On The Way Down (Brandon Saad)
Chapter Four
I pulled into the United Center parking lot and got my bag ready. I stepped out of the car and flattened down my dress. I took a deep breath and walked in heading straight to the Athletic training office. I walked down the hall ninja-like, keeping my eye out for any crazy hockey players. I approached the office and knocked twice before stepping in.
“Riley! We’ve been expecting you!” Boomed a cheerful older looking man.
“Hello, It’s so nice to meet you!” I said shaking his hand firmly
“I’m Tim, head of the athletic training staff here” He said with a smile
“Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! I couldn’t be more excited to start!” I talked, getting more excited.
“We’re thrilled to have you! This is Tyler, he’ll be helping you out and giving you tips and any advice you would need.” He introduced me to a boy that looked a couple years older than me.
We exchanged our hellos and handshakes with genuine smiles.
“I’ll give you a tour around the therapy room and training room, you’ll be spending most of your time in those places” He said guiding me with his hand on the small of my back.
He opened the door to a room right next to the office and my eye twitched. Inside the room was about half the Blackhawks team.
He could have least warned me we’d be stepping into a room filled with hockey players.
“Hey guys! Listen up this is Riley, she’s interning here, so make her feel right at home. ” Tyler said getting everyone’s attention in the room.
I shrank back into his arm and mustered up a very nervous looking smile. Tyler gave me an encouraging push on the back and I waved at the hockey players who wore sweaty athletic clothes.
Sharp was the first one to approach me
“Hey Riley! It’s nice to meet you! I’m Patrick” He said smiling
“Nice to meet you too, Sharp” I said smirking as I called him by his last name
“Ouch, Sassy. Don’t worry we’ll be on a first name basis in no time” He said sure of himself
I rolled my eyes and scanned the rest of the room. In the back stood a very stunned looking Brandon Saad next to a studious looking Patrick Kane.
“Aye! It IS her!” Shouted Kane all of the sudden, slapping Saad on the back, before making a beeline towards me. I took a step back but soon was crushed into a hug by the curly haired boy.
“Oh hello Kaner.” I said awkwardly patting him on the back.
“You’re the girl Saader has been obsessing over! I knew you looked familiar from the night at the game!” He ranted as I heard a groan escape Brandon’s lips.
“This is her!? Damn Saader she’s a lot prettier than you let on” Shaw said as he gave me a side hug.
They act as if they’ve known me for ages. It horrifies me.
My cheeks had a tint of pink at all of the “Brandon and Riley” talk buzzing around the room. I took this as an initiative to walk over to a frozen Saad.
“So we meet again Saad” I said looking up at his tall frame. His eyes a mixture of surprise and softness. His tight shirt tugged at his muscles in all the right places, and man was it hot.
“I’m a little surprised to see you here actually” He examined my face; taking in the sparkling blue eyes that stared into his sea green ones, the brown waves that cascaded off my shoulders in a taunting sexy way, my pink lips that oh so badly wanted to taste his own.
Brandon Saad liked what he saw. And that was evident to everyone in the room.
I felt the heat rush back into my cheeks.
Oh god.
“Oh what can I say!” I sputtered, as my nerves got the best of me.
I took a hasty step back knocking over a bin of towels and nearly collapsing over myself. I would’ve if it wasn’t for a strong hand grabbing my wrist and then my waist.
“A little clumsy I see?” He said clearly with amusement and a twinkle in his eye.
I grumbled profanities as I regained my balance, but soon came to realize he still had his hands on my waist.
And I loved the feeling.
He must have noticed at that moment too because he quickly withdrew them.
“Riley! Let’s go! We’ll finish up the tour!” Tyler said back at the front of the room.
I was glad for the save and quickly rushed to the front of the room.
“Bye everyone it was nice meeting you!” I said with a quick wave and then a quick exit to follow Tyler.
“So what was all that about?” Tyler asked me with a raised eyebrow
“Oh I’ve just had a couple previous encounters with Saad” I said aimlessly trying to switch the subject.
I guess my answer satisfied him enough because he led me to the therapy room without further questioning. This room was filled with many less players, some getting massages by other physical therapists or some doing rehab to mend their injuries. I watched with a smile on my face.
“Stay right here, I’ll get you your official athletic training clothes to wear when you start” Tyler said leaving me no choice but to wait. I tapped my foot as minutes went by.
“So you must be Riley” A deep voice said behind me causing me to jump about ten feet in the air.
He chuckled and face to face with Captain Serious himself.
“Yeah that’s me” I said with a smile, relaxed, now seeing that the voice was indeed not of a murderer.
“Well I’m Jonathan Toews, and this is Seabsy.” Giving me lopsided grin, next to him stood Brent Seabrook.
“Nice to meet you both” I tried to keep my cool.
We made small talk and I was genuinely surprised at how easily I got along with the both of them. They asked about my college life and I asked about their hockey life. It was a conversation to keep for the records that’s for sure.
Tyler soon returned with about 3 Blackhawks sweaters and jackets and a couple t-shirts. He handed them over to me and I thanked him.
“Well it was nice meeting you both” I said giving them both pats on the shoulder, which they got a laugh out of since I struggled to reach their heads and just opted for the shoulder.
“We’ll see ya around Riles” Seabrook said already using my nickname
Man. What a Day.
“Riley! We’ve been expecting you!” Boomed a cheerful older looking man.
“Hello, It’s so nice to meet you!” I said shaking his hand firmly
“I’m Tim, head of the athletic training staff here” He said with a smile
“Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! I couldn’t be more excited to start!” I talked, getting more excited.
“We’re thrilled to have you! This is Tyler, he’ll be helping you out and giving you tips and any advice you would need.” He introduced me to a boy that looked a couple years older than me.
We exchanged our hellos and handshakes with genuine smiles.
“I’ll give you a tour around the therapy room and training room, you’ll be spending most of your time in those places” He said guiding me with his hand on the small of my back.
He opened the door to a room right next to the office and my eye twitched. Inside the room was about half the Blackhawks team.
He could have least warned me we’d be stepping into a room filled with hockey players.
“Hey guys! Listen up this is Riley, she’s interning here, so make her feel right at home. ” Tyler said getting everyone’s attention in the room.
I shrank back into his arm and mustered up a very nervous looking smile. Tyler gave me an encouraging push on the back and I waved at the hockey players who wore sweaty athletic clothes.
Sharp was the first one to approach me
“Hey Riley! It’s nice to meet you! I’m Patrick” He said smiling
“Nice to meet you too, Sharp” I said smirking as I called him by his last name
“Ouch, Sassy. Don’t worry we’ll be on a first name basis in no time” He said sure of himself
I rolled my eyes and scanned the rest of the room. In the back stood a very stunned looking Brandon Saad next to a studious looking Patrick Kane.
“Aye! It IS her!” Shouted Kane all of the sudden, slapping Saad on the back, before making a beeline towards me. I took a step back but soon was crushed into a hug by the curly haired boy.
“Oh hello Kaner.” I said awkwardly patting him on the back.
“You’re the girl Saader has been obsessing over! I knew you looked familiar from the night at the game!” He ranted as I heard a groan escape Brandon’s lips.
“This is her!? Damn Saader she’s a lot prettier than you let on” Shaw said as he gave me a side hug.
They act as if they’ve known me for ages. It horrifies me.
My cheeks had a tint of pink at all of the “Brandon and Riley” talk buzzing around the room. I took this as an initiative to walk over to a frozen Saad.
“So we meet again Saad” I said looking up at his tall frame. His eyes a mixture of surprise and softness. His tight shirt tugged at his muscles in all the right places, and man was it hot.
“I’m a little surprised to see you here actually” He examined my face; taking in the sparkling blue eyes that stared into his sea green ones, the brown waves that cascaded off my shoulders in a taunting sexy way, my pink lips that oh so badly wanted to taste his own.
Brandon Saad liked what he saw. And that was evident to everyone in the room.
I felt the heat rush back into my cheeks.
Oh god.
“Oh what can I say!” I sputtered, as my nerves got the best of me.
I took a hasty step back knocking over a bin of towels and nearly collapsing over myself. I would’ve if it wasn’t for a strong hand grabbing my wrist and then my waist.
“A little clumsy I see?” He said clearly with amusement and a twinkle in his eye.
I grumbled profanities as I regained my balance, but soon came to realize he still had his hands on my waist.
And I loved the feeling.
He must have noticed at that moment too because he quickly withdrew them.
“Riley! Let’s go! We’ll finish up the tour!” Tyler said back at the front of the room.
I was glad for the save and quickly rushed to the front of the room.
“Bye everyone it was nice meeting you!” I said with a quick wave and then a quick exit to follow Tyler.
“So what was all that about?” Tyler asked me with a raised eyebrow
“Oh I’ve just had a couple previous encounters with Saad” I said aimlessly trying to switch the subject.
I guess my answer satisfied him enough because he led me to the therapy room without further questioning. This room was filled with many less players, some getting massages by other physical therapists or some doing rehab to mend their injuries. I watched with a smile on my face.
“Stay right here, I’ll get you your official athletic training clothes to wear when you start” Tyler said leaving me no choice but to wait. I tapped my foot as minutes went by.
“So you must be Riley” A deep voice said behind me causing me to jump about ten feet in the air.
He chuckled and face to face with Captain Serious himself.
“Yeah that’s me” I said with a smile, relaxed, now seeing that the voice was indeed not of a murderer.
“Well I’m Jonathan Toews, and this is Seabsy.” Giving me lopsided grin, next to him stood Brent Seabrook.
“Nice to meet you both” I tried to keep my cool.
We made small talk and I was genuinely surprised at how easily I got along with the both of them. They asked about my college life and I asked about their hockey life. It was a conversation to keep for the records that’s for sure.
Tyler soon returned with about 3 Blackhawks sweaters and jackets and a couple t-shirts. He handed them over to me and I thanked him.
“Well it was nice meeting you both” I said giving them both pats on the shoulder, which they got a laugh out of since I struggled to reach their heads and just opted for the shoulder.
“We’ll see ya around Riles” Seabrook said already using my nickname
Man. What a Day.
Will you be updating soon?:)
4/13/14