Someone's bound to get burned

‘’Your skating is really not that bad, you know... I’m quite impressed, actually.’’

-The skating thing is okay... the breaking part, on the other hand, is the real struggle, laughed Chloé.
-We’ll have to make sure you don’t break anything falling when we get done skating, then, joked Brandon.
-Oh, I’m not falling. My ‘’hold on the the fences for your dear life’’ technique really does the trick!
-Let’s try something, said Brandon, skating backward in front of her. ‘Gimme your hands, lady.
-Why do I feel this won’t end in a good way?
-Come on! Have a little faith, winked Brandon at her.

He does have a cute smile, thought Chloé, handing out her hands. There was a very manly vibe around the guy, the way he firmly took her hands into his. And this scruff covering his face isn’t ruining anything either.

‘’You’re gonna skate toward me and on three, you’ll put all your weight on your right foot. One...’’

-No, wait! I’m going to fall!
-I’ll be holding you! Two...
-No, I’m not ready! Ah, for Christ’s sake...
-Three! Brake!!

Chloé closed her eyes and slightly pivot, putting all the weight of her body on her skates now gripping on the ice underneath her. She quickly opened her eyes and a wide smile spread across her face as she realized she had stopped... before realizing she hadn’t shifted her weight onto a natural position and she was now dangerously leaning backward, her face turning into an expression of horror.

Brandon quickly pulled her hands, throwing the girl toward him and catching her before she hits the ice. ‘’See, you braked!’’

-I did, but it feels like you did the biggest part of the job in the ‘’not falling’’ category, giggled Chloé.
-... and it was a pleasure doing it, winked Bollig, his arms still around Chloé, holding her steady.

***

‘’Oh, Bolly, pulling out the classical move’’ said Patrick Kane, laughing on the other side of the rink.

-What are you talking about? Asked Jonathan, trying to get the puck pass Patrick Sharp.
-Catching the skating girl about to fall? Oldest trick in the world, responded Kane.
He rose in head just in time to see Bollig releasing Chloé from his arms. Both were laughing.
-Chloé’s a smart girl, she won’t fall for the easy flirting crap, responded Jonathan, her attention back on the puck.
-Bollig knows how to charm the ladies... Do not underestimate him, Tazer! Said Kane. If I was a girl, even I couldn’t resist Bolly, joked Kane.
-It’s only because you are easy, Kaner, said Sharp, laughing.

The afternoon was unraveling peacefully, everybody having a good time. Guys were laughing as a few girls attempted to play hockey with them ended up in passing pucks around. As Chloé was concentrating shooting the pucks to Kane, thong pulled out, Jonathan quickly skated next her, stealing the puck before she got a shot at hit and threw it to a laughing Kane standing a few meters away.

‘’Oh, you sucker!’’ cried Chloé, punching Jonathan shoulder as he came to a stop next to her, laughing. ‘’I was totally going to rock this pass, I was feeling it’’

-You know what they say... too slow, you lose!
-Then there goes my future career as a woman hockey player, then. Thank you for the reality check, Jon, said Chloé, smiling.
-Having a good time? Asked Jonathan, leaning on his stick and looking at his friends.
-Yes. Thanks for inviting me, said Chloé, smiling at her friend.
-Bolly and you seems like you’ve been hitting it off, said thoughtfully Jon.
-He seems like a great guy.
-He is.

They felt silent as the two of them, standing close to the fence, were looking at the people playing in front of them.

‘’I don’t seem to be scoring high with Amanda, though’’, finally said Chloé, clearing her throat.

-Don’t take it personal. She’s just anxious about those girls running after players.
-Hmm, I guess I’ll have to stop throwing my arms around you and stop texting you at 3AM every night, then, joked Chloé, smiling.
-She shouldn’t look too much at my phone, I’m usually the one sending you stupid animal pictures through the day.
-Yeah, stop being a girl already, dude, responded Chloé as she lightly slapped Jonathan stomach.
-Hey, you too! Stop arguing! Bollig would like to have his date back and I need Chloé on my team, not that any of you losers know how to handle a puck anyway, screamed Kane.

Chloé skated toward Kane, laughing, Jonathan watching her leave him by the side of the fence for a split second. Glancing over to Amanda to make sure she hadn’t heard Kane’s stupid joke, he forced a smile back on his face and headed toward the people joking around on the ice.

***

‘’Your daughter is the most precious thing on heart, said Chloé, smiling at Sharp’s toddler daughter Maddie that she was carefully holding in her arms.

-You would not say that when this little lady decide to wake up at 5AM and decide that the whole household has to get up too because she wants pancakes, smile Abby, Patrick Sharp’s wife, softly looking at her daughter.
-Do not listen to mommy, you are the best little girl in the world, said Sharp, taking his daughter’s shin between his finger.
-Easy for you to say that when you get to sleep because you are going on an away game the same day, responded Abby playfully.
-Well do not hesitate to call me if you need someone to check on her one night, I’d be more than happy to give you a free night, said Chloé, tickling Maddie’s tummy.
-Watch out, me might actually hold your word to this! Warned Sharp, smiling.
-Seriously, it’d be my pleasure. Anyways, we’re practicaly BFFs already, Maddie just told me that her favorite Disney princess is also Belle, we have already tons of stuff in common!
-Aww, another princess fanatic! Grumpily replied Sharp.
-You should see him with a tiara, laughed Abby.

Jonathan was sitting on a bench nearby, sipping a bit of water and observing the people slowly leaving the ice rink. Chloé was chatting with Sharp’s family a few meters away and Maddie seemed already in love with her, trying to put on her pair of Ray Bans. Through the afternoon, he couldn’t help but notice how different Chloé and Amanda were from each other. Chloé played hockey with a bunch of the guys, even trying to push Kane in the band under the applause of many of the Hawks; Amanda refused to play and preferred posting pictures on Instagram instead. He heard Bollig and Chloé laughed and joked multiple times through the afternoon while Amanda insisted in skating hand in hand and being all romantic, even if they were surrounded by friends.

‘’Hey Tazer! Would you have another girl like that, hiding somewhere, by any chance?’’ said a tall guy, sitting beside him on the bench.

-Hey Crow. Nop, my single friends reserve is empty. You should ask Kaner to knock another girl out on the street for you though, smiled Jonathan. He'd probably agree to do it.
-Too bad. Those curves...! said Corey Crawford, looking over at Chloé
-Never noticed, lied Jonathan, looking away.
-She’s not Top Model-ish or anything, but she kinda grows on you... Girl Next Door type, I guess...
- Now would be a great time to shut up, muttered Jonathan under his breath as people were slowly gathering around the bench. Are you ready to go, Amanda?
- Yes, I’ve got enough of testosterone for today, sarcastically smiling to Kane, standing next to her.
-Aww, i love you too, ‘manda!! Replied Kane, tousling her hair.
-Jerk... replied grumpily Amanda.
-Do you need a ride, Chloé? Asked Jonathan, turning toward his friend.
-I’ll take care of that, Jonny, interrupted Bollig. Would you like to go eat something? It is still early, he asked Chloé.
-Why not? I did not break any bones skating today, that does need celebrations, replied the girl standing by his side.
-Sounds like a plan then!

Chloé and Brandon walked by Jonathan, heading to the locker room to take out their skates. Chloé lightly patted Jonathan arm as she passed by, thanking him again for the invite. Bollig had one hand in the small of Chloé’s back, walking beside her, and he winked at Jonathan, silently muttering ‘’Thanks buddy’’ as he walked by.

Jonathan gathered his hockey gloves and his stick and followed Amanda down the hallway. She was talking about this new classy restaurant they absolutely had to try, if they believed the advices one of the wife’s. Was it uptown? Downtown? He did not know. He wasn’t really listening anyways.

Notes