Its Going Down On Your Birthday

"Are you done with that mascara yet?? You are taking forever." I ask my best friend Madison as we are both getting ready for a night on the southside for my boyfriend's birthday. "I am almost done with it. Hold your heels."

Maddie and I have been best friends since seventh grade and we have been through so much together its crazy. Thick and thin. Hell and back. I know we wouldn't want it any other way and I know that she would say the same thing.

"So who is all coming out tonight anyway?" Maddie asks. "I am not to sure about Duper and Flower and those guys, but I know Paul, Geno, Sid and Tanger are going and of course my birthday boy James!!" I am so excited."

I walk into my side of the closet to try to find the perfect dress to wear for tonight and I come across my black and white bodycon that I wore on our first date and it doesn't hurt that it is his favorite one. So, I take it off the hanger and put on and grab my white laced peeped toe pumps and walk out to the bed to put them on.

"Of course you wear that!!" Maddie yells while flopping back on the bed trying not to mess up her make up that she just put on.

"What?!?! Only the best for my babe on his birthday....well other then nothing."

"Okay. I did not need to hear that." After saying that I get a pillow thrown at me. "C'mon lets go downstairs." I tell Maddie as I walk toward the door as she is putting on chapstick for the fifth time.

We get downstairs and I find Paul and James on the couch watching a golf tournament that had been on all day long. Maddie skips along and sits next to Paul while get behind James and wrap my arms around his shoulders and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Is Nixon still outside?" James asks quietly. "Yeah, do you want him inside now?"

"Yes, Please." He blinks his frozen blue eyes at me and slightly pouts. Damn this kid knows how to get his way with me.

"You are so lucky you're cute." I whisper in his ear and kiss his temple and go to the back door to yell for Nixon to come inside. As I am sliding the door close I hear the boys and Maddie get up from the couch and I hear Paul ask James if he is ready to go.

"Wait!! Were leaving now??" I hear him walking down the hall to the kitchen while Maddie and Paul are at the front door waiting and I am excited for James to finally see my dress.

"No, not you guys he wants me to come to his place to get my present which I don't know why he didn't just bri- wow!! You look amazing babe."

"Why, thank you. Only the best on your birthday." I say with a flirtatious wink looking up at James and he leans in to kiss me and kiss me hard. He picks me up so, I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist and I can hear groaning and squealing from the door.

"Get a room!!" I hear Paul shout and Maddie is just fawning over how cute we look. "So, are you just going to meet up with us at Diesel then??"

"Yeah, we should be there after eleven." Paul says.

"Okay, so I will see you later." Looking at James.

"Yep. I love you" "I love you too."

We kiss again and we watch the boys walk to Paul's car and pull out of the driveway. "Lets pregame a little bit before we go." I say to Maddie as I walk back to the kitchen to the fridge.

"Thank god!! I am so happy to hear you say that because I think we both know that I need to."


After a very interesting cab ride conversation about James and I color coordinating and Maddie's crush on Paul we finally get to Diesel are we are ready to party.

Looking around at the bright neon and flashy strobe lights of the nightclub I start to get impatient because Paul said they would be here after eleven and I am just sick of looking at the damn door every two to five minutes.

"They better get their asses here soon!! I didn't get this dolled up for strangers and creepers!!" Maddie says with some sass. "They will so just chill."

As we are talking with each other a random hot guy comes up to us and uses a played out pickup line to compliment us but we smile and laugh and he is looking at Maddie like he’s going have the night of his life with her and she’s has quite the exact opposite look.
I know her well enough to know she’s not that type of girl and it looks like she needs my help so I nod toward the bathroom with Maddie thinking she just dodged a bullet.

"Thanks for saving my ass back there" She says as we are reapplying our makeup. "You know you’re not going to have a serious boyfriend or friends that are guys for that matter if you keep thinking that there just going to have sex with you then leave." "I know but can you really blame me though?" "I guess not." Giving her a sad smile.

She hasn't had the best luck with guys and lets just say her last ex got what he deserved. I just hope that she finds what she calls her 'prince charming' so that she can be happy and go out on double dates!! She has been wanting to that for a long since her last breakup.
"I just know ill find my prince charming someday." "Oh I know you will sweetie just promise me when you do you know your making the right decision for yourself and I will need to approve him." Giving her that older sister look that she doesn't like but appreciates. "I promise."

"I just want to meet someone that gives me butterflies every time I see him you know like you and James."

"Awe Madison!!" I smile big and pinch her cheek as she has that look like she wants to kill me and drink a glass of wine. "Speaking of that hockey player lets go see if the boys are here!!" As Maddie is darting out of the bathroom I slightly shake my head and chuckle and head back to the bar and there is no sign of the random hot guy.

Its just after midnight and after another jack and coke I’m starting to feel tipsy and start to get a wondering eye. "Wow these boys are pissing me off! Being late for your own birthday celebration and I swear to god if he doesn't get here in the next two minutes I’m going start flirting with the bartender!!" Then Maddie is looking at me like I'm crazy. "What?!?! He’s hot!! and hes spinning the bottles like were in Vegas!!"

That might be alcohol talking a bit but I don’t care.

Then all of a sudden I feel that there is a tall intimidating man standing over me making my heart race a mile a minute so, I’m frozen. Still as a statue. I close my eyes and then I hear a low gruff voice whisper in my ear...

"Don't you dare get in trouble on my birthday." With icy cold chills rushing throughout my entire body, I turn around to see James. I squeal like a little girl and jump in his arms and I give him a kiss that he can barely handle. I can feel the goose bumps on his forearm which barley happens so I was definitely proud of myself for that.

I've never been so happy to see him then right now. "Happy Birthday Baby!!" "Thank you" As he is attacking my face and my neck with kisses. Maddie darts over the room I rented where the rest of the boys are sitting and beers already in their hands. "What do you want to drink?" "Surprise me!" "Are you sure you want me to surprise you babe??" Looking at him and biting my lip. "Yep I always love your surprises." Winking at me and giving me a kiss on my cheek. I get him a beer and handed it to him and motion him over to sit down knowing he doesn't want to. "I’ll be over in a minute don't worry."

Once he’s out of sight, I make my way over to the DJ and ask him to play some of our favorite songs. As I make my way back to the bar I order myself a shot called a southern rose which is one of my all time favorites.

When I look over at the table to see James and the boys drinking and laughing and having a fun time, I smile because I'm extremely grateful to have him and the guys in my life.

As I'm making my over back to the boys I hear the first song I requested for me and James to dance to. It has a EDM remix that which sounds amazing. I will be more or less me giving him a show that he will never forget. I stand in front of him and give my hair a twirl then push his chest back on to the back of the couch so I can straddle him.

I can feel his tongue on my neck and giving me kisses. "Damn baby!!! you look so sexy tonight." "Why thank you mister handsome birthday boy." I discreetly reach for his belt buckle and give it a light tug.
"Fuck babe!! Wait until we get home!!!" I can hear James breathlessly say. "Sorry. I'm such a go getter." I reach and give him a kiss on the cheek and give his earlobe a slight bite and pull with my teeth. Then I curl up next to him on the couch while he takes a long sip of his beer.

"I love you." I hear James whisper in my ear and gives me a kiss on my cheek and I give his hand a reassuring kiss to let him know that I feel the same way. "I love you too babe." After a few minuets and all of our songs are over and hear Sandstorm come on, So I grab Maddie and we make our way down to the dance floor.

As I am posting a selfie I took with James tonight all over my social media. "Hey who's James talking to at the bar?" "Probably Geno and he drinks vodka like its water" "No, I meant a girl!" I quickly look over and see James smiling and laughing and what looks like flirting with someone that I cant see because of the number of people around them but I do recognize her shoes and those needs to be thrown away in a dumpster.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!?!?!" I'm so pissed and hurt I could break a crowbar in half.

"Who is that?? Maddie asks.

"It's that girl that had that stupid sign at game two against the bruins in the playoffs!!" I start. "I recognize her tattoo of hockey sticks and a puck on her ankle. I don't even know why she even got it because she is not even a hockey fan she just wants James and wants to piss me off and she doing a great job of doing that!! She is the pure definition of a puck slut emphasis on slut!!"

"That's so fucked up!! Plus the sign was just ridiculous why would she make it in the first place??" Maddie starts. "Didn't it say I love it when Neal sc-" I cut her off. " "Yeah!! I don't wanna talk about it!!"

"Ok before I handle this I need a shot of courage" I grab Maddie and we go to the bar that's next to the dance floor and I get double shot of jack. "Are you sure you want to go at it like this??" "Yes!! I'm not going to let some puck slut flirt with my man!!" I take the shot from the attractive bartender and he whispers in my ear. "Its on the house." "Thank you." Now I am ready to handle my business.

"Heyyy!!! what's going on here??" I ask.

"Hey babe." James leans in to kiss me but I avoid him and his lips barley touch my cheek.

"Can we talk?" I ask while trying to pull him away while I'm receiving dirty looks.
Answering with a worried smile. "Sure."

We walk to our VIP room and I need to make sure that it is just the two of us. "I need everyone out!!!" I shout.

"You no fun!!" "Yeah why ya gotta be a buzz kill?" I hear the two headed monster chirp. "Just give me a few minuets and ill buy you both a shot!! Deal??" I reason with them both and they agree to leave. Any chance to jump at the bit for free alcohol.

"Ok... just answer me one question James...why the hell you were talking to that stupid puck slut?

"Why is it a big deal?" Thinking everything is ok.

"Are you serious?? Please tell me your joking right now?!?!?!"

"No not really."

"Wow!! That's the same girl who was talking shit to me during game two against the bruins!!! I just can not believe that you didn't recognize her!! Thank god Vero was with me that night because we would have been fighting in the parking lot if she wasn't!!!" Raising my voice and trying to keep my emotions together at this point but its becoming very difficult.
"How the hell am I supposed to know that was the girl that was talking shit to you?? Am I supposed to keep track of all the girls you hate??" James asks with his cocky drunk attitude.

"No!! you tell her that your taken and you tell her to stop talking to you and pursuing you!!! Now...when you would tell me you were with the guys after games, practices, and team meetings were you with her??

James bites his top lip and is silent which gives me my answer and I am heartbroken.

I can't deal with this right now!!!" I cry.

"Baby please!! Let me explain all of this!! James exclaims.

"Leave me alone!!!!!" I scream with tears streaming down my face.


I am in complete shock. I am numb. The guy I have been with and have been falling in love with for over two and a half years cheated on me and I just have no idea what to to or where to go from here.

James leaves and I'm sitting alone crying my eyes out and I guess Maddie and Sidney saw him storming out because seconds later they both come in and Maddie instantly gives me a hug and I am balling into her shoulder and Sid comes to the other side of me and he stars rubbing my back to comfort me

I am so sorry baby girl!!" Everything is going to be ok." As Maddie cooed softly in my ear.

"I just don't understand!!!" Trying to speak in between sobs.

"Why?!?! just whyyy?!?!?!. . . What is wrong with me???" I question. I'm usually not insecure for the most part but considering what I just went through and the amount of alcohol I've had I can't think straight and I'm vulnerable.

"There's is nothing wrong with you!! You are a smart and beautiful girl and you deserve to be happy" Sidney says as he is handing me a tissue. "Thanks captain." "No problem."

Hearing Sid say that to me is making me feel so much better. I would talk to Paul and Geno when James and I would fight but when I would talk to Sidney its...its just different. Its crazy that he know when we are good and when we are bad just from how he performs on the ice.
At first a lot of my friends were surprised and taken aback when we first got together especially Sid just because him and pretty much all of the hockey world knows his reputation with girls. He has always been there for me when I needed him and that's all a girl can ask for in a best friend.

"Is there anything I can do? Training camp is in a few weeks I can have coach make him do extra workouts or something? Making me chuckle.

"Hmm....sounds tempting but lets not do that." I reply.

"Or you know I could just straighten him out myself I mean if you really want me to?"

"As much as I hate him right now please don't injure him!!" I slightly plead.

"Alright but just know if you ever change your mind about either choice or if you come up with anything yourself just let me know and I will make that happen."

"Yep and thank you I want to thank you both for being here with me." I say as I am wiping my cheeks.

"No problem sweetie you know we got your back!!!" Maddie added. "You ready to get back out there?"

"As ready as ill ever be I guess." I respond.

Ok so my mind is telling me that I am not that drunk but my body is tell me something different. As I am trying to stand up I slip and fall into Sidney's arms.

"Hey lets sober you up first." Sid suggests. "No!! I'm fine I promise." I reply. "Um I don't know about that and plus you don't want to do anything that your going to regret later." "I'm not!! but I do that if I see those two together I'm going to give them a piece of my mind." I state.
"No!! You're not!!" Sid says with a raised voice. "Ok!!!" Maddie interjects. "Lets get you to the bathroom and make you all sexy again and make that asshole regret what he did to you."

"That sounds amazing." I give Sidney a glare as Maddie and I make our way back to the bathroom.

"You ready?" Maddie asks. "C'mon!! Its almost last call." "I'm coming hold your heels!!"
We make our way back to see everyone minus Paul and James which is a relief to see and Maddie is on the couch next to Sid and she is taking her countless selfies and that's when you know she is drunk. She will love them now but in the morning she will regret it when she is deleting most of them.

"Time for best friend pictures!!" Maddie yells out leans closely into me and Sidney. "Whoa chicky!! give us some room!!" I tell her. "Yeah I'm getting squished over here." Sid added.
"Please!! You know I am going to keep bugging you until you say yes." Maddie pleads.
"Lets just do it so shell stop." I whisper in Sid's ear.

So we all get together and first is the three of us then me and Maddie than Maddie and Sid and last but not least me and Sidney. We give each other a look.

"Awww c'mon!! You two look so cute right now." Maddie is whining and giving me her puppy dog look which in most cases she gets her way and its works this time just because I just don't want to argue with her. Especially when she is drunk its just not a good time.

"Ok!! Smile!!" Maddie says as the both us scoot closer to each other and prepare for the picture. She takes and sends it to me and Sid and I have to admit we do look super cute together and i'm tempted just a little bit to change my home screen on my phone to the two of us from mine and James's two year anniversary picture on Mt. Washington at the overlook.

As I am admiring the new picture I have received Maddie is nudging me to look over at Sid so I cut my eye over at him and he is changing his home screen from him and his sister Taylor to me and him which makes so happy and by seeing him do that I decide to change my lock screen.

"My two most important girls, well besides my mom." "Awww Sidney you didn't have to do that." "I know, but I wanted to." He replied. "Thank you." He smiles and I give him a light kiss on his cheek.

"I have our best friend shots!!!" I hear Maddie shout. "Awww thank you!! Did you get them from our hot bartender?" I ask. "Yep, and he wanted me to give you this."
So Maddie hands me a half sheet of paper with a phone number on it.

"He said if you need a friend you can call or text." I fold it up and put it in my clutch.

"So, what did you get us?" "I got Geno a shot of Russian vodka."

"Thanks Maddie!! Ill get you tickets for first home game." "Welcome G."

I got us a quick bang." Which I held in a small chuckle. "Then I got Sidney a canadian shooter."

"Sounds pretty accurate for me Sid not so much. More Canadian less shooter." I chuckle out. "Shut up!!" Sid says nudging my shoulder. "So...do you girls have a ride home?" "No. we took a cab here. Does Geno have a ride?" "Yeah. His girlfriend is picking him up." Maddie answers. "Oh okay than lets go!!" As we are outside making our way to Sidney's car. "What about you know who?" He asks. "If he is smart he will stay with Paul for the night." Then we turn a corner and get a unpleasant surprise.

"Hey, tell your man that he left his shirt at my place the other night." She tosses his shirt at my face and its my favorite shirt to wear of his. That's it!! She wished she hadn't have done that.

"What the fuck!!!" I yell. I turn around and push her straight into the dark brick wall. "How about you leave me alone and stay away from my man." Seriously.

Before I can get a good grip on her Sid picks me up fireman style while I'm kicking and screaming as he is carrying me to his Range Rover. Maddie makes sure that she wont coming back around James or me. So on the way home I just blankly stare out of the front seat window thinking how the next twenty-four hours are going to go.

So back at the house as I am walking in the door. "Thanks a lot Sid!! I could have let out all of my anger on her." "No!! I'm not bailing you out of jail." Me and Maddie fall onto the couch. I groan in frustration and decide to take out my phone to check for any messages and or missed calls. Nothing. As much as I'm pissed off and hurt right now I just want to know if James is okay. So, I venture off to the kitchen to lift my spirits.

"What are you doing in here?" I hear Sidney walking in behind me while I have a few bottles of alcohol on the marble counter top. "Just making a special shot for myself for the night."

"Do you think its a good idea to do that right now." Giving me a questioning look.

"Why not?" I respond. "Just asking. So uhhh....what are you making?

"I'll tell you if you come upstairs with me." I hint as I take my shot. "Ok. . . . .I think it's time for someone to go to bed."

"Nooooo!! Plleeeaasseee Sid!!" I beg. "I'm just going to change clothes." My words are starting to slur all together so, I hurry out of the kitchen and make my way upstairs to my room. I can hear Sid telling Maddie goodnight if he doesn't see her again until morning. I kick my door open since I didn't close it before I left taking off my dress and tossing it in the closet landing on the floor leaving me in a back laced strapless bra and panties.

"Whoa!!" I hear Sidney behind me. "Do you like what you see?" He runs a hand through his hair looking for the right words to say. "Uhh yeah...you look beautiful." I blush at his words and smile from ear to ear. I walk over to the edge of the bed and sit down and cross my ankles.

"Lets have a little fun." I suggest. "You really need to get some sleep I bet you have a lot planned tomorrow...well...later today." "I'm so tempted to cancel all I had planned for him but I know his brothers and his friends were really excited about coming down to see him."

"Does he know about them coming down?" Sid asks. "No. Rebecca will keep me updated on their arrival. She couldn't make it because she had to go to Vancouver for a pageant. Plus she has taken plenty of trips to Pittsburgh so, she knows how long they'll be and everything."
After some pouting I finally get him to lay down with me under the covers and strangely I end up on James' side of the bed.

"I forgot how cozy your bed was." Sidney whispers in my ear.

"Hmm well.....let me remind you." I lift his already untucked shirt and he lifts his arms so it can come off easier and I got the same look from him that I got when we were at Diesel.

"You know you don't want to do this."

"I'm hurting right now Sid."

"Well I was trying to cheer you up."

"Well you didn't do a very good job and...you're not done." I aggressively grab the back of his head and place a tender kiss on his lips and neck. Run my hands through his dark hair down his chest and fondle with his belt buckle.

"Now. Finish cheering me up."

Notes