Playing Rough
Gold Medals for All
It was early the next morning when there was a knock at the door. Charley hears Lindsey groan in her sleep. She pulls a pillow over her head giving Charley a clear sign that she is not going to be the one to get the door. Charley sighs, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and shuffles sleepily to the door. When she opens the door, she sees Noah leaning against the door frame, and if she is being truthful, he looks like hell.
"Oh, hey Noah." she says coldly. She knew he didn't mean what he said last night, he never did, but it didn't make the words sting any less. She crosses her arms across her chest and leans against the door. Noah doesn't say anything, he continues to stare at the ground.
"Look, Noah, you came here so don't expect me to talk. What do you want?" she demands coldly. He finally looks up and she can see his eyes are red and puffy like he's been crying. Noah never cries. As she watches him, she sees his eyes gloss over and a couple runaway tears slip down his cheeks. He tries to wipe them away quickly and pull himself together. He opens his mouth but he can't seem to say anything.
"I'm sorry." he finally chokes out and then collapses into Charley sobbing. "I'm a terrible brother." he mumbles. "I didn't mean it. I swear. I was just pissed you didn't tell me. Why wouldn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you'd go all macho, crazy older brother on me and Jon. Even though Jon could easily take you." Charley smirks.
"Oh you think?" Noah scoffs, pulling away from Charley and cracking a smile. "But you're right, I would have. I don't like you dating him, I don't like him. He was a total dick, remember?"
"Yea, but he's not really like that. It's just a facade he puts on because he feels like he needs to live up to the expectations of a professional athlete. He doesn't do it as much anymore. I'm trying to make him realize he doesn't need to be like that."
"Do you really like him that much?"
"Yes." Charley replies without the blink of an eye.
"Fine. I may not like it, but I can't stop you."
"Just give him a chance, Noah. He's the sweetest guy once you get to know him. He's done so much for me and has been there for me when no one else was. He was there for me when Jake died. He took me out and made me forget about everything. He stopped me from making stupid decisions and he was there after the funeral to make me feel better and feel comfortable. Where were you, Noah?" she demands, anger getting the best of her. He opens his mouth to speak but she cuts him off. "Jon makes me the happiest I've ever been. Even happier that Jake ever made me. I'm in love with him, Noah, and nothing you say can change that."
"Fine." Noah whispers. "I'll give him a chance. I have to head out. I have practice. I'll talk to you later." He pushes himself off the doorway and Charley watches as he saunters off down the hall. Arms wrap around her and she lets out a little yelp. She looks up and finds Jon chuckling.
"You almost gave me a heart attack!" she cries, placing a hand over her heart.
"Sorry, I wanted to stop by and see you before practice. I would have come over earlier, but you were, uh, busy."
"You heard?"
"Yup."
"All of it."
"Yup."
"And?"
"You're the best girlfriend in the world and I love you so much. You make me so happy too." He leans down and presses his lips to Charley's.
"Thank you, Jon. For everything." he bids her goodbye and heads back down the hallway towards the exit. Before stepping through the elevator doors he gives Charley one last wave.
***
"Yea Charley!" Jonathan screams from the stands as a gold medal is hung around Charley's neck. She smiles and waves to the crowd. The crowd roars in approval. The final score against the USA was 2 to 0 in Canada's favor and Charley had been the one to score both goals. Her smile was huge and Jon can tell how excited and happy she is.
"Congrats." he says, leaning down to kiss her after she had changed out of her hockey gear and was exiting the arena. He could tell her adrenaline was still pumping by the smile that is stretched wide across her face.
"Thanks, it all still seems like a dream." she giggles.
"It will until you wake up tomorrow morning and see this still hanging next to you bed." Jon says, fingering the medal. "Did you get to see your family?"
"Yea. Noah, my mom and my Papi were there."
"Your Papi?"
"That's what Noah and I call our grandfather."
"Well I'd love to meet them. We should all go out to dinner with our family the night after my game."
"I'll ask them after your game."
By the time they made it back to Charley's hotel room, she was out cold in Jon's arms. He searches her pocket for the room key. When he finds it he quickly unlocks it and carries her inside and lightly lays her down on her bed. He chuckles at her sleeping figure. She is so adorable when she sleeping. He carefully slips off her shoes and unzips her track suit, discarding them at the end of her bed and pulls the covers up over her shoulder.
As he's about to leave, Charley begins to stir. He leans down to kiss her forehead. She catches his wrist before he walks away and pulls him back to her.
"Stay, please? I sleep better next to you." Jon obliges and climbs into bed next to her, pulling the covers over both of them.
"Night, babe, congrats."
***
"Come on Jon!" Charley screams over the loud crowd. The men's final game is crazy. The USA and Canada are really battling for gold. Jon nabs the puck from a USA player and skates off towards the goal and sends it right into the net. Charley jumps up cheering with the rest of the crowd as she watches Jon celebrate his goal on the ice. He was the first one to score this game.
Second period rolls around and Jon finds himself in the penalty box for tripping. He sits down at the bench annoyed with himself that he'd do something so stupid. He looks out into the crowd and finds Charley. Their eyes briefly meet and he can see her lips pulled into a tight line. She nods to him and he returns it. When his penalty ends, he skates back onto the ice with full force, not wanting to disappoint Charley.
Perry scores again for Canada in the second, making the score 2 to nothing. Kesler comes back with a goal for the USA to make the score 2 to 1. Canada plays strong in the third but it doesn't stop Parise from sneaking in with a goal to tie up the game, with an assist from Pat Kane. Charley sees Jon give him a small fist bump on the ice.
Parise's goal sends them into a nail-biting overtime. She watches Crosby snatch the puck and take a shot which the goalie manages to save. It bounces off his pads and into the boards. Crosby skates full force to it and manages to steal it away from the USA player before skating towards the goal. The entire arena holds their breath as Sidney winds up for a shot.
The crowd roars when the buzzer goes off. Charley is screaming louder than them all. She watches the team skate out onto the ice to celebrate Crosby's game winning goal. Gloves, sticks and helmets litter the ice as the team hoards around one corner. It reminds Charley of when she won. She's glad Jon can bask in that winning Olympic glory.
"Congrats, babe." she embraces him as he exits the arena.
"Thanks." from the corner of her eye, Charley sees Noah exit the arena surrounded by her mom and grandfather. She waves them over and pulls Noah into her arms.
"Congrats little bro."
"Hey," he protests. "You're only two minutes older."
"That may be so but I'm still older." he sticks his tongue out a her. "Mature, Noah. Real mature. Mom, Papi, this is my boyfriend Jon."
"Hello, Jon, lovely to meet you. You're the boy that has captured my daughters heart. You're the one who she stayed with in Winnipeg with, correct." Jon nods and Charley's gaze slips to Noah, who's eyes were bugging out of his head. She may, or may not have told him she was in Winnipeg with Jon.
"That's where you were?"
"Shush, Noah, now's not the time." their mother shushes him. Noah huffs and crosses his arms.
"Well, Charley and I are going to dinner with my family tomorrow night and we'd love it if you would all join us." Jon smiles, using his best charm.
"We'd love to." Minutes later Jon is whisked away by his family, leaving the Evan's to talk among themselves.
"Hey, C. Evans and N. Evans." a voice calls. Charley and Noah turn to the source and see Sidney walking towards them. He gives Noah a fist bump and pulls Charley into a hug.
"Congrats on the game winner, Sid."
"Thanks." Charley and Noah introduce Sidney to their family.
"Jon was looking for you." Sid tells her. She nods and bids goodbye to her family and follows Sid back to the village and to him and Jon's apartment. Jon is already passed out on the bed when they enter but stirs when Charley sits on his bed. He pulls her down on the bed next to him and curls into her side.
"Stay." he whispers.
"Oh, hey Noah." she says coldly. She knew he didn't mean what he said last night, he never did, but it didn't make the words sting any less. She crosses her arms across her chest and leans against the door. Noah doesn't say anything, he continues to stare at the ground.
"Look, Noah, you came here so don't expect me to talk. What do you want?" she demands coldly. He finally looks up and she can see his eyes are red and puffy like he's been crying. Noah never cries. As she watches him, she sees his eyes gloss over and a couple runaway tears slip down his cheeks. He tries to wipe them away quickly and pull himself together. He opens his mouth but he can't seem to say anything.
"I'm sorry." he finally chokes out and then collapses into Charley sobbing. "I'm a terrible brother." he mumbles. "I didn't mean it. I swear. I was just pissed you didn't tell me. Why wouldn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you'd go all macho, crazy older brother on me and Jon. Even though Jon could easily take you." Charley smirks.
"Oh you think?" Noah scoffs, pulling away from Charley and cracking a smile. "But you're right, I would have. I don't like you dating him, I don't like him. He was a total dick, remember?"
"Yea, but he's not really like that. It's just a facade he puts on because he feels like he needs to live up to the expectations of a professional athlete. He doesn't do it as much anymore. I'm trying to make him realize he doesn't need to be like that."
"Do you really like him that much?"
"Yes." Charley replies without the blink of an eye.
"Fine. I may not like it, but I can't stop you."
"Just give him a chance, Noah. He's the sweetest guy once you get to know him. He's done so much for me and has been there for me when no one else was. He was there for me when Jake died. He took me out and made me forget about everything. He stopped me from making stupid decisions and he was there after the funeral to make me feel better and feel comfortable. Where were you, Noah?" she demands, anger getting the best of her. He opens his mouth to speak but she cuts him off. "Jon makes me the happiest I've ever been. Even happier that Jake ever made me. I'm in love with him, Noah, and nothing you say can change that."
"Fine." Noah whispers. "I'll give him a chance. I have to head out. I have practice. I'll talk to you later." He pushes himself off the doorway and Charley watches as he saunters off down the hall. Arms wrap around her and she lets out a little yelp. She looks up and finds Jon chuckling.
"You almost gave me a heart attack!" she cries, placing a hand over her heart.
"Sorry, I wanted to stop by and see you before practice. I would have come over earlier, but you were, uh, busy."
"You heard?"
"Yup."
"All of it."
"Yup."
"And?"
"You're the best girlfriend in the world and I love you so much. You make me so happy too." He leans down and presses his lips to Charley's.
"Thank you, Jon. For everything." he bids her goodbye and heads back down the hallway towards the exit. Before stepping through the elevator doors he gives Charley one last wave.
***
"Yea Charley!" Jonathan screams from the stands as a gold medal is hung around Charley's neck. She smiles and waves to the crowd. The crowd roars in approval. The final score against the USA was 2 to 0 in Canada's favor and Charley had been the one to score both goals. Her smile was huge and Jon can tell how excited and happy she is.
"Congrats." he says, leaning down to kiss her after she had changed out of her hockey gear and was exiting the arena. He could tell her adrenaline was still pumping by the smile that is stretched wide across her face.
"Thanks, it all still seems like a dream." she giggles.
"It will until you wake up tomorrow morning and see this still hanging next to you bed." Jon says, fingering the medal. "Did you get to see your family?"
"Yea. Noah, my mom and my Papi were there."
"Your Papi?"
"That's what Noah and I call our grandfather."
"Well I'd love to meet them. We should all go out to dinner with our family the night after my game."
"I'll ask them after your game."
By the time they made it back to Charley's hotel room, she was out cold in Jon's arms. He searches her pocket for the room key. When he finds it he quickly unlocks it and carries her inside and lightly lays her down on her bed. He chuckles at her sleeping figure. She is so adorable when she sleeping. He carefully slips off her shoes and unzips her track suit, discarding them at the end of her bed and pulls the covers up over her shoulder.
As he's about to leave, Charley begins to stir. He leans down to kiss her forehead. She catches his wrist before he walks away and pulls him back to her.
"Stay, please? I sleep better next to you." Jon obliges and climbs into bed next to her, pulling the covers over both of them.
"Night, babe, congrats."
***
"Come on Jon!" Charley screams over the loud crowd. The men's final game is crazy. The USA and Canada are really battling for gold. Jon nabs the puck from a USA player and skates off towards the goal and sends it right into the net. Charley jumps up cheering with the rest of the crowd as she watches Jon celebrate his goal on the ice. He was the first one to score this game.
Second period rolls around and Jon finds himself in the penalty box for tripping. He sits down at the bench annoyed with himself that he'd do something so stupid. He looks out into the crowd and finds Charley. Their eyes briefly meet and he can see her lips pulled into a tight line. She nods to him and he returns it. When his penalty ends, he skates back onto the ice with full force, not wanting to disappoint Charley.
Perry scores again for Canada in the second, making the score 2 to nothing. Kesler comes back with a goal for the USA to make the score 2 to 1. Canada plays strong in the third but it doesn't stop Parise from sneaking in with a goal to tie up the game, with an assist from Pat Kane. Charley sees Jon give him a small fist bump on the ice.
Parise's goal sends them into a nail-biting overtime. She watches Crosby snatch the puck and take a shot which the goalie manages to save. It bounces off his pads and into the boards. Crosby skates full force to it and manages to steal it away from the USA player before skating towards the goal. The entire arena holds their breath as Sidney winds up for a shot.
The crowd roars when the buzzer goes off. Charley is screaming louder than them all. She watches the team skate out onto the ice to celebrate Crosby's game winning goal. Gloves, sticks and helmets litter the ice as the team hoards around one corner. It reminds Charley of when she won. She's glad Jon can bask in that winning Olympic glory.
"Congrats, babe." she embraces him as he exits the arena.
"Thanks." from the corner of her eye, Charley sees Noah exit the arena surrounded by her mom and grandfather. She waves them over and pulls Noah into her arms.
"Congrats little bro."
"Hey," he protests. "You're only two minutes older."
"That may be so but I'm still older." he sticks his tongue out a her. "Mature, Noah. Real mature. Mom, Papi, this is my boyfriend Jon."
"Hello, Jon, lovely to meet you. You're the boy that has captured my daughters heart. You're the one who she stayed with in Winnipeg with, correct." Jon nods and Charley's gaze slips to Noah, who's eyes were bugging out of his head. She may, or may not have told him she was in Winnipeg with Jon.
"That's where you were?"
"Shush, Noah, now's not the time." their mother shushes him. Noah huffs and crosses his arms.
"Well, Charley and I are going to dinner with my family tomorrow night and we'd love it if you would all join us." Jon smiles, using his best charm.
"We'd love to." Minutes later Jon is whisked away by his family, leaving the Evan's to talk among themselves.
"Hey, C. Evans and N. Evans." a voice calls. Charley and Noah turn to the source and see Sidney walking towards them. He gives Noah a fist bump and pulls Charley into a hug.
"Congrats on the game winner, Sid."
"Thanks." Charley and Noah introduce Sidney to their family.
"Jon was looking for you." Sid tells her. She nods and bids goodbye to her family and follows Sid back to the village and to him and Jon's apartment. Jon is already passed out on the bed when they enter but stirs when Charley sits on his bed. He pulls her down on the bed next to him and curls into her side.
"Stay." he whispers.
omg make a sequal, please !!! love this story !
4/4/16