Jag Älskar Dig (I Love You)

Gabe blinked and asked a slow, "What?"
"Yup. Uh I'll get Ashley in to explain this," Matt said wearily.
He disappeared for a little bit as Gabe observed the other players being interviewed for the big home opener. However calm he may have appeared to reporters, inwardly, he was freaking out. Thanks to the girls meddling, Giana was now equally freaked out and long gone.

"So. Did your girlfriend get the job?"
Gabe turned to Haley. "I haven't had the chance to have one date with her, let alone ask her out," he said, forcing himself to keep his voice level.
Hayley pouted. "Oh well. You boys always need pushes for this sort of thing."
Grinding his teeth, he asked, "So you were in on this too?"
"I bet she said yes!" Haley beamed as if she was the perfect little matchmaker.

"Matt said she was thoroughly confused and politely said no. That she needed to get to know me better," Gabe replied.
Haley smiled wider. "See? We helped you find a genuine girl that's actually gorgeous. Not those bitchy puck bunnies that you boys typically go for."
Fuck it, he thought. Gabe said, "Tell Matt I left already."

Go get more first aid stuff. We're nearly out of your gauze, Emma had texted her so instead of going home, Giana made her way to find a nearby pharmacy. As she walked, she wondered if she should text Gabe and ask him about this event thing. She had to of done the right thing, considering they barely knew each other. Instead she called Trang to see how far they were on the road.
"ARGHHHHH!" Was the greeting she got when the phone was picked up.
"Wow Leo," Giana snorted. "Now what's wrong?"
Trang laughed as she bitched, "Fuck road construction! Didn't we have it enough this summer?"
"You're telling the wrong person Leo," Giana scoffed. "Are you girls close at all?"
Trang answered, "I think a little longer than a half an hour? Forty five minutes? And Emma said we should tell you to get gauze stuff."
"Yeah, yeah. See you then."

Once she found a pharmacy, Giana loaded her carrying basket with some gauze and tape and then decided to throw Emergen-C in for her lungs as well. Who knew if it worked for smoke damage as well as colds however Giana was already done with the wheezing, the coughing, and her inhalers.

Once she outside with her bag, she heard a voice she hadn't wanted to hear for ages. "Aww, look! The cheerleader couldn't survive being in the Hell Hole after all!"
Giana's cheeks puffed out at the grating noise of her ex boyfriend's sister's voice. "Lana, not everyone can handle being away from cell phones and their cushioned first world life," Adam replied.
She was about to retort a nasty comment but then sucked in her cheeks. "Kumusta po?" Giana greeted then and inwardly smiled at their confused expressions. "I mean hello. Sorry. Not used to all this English."
Lana scowled, "You sound weird."
"Oh I suppose," Giana mused. "Filipino's usually have that rolling accent sort of like Spanish speakers do. It's been awhile though. I don't even know what anyone's been up to. I mean, I hardly have talked to either of you, your friends Adam..." she paused and innocently added, "Nick Bjugstad and the other hockey guys in my dorm."

Adam's expression darkened but he managed to compose himself. "I did call you a few times. I don't get why you couldn't answer me, or at least try to reach out in some way."
"Oh a lot have," Giana said. "Everyone's been shitting themselves once they realized my town got wiped out by that volcano a few days ago. You know. Making sure I'm not too hurt, asking if my students and fellow teachers were okay, hoping people in my town didn't get hurt, hoping no one I knew died..."
Lana went sheet white. "You had students die?" She whispered. "Aw I saw those cute pictures you occasionally managed to post on Instagram."
"Us teachers managed to get them all out, thankfully. I guess those tornado drills we did in Minnesota came to some use eventually," Giana replied.

"So you and I will talk. I guess its been long overdue," Adam replied.
Blinking innocently, she said, "Oh...but isn't your hometown awhile away. Colorado Springs is over an hour, right?"
"I can drive," he shrugged. "We're visiting family in town anyways."
Smiling, she said, "Ohh. I can't do that to you. Plus I have my healing to do, my volunteering at the Filipino Center plus continuing to learn Tagalog, I may have just gotten a job for sure...really. Don't go out of your way for me."

"Hey babe." To her utter surprise, Gabe slid up beside her and flashed a dizzying smile. "You get your things?"
"Hmm?" She asked, half in confusion, half in managing to play along. To her shock, he stooped a little to give her a lingering kiss.
Lana and Adam's jaws were both dropped as Gabe casually slung his arm around her waist. "Hope you don't mind I'm stealing my girl back. She's been in the Philippines for awhile now." Not letting either of them get a word in, he swept her away.

"Was it that obvious that I wanted outta there?" Giana joked and noticed Gabe had kept his arm around her. Not that she was complaining.
"Please tell me that jackass isn't an ex," Gabe said.
Giana cringed. "Yeah. Sadly. I was dumb enough to be his on again off again girlfriend when I went to U of M. Totally forgot he lives in Colorado Springs."
"Well let's hope that the message we left him was enough of a hint," Gabe grinned. "You need a ride back to your place? Something tells me you walked again."
Pouting, she sighed, "It's a habit. Did it all the time in the Philippines."

Gabe walked her to his car and held the door open for her. Once they took off, he finally brought it up. "Your arm. It wasn't a simple sprain or break...was it."
"No," she admitted. "I'm sure you saw some great photogenic pictures of the volcano blowing up."
"Not for you," Gabe said. "I mean, you seem happy to be with your friend again but I doubt you wanted to leave the Philippines like you did."
She shook her head. "Not at all. But, I guess I can't do much about it." Wanting desperately to change the subject, she said, "So how’s the homecoming stuff been going?"

He smiled. "No. I want to hear about your job search."
Giana couldn't help but squirm in her seat. "Not at all the job I was expecting but I could be working with curators at the museum. So if I get this job for sure, I'll be working in the Native American and Ancient Civilizations exhibits."
"Well. You may have lost your fun job but at least you have a different sort of fun job," Gabe replied. "Though didn't Haley say something about some Filipino job?"
"Oh. I guess there was some Filipino event held at the Pepsi Center so Haley tipped me off to that. Didn't get a job but the head lady of the place, Bea, was pissed at herself for not having a job available to me but at least I get to continue to practice my Tagalog and I'm getting put in with the tinikling dance group."

Twirling her phone around in her hands, she decided fuck it and cleared her voice. "I hope you're not pissed about me not going to this team dinner or whatever it is."
Part of her expected some sort of jackass response, like a sigh of relief but instead he rested his hand on her wrist. "No, it's not that."
"I feel like we haven't had any sort of date you know," Giana continued and suddenly found her fingers being pressed into his lips.
"Exactly," Gabe said happily. "I'll happily show you off. Once I get to know you properly."
Giana hummed. "So. You're thinking the same thing I do. Something tells me this was some sort of set up by certain girls." Gabe's wide smile told her yes. "Ah. I see," she laughed.

"I do want to see you though," Gabe said and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Can you do breakfast? I'll practice earlier than usual."
"It's a habit to wake up from teaching so I think that can work," Giana nodded thoughtfully. "Emma will probably sleep in, our other college roommates'll be knocked out from driving from Minnesota so...yeah," Giana agreed. "I can be up by six."
He cringed. "Not that early. Jesus," Gabe laughed. "I'll pick you up at 8:30. Coach wouldn't want us burned out before the game." Looking at her, he said, "Though can we compromise? How about you come to the home opener against the Ducks?"
"I think I can. I mean, my brother and sister in-law are bringing stuff plus Emma's and I's crazy roommates. I think I can escape them for a few hours," Giana smiled and felt her heart flutter at his perfect smile.

He pulled up to her apartment and brushed his thumb against her cheek. "It's a date then. Text me if you hear the good news about your job tonight," Gabe said.
Giana managed to say goodbye to him and got out of the car. She walked in a dreamy haze towards the door when she heard the familiar music of Kumbia Kings blasting. "WOULD YOU MORONS TURN IT DOWN?" She laughed and went to greet Trang and Leo.
"Giiigiii!" Trang cried happily.
Leo slammed into their hug as well. "I missed you. But you're still telling us about that fucking hottie that just dropped you off."
"First off the Philippines," Trang scolded Leo. "And your little cutie students."
"Oh dear god," Giana laughed but gladly began to tell her friends everything.

Notes