Hall of Fame

I rolled my eyes as I entered the Hard Rock Café, flanked by Tori and Vanessa. With a shake of my head I lead my small group to the back of the restaurant where the guys sat.
“I though you said you invited some of the guys, not half the team.” I laughed at Tyler as we approached the 3 tables filled with hockey players.
“What can I say,” Tyler beamed as he leaned back in his chair from his spot across from Jamie, “you’re a popular lady around here.”
I bit my lip trying to hide my blush with a laugh. “Well I guess this is what happens when I leave you in charge.”
He shrugged as the girls and I took the empty seats at the end of the table, luckily, no introductions were needed, already having met the whole team after practice, which actually went better than I expected…
“Hey boys,” I greeted as Tori, Vanessa and I entered the locker room after practice once Tyler came back to give us the all clear.
There were a bunch of ‘what’s up’ and hey’s’ as the guys finished there after practice routines.
I watched as Tori and Vanessa scanned the room, much like I did my first day. I will admitted, it was quite a lot to take in, so I gave them a minute, but, of course, someone didn’t like that idea.
“So are you just going to have your friends gawk at us, or are you going to introduce us to your friends,” Roussel smiled as he walked up to us.
“Sorry, I though you liked being gawked at.”
Roussel just shook his head as he greeted Vanessa and Tori, but before he could introduce himself I cut him off, an idea forming.
“No introductions,” I told Roussel who turned to look at me. “I want to see how many of you they remember.”
“Seriously Brittany,” Tori shook her head, “I don’t know any of the new players.”
“I know, but you should still know at least half the guys.” A smile crept to my face as I looked between my two friends. “Starting with him,” I said as I pointed to Roussel.
Tori glared at me for a second longer before turning back to Roussel with a sigh. “French fries,” she sighed, and continued when I didn’t say anything, knowing exactly what I was waiting for, “21.”
I nodded, satisfied with her answer. “Next,” I smiled, leaving a confused Roussel as we made our way around the room, and just like when I first taught them about hockey, Tori did in fact remember most of the guys that were on the team about 3 years ago, and for the one’s she didn’t, I introduced them. Vanessa, just like 3 years ago, remembered 3.
Many of the guys did in fact have questions about some of their nicknames, but most of them were self-explanatory, such as French fries for Roussel, since he was French, and Hocky Pocky for Jokippakka, since that is what his name sounded liked. There were others though, who were not too fond of their nickname, which brings us back to where we are now…
“What I don’t understand is why you only call me carrots,” Eakin complained from the other end of the table after we ordered. “You have red hair too.”
“It only applies to natural red heads.” Tori told him, from where she sat next to me, and I could help but smile, I was happy that my friends were getting along with the team.
“So you’re not a natural red head.” Seguin asked his brows pulled together as he looked at me over his glass.
“No,” I shook my head. “My hair is the result of what happens when I get bored.”
“So when you get bored you just dye your hair.”
“Or watch videos of Duchene.” Tori added with a laugh.
“True,” I smiled as I thought about all the videos I have shown my friends over the years, most hockey related of course.
Tyler just shook his head, “what you see in that guy I will never know.”
Tori and Vanessa glanced at each other a smirk covering both their faces because they knew what was coming next; no one insults my favorite players, and Jamie must have known as well for he spoke up before I could.
“So how long of you guys know each other?”
“Too long,” Tori replied with a smile and I just shook my head.
“About what…” I took a deep breath as I thought about it, “6 years,” I shrugged, “sounds about right.”
“So how’d you guys meet?” Roussel spoke once again, “it obviously wasn’t your bond of hockey.”
“No,” I laughed, because thinking about it we really were an odd group, Tori with her love of make – up and fashion, Vanessa with her love for cars, and me, with my love for hockey, and books. “We were in the same sorority.”
“You were in a sorority,” Seguin’s brows pulled together as he studied the three of us.
“Yea,” I bite my lip with a deep breath, I wasn’t a fan of attention, and at the mention of sorority all eyes turned in my direction.
“I wouldn’t have pegged you as the sorority type.” Jamie slightly tilts his hand as if I’m a piece of abstract art that will make sense if you study it hard enough.
“Not many people do.” I smiled to myself, because there was probably a lot about me that would surprise these boys, and no amount of tilting your head was going to make me any easier to comprehend.

Notes

Sorry for the long delay, my word has not been working for the past couple of weeks, plus I just got back from Europe. I have also re wrote 5 of the seven chapters that I had.