"Wait so you're telling me that you have two brothers and two sisters?", Tuukka clarifies, trying not to choke on his food while laughing.

"Yep, born and raised in Minnesota", I reply with a cocky grin, picking at my macaroni and cheese.

"Jeez you guys must've been a handful! I only have one brother, he's bad enough!"

"Oh c'mon Tuukks, I'm sure he isn't that bad! Good thing I was the only hockey child, just a late bloomer."

"How does someone as badass in the crease as you start as a late bloomer?"

"Well I went and saw a friend of mine's game and at first I loved to watch and had no desire to play. But as my love of hockey grew, I decided to buy skates and I fell in love with goalie. That's why 14 is my magic number."

"You sound like quite an interesting person Jesse, but we'll have to wrap up now because the game starts in four hours", Tuukka announces, picking up all the trash and leftovers from the table, tossing them basketball player style into the trash can.

"Pregame rituals?", I raise an eyebrow at the bustling Fin. He nods vigorously and runs out the door, leaving me to jog after and laugh at him.

"Jeez, what kind of crazy pregame rituals require four hours?", I say, sliding into the passenger seat of the SUV.

"Mine.", he replies, pulling out of the parking lot. That pretty much killed the conversation right there. If not talking to anyone is a pregame ritual, that's some serious hardcore stuff there.

As we pull up to the house, I mutter a quick 'Thanks' and climb out of the car, run up the stairs and flop onto my bed. Quickly, I strip down to a tank top and spandex shorts and crawl under the covers. My pregame rituals include a 2.5 hour long nap, I don't text anyone or really use my phone, and I go over the stats of the opposing team. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but sleep has me in a death grip.

---

I'm awaken, quite rudely I might add, from my dreaming by bunch of assholes and a glass of cold water and ice. Water trickles down my back as I gape in disbelief at the three idiots in front of me.

"You guys did NOT just do that!", I say menacingly. Suddenly, I smack myself in the forehead. I forgot to turn on my alarm, fuck.

"Rise and shine Willsy, we have fifteen minutes until we leave for the Garden", Brad says with as much enthusiasm as a rock, I guess he lost a bet and had to wake me up. Tyler and Torey giggle uncontrollably next to him.

"Fuck you guys", I mutter darkly as I shove them out of my room and deadbolt the door. What to wear, what the fuck do you wear to an NHL game? A dress? I will have to don the dress again.

Grumbling, I pull the white, grey, and black dress over my head and rush into the bathroom to curl my head of hair and brush mascara on in record time. Do I have to wear heels? I don't want to tower over the boys. Even though I'm 5'7, wearing four inch heels makes me almost six feet tall.

Sighing, I pull a pair of black four inch heels and carefully, more like awkwardly, hobble down the stairs.

"Quit your staring", I smack Dougie as he unabashedly stares at me, along with the other four.

"Wow you just look umm", Tuukka gulps, still staring. "Really pretty."

"He, actually we, all mean sexy", Tyler butts in, cocking an eyebrow. Seriously dude, don't flirt with your goalie. I don't date players anyway.

"So we leaving now or..?", I trail off, trying desperately to make them stop staring. It's making me squirm.

That seemed to snap them all out of their trances and the house was silent except for the sounds of the guys's dress shoes scraping against the wooden floor. I scoop my truck keys out of the key bowl on the kitchen island and walk unsteadily to the drivers door of Beth. Yes I can't walk in heels, your point is? At last, I can finally pull of my heels and drive, I prefer to drive without shoes anyway.

At the Garden, someone in the booth at the entrance of the parking lot stops me.

"Ma'am, do you have a pass to go back here?", a security guard shines a flashlight into my face and I search on the floor for the pass Cam gave me yesterday. I can't find it. Guess I'll have to lie.

"Hey George! I forgot to tell you, I have this young lady covered, she's with me", a deep voice grabs the attention of the security guard.

"Oh of course Mr. Rask", the guard quickly scurries into the booth and presses a button, lifting the bar so we both can drive through. Frustrated that Tuukka has saved my ass, I find a spot close to the press door and park. Tuukka pulls in right next to me.

"You owe me one. I totally saved your ass there Jess!"

"Yeah yeah I get it. I need to focus on the game Tuukks."

"But who's starting? Oh right! Me!"

"Shut your mouth if you don't want me to get pissed off and you don't want to see me pissed Tuukks."

"Hey idiot, you wouldn't be here if I didn't lie for you. Save your shitty attitude for the bench."

And with that remark, he brushes by me and enters the building. I sigh and pull my heels on, nearly falling as I step out of my truck. Locking it, I enter the building with phone and keys in hand. I take the walk to the locker room while surrounded by cameras to rethink my assholey actions to Tuukka. He's right, the guard wouldn't have let me in if Tuukka wasn't there. I was an ass, oops.

"Jess, locker rooms are here", Dougie says from a huge set of doors, making me jump in my zoned out state.

"Right.", I sidestep him and walk to my stall.

Taking off the heels, I grab an underarmour shirt and a pair of spandex shorts that the equipment staff thoughtfully left out for me and book it to the bathroom. They even matched the shirt and shorts to B's colors, that's awesome! After changing, I sit down at my stall and start lacing up my skates. Skates, then pads, then leg pads, and finally the jersey. Obviously I'm not in net tonight, but warm ups are a team thing. And I have to be ready to relieve Tuukka if needed.

---

"You're gonna need a new helmet design Jess", David Krejci comments from beside me, stretching as well. It's not like I'm gonna play, but might as well do it. I laugh under my mask.
"Maybe Krej, we'll have to see how long I stay here.", I respond.

"Oh c'mon Jess, you'll be here in Boston for a long time. I can tell that you call here home already, I'll go help you come up with a new design if you'd like", David offers. I smile at the offer.

"I'd like that actually, you don't seem like a guy who would just stare at me the whole time", I laugh lightly. He smiles.

"Trust me, I'm not that type of guy. Call me when you want to go to the mask place", he says, getting up to take some shots on net.

"Gotcha Krej", I reply, pulling my mask off and taking my seat on the bench. Someone taps on the glass next to me, I turn to see a little girl in a Boston something, either the Blades or Bruins, jersey staring at me. I smile kindly at her and she says something, but I can't hear her so I lean down and press my ear to the crack in the glass.

"Are you a Bruin?", she asks in wonderment. I laugh at her question, not meanly.

"Yes I am, what's your name?", I say kindly. I'm actually surprised that she looks like she just saw her idol.

"I'm Emily and you're Jesse Williams!", she exclaims, making me gape in surprise. She looks sheepishly at the ground. "I go to all your games, you're my idol."

She turns so I can see the back of her jersey, a Williams Boston Blades jersey with a 29 under the name. I blush, I'm honored to be her idol.

"Well Miss Emma, I think I can pull some strings and get some locker room passes for you. It might be a few games from now, but I'll let you know", I say. I seriously want to make this girl's dreams come true. She glows and pulls on her mother's sleeve. She says something to her mother, I can only see her lips moving, and her mother looks at me, her eyes smiling. I feel like a good person now.

---

"And the Bruins win 3-1 against Montréal!", the announcer's voice booms in the large arena filled with black and gold screaming fans as the bench filters out onto the ice to congratulate Tuukka on his win because he kicked ass out there. The Montréal players shook their heads and disappeared into the locker room. Talk about pissed off. After many mumbled 'Nice job Tuukks' or 'Congrats Tuukks', we too head into the locker room, but we're yelling out of happiness because we just beat the Habs. Fuck yeah.

"Do I have to put the dress on again?", I groan and strip off my pads. Many of the guys chuckle at my reaction.

"I wish my daughter would not like dress so I would not have to buy many", the captain says, generating laughs from the team.

"I guess I have to wear it", I relent and change in the bathroom. No way in hell will I change in front of them. I walk back into the room to be greeted by wolf whistles, led by Brad as usual, and to which I pose dramatically as I grab my heels.

"See you guys tomorrow at practice!", I yell over my shoulder as I trek down the hallway, waving at staff on the way past the opposing locker room.

"Williams, right?", a deep voice says from behind me, making me jump in heels and nearly topple. What is it with people startling me?

"Yes and you are...?", I turn to face the stranger. He's obviously taller than me with short dark hair and is wearing a grey Habs hoodie. I think it's safe to say he's one of the players.

"Carey Price, opposing goalie", he extends his hand in greeting. I look at it for a moment and hesitantly shake it.

"We tried to draft you, but Boston got to you first", he says, scratching his head.

"Oh, well it's not like the Habs will need me when they have you", I say, trying to keep some form of conversation going. Even though he is a Hab, he's pretty cool. Well for a Hab.

"Why have only one good thing when you can have two?", he remarks. "Oh and by the way, I really like your mask. I think it's pretty cool that you have your high school on there."

I give him a quizzical look and he laughs.

"You have the name on your mask and I kinda googled it. I swear I'm not a stalker!", he says and it makes me laugh and smile.

"Well Carey, my team is going to kill me if they see me talking to a Hab so I'll see you around?", I check my phone to see five missed calls from my mom, two from my dad, and seven from my best friend Anabel. Oh shit.

"Right, mine would kill me too. We aren't playing each other for another two months so here's my number. Call me if you want to talk about random crap", he hands me a piece of paper and laughs nervously. I nod and wave, continuing my walk to Beth when I'm ambushed for a second time.

"Drinks my friend?", Tyler slings his arm around my shoulders. I laugh and shake my head.

"No? Why not!", he exclaims.

"Because I have a videochat date and a non existent social life", I reply sarcastically. I do have a Skype date with Anabel. No I'm not dating her jeez, it's Saturday and we videochat until 1AM.

"Ooooo who's the lucky boy?", he interrogates.

"My best friend, you'll meet her", I reply, pushing the door open and unlocking Beth.

"Fine, make sure you have your phone just in case I call at 2AM", he turns to get in his car as I jump in mine. Wait, how does he have my number? That sneaky bastard! He put it in himself.


"Yeah and then he gave me him number like dude I've only spoken to you once! Why did you give me your number?", I say, giggling while watching the computer screen that shows Anabel doubled over in laughter.

"I'd kill for that man's number. He is one piece of ass!", she says, giggling so hard she almost falls over.

"Like seriously when am I ever going to call Carey Price? He's a Hab and I'm a Bruin!"

"Just keep the number, wait actually give it to me. He's hot as hell", Anabel starts fanning herself with her hand and mimes licking his abs. May I present you, my best friend. This is what happens at 1AM. In the midst of our giggling, the annoying as hell marimba ringtone starts playing. Yep that's my phone.

"OOOO someone's popular! Who is it?", she says from the computer screen. Annoyed, I run my hands along the couch and finally locate my phone. Tyler the Sexy Beast is calling. Well I guess we know who that is.

"Tyler Seguin, one of my annoying ass housemates. One sec", I click on answer and press the phone to my ear. I jerk away at the loudness of the background music.

"What do you want Ty?"

"Heyyyyy Jess! Can you pick me up?"

"Jeez do I have a choice? Sure whatever, where the hell are you?"

"Thanks babe, I'll text you the address." My phone dings again and I end the call, facing Anabel who is staring wide eyed at me.

"Housemate huh? He called you babe", she smirks , causing me to roll my eyes.

"Still my housemate, I caught him singing in the shower this morning. Anyway, I'll be back in like ten minutes. All five of them are stuck at a club and I have to pick them up, try not to miss me too much", I pull a hoodie on and head out the door, leaving Anabel and the computer on the couch. I plug the address Tyler texted me into my GPS and arrive three minutes later. Beth vibrates with the loud bass and the strobe lights are practically blinding me.

I quickly spot Tyler surrounded by girls and make my way over to him.

"Hey asshole, I'm here", I do an over-exaggerated bow, making Tyler laugh. Not wasting time, I grab his arm and yank him over to the other four, all taking shots at the bar.

"Idiots, let's go now", I grab two arms in each and drag Dougie along by his shirt sleeve.

"Okay so you guys are all squeezing in the back and Tuukka is sitting up front with me. Got it?", I explain, not really negotiating. After the groaning and whining ends, I step on it and we take off towards the house.


"Anabel I'm home with five idiots in tow!", I call out as I walk through the front door, forcing the guys to walk into the house.

"Hey girlfriend! How was it?", Anabel yells from the computer as I lock the door and sit back down on the couch, the guys flopping on various couches and chairs.

"Annoyingly bright and really fucking loud", I yawn and rub my eyes. She frowns.

"Go to sleep Es, you're exhausted", she says firmly. Someone mumbles 'Shut the fuck up Jess'.

"Okay Ana, good night love you", I mumble and shut off the computer. She's right, I am exhausted.

"Good night guys, I'm going upstairs", I say rather loudly and move to get up from the couch. My movements are halted when someone, Tuukka?, latches onto the sleeve of my hoodie.

"Stay. You're warm", the figure mumbles. Yes it's Tuukka and I can't turn down that kid, I'm sharing a couch with him.

"Okay", I lie down and he snuggles up next to me, pulling me into his chest and sleep drowns me in the sea of darkness.

Notes

Hey guys, sorry about the wait! Next chapter is gonna be pretty short, just need a filler becAUSE I HAVE SUCH A GOOD IDEA BUT I REALLY NEED THE FILLER SO IM SO SORRY AND IM SAYING SORRY IN ADVANCE.