Confessions from a Ranger's Roommate

After the game, she swatted Alex in the back of the head. "Wanna meet Boogaard?"
Of course mentioning the enforcer peaked his interest. "Sure!" He said immediately.

"Said he's ordering me a pizza since there's been so much O Chem shit," Teodora laughed, making Alex crack a grin. Derek was probably also interested in meeting a hometown friend to learn more about the previous foster care crap.

"Sup Teo. Alex," Steve grinned as they approached.
"Nice game," Teodora started to say before Alex of course interrupted her.

"She probably wants you to have DZ get off her ass about making sure her hearing aid's in and on at all times," Alex cut in knowingly.
Steve laughed as Teodora scowled at him. "Maybe if you'd shut up I'd first say good game like a normal person...and at least I didn't shit myself when Eric Staal's team started hitting pucks around for the warm ups.

"Not my fault it was loud as hell," Alex complained over Steve laughing in delight.
A player with the last name St. Louis couldn't help but interrupt. "This is the second time seeing you two here and you're causing trouble again," he noted, clearly entertained by them.

The both them smiled as Steve agreed, "Yeah, DZ said I'd meet Teodora and she'd be nice. Never knew the added bonus of Alex and these two fighting."
"Its cause my parents and his dad work at the same hospital since forever," Teodora laughed. "Yeah, ever since I was adopted at eight years old, I've had to put this brat in his place." Alex snorted. "Nah, I've been buddies with him and his two siblings forever," she said and added, "Plus his girlfriend."

The Coach cut in and flashed a sad smile. "I'm sorry kids but these guys need to get to the airport. Though I agree with Martin."
Laughing, Steve introduced them. "Coach, this is Del Zotto's roommate Teodora Ansary and her hometown friend Alex Chung."
They shook hands with the Coach, said a quick goodbye to Steven S and went off to Derek's apartment. "Don't hit me for asking this, but does Michael ever consider dating you?" Alex asked as they walked.

She shook her head. "Nah. I know the guys try to set us up constantly but I think Michael's trying to be the noble older male roommate and make sure I'm okay since Lina's long gone."
He shrugged. "He seems a bit flirty but I think he'd be okay if you two dated. Better than that shithead Jirayu that you dated."

"Man, you and Ariel really hate on him. I'm surprised you don't badmouth Imran," Teodora laughed.
"Oh he's a shithead too, don't get me wrong..."
Laughing, she pointed, indicating they had arrived at Derek's place. Her spirits lifted, hoping Derek was getting better from the concussions. Crossing her fingers, she waited for him to open the door and was relieved to see some progress had been made.

"Hey!" Derek grinned at Alex. "Nice bruise Chung."
"No roughhousing, either of you," Teodora immediately ordered. "Derek's healing that concussion crap and we don't need you bleeding again Alex." Changing the subject, she said, "So, you order yet?"

"Meat lovers, if you don't mind. Should be here in twenty minutes," Derek replied. "Teo, you can do the pork, right?"
Alex answered for her. "If its a religious holiday than she doesn't, but now's fine. So," he said firmly and Teodora glanced over as they sat down at the table with their cans of pop that Derek offered out. "Got any questions about this foster stuff? I take it you do."

Derek's eyes flicker back and forth between the two of them. "You ever meet the foster parents?"
"No," Alex said firmly. "I'd do something. I remember it clear as day when my Pops brought me and Ariel around to take her mind off of the meningitis. That was terrible as shit too."
"Yeah," Derek sighed. "Plus I hear one of her foster brothers has seizures regularly because of getting hit."

"Manny the Hispanic one," Alex cringed for his friend. "His aunt and uncle take great care of him so he's been okay lately. Luckily Jerome has healthy enough not to be deaf or have regular seizures."

Derek shifted in his seat and scratched his jaw. "How is San Francisco? Is it safer than LA?"
"Uh," Alex pondered. "I mean, its a big city so there's gangs. MS-13, some Crips, lots of homeless people. Unfortunately for me being Chinese, we have those fucker lung tao's-,"
"Lung tao or Dragonhead is like the leader," Teodora interrupted. "Chinese triads. Essentially like the Italian mafias."
"But we're, uh, to put it frankly rich-both our families so we're not near any of that," Alex replied.
Derek grunted and asked, "Jesus. What happened in California?"

The both of them shrugged. "Gold rush? Wild west?" Teodora guessed.

"Suppose," Derek replied. "So, was she okay after the hospital? I mean, I guess she had to get used to the hearing aid."
Alex swiveled around the tab of his pop around. "Took a bit for her to realize she could play night games at night. Needed weight put on her. Her Pops made sure to better her English since she tended to speak more Spanish and Khmer. Plus with meningitis as a child, there can be learning disabilities with the brain being damaged as it was. She did well though. Graduated earlier than Jerome and Manny."

"That's good," Derek noted and got up to pay the delivery man.
As he left, Teodora decided to bring up a question that had been nagging at her for awhile. As slices were doled out, she took a couple bites and finally asked. "So. What's the story on this Sean Avery?"

Derek coughed on his food as Alex coughed on his food while at his reaction. "Has he done something? I don't think he's been called up yet?" He demanded coolly.
"Jesus," Teodora laughed. "What'd this guy do?

Sighing, he said, "Sean Avery's known to be little bitch. One incident I knew of was him bullying Dustin Brown from the LA Kings since he had some speech issues."

"Seriously?" Alex asked in total bewilderment. "Like, he honestly thought he was cool doing this?"

"To the captain of all people," Derek said and their jaws dropped. "Then, and then there's the sloppy seconds comment. Used to date two actresses..." he trailed off and pulled out his phone to show them the clip.
Teodora leaned in to see a not too good-looking guy with a nasally toned voice. "He already sounds annoying," she said and her jaw dropped again as he mused about other hockey players dating his sloppy seconds.
"What a fucking dipshit!" Alex declared. "Sure, I'll just make a childish comment and ruin my career."
"He's been in the minors ever since the Rangers brought him over and he's been warned by Torts to behave," Derek said.
"Shit, if Coach felt the need to say that, then he really is a dumb motherfucker," Alex laughed.

With having Derek's lingering questions about her childhood answered and hers about Sean Avery, they ate their pizza and chatted about much happier and lighter topics.

Notes