Addicted// A.Galchenyuk

Nothing new had happened this day or so I had thought. I was living the life but I guess you could say I wasn't really alive. My life was pretty tedious and I guess it gets like that when you play at a high level. I loved what I did. I'm grateful for getting the chance to do this but sometimes I wish I could be a normally 22 years old and go crazy. You know college parties, girls, other stuff. But I guess this is the price it comes with playing at the NHL. Like I said before I loved it but it does get boring.
Brendan and I had just gone off the ice and made our way to the dressing room. He talked about God knows what and I listened. He always seem to have something to say. Some days I would say something against his theory or discovery just to see him worked up. I found great pleasure in that but not today. I just wasn't feeling it. We got changed quickly and decided walk around the city. We had just gotten back from our summer break. I've notice that as we were walking and he was talking, that we often miss the beauty of the city. We literally live near the arena so we're always in the same neighbourhood. I would want to go wander off more into the city but I don't want to get lost. If it's one thing you should know about me, is that I hate not having control over situations. Not in the psyco way but in the "I already you knew that was going to happen so I was prepared" way. And since Brendan seemed to have a good sense of direction of the city, I allowed myself tag along with him. We walked for a good 30 minutes and decided to stop at one of the ice cream parlors. We got in and we were greeted by a women. She was short but had long hair. She look delicately fierce. She probably knew who we were but said nothing of it. But you could tell by the amount of times she cursed silently to herself as she served us. She didn't want to make a fool out of herself.
She reminded me of her.
Brendan decided to go and get us a good place to sit after he finished ordering his. The place was practically empty beside her and me. I smiled shy at her not knowing what to say or do. She continued serving me trying to keep her composure. And I tried not to complicate things by ordering something complexe. When she finished I thanked her and made my way towards Brendan. He talk loudly and freely since -like I said before- we were just 3 in this parlor. We talked for a good hour till I noticed her cleaning up. She wiped each table in a clockwards motion after spraying twice on them. After she finished cleaning the table, she would place the chairs on them and move to the next one. I couldn't help but find it compelling.
She's also compelling.
My desires bringing me back to her. I know I shouldn't be thinking of her. But I couldn't help myself. How could you help yourself of not thinking about someone so exquisite, so sublime, so awe-inspiring... But she wasn't mine and I had to accept that.
"Earth to Chuky." Brendan said. I was in shock that he notice that I wasn't looking at him. She was standing behind him and looked at me when he said that. I felt like I was caught doing something I shouldn't have done. Or something I shouldn't have thought about. She smiled at me and went back to cleaning the tables.
"We should help." I told him. And his look said it all. He thought I was insane but he wouldn't say no to helping someone out. That was Brendan Gallagher to you. He had a big heart. Maybe that's why she was in love with him.So we got up from our table and made our towards her. She was, what seemed like, surprised by us standing there.
"How may I help you guys?" She said nicely. Her words covered up her expression. I waited for Brendan to speak but after the silent debate between us, I knew he wouldn't do it.
"We want to help." I told bluntly.
I may not have my way with words like my friend but I meant well. She her brows creased slightly, trying to register my offer. She might be thinking that we're joking right now. Or maybe as to why we would want to help her clean up. Honestly, I wouldn't have the answer to that if she was to ask them. I just felt the need to help her.
"Okay." She finally said. She handed me a cloth and a disinfectant and told us to do the other side of the parlors. We obeyed and did as we were told. I followed the same movement I saw her doing a while ago and Brendan had placed the chairs after I was done cleaning the tables. In no time, we were done. And oddly enough, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. We walked back to her and handed back the cleaning supplies.
"Well thank you. It took less time than I'd expected." She said beaming. And I couldn't help but smile.
"You're welcome." Brendan said. She faced him and nodded. And I couldn't help but miss her gaze on me. Her warm hazel eyes looking at me. Her darling smile when she was happy. That made me happy. I had almost forgotten about her, until his phone rang. I saw the caller I.D.
"El dear."
And my heart broke a little hearing Brendan's answer. And if that wasn't enough I could heard her laugh from the end of line. He said his goodbye's to the girl and told me he'll be waiting for me outside. I nodded and looked back at her. She smiled shyly at me while tucking a piece of her long brown hair behind her ear. In a perfect world, I would have been all over her. In a perfect world I would have asked her to be go out with me. But this isn't a perfect world and my heart wants another women. And I know, the one standing in front of me is special. That I shouldn't be an idiot and let her slip away.
"What's your name?" I finally asked.
"Samantha." She said in a soft voice. I extended my hand to greet her.
"I'm Alex--" I said. Well, actually we both said at the same time. I was surprised she knew my name already. And honestly, I don't know why I was surprised. I am a hockey player in the national hockey league. People will know your name.
"You'd have to be stupid or ignorant to live in this city as long as I have and not know your name." She said. I couldn't help but smile at her statement.
"That's good to know." I said smiling at her without thinking of her.
"You want to know another thing that good to know?" She asked me. I hadn't even answered her and I saw her leaning in.
"The fact that I'm neither of those things." She said in a low voice, smiling so sweetly at me. She was also smooth. I found myself thinking.
"That's also really good to know." I said.
I mentally cursed at myself for not knowing what else to say. And for a long time, nothing was said. Her pupils were dilated, as if she was amazed by me standing in front of her. You barely saw her hazel iris. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Her scent intoxicated me. She smelled good, like vanilla ice cream with a hint of something unknown. And that unknown was making me addicted to her. I don't why. I don't care how. As long as she was out of my mind. I glanced back outside and saw Brendan hanging up the phone. This meant I had to go. I didn't want to go. I liked talking to her.
Abruptly and without thinking, I made my way towards the cash. I saw a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote down my correspondes. I made my way back her and handed her the paper. She smiled down at it and nodded. And I couldn't help but smile at this. She had never acted this way with me. I said my goodbye's.
I made my way outside and walked back home with Brendan. He lived with her not to far from me. So his place or Anna's was usually our hangout spot. And seemed like today it was at his place we were all meeting. I was okay with that. I didn't mind that. I minded though the PDA between my two friends. It was like a constant reminder of what I couldn't have. I deserve her. I know I could treat her like a queen. But she saw something in Brendan that she didn't see in me. And I couldn't do anything about it. You don't force love on someone.
We sat in front of the T.V and ate the food she had prepared. His girlfriend was a great cook no question about it. And her boyfriend loved food. They all conversed while I sat there, trying to eat my food peacefully. She was sitting on him like the goddess she was. She sat there comfortably, effortlessly, peacefully. She was indeed the one at peace between the two of us. I would add time to time comments so they wouldn't question to much on my silence. But she was killing me.
Physically and emotionally drained I had declared that I was going to make my way home. They did their usual speech on how I was a party pooper, that an old man slept later than I and that I need to learn to enjoy myself. And I rolled my eyes at them. I do enjoy myself ;that's not the problem. The problem is the sight of her with another man. I'm sure she knows how I feel about her, yet she acts as if nothing is there between us.
I sighed and walked inside my home. I did all of the tedious routine and made my way to my big bed. A bed that needs to be shared with someone.And you couldn't blame me. I am human. I need another human companion to have memories with. I know I'm 22 years old but that doesn't matter to me. After this continuous cycle of long days, the one thing that may have made it better was meeting that girl. Drifting to sleep at the thought of this.
The thought of when I first saw Samantha.

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