Pucks and Powerplays
Chapter Two
Ellie fumbled with the lock to her apartment before stumbling through the door, exhausted from her first day of contact with the players, also known as media day. Jane was lying on the floor in the middle of the tiny living room, examining a variety of photographs displayed alongside her. Jane was a freelance photographer, taking pictures of anyone and anything. Her favorite subjects were athletes though. At the moment, she was trying to decide which photo to add to her portfolio from a recent gig for the New York Red Bulls. Jane didn’t know the first thing about soccer, or almost any other sport, but she felt the emotion and dedication displayed by professional athletes was second to none, therefore resulting in the best shots. Ellie leaned over the back of the shabby couch, munching loudly on an apple.
“I like that one,” she mumbled, pointing to a shot of two players getting in glaring at each other menacingly, less than a foot away from each other.
“Of course you would,” Jane scoffs. “Always looking for violence and conflict.” Jane grabs that shot anyway and puts it aside, neatly piling the rejects together and throwing them on the coffee table, which had numerous stains because Lydia was a slob and refused to use a coaster. “How was work?” Jane asked.
“Alright. The guys are pretty chill,” Ellie shrugged.
“Anyone make a move yet?” Jane teased, trying to annoy Ellie.
“Of course. They were all flocking to me, bowing down at me feet, begging to take me to casino night.”
“Oh how will you ever choose?” Jane played along.
“I’m planning on holding auditions,” Ellie deadpanned. Jane couldn’t take it and burst into giggles just as the shrill ring of Ellie’s ringtone filled the room. “Guess they’re calling now to schedule their audition times,” said Ellie when she saw Derek was calling her. “Hello?”
“Hey, Ellie. It’s Derek. I know it’s kinda short notice but the team’s having a party down at Meryton to celebrate the start of the season, catch up, get to know each other, that sort of thing. Wanna come?”
“Um,” Ellie stalled, glancing over at Jane. Ellie didn’t want to just go gallivanting around with hockey players while Jane sat at home alone. “I was planning on hanging around with my sister actually.”
“Well you can bring her too!”
“Are you sure? I mean it’s not that big a deal.”
“No, it’s totally fine. Wait, Del-Z wants to know if she’s hot.”
“No comment,” Ellie sighed. Michael Del Zotto had already started living up to his promiscuous reputation. She would have to keep an eye on Jane, she was too naïve, even if she was technically the older sister. “But yeah, we’ll be there.”
“Awesome! Party starts at seven. The boys say they want you to wear a dress to, er, show off your legs.” Ryan could hear the loud guffaws of laughter in the background. Those creeps.
“You’re all a bunch of pigs.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger, Ellie. See ya!”
Ellie turned around to find Jane nearly on top of her. “Jesus, Jane. You scared me.” The next thing Ellie knew she was being squeezed in half by a very enthused Jane.
“Thank you!” she squealed in Ellie’s ear. “This is going to amazing. Hockey players! Party! Agh!”
“Lydia, why are you here and what have you done with Jane?” Ellie only half joked.
“C’mon Ellie. Just admit - oh no!” Jane released Ellie. “What am I going to wear?” Jane screamed even louder than before while making a mad dash to her closer. Ellie only sighed. It was going to be a long night.
~*~
Ellie and Jane walked into Meryton, the best, and most expensive, party venue in Manhattan, right as the clock struck seven. Unfortunately, half the team, including Derek and Michael, didn’t adhere as strictly to being punctual. Ellie strolled around the room, getting to know the guys, eating some cheese and crackers. Jane looked like a wide eyed child on Christmas morning. The photographer in her was nearly exploding at the sight of genuinely attractive athletes, pondering lights and angles and how ice would affect the background of shots, while the normal girly Jane was terrified out of her mind, trapped in a room with half a hockey team’s worth of dream guys. Ellie knew Jane well enough that she knew Jane’s thoughts. She also knew that Jane did a double take when Derek walked into the room, stopped breathing for a moment when he smiled at her, and was about to collapse when he began walking toward the eldest Bennet sisters. What Jane didn’t notice that Ellie did was the way Derek looked at Jane, looked away quickly, and then glanced back again, blushing madly.
“Well don’t you clean up nice, Ellie?” said Derek. Ellie just noticed that Ryan McDonagh and a girl around her own age were with Derek. Ellie hadn’t really met Ryan yet, but she had no clue who the girl was.
“All I gotta say is that this food better be fantastic. Otherwise, this dress was totally not worth it.” Derek let out a hearty laugh and the girl let a slight smirk flit across her features, but Ryan just looked at Ellie like
she had grown a second head out of her armpit. Jane was still a breeze away from meeting the paisley patterned carpet.
“I hope so too. Oh, this is my sister, Caroline, and I’m sure you’ve seen Ryan around. Guys, this is Ellie,” Derek said, once again turning his gaze towards Jane.
“This is my sister Jane,” Ellie prompted, lying a hand on Jane’s shoulder to wake her up from her attractive men overload. Jane started a little before extending a hand.
“What do you do, Jane?” asked Caroline. Well no beating around the bush with her then.
“I’m actually a photographer,” Jane blushed. She wasn’t really a bragger. Or talkative. Or functional around cute guys.
“Yeah,” Ellie interjected. “She just finished some shots for the Red Bulls.” For some reason, Ellie wanted Derek to be impressed with Jane. Ryan still hadn’t uttered a word.
“That’s amazing!” gushed Derek, launching into a conversation with Jane that centered on the intricacies of Jane’s job. Ellie thought that Derek would have a conversation about how awesome the Islanders were just so he could talk to Jane. Caroline had made her way to some other girls that Ellie assumed were dating players, tottering on her high heels, leaving Ellie in a rather awkward silence with Ryan.
“So, pretty nice weather, huh?” asked Ellie, fidgeted with the straps of her dress. What the hell was she saying? The weather? God, she was a loser. Something about Ryan’s intense gaze made her feel anxious and a little bit nervous.
“Lovely,” Ryan answered with barely concealed contempt before abruptly turning on his heal and walking away, leaving Ellie to stew in her embarrassment. Great, Ellie though, I bet it’ll be hell getting an interview from him later. She quickly joined in a conversation Michael was having with Carl Hagelin and Stu Bickel, ignoring the cheesy pickup lines they were practically shouting at her. Actually, she had to admit some of them were pretty funny. And it was better than awkward silences with Ryan McDonagh.
~*~
An hour later, Ellie was on her way back from the bathroom when she heard Jane’s name mentioned.
“Hey, Mac Truck,” Derek called. “What do you think of Jane?”
“I think you might have snagged the hottest girl in the room,” Ryan replied. Ellie couldn’t really blame him, since it was the truth. Anyway, Jane and Derek had seemed to hit it off, as well as Jane and Caroline, who were chatting over by the bar. “Too bad there’s no one else.” Mac lamented.
“Well, what about Ellie?” suggested Derek. Ellie strained her ears, irrationally eager to hear Ryan’s response.
Unfortunately, Ryan chocked on his beer. “Ellie?” he scoffed once he had recovered. “I mean, she’s okay, but not good enough for me.” Ellie walked away briskly but quietly after that. Besides, she didn’t care what stupid, arrogant, obnoxious Ryan McDonagh thought of her anyway.
~*~
Jane and Ellie decided to get some ice cream before they called it a night. Ellie loved New York City, and one of the major reasons was that there was always something open, even at midnight on a Wednesday in the middle of September. Jane was fawning over Derek and scraping small slivers off her strawberry ice cream while Ellie shoveled chunks of moose tracks into her mouth, reminding herself every now and then to pay attention to Jane and not brood over Ryan McDonagh’s assault to her pride. Eventually, Jane figured out something was up with Ellie, and some poking and prodding led to the revelation of what Ellie had heard on her way back from the bathroom.
“I don’t know, Ellie,” Jane mussed, sucking thoughtfully on her plastic spoon. “You didn’t hear the whole conversation. Maybe you misunderstood.”
“Oh yeah,” Ellie quipped, tossing her long empty cup in a trash can. “Because ‘she looks like a troll’ can be interpreted in so many different ways. And Aren’t you supposed to be defending my honor or boosting my self-confidence. Some sister you are.”
“That’s not what he said and you know it. Just give him a chance.”
“Fine. Not like I can avoid him anyway.”
“That’s the spirit!” With that, Jane pulled Ellie down the streets of Manhattan towards their apartment.
“I like that one,” she mumbled, pointing to a shot of two players getting in glaring at each other menacingly, less than a foot away from each other.
“Of course you would,” Jane scoffs. “Always looking for violence and conflict.” Jane grabs that shot anyway and puts it aside, neatly piling the rejects together and throwing them on the coffee table, which had numerous stains because Lydia was a slob and refused to use a coaster. “How was work?” Jane asked.
“Alright. The guys are pretty chill,” Ellie shrugged.
“Anyone make a move yet?” Jane teased, trying to annoy Ellie.
“Of course. They were all flocking to me, bowing down at me feet, begging to take me to casino night.”
“Oh how will you ever choose?” Jane played along.
“I’m planning on holding auditions,” Ellie deadpanned. Jane couldn’t take it and burst into giggles just as the shrill ring of Ellie’s ringtone filled the room. “Guess they’re calling now to schedule their audition times,” said Ellie when she saw Derek was calling her. “Hello?”
“Hey, Ellie. It’s Derek. I know it’s kinda short notice but the team’s having a party down at Meryton to celebrate the start of the season, catch up, get to know each other, that sort of thing. Wanna come?”
“Um,” Ellie stalled, glancing over at Jane. Ellie didn’t want to just go gallivanting around with hockey players while Jane sat at home alone. “I was planning on hanging around with my sister actually.”
“Well you can bring her too!”
“Are you sure? I mean it’s not that big a deal.”
“No, it’s totally fine. Wait, Del-Z wants to know if she’s hot.”
“No comment,” Ellie sighed. Michael Del Zotto had already started living up to his promiscuous reputation. She would have to keep an eye on Jane, she was too naïve, even if she was technically the older sister. “But yeah, we’ll be there.”
“Awesome! Party starts at seven. The boys say they want you to wear a dress to, er, show off your legs.” Ryan could hear the loud guffaws of laughter in the background. Those creeps.
“You’re all a bunch of pigs.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger, Ellie. See ya!”
Ellie turned around to find Jane nearly on top of her. “Jesus, Jane. You scared me.” The next thing Ellie knew she was being squeezed in half by a very enthused Jane.
“Thank you!” she squealed in Ellie’s ear. “This is going to amazing. Hockey players! Party! Agh!”
“Lydia, why are you here and what have you done with Jane?” Ellie only half joked.
“C’mon Ellie. Just admit - oh no!” Jane released Ellie. “What am I going to wear?” Jane screamed even louder than before while making a mad dash to her closer. Ellie only sighed. It was going to be a long night.
~*~
Ellie and Jane walked into Meryton, the best, and most expensive, party venue in Manhattan, right as the clock struck seven. Unfortunately, half the team, including Derek and Michael, didn’t adhere as strictly to being punctual. Ellie strolled around the room, getting to know the guys, eating some cheese and crackers. Jane looked like a wide eyed child on Christmas morning. The photographer in her was nearly exploding at the sight of genuinely attractive athletes, pondering lights and angles and how ice would affect the background of shots, while the normal girly Jane was terrified out of her mind, trapped in a room with half a hockey team’s worth of dream guys. Ellie knew Jane well enough that she knew Jane’s thoughts. She also knew that Jane did a double take when Derek walked into the room, stopped breathing for a moment when he smiled at her, and was about to collapse when he began walking toward the eldest Bennet sisters. What Jane didn’t notice that Ellie did was the way Derek looked at Jane, looked away quickly, and then glanced back again, blushing madly.
“Well don’t you clean up nice, Ellie?” said Derek. Ellie just noticed that Ryan McDonagh and a girl around her own age were with Derek. Ellie hadn’t really met Ryan yet, but she had no clue who the girl was.
“All I gotta say is that this food better be fantastic. Otherwise, this dress was totally not worth it.” Derek let out a hearty laugh and the girl let a slight smirk flit across her features, but Ryan just looked at Ellie like
she had grown a second head out of her armpit. Jane was still a breeze away from meeting the paisley patterned carpet.
“I hope so too. Oh, this is my sister, Caroline, and I’m sure you’ve seen Ryan around. Guys, this is Ellie,” Derek said, once again turning his gaze towards Jane.
“This is my sister Jane,” Ellie prompted, lying a hand on Jane’s shoulder to wake her up from her attractive men overload. Jane started a little before extending a hand.
“What do you do, Jane?” asked Caroline. Well no beating around the bush with her then.
“I’m actually a photographer,” Jane blushed. She wasn’t really a bragger. Or talkative. Or functional around cute guys.
“Yeah,” Ellie interjected. “She just finished some shots for the Red Bulls.” For some reason, Ellie wanted Derek to be impressed with Jane. Ryan still hadn’t uttered a word.
“That’s amazing!” gushed Derek, launching into a conversation with Jane that centered on the intricacies of Jane’s job. Ellie thought that Derek would have a conversation about how awesome the Islanders were just so he could talk to Jane. Caroline had made her way to some other girls that Ellie assumed were dating players, tottering on her high heels, leaving Ellie in a rather awkward silence with Ryan.
“So, pretty nice weather, huh?” asked Ellie, fidgeted with the straps of her dress. What the hell was she saying? The weather? God, she was a loser. Something about Ryan’s intense gaze made her feel anxious and a little bit nervous.
“Lovely,” Ryan answered with barely concealed contempt before abruptly turning on his heal and walking away, leaving Ellie to stew in her embarrassment. Great, Ellie though, I bet it’ll be hell getting an interview from him later. She quickly joined in a conversation Michael was having with Carl Hagelin and Stu Bickel, ignoring the cheesy pickup lines they were practically shouting at her. Actually, she had to admit some of them were pretty funny. And it was better than awkward silences with Ryan McDonagh.
~*~
An hour later, Ellie was on her way back from the bathroom when she heard Jane’s name mentioned.
“Hey, Mac Truck,” Derek called. “What do you think of Jane?”
“I think you might have snagged the hottest girl in the room,” Ryan replied. Ellie couldn’t really blame him, since it was the truth. Anyway, Jane and Derek had seemed to hit it off, as well as Jane and Caroline, who were chatting over by the bar. “Too bad there’s no one else.” Mac lamented.
“Well, what about Ellie?” suggested Derek. Ellie strained her ears, irrationally eager to hear Ryan’s response.
Unfortunately, Ryan chocked on his beer. “Ellie?” he scoffed once he had recovered. “I mean, she’s okay, but not good enough for me.” Ellie walked away briskly but quietly after that. Besides, she didn’t care what stupid, arrogant, obnoxious Ryan McDonagh thought of her anyway.
~*~
Jane and Ellie decided to get some ice cream before they called it a night. Ellie loved New York City, and one of the major reasons was that there was always something open, even at midnight on a Wednesday in the middle of September. Jane was fawning over Derek and scraping small slivers off her strawberry ice cream while Ellie shoveled chunks of moose tracks into her mouth, reminding herself every now and then to pay attention to Jane and not brood over Ryan McDonagh’s assault to her pride. Eventually, Jane figured out something was up with Ellie, and some poking and prodding led to the revelation of what Ellie had heard on her way back from the bathroom.
“I don’t know, Ellie,” Jane mussed, sucking thoughtfully on her plastic spoon. “You didn’t hear the whole conversation. Maybe you misunderstood.”
“Oh yeah,” Ellie quipped, tossing her long empty cup in a trash can. “Because ‘she looks like a troll’ can be interpreted in so many different ways. And Aren’t you supposed to be defending my honor or boosting my self-confidence. Some sister you are.”
“That’s not what he said and you know it. Just give him a chance.”
“Fine. Not like I can avoid him anyway.”
“That’s the spirit!” With that, Jane pulled Ellie down the streets of Manhattan towards their apartment.
6/3/13