Stacey was awoken by the loud boom of thunder. She sat up and looked out the window, seeing the rain pour down onto the window. She grabbed her phone and looked at the time 3am. Stacey rubbed her eyes and peaked out into the living room. “Ty…” she called into the darkness.
Tyler startled awake and sleepily looked in her direction “Stace…are you OK?”
Stacey shook her head “It’s storming…” she said, but that wasn’t the reason she wanted him with her. Tyler grabbed his pillow and followed her into the room, laying his pillows on the floor. “Sleep in the bed with me.”
Tyler looked at her confused “Are you sure…”
Stacey nodded “I just…” she started sobbing “My friends all hate me.”
Tyler wrapped her in his arms and stroked her hair “What do you mean they hate you?” he asked
Stacey sniffed and told him how they were pissed at her for not fighting to stay on the team, how they were very pissed about her moving to Switzerland with him and how none of them, not even Sammie, who Stacey considered to be her “best friend” had texted her since she told them she’d be moving.
Tyler kissed her cheek and held her tight “Don’t worry about it. They’ll come around.” he assured her
Stacey nodded hopefully, climbing back into bed. Tyler curled up beside her and wrapped his arm around her before falling asleep. Stacey breathed in his cologne and fell asleep with his hand in hers.
The next morning, Stacey awoke to find an empty bed. She rolled over and the scent of bacon and eggs reached her nose. She smiled and got up, following her nose to the kitchen where Tyler stood, in his boxers, making bacon, eggs and toast. “Morning! Feeling better?”
Stacey nodded “Yeah.” she smiled “Thanks to you.”
Tyler smiled “No problem. After breakfast, I have a practice if you want to come watch.”
Stacey smiled “That’d be perfect.”
Tyler smiled again, plating her up some of the breakfast he had just prepared. “Milk or juice?” he asked, placing the plate in front of her.
“Milk.” Stacey replied taking a bite of the eggs and moaning softly “Oh my god…these eggs are delicious!”
Tyler smiled “My mom taught me.”
Stacey laughed “Your mom taught you well. These are the best scrambled eggs ever!”
Tyler laughed “I’ll tell her that next time I talk to her.”
Stacey smiled and took her plate to the sink. “You ready?” she asked
Tyler nodded “Yep. Let’s go.” Tyler grabbed the keys and the headed to the car. He then drove to the arena parking next to a car Patrick Kane was in.
“Hey.” Patrick said with a smile.
Stacey waved “Hi, Pat.”
Tyler kissed Stacey on the cheek “You go this way with Kristin, Pat’s girlfriend. We have to go in this other way.”
Stacey looked to the skinny blonde girl standing next to Patrick. She was wearing skinny jeans with Uggs and a low cut shirt. She had a fake tan and wore far too much make-up. “Hi, I’m Stacey.”
“Kristin.” the girl replied with a smile almost as fake as her tan.
Stacey looked at Tyler skeptically and he gave her that look that meant be nice. Stacey smiled “Let’s go find seats.”
“Whatever.” Kristin said in a “Valley Girl” voice.
Stacey sighed and followed Kristin to the stands and to a seat. “So…how did you meet Pat?”
Kristin smacked her bubble gum “I met him at a club.”
Stacey smiled to herself. Figures. She thought. Kristin seemed like the type of girl that would get picked up at a bar. She had seen her kind before with the guy‘s hockey team at Boston U. They always seemed to meet girls, who were more interested in dating a hockey player than the game itself. Puck bunnies.
Stacey sighed as Kristin answered her phone and complained to the person on the other line about how cold it was and how she was annoyed that she had to come to the practice. How did Pat end up with this one? Better yet, why did he end up with this one.
Stacey looked at the ice and Tyler waved. She waved back and smiled, watching him join the team on a 5-on-3 drill. Stacey felt her heart race. Just the scent of the arena made her adrenaline rise. She missed playing hockey. She missed her team.
After a few more drills, practice was over. Stacey rushed to the lobby, sitting on a bench to wait for Tyler. Within minutes, Tyler appeared smiling that smile. Stacey ran to him, hugging him. “Good practice!”
Tyler smiled “Thanks! Where’s Kristin?”
“I have no fucking clue…why is Pat dating her!?” Stacey laughed
Tyler smiled “I don’t know either…ready to go home?”
Stacey smiled “Hell yes.”
Tyler put his arm around her and they walked to the car. They got back to the apartment and Tyler grabbed two Cokes from the fridge. “So, what do you want to do tonight? Go out for dinner? Watch a movie and snuggle?”
“I guess just stay here and watch a movie.” Stacey replied opening her Coke and taking a sip.
Tyler smiled “Alright. What are you in the mood to watch?”
“Um…how about something funny?” Stacey suggested
Tyler nodded looking through the small collection of movies he had brought to the apartment. “Super Troopers?” he said holding the movie up.
Stacey smiled “OK.”
Tyler smiled back and put the movie in before sitting beside Stacey on the couch ad putting his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and the movie started.