanger sitting together. "She likes him," I say.
"I know." Sidney says, "look at her face." And I realize what he's talking about. Ruthanne's eyes were dreamy when she looked at Kris. She didn't even notice our stares, but neither did Kris. I hope everything works out in Ruthanne's favor, meaning a date with Kris. She's dreamt about that for as long as I can remember.
"Wanna play?" I ask Sidney, remembering the good time we had yesterday.
"Next game." He promises. And that's what we do. He sits behind me arms around me like last night and helps me with the buttons. I have a hard time concentrating on the game, Sidney's smell surrounding me, his muscular body against mine. I laugh when I'm the second one to die, dropping the controller. Sidney kisses the top of my head and says, "next time, we'll win." I laugh and we wait for the guys to finish the current game.
Ruthanne's Point of View:
Kris takes my phone and puts his number in my contacts. "Call me." He whispers, handing me his phone. Even Max has joined the group of video-gamers, so Kris and I are the only 2 not playing. I don't think he minds, at least, it doesn't seem as if he does.
"aren't they cute?" I look at Sidney and Caitlin on the floor laughing.
"Sidney really likes her." He says, "he didn't want to take her home last night. She's all he could talk about after he came back." He fills me in.
"aww. Well they're really cute." I say, glancing at the clock.
Kris notices, "do you have to be somewhere?" He asks.
"No, not really" I say, trying to think of any excuse to stay longer than I should. My parents probably wouldn't approve of this, being weird like they are. But Kris is so nice.
"Ok." He says, smiling for a moment then looking down shyly. "So Ruthanne, I kinda have to go, but I was wondering if you'd want to hang out sometime. Maybe Tuesday?"
"Um." I pause, not knowing my plans. But I'm willing to cancel. "yeah." I say smiling. "Call me." He gets up and says his goodbyes, everyone waves, too concentrated on their game to do anything more. I walk over and sit down on the couch closer to Caitlin.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Chapter 4
As I reached for the doorknob the door bursts open. "DEETS!!!" Ruthanne screeches. Her dad, watching the news, doesn't appreciate this and yells at her to be quiet.
Instead of filling her in right there on the spot, I run up to her room. "SO," she says, "what happened!? I saw you guys through the peephole! So cute!" She screeches again and her mother in the next room tells her to be quiet.
"Well," I say, not knowing how to explain the wonderful--although many people would say we realy didn't do anything--time I had with Sidney. "We left because of Brittny. I guess she's stalking him."
"I KNOW THAT!" Ruthanne shouts, still very excited.
"ok ok." I say, trying to calm her down a little. "He drove me over to my place to get dressed and we went over to Max Talbot's apartment!"
"OH MY GOD! WAS TANGER THERE!?" She yells again.
I smile, "yeah. And guess what." She beams, but looks extremely jealous. "He's cuter in person!" I say. "So we hung out there for the rest of the night," I say, trying not to look overly excited about it. "And he's taking me out for dinner on Tuesday!" I can't contain myself any longer, I jump up and dance in a little circle.
"EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" She squeals, "I'm so happy for you!"
"Well, who set it up? You're the best!" I hug her quickly. "So, are we going to the mall tomorrow?" I ask.
"Heck yes," she says. "I heard there's gonna be a huge sale at Delia's." We dance around again, two giddy teenage girls who are having the time of their lives. We go to bed around 11:30, wanting to be able to get up bright and early for that sale.
The store was packed with frenzied girls just like us. We walked out with a few cute pieces, but we didn't spend much time there. We made our way to the food court, kinda hungry. And that's where we saw her again, hanging on some guy of course. "Um. Ruthanne. Let's not eat now." I struggle to say something comprehensible.
"Why?"
"Brittny & Friends." I point and quickly turn around trying to avoid the scene that she's gonna try and cause.
"You can't run from her forever you know." Ruthanne points out.
"um. Yeah I can." I say and duck behind a fake plant looking down and pretending to fiddle with my iPhone.
"Come on Caitlin." Ruthanne says pulling me out from behind the plant and leading me back towards the ice cream shop. "I'm Hungry." She says.
I end up ordering a mint chocolate chip and she gets strawberry. Yum. I have to admit that the ice cream was good, whether Brittny's burning glare was drilling the back of my head or not. She never did confront us, but she probably knew that the glare would get on my nerves more.
On the way back home I get a text from Sidney:
Sidney: Hey, what's up?
Caitlin: heading back to Ruthanne's. We were at the mall. you?
Sidney: nothing. I'm at Max's, chillin w/ some of the guys again. Do you guys wanna come out?
Caitlin: sure.
I turn to Ruthanne. "Sidney wants to know if we can come out. I already told him yes." I say, smiling wide. "Drive woman." I command, in a hurry to see him again. I tell Ruthanne where Max lives, getting directions from Sidney on the way.
I take a guess on which apartment is Max's and I'm not right, the door being answered by some gothic teenager. She lazily points to Max's apartment. "thanks!" Ruthanne and I gasp, jogging down the hall.
Instead of filling her in right there on the spot, I run up to her room. "SO," she says, "what happened!? I saw you guys through the peephole! So cute!" She screeches again and her mother in the next room tells her to be quiet.
"Well," I say, not knowing how to explain the wonderful--although many people would say we realy didn't do anything--time I had with Sidney. "We left because of Brittny. I guess she's stalking him."
"I KNOW THAT!" Ruthanne shouts, still very excited.
"ok ok." I say, trying to calm her down a little. "He drove me over to my place to get dressed and we went over to Max Talbot's apartment!"
"OH MY GOD! WAS TANGER THERE!?" She yells again.
I smile, "yeah. And guess what." She beams, but looks extremely jealous. "He's cuter in person!" I say. "So we hung out there for the rest of the night," I say, trying not to look overly excited about it. "And he's taking me out for dinner on Tuesday!" I can't contain myself any longer, I jump up and dance in a little circle.
"EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" She squeals, "I'm so happy for you!"
"Well, who set it up? You're the best!" I hug her quickly. "So, are we going to the mall tomorrow?" I ask.
"Heck yes," she says. "I heard there's gonna be a huge sale at Delia's." We dance around again, two giddy teenage girls who are having the time of their lives. We go to bed around 11:30, wanting to be able to get up bright and early for that sale.
The store was packed with frenzied girls just like us. We walked out with a few cute pieces, but we didn't spend much time there. We made our way to the food court, kinda hungry. And that's where we saw her again, hanging on some guy of course. "Um. Ruthanne. Let's not eat now." I struggle to say something comprehensible.
"Why?"
"Brittny & Friends." I point and quickly turn around trying to avoid the scene that she's gonna try and cause.
"You can't run from her forever you know." Ruthanne points out.
"um. Yeah I can." I say and duck behind a fake plant looking down and pretending to fiddle with my iPhone.
"Come on Caitlin." Ruthanne says pulling me out from behind the plant and leading me back towards the ice cream shop. "I'm Hungry." She says.
I end up ordering a mint chocolate chip and she gets strawberry. Yum. I have to admit that the ice cream was good, whether Brittny's burning glare was drilling the back of my head or not. She never did confront us, but she probably knew that the glare would get on my nerves more.
On the way back home I get a text from Sidney:
Sidney: Hey, what's up?
Caitlin: heading back to Ruthanne's. We were at the mall. you?
Sidney: nothing. I'm at Max's, chillin w/ some of the guys again. Do you guys wanna come out?
Caitlin: sure.
I turn to Ruthanne. "Sidney wants to know if we can come out. I already told him yes." I say, smiling wide. "Drive woman." I command, in a hurry to see him again. I tell Ruthanne where Max lives, getting directions from Sidney on the way.
I take a guess on which apartment is Max's and I'm not right, the door being answered by some gothic teenager. She lazily points to Max's apartment. "thanks!" Ruthanne and I gasp, jogging down the hall.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Chapter 3
The guys started to show up after a while. Sidney and I never left the couch, sitting there with his arm around me, I was as comfy as ever. Everyone was making jokes on Sidney, but he just laughed along with them, only now and again having a good comeback.
There was a knock at the door. Max went to answer it. "FOOD!!!!" He yelled excitedly. And I swear I've never seen guys move that fast. Not even in a game.
"God." I whisper under my breath. Sidney chuckles, standing up slowly and then helps me up too. We walk over to the door where Max is desperately trying to get out of the crowd of ravenous Penguins Players while balancing at least 5 pizzas. "He really shouldn't have shouted." I say smartly.
"He doesn't think of the consequences." Sidney laughs at Max who is still being attacked. "Guys!" Sidney shouts and they all turn for a moment. Long enough for Max to hurry out of the mess and put the pizzas down on a table.
Max shouts, "dinner is served!" Obviously not learning the lesson. All the guys hurry to the pizza. Sidney and I linger behind, not really caring about food this second.
"They're hilarious." I point out.
Sidney chuckles, "try working with them." We laugh harder and wait even longer for all the guys to finish piling pizza on their plates. Each guy I saw walk away from the table had about 5 slices on their plate.
"Wow. Max wasn't kidding when he said you guys eat a lot." Sidney just laughs and takes 3 slices for himself. I take 2, not even able to eat more than that.
Maxime appears from the kitchen with another 24 pack of Coke. I guess we already went through the first one. As the guys get up to get another drink Max says, "now you see it! Now you don't!" Sidney and I laugh again finding ourselves laughing more often than not tonight.
The pizza was good. Everyone enjoyed it and they went straight to the video games after that. Almost all the guys sprawled out on the floor, laughing when they killed someone on that war game everyone's playing. Sidney sat with me on the couch instead of playing. I kept insisting that he could play, that I'd just watch. But he insisted that if he played, I'd have to too.
I finally gave in--secretly wanting to try it anyways-- and Jordan Staal passed me his game control.
"What do I do?" I asked, as helpless as I sounded. Sidney handed his control back to Jordan and wrapped his arms around me, showing me the buttons to shoot, duck and crawl around. When the game started, Sidney and I playing together, he helped me whenever I needed it and the next thing I knew, I was one of the only 2 left in the game. Our little character ran around looking for Tanger's, but he eventually made a kill-shot from on top of some little hill. I sighed, laughing and leaning back into Sidney's hard chest. "That was kinda fun," I whisper.
"See!?" Sidney exclaims, "boy's aren't crazy for liking stuff like this." We laugh again and I pass off my control to Marc Andre Fleury, hopping back up onto the couch.
Sidney glanced at the clock across the room and gasped. It was 7:00 already. "Do you need to be home?" He asked nervously.
"No, I'm supposed to be at Ruthanne's tonight." I say.
"What time are you supposed to be there?" He asks, looking a little bit sad to have the night coming to an end.
"Around 10:00 is fine. We have time," I say, gently grabbing his big hand in my small one and running my finger tips over his knuckles. He sighs in relief. "I'm not ready for tonight to be over," I say.
"Me either." He says, "you're a really great girl. I'm glad I decided to go to your party thing."
"Well, thanks." I say, smiling. "You're a really great guy. I'm glad you came too." I say, making it sound cheesy on purpose. We laugh and he leans in for a little kiss. Everyone else was playing the video game. No one would see.
Except Max, choosing this exact moment to get up for a drink. "whoa!" He exclaims, then sheilds his eyes in mock horror. Sidney laughs, his lips still on mine. I just smile, loving this moment, Max or not.
The clock struck 9:30 all too soon and Sidney sighed as we got up saying our goodbyes. All the guys gave him questioning looks, probably meaning, "will we see her again?" He nodded to them and we ducked out the door.
"Thanks so much for bringing me." I said out in the hall. "I had a great time with you tonight."
"Oh you're welcome." He said, squeezing my hand. We walk outside into the chilly air. It's not quite dark yet, but it's been a pretty cold summer.
He opens the passenger side door for me like he always does, and walks around to his side quietly. I tell him where Ruthanne lives and he drives in silence. He finally breaks it. "So, I had a great time today, and I'd like to spend more time with you."
"Oh?" I asked quietly, not expecting this.
"Yeah. I was wondering if you'd want to go out with me on Tuesday, to dinner."
"Sure." I say nonchalantly as if I got asked out by my famous idols every day.
We pull up on the curb right outside Ruthanne's and he comes around to open my door. He walks me up onto her stoop and says, "I'm gonna pretend like I'm dropping you off at your house."
We laugh and he gives me a little kiss. I stand on on the step and watch as he gets into his car and drives away.
There was a knock at the door. Max went to answer it. "FOOD!!!!" He yelled excitedly. And I swear I've never seen guys move that fast. Not even in a game.
"God." I whisper under my breath. Sidney chuckles, standing up slowly and then helps me up too. We walk over to the door where Max is desperately trying to get out of the crowd of ravenous Penguins Players while balancing at least 5 pizzas. "He really shouldn't have shouted." I say smartly.
"He doesn't think of the consequences." Sidney laughs at Max who is still being attacked. "Guys!" Sidney shouts and they all turn for a moment. Long enough for Max to hurry out of the mess and put the pizzas down on a table.
Max shouts, "dinner is served!" Obviously not learning the lesson. All the guys hurry to the pizza. Sidney and I linger behind, not really caring about food this second.
"They're hilarious." I point out.
Sidney chuckles, "try working with them." We laugh harder and wait even longer for all the guys to finish piling pizza on their plates. Each guy I saw walk away from the table had about 5 slices on their plate.
"Wow. Max wasn't kidding when he said you guys eat a lot." Sidney just laughs and takes 3 slices for himself. I take 2, not even able to eat more than that.
Maxime appears from the kitchen with another 24 pack of Coke. I guess we already went through the first one. As the guys get up to get another drink Max says, "now you see it! Now you don't!" Sidney and I laugh again finding ourselves laughing more often than not tonight.
The pizza was good. Everyone enjoyed it and they went straight to the video games after that. Almost all the guys sprawled out on the floor, laughing when they killed someone on that war game everyone's playing. Sidney sat with me on the couch instead of playing. I kept insisting that he could play, that I'd just watch. But he insisted that if he played, I'd have to too.
I finally gave in--secretly wanting to try it anyways-- and Jordan Staal passed me his game control.
"What do I do?" I asked, as helpless as I sounded. Sidney handed his control back to Jordan and wrapped his arms around me, showing me the buttons to shoot, duck and crawl around. When the game started, Sidney and I playing together, he helped me whenever I needed it and the next thing I knew, I was one of the only 2 left in the game. Our little character ran around looking for Tanger's, but he eventually made a kill-shot from on top of some little hill. I sighed, laughing and leaning back into Sidney's hard chest. "That was kinda fun," I whisper.
"See!?" Sidney exclaims, "boy's aren't crazy for liking stuff like this." We laugh again and I pass off my control to Marc Andre Fleury, hopping back up onto the couch.
Sidney glanced at the clock across the room and gasped. It was 7:00 already. "Do you need to be home?" He asked nervously.
"No, I'm supposed to be at Ruthanne's tonight." I say.
"What time are you supposed to be there?" He asks, looking a little bit sad to have the night coming to an end.
"Around 10:00 is fine. We have time," I say, gently grabbing his big hand in my small one and running my finger tips over his knuckles. He sighs in relief. "I'm not ready for tonight to be over," I say.
"Me either." He says, "you're a really great girl. I'm glad I decided to go to your party thing."
"Well, thanks." I say, smiling. "You're a really great guy. I'm glad you came too." I say, making it sound cheesy on purpose. We laugh and he leans in for a little kiss. Everyone else was playing the video game. No one would see.
Except Max, choosing this exact moment to get up for a drink. "whoa!" He exclaims, then sheilds his eyes in mock horror. Sidney laughs, his lips still on mine. I just smile, loving this moment, Max or not.
The clock struck 9:30 all too soon and Sidney sighed as we got up saying our goodbyes. All the guys gave him questioning looks, probably meaning, "will we see her again?" He nodded to them and we ducked out the door.
"Thanks so much for bringing me." I said out in the hall. "I had a great time with you tonight."
"Oh you're welcome." He said, squeezing my hand. We walk outside into the chilly air. It's not quite dark yet, but it's been a pretty cold summer.
He opens the passenger side door for me like he always does, and walks around to his side quietly. I tell him where Ruthanne lives and he drives in silence. He finally breaks it. "So, I had a great time today, and I'd like to spend more time with you."
"Oh?" I asked quietly, not expecting this.
"Yeah. I was wondering if you'd want to go out with me on Tuesday, to dinner."
"Sure." I say nonchalantly as if I got asked out by my famous idols every day.
We pull up on the curb right outside Ruthanne's and he comes around to open my door. He walks me up onto her stoop and says, "I'm gonna pretend like I'm dropping you off at your house."
We laugh and he gives me a little kiss. I stand on on the step and watch as he gets into his car and drives away.
Chapter 2
I turn around just in time to see Brittny wrap her arm around Sidney, who was still holding my hand. "Trying to avoid me?" She asks him, trying to sound innocent.
Sidney is speechless, searching for words and not finding any, so I say it for him. "Yeah, actually, we were."
She mock gasps and says, "why would you ever want to do that!?" In her fake voice.
"Hmmmm... Let's see. I could make you a list, or you could get out of here before I..." I kinda trail off. I'm not one to threaten people.
"Before you what?" She asks teasingly, putting on more lip gloss and frustrating me even more.
"Before I call security on someone who wasn't invited." I look down, embarrassed. "Just please, Brittny, don't ruin my birthday. I leave you alone, you leave me alone."
"Sorry," she snaps her gum and walks off. It's unusual that she makes an appearance without her posse. Maybe even they have given up on her. "Seeya babe," she waves at Sidney. He kinda makes a growling sound under his breath and turns back to the jukebox.
"I'm so sorry," we both try to say at the same time. We laugh at that, but the mood is still tense.
"I hate her," I say, "we were best friends in middle school and then she adopted her little posse and ditched me.. I still can't be civil around her, I'm sorry, it's hard to hold my tongue sometimes." I ramble on, apologizing.
"You said it better than I could have," he says. "She won't leave me alone. Her parents want ties to the Penguins team and she's been harassing all of us for a long time. Especially me. I'm on the verge of getting a restraining order for her." He sounds angry and the way he is scrolling through songs on the jukebox appears violent.
"I would."
"What?" He asks, still annoyed and in a bad mood.
"Get a restraining order." I say laughing, trying desperately to lighten the mood. He laughs a little bit too, but not seriously. "Come on Sidney." I plead, "don't let her get to you."
"I'm just so tired of stalkers!" He says. I try to keep from laughing, he sounds so funny.
"Do you want to leave?" I ask, kinda scared of what the answer might be.
"Only if you can come with me. But this is your party you gotta stay here, for a while at least. And I'm afraid of what will happen if I leave you here alone with her." He says. I let out a little sigh of relief. I'm not ready for him to leave.
"You're worried about me and Brittny?" I confirmed.
"Yeah. You're both scrapper, in your own way. And that's why I don't want you to fight." He says, brushing his thumb down my cheek.
"I can leave soon." I say, looking out the window overlooking the ice. "None of them give a crap that I'm here. It's all about you." I say.
"Sorry." He says, smiling.
"So, I guess, let me make my rounds. Say hello and goodbye to everyone. Thank Ruthanne." He nods as I squeeze his hand and walk back out.
It takes me at least 15 minutes to get out of conversations about what Sidney's like and what I'm going to do with him later on. I thanked Ruthanne and she gave me our routine pep talk and made it back to Sidney by the jukebox within 20 minutes. "Sorry, " I sigh, "EVERYONE seemed to get interested when I said I was leaving with you."
"it's okay. I don't mind waiting for you." He says, grabbing my hand and pulling me down onto the bench to sit beside him. I begin unlacing my skates and taking them off. I try to put my sneaker balls in inconspicously, but Sidney catches me.
"Don't be embarrassed," he holds up his own pair and we share a laugh.
Leaving the rink he leads me to his range rover and opens the passenger side door for me. I thank him and hop in as he walks around to the driver's side. "Do you want to stop by your house and get changed?" He asks.
"yeah, if it's okay." I reply.
"Where's your house?" He asks.
At my house I invite him in, "my parents aren't going to be around for a while, don't worry." I say when he smiles nervously. Inside, I run up the stairs to my room. He follows kind of slowly, looking at the pictures hung up on all the walls. "This shirt or this one?" I hold up two when he walks into my room. He points to my favorite. "Good choice." I say and grab a pair of holey jeans to wear with it. "Stay." I command, going into my bathroom. In there, I change and then rifle through my jewelry box looking for accessories. I add a touch of eyeliner and then come back out in record time. I give Sidney my best runway walk, almost falling all the way over to him. He gives me an approving nod and we walk back downstairs and outside.
"You look nice," he says.
"Thanks." I say, "so what're we doing?"
"While you were in the bathroom, Max texted me. A bunch of us are getting together over there later. But he wants to meet you, so we're going right now." Sidney smiles, holding my hand as we walk down off of the porch.
"Awesome." I reply, looking forward to what may be a good party. Sidney drives us to a nice apartment building and we ride the elevator to Max Talbot's floor. Sidney knocks and then lets himself in.
Max says, "HEY!" In his nerdy voice with an awesome accent. He gives Sidney a quick, manly hug and turns to me. "So you're Caitlin?" He asks. I nod and he kisses me on the cheek. We walk into his living room and Sidney and I sit down on a cushy sofa. Max is in and out of the living room, still preparing for the guys to come. "They're real hogs," he explains.
Sidney nods, "we all eat a ton."
Sidney is speechless, searching for words and not finding any, so I say it for him. "Yeah, actually, we were."
She mock gasps and says, "why would you ever want to do that!?" In her fake voice.
"Hmmmm... Let's see. I could make you a list, or you could get out of here before I..." I kinda trail off. I'm not one to threaten people.
"Before you what?" She asks teasingly, putting on more lip gloss and frustrating me even more.
"Before I call security on someone who wasn't invited." I look down, embarrassed. "Just please, Brittny, don't ruin my birthday. I leave you alone, you leave me alone."
"Sorry," she snaps her gum and walks off. It's unusual that she makes an appearance without her posse. Maybe even they have given up on her. "Seeya babe," she waves at Sidney. He kinda makes a growling sound under his breath and turns back to the jukebox.
"I'm so sorry," we both try to say at the same time. We laugh at that, but the mood is still tense.
"I hate her," I say, "we were best friends in middle school and then she adopted her little posse and ditched me.. I still can't be civil around her, I'm sorry, it's hard to hold my tongue sometimes." I ramble on, apologizing.
"You said it better than I could have," he says. "She won't leave me alone. Her parents want ties to the Penguins team and she's been harassing all of us for a long time. Especially me. I'm on the verge of getting a restraining order for her." He sounds angry and the way he is scrolling through songs on the jukebox appears violent.
"I would."
"What?" He asks, still annoyed and in a bad mood.
"Get a restraining order." I say laughing, trying desperately to lighten the mood. He laughs a little bit too, but not seriously. "Come on Sidney." I plead, "don't let her get to you."
"I'm just so tired of stalkers!" He says. I try to keep from laughing, he sounds so funny.
"Do you want to leave?" I ask, kinda scared of what the answer might be.
"Only if you can come with me. But this is your party you gotta stay here, for a while at least. And I'm afraid of what will happen if I leave you here alone with her." He says. I let out a little sigh of relief. I'm not ready for him to leave.
"You're worried about me and Brittny?" I confirmed.
"Yeah. You're both scrapper, in your own way. And that's why I don't want you to fight." He says, brushing his thumb down my cheek.
"I can leave soon." I say, looking out the window overlooking the ice. "None of them give a crap that I'm here. It's all about you." I say.
"Sorry." He says, smiling.
"So, I guess, let me make my rounds. Say hello and goodbye to everyone. Thank Ruthanne." He nods as I squeeze his hand and walk back out.
It takes me at least 15 minutes to get out of conversations about what Sidney's like and what I'm going to do with him later on. I thanked Ruthanne and she gave me our routine pep talk and made it back to Sidney by the jukebox within 20 minutes. "Sorry, " I sigh, "EVERYONE seemed to get interested when I said I was leaving with you."
"it's okay. I don't mind waiting for you." He says, grabbing my hand and pulling me down onto the bench to sit beside him. I begin unlacing my skates and taking them off. I try to put my sneaker balls in inconspicously, but Sidney catches me.
"Don't be embarrassed," he holds up his own pair and we share a laugh.
Leaving the rink he leads me to his range rover and opens the passenger side door for me. I thank him and hop in as he walks around to the driver's side. "Do you want to stop by your house and get changed?" He asks.
"yeah, if it's okay." I reply.
"Where's your house?" He asks.
At my house I invite him in, "my parents aren't going to be around for a while, don't worry." I say when he smiles nervously. Inside, I run up the stairs to my room. He follows kind of slowly, looking at the pictures hung up on all the walls. "This shirt or this one?" I hold up two when he walks into my room. He points to my favorite. "Good choice." I say and grab a pair of holey jeans to wear with it. "Stay." I command, going into my bathroom. In there, I change and then rifle through my jewelry box looking for accessories. I add a touch of eyeliner and then come back out in record time. I give Sidney my best runway walk, almost falling all the way over to him. He gives me an approving nod and we walk back downstairs and outside.
"You look nice," he says.
"Thanks." I say, "so what're we doing?"
"While you were in the bathroom, Max texted me. A bunch of us are getting together over there later. But he wants to meet you, so we're going right now." Sidney smiles, holding my hand as we walk down off of the porch.
"Awesome." I reply, looking forward to what may be a good party. Sidney drives us to a nice apartment building and we ride the elevator to Max Talbot's floor. Sidney knocks and then lets himself in.
Max says, "HEY!" In his nerdy voice with an awesome accent. He gives Sidney a quick, manly hug and turns to me. "So you're Caitlin?" He asks. I nod and he kisses me on the cheek. We walk into his living room and Sidney and I sit down on a cushy sofa. Max is in and out of the living room, still preparing for the guys to come. "They're real hogs," he explains.
Sidney nods, "we all eat a ton."
Chapter 1
As we walked into the empty lodge-like entrance to my favorite ice rink, my friend Ruthanne asked, "have you ever wished to be like the most popular girl at school?"
I replied with a, "no, never. WHY? have you?"
"yeah, actually," she smiled sheepishly, "I think it would be fun!"
"What? the scandals, lies, rumors, stalkers, haters? Sure." I laugh and walk to a bench to lace up.
"ha. Thanks Caitlin," she says sarcastically.
"yep. You should know better, you know." I laugh, "where is everybody?" I ask slowly, "It's usually packed in here."
"Well I heard there's an MJ memorial down the street," she says, sounding a little fake. I don't think anything of it, trying to stay in a good mood.
"oh. Well, you ready?" I say, always wanting to be the first out on the ice. She nods and we skate out together.
"But seriously Caitlin, rumor has it, she has met Sidney Crosby." She is the name basically everyone knows Brittny Crum as. She's only the bitchiest, richest, most annoying girl in the whole school. And people love her. It's dumb.
"So what? I bet he thought she was a bitch." I say, kinda jealous since most of the rumors about the infamous Brittny Crum are true.
"Yeah, you're right," Ruthanne said, skating backwards an odd look on her face.
Just then I hear a "happy birthday Caitlin!" in an oddly familiar voice. Turning around, the most gorgeous face is looking at me. Sidney Crosby just wished me a happy birthday. Suddenly I'm flat on the ice. Ruthanne gasps and stifles a laugh while Sidney helps me up.
"Sorry," he apologizes, "I didn't mean to startle you." I smile helplessly, blushing because of my deathly embarrassment. I just fainted in front of Sidney Crosby. "Happy Birthday," he says again.
"thanks." I say smiling--what else can you do in the presence of Sidney Crosby!? "Finally 18!' I exclaim, trying to sound normal when it's nearly impossible to contain myself from jumping around.
When I'm finally able to sort through all the thoughts in my head I look at Ruthanne who is across the ice, nonchalantly staring. I glare at her, she set all of this up! "RUTHANNE!" I yell across the ice. She shrugs, a teasing smile on her face.
"sorry," I turn back to Sidney. "She knows I hate surprises." As I say this, a zillion people begin to file onto the ice.
"I'm the same way," he says, picking up my hand from where it dangled at my side. I kinda glance at it nervously. He notices, but doesn't say anything, knowing it would make things awkward. I smile up at him, noticing for the first time how much shorter than him I really am. "Do you, want to go get a hot chocolate?" He asks slowly, looking a little nervous.
"um. Sure." I say, still not sure of myself around him. We pass Ruthanne on our way off the ice, she gives me a Go Get 'im Tiger! wink. I smile to myself, looking around at all the staring faces. Including, Brittny Crum, who glares at me, flips her hair, then skates away to start another rumor I'm sure. Oh well, I decide, right now I need to focus on not doing something stupid.
We stand at the concession stand in the corner and I pull out money for my hot chocolate. Sidney quickly slaps his down saying "2 please," before I can even protest. I decide not to say anything about it and we gather our drinks and go to a secluded booth in the corner.
"Wow." I say, "this isn't how I imagined meeting Sidney Crosby." We both laugh and sip on our drink.
"It is different. But, Ruthanne is a devious friend. For both of us," he says.
"wait, you two know each other?" I ask suspiciously.
"From parties. Somehow we always end up at the same ones. She told me about your birthday coming up and how much it would mean to you if I could come out. I figured it would be fun to come meet you. All she ever talks about is things that you two have done together." I smile.
"That's Ruthanne for ya," I say.
"she's definitely different," he says laughing. I nod and sip my hot cocoa again. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was. My cup was only half full now. "So, how do you like your birthday party so far?" He asks.
"Wait, this is a party?" I ask just realizing why so many people from school were here.
"Yeah," he laughs, "it is. Ruthanne rented out the rink."
I look down feeling dumb. "Wow. It's really nice. Thanks for coming," I add.
"No problem." He says, taking the last gulp of his drink. I do the same thing, only having a sip or two left. "Do you want another?" he asks. I shake my head, if I drink another, I'll have to pee soon.
"Let's go skate," I say.
"sounds good to me." He says.
On the ice we talk about random things, just going with the flow around in circles on the ice. "You know, I bet this feels weird for you."
"what?" he asks.
"Skating slowly in circles." I laugh.
"Yeah, it isn't normal for me," he turns around, skating backwards in front of me, holding my hands. "So, I was thinking..." he says, but trails off, looking away suddenly, a panic in his eyes.
"what?" I ask.
"um. Do you want to go out tonight? Meet some of the guys. Hang out. Party?" He says quicklys, skating backwards more quickly now.
"sure." I say, "but what's wrong."
"There's someone here." He says pulling me along. When we reach the runway like exit, he steps off the ice and gently tugs my arm. He walks as quickly as he can, which is faster than me, and he stands with his back to the windows, looking at the jukebox.
"who?" I ask. He doesn't reply, just scrolling through the songs nonchalantly, trying to look inconspicuous. "who!?" I ask again.
"Me." Someone behind me says.
I replied with a, "no, never. WHY? have you?"
"yeah, actually," she smiled sheepishly, "I think it would be fun!"
"What? the scandals, lies, rumors, stalkers, haters? Sure." I laugh and walk to a bench to lace up.
"ha. Thanks Caitlin," she says sarcastically.
"yep. You should know better, you know." I laugh, "where is everybody?" I ask slowly, "It's usually packed in here."
"Well I heard there's an MJ memorial down the street," she says, sounding a little fake. I don't think anything of it, trying to stay in a good mood.
"oh. Well, you ready?" I say, always wanting to be the first out on the ice. She nods and we skate out together.
"But seriously Caitlin, rumor has it, she has met Sidney Crosby." She is the name basically everyone knows Brittny Crum as. She's only the bitchiest, richest, most annoying girl in the whole school. And people love her. It's dumb.
"So what? I bet he thought she was a bitch." I say, kinda jealous since most of the rumors about the infamous Brittny Crum are true.
"Yeah, you're right," Ruthanne said, skating backwards an odd look on her face.
Just then I hear a "happy birthday Caitlin!" in an oddly familiar voice. Turning around, the most gorgeous face is looking at me. Sidney Crosby just wished me a happy birthday. Suddenly I'm flat on the ice. Ruthanne gasps and stifles a laugh while Sidney helps me up.
"Sorry," he apologizes, "I didn't mean to startle you." I smile helplessly, blushing because of my deathly embarrassment. I just fainted in front of Sidney Crosby. "Happy Birthday," he says again.
"thanks." I say smiling--what else can you do in the presence of Sidney Crosby!? "Finally 18!' I exclaim, trying to sound normal when it's nearly impossible to contain myself from jumping around.
When I'm finally able to sort through all the thoughts in my head I look at Ruthanne who is across the ice, nonchalantly staring. I glare at her, she set all of this up! "RUTHANNE!" I yell across the ice. She shrugs, a teasing smile on her face.
"sorry," I turn back to Sidney. "She knows I hate surprises." As I say this, a zillion people begin to file onto the ice.
"I'm the same way," he says, picking up my hand from where it dangled at my side. I kinda glance at it nervously. He notices, but doesn't say anything, knowing it would make things awkward. I smile up at him, noticing for the first time how much shorter than him I really am. "Do you, want to go get a hot chocolate?" He asks slowly, looking a little nervous.
"um. Sure." I say, still not sure of myself around him. We pass Ruthanne on our way off the ice, she gives me a Go Get 'im Tiger! wink. I smile to myself, looking around at all the staring faces. Including, Brittny Crum, who glares at me, flips her hair, then skates away to start another rumor I'm sure. Oh well, I decide, right now I need to focus on not doing something stupid.
We stand at the concession stand in the corner and I pull out money for my hot chocolate. Sidney quickly slaps his down saying "2 please," before I can even protest. I decide not to say anything about it and we gather our drinks and go to a secluded booth in the corner.
"Wow." I say, "this isn't how I imagined meeting Sidney Crosby." We both laugh and sip on our drink.
"It is different. But, Ruthanne is a devious friend. For both of us," he says.
"wait, you two know each other?" I ask suspiciously.
"From parties. Somehow we always end up at the same ones. She told me about your birthday coming up and how much it would mean to you if I could come out. I figured it would be fun to come meet you. All she ever talks about is things that you two have done together." I smile.
"That's Ruthanne for ya," I say.
"she's definitely different," he says laughing. I nod and sip my hot cocoa again. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was. My cup was only half full now. "So, how do you like your birthday party so far?" He asks.
"Wait, this is a party?" I ask just realizing why so many people from school were here.
"Yeah," he laughs, "it is. Ruthanne rented out the rink."
I look down feeling dumb. "Wow. It's really nice. Thanks for coming," I add.
"No problem." He says, taking the last gulp of his drink. I do the same thing, only having a sip or two left. "Do you want another?" he asks. I shake my head, if I drink another, I'll have to pee soon.
"Let's go skate," I say.
"sounds good to me." He says.
On the ice we talk about random things, just going with the flow around in circles on the ice. "You know, I bet this feels weird for you."
"what?" he asks.
"Skating slowly in circles." I laugh.
"Yeah, it isn't normal for me," he turns around, skating backwards in front of me, holding my hands. "So, I was thinking..." he says, but trails off, looking away suddenly, a panic in his eyes.
"what?" I ask.
"um. Do you want to go out tonight? Meet some of the guys. Hang out. Party?" He says quicklys, skating backwards more quickly now.
"sure." I say, "but what's wrong."
"There's someone here." He says pulling me along. When we reach the runway like exit, he steps off the ice and gently tugs my arm. He walks as quickly as he can, which is faster than me, and he stands with his back to the windows, looking at the jukebox.
"who?" I ask. He doesn't reply, just scrolling through the songs nonchalantly, trying to look inconspicuous. "who!?" I ask again.
"Me." Someone behind me says.
Friday, July 17, 2009
new new new.
I'll probably start my own story sometime soon, ugh, I just wish I could figure this Google Account crap out.
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