Silver Lining

"Aspen, please come out to tonight." the girl's best friend, Ellie, begged of her. The short brunette simply shook her head and turned the page of her book.
"El, if I wanted to pay to get sweaty, I'd go to the gym."
"You can't drink at the gym though." Ellie replied.
"Only if I don't get caught" Aspen said, marking her page and getting up off their couch. She set the on the table and tried escaping from her friend's nagging by going to her room. The plain failed, and Ellie followed.
"You haven't been out in months, just this one time! Please! Jessica and Maddie are leaving in a few days and they've barely seen you all summer."
Aspen considered it a little more, and realized that if she didn't go, she'd never hear the end of it. She also needed to see her two other best friends before they went back to Vancouver for school.
"Fine, I'll go. Only because of Jess and Mads." Aspen reluctantly stated. Ellie squealed and embraced her friend and ventured out of the room to start getting ready. Aspen fell back onto her bed and rubbed her eyes for a few minutes before getting ready. Before she showered, she went through her entire closet to find the dress she wanted to wear. When she did discover it, she smiled to herself. She laid it on her bed, grabbed clean underwear and a strapless bra, then headed to her bathroom to shower.

About an hour later, Aspen's hair was blow-dried and pin straight and her makeup flawless, she pulled the dress over her head and stepped into her black pumps. She grabbed a credit card, a little cash, her ID and phone and stuffed into a black Hobo wallet and went downstairs where her three other friends were waiting, holding shot glasses and one was waiting on the counter for Aspen.
"Last night out, better make to most of it." Jessica said, winking. The four girls tossed back the burning tequila and set out into the cool Chicago air, where a cab was waiting. They piled into the backseat and Maddie told the driver which club to go to.

*******************
This was the last night the Blackhawks would have off before practice the next day, then flying out to Dallas to start the season. A large group of the team made plans to go out and celebrate the beginning of the new season. They arrived at the club in groups and once everyone was their, rounds of various shots and beers were passed around. Patrick Kane was part of this group, but was unusually appointed designated driver so he couldn't have too much to drink. While most of his teammates were getting wasted and out on the dance floor, Patrick and a few of the other guys appointed DD were sitting at their booth, sipping on beers and talking about an array of things. Although he was good friends with the guys he was sitting with and could easily join the conversation, he just wasn't feeling it that night. They had been there for a few hours already and he was just waiting on the guys he'd be taking home to tell him they were ready to leave, which probably wouldn't happen anytime soon.
But then, he saw her. At first he only glanced, just looking around at all the patrons in the club, but for her, he needed a second to look to assure himself he really did see her. Wearing a one shoulder, long sleeve, slimming black dress, her hair falling perfectly past her shoulders and around her face, he saw her.
He saw her sitting alone in the booth, pretending to be on doing something on her phone while her friends went out looking for something to take home.
She didn't think she was pretty enough to find someone.
He thought she was the most gorgeous girl he'd ever laid eyes on. He kept his eyes on her for a few more seconds, thinking of what his next move would be. He couldn't let this girl walk out of this club without talking to her. And Patrick didn't to just fuck and dump this girl, she was different, and he knew it. He nudged Bryan Bickell who was sitting next to him and pointed her out to him. Bryan didn't say anything, just nodded in her direction, then looked back at Patrick and nodded at him. Patrick looked at his phone, locked it and put it in his back pocket of his jeans, downed the last bit of his beer and walked over across the seating area. About halfway there, he realized he didn't know what he was going to say to her. It was too late now, because he was now feet away from the table. Instead of quickly thinking of a plan, he just stealthily slid into the booth, facing her. She looked up at him from her phone, expecting him to be one of her friends, but instead it was the face of the Chicago Blackhawks, which was practically the point of her existence.
"Hi, I'm Patrick." he said, flashing his killer grin and holding out his hand. It was all he could think to say other than 'Hey you're really pretty and I think I might be in love with you already.' Aspen was shocked, was Patrick Kane really sitting across from her, introducing himself to her? Impossible.
"I'm Aspen." she said, remembering her words and taking his hand, returning the smiling. An awkward silence settled over them for a few seconds before Patrick spoke up.
"So, uh, did you come here alone?" he asked. A girl like her couldn't possibly be out without a guy, there was no way.
"No, I'm with my friends." she said, gesturing to the dance floor where a group of three girls were dancing. A small smile crept across his face, hopefully this wasn't just a girls night out.
"Are you?" she asked, bringing him back.
"Oh no, most of the team is here." he answered and gestured over to the booth where the other guys were sitting.
"Last night before the season kind of thing?" Aspen said
"Exactly that." he said with a laugh.
"Yeah, this is the last night that two of them will be able to go back, they go back to Canada for University in a few days." she told him. So it was a girls night out, he thought to himself.
"Well why are you over her by yourself? Someone as gorgeous as you would have every guy in here lined up to dance with you if you were out there." Patrick said. Aspen felt her face start burning and she smiled a little. He just called her gorgeous.
"I didn't really want to come out tonight, I only did because it was their last night and my roommate wouldn't let me hear the end of it it I stayed at home." she responded.
"Well I'm glad you came out." Patrick responded, flashing his smile again.
For the rest of the night, the two of them talked and really clicked. They laughed at what the drunk people who could barely walk and at their friends who were slowly winding down that path. Somehow, the three other girls ended up going home with three of the Blackhawks, two of which were riding with Patrick. Aspen made a point to Maddie, who was going home with Jeremy Morin, to call the next morning and to be safe. Jessica was paired with Brandon Saad and Ellie with Corey Crawford.
"Do you want a ride?" Patrick asked when they were walking out from the club with the other pairs.
"I can grab a cab, no big deal." she said
"Well I'm taking most of your group anyway, and I think back to your place, so its really no big deal." he said
"You win." Aspen said. Patrick smiled in triumph and they walked about a block more to his SUV. Aspen got in the front passenger seat, and the others piled into the back. Some of the sounds that came were coming from the back made Patrick drive a little quicker back to their apartment. He was also glad Aspen was sober and able to give good directions. When they arrived at the building, the four in the back piled out and practically ran inside. Aspen and Patrick sat inside the car, watching them go in.
"You really don't wanna go in there and experience that I'm guessing." Patrick said
"Took the words right out of my mouth." Aspen said. Patrick paused again.
"You're welcome to come over to my place or something." Patrick said sheepishly.
"I wouldn't want to impos-"
"Its fine, really." Patrick cut her off, her big brown eyes making contact with his big blue ones.
"okay." she said, barely audible. They looked at each other for a few more seconds, before he turned away and started driving through the abandoned Chicago streets.
When they arrived at the apartment, Aspen immediately took off her shoes and it felt like the planets were aligned and the angels were singing.
"Feet hurt?" he asked her with a chuckle and smile.
"You don't even know." she said.
"Want some water or something?" he asked her
"I'm good, but thanks." she said.
"Well I'm gonna go change, if you want, my sisters keep some clothes over here for when they visit, you can borrow some if you want."
"Yeah, thanks." she said, standing up. He led her back to what she guessed was his bedroom and to his closet. He reached up to a shelf and pulled down a few things.
"The bathroom is right across the hall." he said, smiling. She smiled back and left the room, finding the bathroom. She pulled off her dress and pulled on the yoga shorts he gave her and one of the only long sleeve shirt of the few t-shirts he pulled down. She folded the dress and went back to the living area and put it with her shoes. Aspen sat on his couch and was on her looking at her instagram feed when his phone that was sitting on the kitchen island started ringing. A few seconds later, Patrick appeared shirtless with sweatpants and a toothbrush in his mouth. Aspen felt her face getting red again and couldn't help but look at his sculpted torso. He looked at the phone, rolled his eyes and pressed cancel, then returned to his room. She went back to her phone and nearly jumped when he sat down on the opposite side of the couch. His phone started ringing again and he reacted the same way.
"Someone bothering you?" she asked with a smirk.
"Just my crazy ex-girlfriend." he said
"If you want a restraining order, I know a really good lawyer who helped me with my ex." she said nonchalantly.
"That bad?" he asked. She rolled up the left sleeve of her shirt, the same side that the dress she wore covered, and pointed at the three identical scars going down her arm. She explained to Patrick how when she was leaving him, he grabbed her arm and dug his nails into her skin, and when she pulled away, it created those scars.
"That bad." he said. She simply nodded.
They spent the rest of the night talking. About their recent break-ups, about their families, about everything. Towards the end of the conversation, she went into more detail about the break-up, and how he'd treated her throughout the entire relationship. Aspen actually ended up letting a few tears fall, even though she was trying her hardest not to let it happen. Patrick scooted close to her and pulled her close, letting her know it was over and he couldn't hurt her anymore.
She didn't normally open up like that to people she'd just met, but Patrick was different. It felt like they'd known each other for years instead of hours.
Around 2 a.m., they decided to go to bed. Patrick offered her his bed, and he'd take the couch. He got his bedroom set up for her and she climbed into it.
"Do you need anything else?" he asked.
"Yeah." Aspen said. He cocked up one of his eyebrows.
"Stay." she said. Patrick was a little surprised, and thought about. She was sober and aware of what she was asking. He smiled down at her, then walked to the other side of the bed and pulled off his shirt and sweat pants, leaving him in black boxer briefs. He turned off the bedside lamp and climbed into the bed.
"C'mere." he almost growled, reaching his arms around her and pulling her into him. They were in the center of the bed, legs tangled together, his arms around her. One of his hands was resting on her hip, his calloused fingers tracing her side. His head was nestled into the crook of her neck, and as they talked, she could feel his breath in her hair and the vibrations coming from his chest. The close contact made her feel for the first time in quite a while safe and content. The last thing Aspen remembered before falling asleep was the soft smile spread across her face as Patrick told her he was really glad she'd come out to the club, otherwise he would've never got to meet the most gorgeous girl he'd ever seen.

Notes

Woohoo. First chapter, tell me what you think. Hope everyone enjoys!!