Alive

Ainsley frowned as she sat alone in the stands. She wasn't in the mood for the guys and the girls she had come with were talking with their boys. She felt something hit her leg but ignored it. She sat with her legs crossed, her elbow resting on her knee, and her hand holding up her head. She felt something hit her again. She looked over and saw a smirking James. She turned her body towards him.
"Can I help you?" She asked.
"Yeah, come be my girl for the game." He grinned.
She laughed. "No."
"Ainsley, c'mon." He pouted.
She rolled her eyes. "I'll touch your butt if that'll motivate you." She offered.
"There's more in that for you that there is for me." He whined. "You touch mine, I touch yours?" He smirked.
She rolled her eyes again. "Sure. If that'll make you play well." She teased.
"Well, come here then. I have my skates on." He lifted a foot to show her.
"Do you know how much work that is?" She cocked a brow. "Do you know how nice my butt is?" He grinned.
"You have your pants on. I won't even get a good feel." She argued.
James undid his hockey pants, pushing them down. He stood in just his UnderArmour. "All yours." He offered.
She shook her head, standing up. She hopped down the stairs before she stepped down in front of him. He towered her. He grabbed her hands and cupped his butt. She burst into laughter.
"This is really weird." She laughed.
He left her hands on his butt as he grabbed hers. She squeezed his, earning her a raised eyebrow. She smirked before he squeezed hers. James smiled down at her. He started to lean down. His lips pressed to hers and her hands shot to his chest. She pushed him back as his hands shifted to her waist.
"James, you kn,"
"It was just for good luck." He gave her an innocent smile.
She shoved him back, stepping out of his grip. "Don't push it." She warned as she walked back to her spot.
The girls came up to Ainsley when they guys all piled on the ice. Valerie watched as James's eyes kept on shifting to Ainsley. Her head was down as she typed on her phone. Valerie nudged her knees. Ainsley looked up at her.
"What?" She asked.
Valerie nodded to the ice. "Number eighteen can't keep his eyes off you." She explained.
Ainsley looked to the ice. Her eyes met with James's before he looked down. He performed the drill. Ainsley sighed. She knew that kiss wasn't just for good luck. She groaned, burying her face in her hands. Jesus Christ, James.
The game ended with a win for the home team. Ainsley went down to the change rooms with the girls this time. James tapped her with his stick. She gave him a faint smile as he continued to walk. He sat in his cubby. Sidney walked in last.
"Is Ainsley still out there?" James called.
Sid shrugged. "I think so."
"Yeah. I'm her ride." Marc spoke.
James nodded, getting up. He walked out of the change room. All the guys ran after. They held the change room door open, watching him. James was only focused on Ainsley. She stood alone on her phone. He walked over. He took her phone from her hands. Her eyes shot up to his. Before she got the chance to speak, he had her pressed against the wall and his lips on hers. She turned her head away from him and backed him up.
"What the fuck?"
"I love you." He blurted.
Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
Everyone's eyes were on the pair. Ainsley felt self conscious and James didn't care. Marc was buried behind his larger team mates, he had no chance of making it out there to maul James. James kept his eyes on Ainsley's face. The words wouldn't even register to her.
"You what?" She gasped.
"I love you. I am in love with you." James explained.
"No." She laughed, shoving him away. "No, no, no. You don't love me." She argued, holding her hands to her head. "How can you love me?"
"I just do." He shrugged.
"No, you don't! All we did was have sex, once." She shouted. "Isn't that enough to justify it?" He questioned.
"I've slept with majority of the guys watching this right now, some more than once, and none of them are in love with me!" She yelped.
"We're different." He smiled.
"Yeah, you are, because none of the other guys have followed me around!" She growled.
"Ains, I know how I feel." He frowned.
"James, I think you should come change." Sidney spoke, hating the awkward tension around him.
James nodded, his eyes staying on Ainsley. She shook her head at him. She walked away as she muttered on in French. James pushed past all the guys and into the change room. He walked right to Marc.
"What was she saying?" James whined.
"She called you crazy and something about how you don't know love from lust." Marc chuckled.
"Which I think I agree with." Sidney added.
"Because you're into her." James spat back.
"No, man, it's the truth." Jordie argued. "She was the last girl you hooked up with and you're fixated on her. Most of us have been there with a girl."
"With that girl." Val noted.
"Older brother in the room." Marc groaned.
James changed silently. He thought about what all the guys were saying. Maybe they were right. Maybe he was just lonely. He went for a shower. He came out and the only person left was Marc. He sent daggers towards James. James took a deep breath.
"I don't want to be the asshole older brother, but you don't love her." Marc started. "Ainsley's at this point in her life, which I wish she wasn't, where she's trying to find herself by doing, this." He threw his hands. "You think you love her, but you can't love a girl like her. Don't set yourself up for the disappointment."
Marc gave James a reassuring pat on the back as he walked out. He made his way out front. Ainsley, Kristen, Sidney, and Nathan sat around the car. Ainsley stood by herself. Marc pushed the button that unlocked the car. Ainsley climbed in and went to the back seat. Kristen sent Marc a frown as she climbed. Marc opened the trunk for the guys' hockey bags. Marc let the two other guys put theirs in first. He saw the top of his sister's head. He tapped it with his stick.
"Hey." He whispered.
She turned. "Hi."
"I talked to James." He said. She nodded. "I told him he's not in love with you."
"I don't know what I'll do if he is." She admitted.
"Stay the hell away from him." Marc demanded. She laughed. "I got you, kid."

Notes