24 Hours with You

The doctor's appointment went well and I was told that my elbow was healing much more quickly than expected. I was allowed to start using my arm again but nothing too strenuous, so I went home and celebrated by blasting the music and dancing around like a lunatic. It wasn't long before I felt a wave of sadness wash back over me as it had many times in those few days. The dancing around reminded me of the good times that I had with James. Only a week before we were doing the very same thing. I immediately turned off the music, unable to bear the flood of memories any longer and went to my room to lie down and sleep, I hoped.

I'm not sure how long I laid there thinking about everything that happened that week. I ran through everything in my head, over and over. One minute I was being cheated on, the next I was in the hospital with James Neal. That's how it all started, but did I regret any of it? Absolutely not. Although it led me to more pain, I wouldn't take back that week for anything.

A couple of days later, Sidney sent me a text and asked how I was doing and I debated ignoring him too but I decided that I didn't have to ignore all my friends, just because I was doing that to one of them. I sent him a reply back asking him to come over and hang out for a bit before he had to get ready for the game that they had that night. I heard a knock on the door shortly after and opened it up to see a concerned look on the hockey player's face. He walked through the door, and before he even had his jacket off he was right to the point.

"Cassie, what's going on? James told me you haven't been answering any of his messages or calls."

"Well hello to you too." I joked, and I took his jacket from him and put it in the closet.

"Seriously. He's been moping around wondering what he could've done to make you so mad at him that you won't even talk to him." He stood in the same place as he did when he first came in the door with no plans of going elsewhere until he got some answers from me.

"No. It wasn't supposed to go like this. Why does he have to care?" I said angrily.

"What are you talking about Cassie? Tell me what's going on." He said calmly. Of course it was just like Sid to be calm in any situation.

"He was just supposed to forget about me." I continued, more to myself than to Sidney and I could tell he was getting more and more confused. He grabbed my arm and pulled me from thoughts.

"Just tell me what's going on and let me help you figure this all out." He said looking directly into my eyes. I gave in and pulled him over to the couch so we could sit.

"The other day I saw Amber and she basically told me I wasn't allowed to speak to James or she'd tell him how I feel about him. I know what you're going to say so before you say anything just hear out. I know that I shouldn't just listen to what she tells me to do but I thought about it Sid and I don't want him to find out. He'll probably think I'm weird and that the only reason I was friends with him at all was to get in his pants or something. I just don't want him to think anything like that of me. Also, this was an opportunity to help me get over him, I figured that if I don't talk to him for long enough, he'll just forget about me anyway, especially if he's dating Amber. He won't have time to think about me once they get together so it's perfect." Sid stared at me wide-eyed through the whole rant. Once I was done, he took a minute to process everything before he responded.

"First of all, what the fuck. Who does she think she is? We have to tell him what's going on Cassie, he thinks you're mad at him and he's been so torn up about it. If he knew what she's really like he wouldn't be going out with her! He needs to know before he gets in too deep. Secondly, do you really think he would think that of you? Cassie he loves you, I don't know if it's the way you want him to but he at least loves you as a friend and he would never make judgements like that about you." He said sincerely.

"I can't tell him Sid, and you're not going to either. It's what I need to do." I said confidently, although on the inside I was beginning to doubt what I was doing. Was it really the best thing? I thought about it. If Sid was right and James really did care about me as much as it seemed to then maybe he wouldn't care that I liked him. Maybe we could get past it and just pretend like nothing happened if he found out. I wondered if it was really possible for someone to ignore the fact that their best friend liked them. I knew that if it was me I wouldn't be able to ignore it, I'd become a totally different person around him and it would never be the same. I wondered if that's what he would do too.

"Okay if it's what you need to do. But promise me you won't shut the rest of us out too." He ordered. "We're your friends too whether you like it or not."

"Promise." I said with a smile and he pulled me in for a hug. I let go after a few seconds and pulled back to ask curious about.

"So... How did their date go?" I looked down at my hands, embarrassed that I even asked.

"He invited her to the game tonight and lunch with some of us tomorrow, which by the way, you are invited to." I could tell by his facial expression that Sid was not impressed that Amber was going.

"Don't act so upset in front of her or she just might notice. Thanks for the invite but I don't think I'm ready to see a make-out session while I'm trying to eat."

"She won't. She's too self absorbed to notice." I laughed and he continued. "Even I hate her and we all know that I don't hate many people, with the exception of the Flyers of course. You're much better and you're actually a nice person. How is James so blind?" He looked baffled, like a grade 5 kid who's teacher just gave him a grade 10 math problem to solve.

"Thanks Sid." I said and blushed slightly.

"But seriously Cassie, please go. I invited you not him so that doesn't give her reason to tell him anything and she won't say anything to you in front of James anyway." He pleaded.

"Fine, but if they are all cuddly and shit I'm leaving. Immediately."

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you if they're like that." He said, reassuring me. After that, we chatted for a little while longer before Sid had to go and fulfil his game day routine. Can't mess with Captain Clutch I figured, so I let him go.

I spent the rest of the day up until game time, doing small chores around the apartment to keep me occupied. At around 7:00, a half hour before the game was going to start, I got a text from Josie.

From: Josie
James bought a ticket for that bitch in the same spot you sat in last week.. right next to me.

I couldn't hep but feel bad for her, it was going to be a long night.

To: Josie
I feel for you. Have fun with her! xo

Not a minute later I got a reply from her.

From: Josie
Don't leave me! I need someone to talk to if I'm going to make it through the night

To: Josie
Just pretend like you're there alone. If she doesn't talk to you, pretend like you don't even know she's there.

That was the last I heard from her. Once the game came on I filled up my water bottle and curled up on the couch with a blanket to watch it. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up the next morning in the same position, with the tv still on. I grabbed the remote and changed the channel to see the highlights from last night. We lost to the Ducks 2-1 in overtime. They scored after someone turned the puck over in the neutral zone, creating a 2-on-1 for the other team. It was a great shot by Selanne that went just over the shoulder of Flower on his blocker side. When I heard that it was James that turned it over I felt bad that I wasn't there to help cheer him up.

I checked my phone to find a text from Sid telling me that we were meeting at Il Pizzaiolo in Market Square at 12:00. It was already 11:00 so I ran to the bathroom to get a quick shower. When I got out, I slipped into the white pair of jeans I picked out to go with my grey peplum top and black flats. As soon as I was dressed I did my make-up and straightened my hair. I was done by 11:45, just in time to head out for lunch.

I walked in to the restaurant at the same time as James and Amber. We stood there awkwardly waiting for someone to come and take us to the rest of the group for a minute or two before James spoke up.

"Cass can we talk for a minute?" He said and tilted his head towards the door. Before I got to answer Amber cut in.

"Babe can we please find our way to the boys, I'm hungry." She was being whiny and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"Can you wait just a minute? I really need to sort things out with my friend." He asked her politely.

"What if a waiter comes and takes me to the table? You're going to throw me to the sharks and leave me alone with a bunch of people I don't know?" She whined some more. I really didn't see a thing that he could like about her. I guess she was pretty.

"She's right James let's just go find them." I said coldly. I gave her a glare as I walked past them and further into the restaurant until I saw the guys and sat down next to Sid, across from Josie and Brandon.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked after I got settled in.

"Most of the guys wanted to stay in after the loss last night so this is it. Except James and Amber should be here soon." Sid said.

"Right on cue." Brandon said as we saw them walking towards our table a few feet away. Josie and I exchanged glances, neither of us were very pleased with her presence.

"Hey guys, you remember Amber right?" We all nodded and Sid said hey as they both sat down, Amber next to Josie and James next to me since there was no room for them to sit together. Amber glared at me, she clearly wanted me to do something about it even though the current seating wasn't my fault.

"I can switch seats with you Amber if you want to sit next to James." I said, feigning kindness. She looked pleased when she responded.

"Sure that would be nice, I'd love to sit next to my boy." She gave me a big grin. I knew as soon as the words came out of her mouth that she said it to piss me off, and that she did. I played it cool though, I didn't want everybody in the restaurant knowing my business.

"There's no need for that, it's just a hassle. Lunch is only going to be and hour or two, it's no big deal." James said to the both of us. I looked at Josie and Brandon in shock, none of us thought that he'd say anything about it. Amber looked pissed but shut her mouth and didn't say a word.

The waitress came not long after to get our drink orders and we all gave them quickly and returned to our conversations. Brandon and I were talking about school, which had luckily ended for the year before any of this happened, while Josie, Sid and James were talking about vacationing and what they were doing this summer once the playoffs were over. Amber on the other hand, was playing with her phone since she couldn't seem to keep a conversation going with anybody except James, and that was still only sometimes.

Despite the fact that we were sitting next to each other, James and I still didn't talk much. I could tell he had a lot to say though by the way he looked at me. It was like he was trying to see right through me, then he'd shake his head and go back to his previous conversation. I was still talking to Brandon, James thought I didn't notice but I did, and he did it a few times. I knew he had a lot to say but at the time I thought he'd never get to say it.

Notes

Hey guys I know that not much is going on here but it needed to be done and there will be some drama coming up in the next few chapters I promise :) Hope you like it! Comments are always lovely!