A New Life

Galina’s POV

I take my seat in the United Center, the season had begun a few weeks ago but only now I was able to finally see a game. I had to admit I was more excited then I wanted to be. Jon hadn’t texted me much in this time, probably because he was too busy with the games. Still I missed finding those little messages at random times.

The lights went down and the teams came out for the national anthem. I rose with the rest of the crowd and the air was filled with cheering as the man began to sing. In a few moments the ice cleared and only the teams were left on it. Suddenly the puck dropped and the game began.
0000
By the third period the Hawks were up one goal against St. Louis, as I had learned from the man sitting next to me St. Louis was a rival of the team and this was a very exciting thing for them. I could see Jon racing around the ice, the large number 19 printed across his back. Suddenly the puck got to him and he began to rush towards the goal,rising out of my seat I could feel my heart hammer in my chest as he swung back and struck the puck. The blaring of the goal horn told me that he had gotten it in net. I jumped up and threw my arms in the air with the rest of the crowd. Patrick Kane soon had his arm thrown around Jon and the pair celebrated the goal. The camera moved in on the two of them and even with the helmet concealing his face I could see him grinning.

I couldn’t help smiling at him.

The clock now was winding down the last moment, the team only had to run out the clock now. The clock struck zero and the speakers blared Chelsea Dagger, the crowd began to chant along with it and I clapped to the beat.

I was beginning to see why Tony loved this sport so much.

000 I follow Tony’s directions and manage to get to the locker rooms without many problems.

“Galina!” I turn and see my brother waving at me from down the hall. “We won!” He shouts and I run over to him, Tony pulls me into a tight hug and I laugh.

“You do know that you didn’t play right?” I tease him

“Hey without me keeping these boys safe there would be no team.” Tony answers proudly.

“Well you’re right there thanks Tony.” I jump at the voice that came from behind us and realizes that its Andrew. “Galina its nice to see you again.” He tells me and his eyebrows waggle slightly. I smile at him, knowing that he was trying to annoy Tony.

“Its nice to see you too, good job tonight.” I tell him, Andrew narrows his eyes at me and motions for me to turn around. I raise my brow but do so anyway, after I’ve done so Andrew sighs and crosses his arms.

“Well theres something wrong with your jersey.” He addresses “You don’t have Shaw on it.” He complains and I smile. Tony had gotten my a basic team jersey, one with no players on the back.

“Shaw maybe she doesn’t want annoying little shit on her back.” I look behind Andrew and see

“I liked your goal.” I squeak out and immediately my face heats up.

Smooth Galina, you sound so eloquent.

Jon doesn’t seem to mind my statement because his smile grows.

“Thanks I liked it too.” He adjusts his tie before clearing his throat. “Well, I’m happy you finally got to see a game.”

“So am I.” I answer wishing that I didn’t sound so nervous. I turn my head and see Tony shifting on his feet awkwardly.

“Well Galina I think that Tazer here needs to get to a press conference.” Tony tells us loudly, his voice hinting that Jon should be leaving soon. I suppress an urge to shove him for his tone.

“Well uh, um.” Jon stutters slightly before giving us a smile and a wave. “Thanks for everything Tony I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stops and turns to me. “Thanks for coming here I hope you can see a few more games.”

He seemed different from the last time I saw him, maybe it was all those hormones coming from the game but he seemed nervous?

I stand still as he leaves us before looking over at Tony and glaring at him.

“Really? I was just talking with him.”I huff and begin walking away, Tony groans and quickly follows me.

“I’m sorry Lina its just natural. I get nervous anytime a guy gets around my baby sister.” He explains and I roll my eyes.

“I don’t need protecting Tony, I’m an adult.” I tell him.

“That’s what you said last time.” Tony mumbles and I stop in my tracks. Tony swears softly before placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say that.” He says and I shake my head. We continue walking in silence, when we get to his car he stops and looks at me.

“I know its not my place but...you don’t have the hots for him right?” Tony asks me.

“Tony I only just met him, I was just being polite.” I answer hoping he couldn’t tell the waver in my voice.

You do, you do have the hots for Jonathan Toews.

I get into the car and lean my head on the window, looking out at the cars all leaving the UC. I know I shouldn’t allow myself to have those thoughts, that maybe he thought I was attractive too, that he could like me how I liked him. Because nothing good ever came from that, it was just easier to pretend I didn’t have any feelings for him.

“Its just that a lot of girls think he’s attractive” Tony mumbles and I sigh at him. Tony dropped the subject leaving me alone with my thoughts about him.

000
“You think that people are gonna care about you? In a few years you’ll be too old for it and you're just another washed up gymnast!” He yells at me, I drop my head and stare at the floor, counting the tiles once again. “You keep saying that shit in public and you’ll be yanked out of the running so fast youre head will spin.” Ivan spits at me, I can feel him towering over me his stance made a shiver go through my spine.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper my voice trembles and I try not to let my body shake as well. Ivan sighs and lifts up my chin, I stiffen at first.

“You don’t think anything through Galina, you just follow that impulse and find yourself in a hole."

“I know, I’m sorry.” I tell him, Ivan shakes his head and lets go my my chin.

“That’s why I’m here, you know .”

He did stop me from making bad choices, he made sure I watched what I said and did. I needed that I needed someone to make sure I kept lid on things.

“Thank you.”

0000
I wake up shaking, my head hurts and I remind myself that it was over. That I was in Chicago and far from him.

You really were stupid, letting yourself believe everything he said. Convincing yourself that what he told you was more important than what you thought. Look where that got you.
But I did believe it, that love I had felt from him had made be think it was true, that he was looking out for me. That he really cared about me.

I draw my knees up to my chest and rest my head on them. Tony kept saying that it wasn’t my fault, that all the blame rested on Ivan. Yet it didn’t feel that way to me. I was the one who allowed myself to buy into it, I got myself in that hole with him and every day I let the dirt fall in around us, buying me and him in that horrific scenario.

I couldn’t let that happen again, if it did I don’t think I could get out the way I did before. Yet Jon wasn’t Ivan our few interactions told me that. Everything about him was different, when he talked to me he was really speaking to me, he didn’t make me feel like I was less of a person. That whenever he looked at me I found my heart lift in my chest, when I got those text messages I immediately smiled.

I liked him I really did and this was turning into a problem.

Notes