Soon the lights went dim and the players flooded the ice. They skated around, and then those who weren’t starting made their way to the bench. Marc-Andre started skating in their direction. “Oh my god!” Monica yelled. “Oh my god! We will have him for two periods!” She grabbed Vivienne’s shoulders and shook her. “Do you think he’ll see you? I hope so! Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” “That’s what I made this for,” Vivienne said as she pulled her poster from under her seat. Monica was puzzled, not knowing what was written on the giant paper, but turned back towards the ice to watch the puck fall. About three minutes into game play, Vivienne couldn’t take the suspense anymore. She unfolded her sign, revealing the words “#29, thanks for the” and a picture of a coffee cup. “Ahaha, really? That’s your sign?” Vivienne nodded. “Wow. You are so lame.” Vivienne smiled. “It doesn’t matter if I’m lame. I’m the one he bought coffee for.” Monica laughed. A minute or so later, there was a slight pause in game play. As Marc-Andre turned around to drink his water, he noticed the poster. From under the mask she could tell he was laughing. The first period was amazing. Gronk and Geno got goals. They were beautiful. Marc-Andre was doing well. One goal got in; the puck bounced off of his skate and ricocheted behind him across the red line. There were some pretty amazing saves, including a poke-check on a breakaway. The Pens kept scoring as the game continued. It ended 4-1. Marc-Andre got the number one star of the game, making 32 saves. There was almost no better game the girls could have attended. “Your man saw us, so why aren’t we meeting them now?” Monica badgered Vivienne as they left Consol. Vivienne shrugged. “Maybe it was a one time only deal. He probably just wanted to ‘pay me back’ for bumping me and spilling my groceries everywhere. We met on coincidence. I don’t expect more to come of it.” “Too bad. Everything that could come of this would have been great perks for me. Partying with the Pens; invites to exclusive events with all of the important people in the city…” “Yea, you’d definitely get all of that.” “Whatever happened to wifies for lifies? We are best friends. Inseparable. So whatever happens to you happens to me too.” Vivienne made another “are you serious” face at Monica. “Oh really? Is that both ways? Do I get your benefits too?” Monica nodded. “Then I guess Alvin is a terrible lay, because I never feel the effects.” “Oh sugar, you know you do. The only time I get laid is when I lay with you,” winked the girl in a relationship. “But I mean, if you want Alvin to join the mix, I’m sure we can arrange something…” “Haha, no thanks. Just trying to make a point, but of course you ruined it.” “Naruhodo, nee? Its what I do best.” Monica looked at her watch. “Its still early. I’m not ready to call it a night. Go clubbin?” Vivienne thought for a moment. She had the benefit midafternoon the next day, but it wasn’t even ten yet, and she would have time to recover. “Eh, sure. I don’t want to stay long though. A few hours only. We are going tomorrow night anyway…” (they planned to go out after the benefit). “Consider this pre-gaming!” Monica cheered. “Where too?” Monica put some thought into it. She saw on a flyer somewhere that their “new” haunt had a special this Saturday for ladies, so that is where they went. Vivienne and Monica walked in, grabbed drinks, and made their way to the dance floor. About an hour and a half later, as they were about to walk out, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre walked in. “Hey, isn’t that the girl…” Kris pointed out when spotting Vivienne. “Yea, I’m ‘that girl’. Whats up?” “I liked the sign you made,” Marc-Andre laughed. “It was clever.” “Thanks.” Monica coughed. “This is my friend, Monica. Monica, this is Marc-Andre and Kris.” Greetings were exchanged. “Well, it was nice seeing you again. We were just headed out.” “Why are you leaving? Stay a bit. Come on, you can hang out with us. There are some people inside waiting for us to join them. They wouldn’t mind if you came too,” Kris invited. “Viv, what do you think?” Monica questioned. Vivienne shrugged. “That means yes!” The men escorted them to a table towards the corner of the room. “Vivienne, Monica, this is Catherine, Kris’s girlfriend, my fiancée Veronique, her brother Gustav, and our friend Janelle.” Everyone around the table said hello. “So, how did the famous hockey players meet you guys?” Catherine hostilely inquired. “Excuse me?” Vivienne was offended by her tone. Fortunately, Monica was quick to the rescue, knowing her friend would have started a problem right then and there. “Marc-Andre here bumped into her at this bar last weekend. Her drink spilled everywhere. Then the next day, he bumped into her again in the Strip, and this time her groceries went flying. “Sounds like you’re everywhere he is,” Gustav quipped. “It isn’t her fault at all. She lives in the Strip. It has been pure coincidence. I took her for coffee today to make up for the groceries. Vero, I told you about that. This is the girl,” Marc-Andre stood up for Vivienne before things got worse. “I don’t know why you guys keep jumping to conclusions. Monica and Vivienne haven’t made any advances, remote or otherwise, on us,” Kris added. Catherine rolled her eyes. “I have a boyfriend. Thanks but no thanks. We were walking out when they were coming in, anyway. They invited us to join, but I can see the offer is no longer valid. Viv, you’ve got work tomorrow. Lets go.” They walked away, but even over the loud music they could hear Kris’s voice. He said something along the lines of “Way to go. What a nice bunch you are”. “Maybe it would be a good idea to stay away from them. No more friends from the Pens. It was short lived, but I can see that its not worth it.” Vivienne frowned but followed her friend to the exit. She turned and looked back. Monica was right. Who wants to be friends with someone who’s friends are jerks? The girls went home and to bed. When Vivienne woke up, there was a text from Marc-Andre apologizing for his fiancée and Kris’s girlfriend. He said that it was the context that made the girls react that way, and that usually they weren’t so hostile. Marc-Andre also wanted Vivienne to know that he wanted to stay friends, in hopes that she could get over last night’s events. After a long shower and mulling over her response, Vivienne replied that she would also like to stay friends, and (though she wouldn’t have come to the same conclusions or reacted in the same way) that she understood where Vero and Catherine were coming from. Marc-Andre decided he would fix things by inviting Vivienne, Monica, and Alvin to a party that he, Vero, Kris, Catherine, and a bunch of the other guys and their partners would be at. That way they can be in a controlled environment, Vero had a heads up, and everyone could see that Vivienne wasn’t there because she was a puck bunny.