I started at him in shock. He said something but I was unable to move my mouth. He decided to speak again, "Didn't expect me here, did you Amanda?"

I finally snapped out of my funk and scowled at Serena who was talking to one of the other guys. The room was buzzing with chatter. I could say what I wanted without anyone really hearing me except Sid.

"Sooo," I began awkwardly. "So you remember me, I guess?"

"Yeah!" He laughed, "Amanda was the girl who ruined middle school for me! Remember that?"

He was LAUGHING. "Um I hate to break this to you, but I still HATE you!""

"Then why are you here?"

"Because Serena kidnapped me."

He laughed. "Sorry about all those detentions on those softball days you were so passionate about."

"You should be!" I snapped back, refusing to let him be nice to me now after everything that happened like ten years ago. I still can't stand him for taking me from my favorite sport.

He laughed. "Amanda remember Mrs. Jackman on the last day in homeroom? She walked in on you when you were calling me a crap ass!"

We both shared a laugh at the memory. "Did she really? I forgot to give something to you before you left for Shattuck St. Catherine's or whatever." I hit my pockets for the crumpld up piece of paper with my note on it that had brought this all on.

"Shattuck St. Mary's," Sidney corrected me as I searched my pockets.

"Oh what difference does it really make?" I searched my purse for the piece of paper with no luck. "Sorry I forgot it. I wrote this note to you ten years ago that I forgot to give to you that day you left."

Sid laughed, "I'm good without it. Especially think I can't really be called Shitney Crysby any more, can I?"

"Yes you can and I will call you whatever I want to call you Sidney." I snapped at him. "I had to find a new team because of you!"

He looked ay me in surprise. He'd gotten a lot taller, considering he used to be my height and now he looks to be about 6 feet tall. "How tall are you?" I asked.

"Stop changing the subject and answer my question."

"What question?" I asked dumbly.

"Um maybe THE QUESTION I JUST ASKED YOU? Maybe. Nah probably not." His sarcasm made me want to slap him in the face. He hadn't changed much. He always played nice for everyone, cameras, any one who could judge him. But I think Sidney Crosby is the TRUE Sidney Crosby when he's with me. Even now.

"Maybe I MISSED your question! Now if you would just repeat it instead of started a goddamn argument MAYBE we could move on with our lives! Don't you think!" I growled at him angrily. "Stop wasting my time!"

He wasn't surprised by my snippiness. He knows who I am. Probably more than anyone else I know. And I know Sidney has a lot of friends in here, but I just might know him better than all these idiot hockey players in here any way.

He repiled with, "Fine! Just listen the first time next time, alright? It's about softball."

I raised an eye brow, uncertain of where this track of conversation was going. "Alright."

"You were good weren't you? Like really good. I'm right, right?" He asked.

I nodded. "I was the best on all the teams I played on. I pitched and played first base too, if you care."

Sidney smiled, "If you were so gifted at softball why disn't you make a career out of it for yourself?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. You were always good at math, why didn't you make that your career?"

"Because I knew where my life was going."

I stopped dead in my tracks, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I said angrily. "Are you saying I have absolutely not a single idea about where my life might be going?" My idea for myself is advertising. Before he could say that wasn't what he actually meant, I added, "In fact I'm a very good advertiser." I lied. Alright, I couldn't say I was unemployed. I couldn't let him know that when I was already pissed off at him. I know him well enough to know he'll hold any thing he possibly can against me.

He looked at me weird. "Amanda, I never said you had no idea where you're going. I just have my whole life planned out."

"Well then, Mr. Organized," I muttered, annoyed at my old classmate.

"Why don't we go back to my place and talk?" Sidney took a Very small, hesitant step towards me.

I probably reacted worse than he had expected, even from me. I pushed his chest with both of my hands with as much force as I possibly could. I let the fire let my eyes and th heat sting in my words as I hissed, "What the hell Sidney? What part of "I still hate you" do you not understand?"

Sidney replied, "That was TEN YEARS AGO!"

"You didn't answer my question!" I mimicked him.

"It was a rhetorical question smart ass!" He yelled back.

The room went quiet and everyone was staring at us now as I continued to yell, "Maybe next time you make a move on a girl you should realize they haven't forgiven you! You made me miss a whole softball season! What if I made you miss an entire hockey season? I imagine you'd still be pretty fucking pissed off!" I snapped.

Sidney didn't respond, just locked his hazel eyes with my brown orbs. "Listen," he finally hissed. "That's a little different. Who am I kidding? It's my LIFE Amanda! My whole life revolves around hockey. The NHL. It always has. Your life wasn't softball. You life doesn't revolve around softball. It never did! Never! Ever! Your life never ever revolved around softball!"

I snapped, "Are you fucking KIDDING ME? Softball wss my whole life! It was all I had when my parents got a divorce! It was all I had when my dad died! I buried myself so far into softball for everything! All the stress was gone when I wacked that ball as far into the green! When anything went wrong that glove was my only escape! All my anger was gone when I played softball. I think softball actually meant a lot more to me than hockey meant to you! And I don't think you ever realized that! Not when you got me kicked off the team. That sport was my whole entire fucking life! And you took that away from me. Part of me wants to call you an idiot, but the other part of me will never ever forgive you. Not in a million years. I'm done talking to you! You took a huge part of my life away from me. I'm DONE with you. Serena, let's leave!"

I turned around to my best friend, who was hanging off another guy's arm. "Actually, I'm going to go to Geno's for a bit. Sophie wants to stay with Nealer, so, maybe you want to go with Sidney?"

I was disgusted. "Absolutely not. Have fun with whoever the hell that is, but I'm going back to the hotel. WITHOUT SIDNEY." I cast a glare in his direction before leaving. ‹ Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ›

Notes

Comment!!! Sidney and Amanda's first encounter. Like
it?