Games

I opened the door to my bedroom and walked in the living room to find Sidney waiting doing something o his phone. He looked up at me with a concerned face. “So?”

I sighed putting the phone down and sitting next to him leaning my head back staring at the ceiling. “He answered. I was about to hang up but I guess he knew it was me. I told him I heard his message and he asked what I thought. I asked him if it was true and he said he meant every word. He told me he missed me and wanted to see me. We spoke for a while and he asked how I was and if I was well. Eventually I told him if he really wanted to come visit and he said yes. I said fine.”

Sidney looked shocked. “Really?”

I nodded. “He said he could come next week. I told him sure and he said he’d call in a few days so we can figure everything out.”

He looked down at the floor thinking for a moment. “And this is what you want?”

“I know I haven’t seen him in years, but he seemed somewhat sincere and-” I paused. “I don’t know when this chance will come again. I not too thrilled, but I do want to see him. I don’t want to keep wondering everyday of my life how he is or if we could’ve been close.”

He gave me a tiny smile. “I get it. I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t close to my parents. If you need any help with anything, just let me know alright?”

“Actually,” I said. “I would like to keep us a secret from my father. For a while at least.”

He gave me a strange look. “Why?”

“It’s not that embarrassed,” I assured. “I just don’t want him to come and automatically tell him I have a boyfriend. I’ll tell him after a while. Is that ok with you?”

“Of course. Take your time to get to know your dad first. Tell him when you’re ready.”

I smiled at how understanding he was and leaned in to hug him. “Thank you.”

“No problem. I’m here whenever you need me Brooke.”
----------------------
I walked to open the door to see Peyton standing with Chinese food and DVD’s and a bag with ice cream in it. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I greeted letting her in. “Is it raining?” I asked noticing her jacket slightly wet.

“It just started drizzling. Looks like I came just in time,” she said looking out the window, as the rain grew louder.

I put the ice cream in the freezer and took out the cartons of food. I place them on the table along with napkins and forks and spoons next to the chopsticks. I poured some iced tea into cups and placed them on the table.

She took out the DVD’s and put them on top of the tv. She opened one box and placed the cd inside. “Thank goodness the boys had a late practice and media stuff to do all day. We haven’t had our movie nights in a while.”

“I know.” She took off her shoes and sat down on the couch next to me. I turned on the television and waited for the movie to start. All the trailers were coming on now.

“So I heard you spoke to him,” she mumbled drinking her iced tea.

“Yeah, I was going to tell you.”

“How’d it go?”

“Fine.”

“Ok.” She grabbed her chopsticks and opened one of the boxes to start eating it.

The thing about Peyton you have to understand is that she understands me. She’s probably the only person who really knows me. We have a very different relationship. Although personality wise we’re different, we’re very much alike. She knows that I’m shy and quiet but not around her. Around each other we’re sort of cynical. We don’t talk much about our personal, personal lives or problems. When we do we don’t exactly talk about them. We just say it and move on. We’re actually not very big on talking.

That’s what I liked about our friendship. We understood that we didn’t want to talk about it. We may ask a few questions but eventually say ‘ok’ and move on. To each other, we weren’t exactly bright and shiny people. But that was ok by us.

After two movies and tons of Chinese food, we were currently on the floor shoving spoonfuls of ice cream in our faces. We had decided on some re-run of Grey’s Anatomy since there was nothing on. It was the episode where Meredith found out Derek was married.

“You know,” Peyton said. “I never understood why Meredith was all mean to his face, yet she was still pining for him.”

“That’s love,” I pointed out. “No matter what the other person does to you and no matter what happens, you can get really mad at them, but in the end you still love them,” I finished slowly realizing where this started to apply to me.

Peyton glanced at me. “Are you ok?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I wish I was a doctor,” she blurted out. “I think I’d be good at it.”

I scoffed. “Please, you get all nauseous and queasy at the sight of blood. Remember that one time you were trying to fix the broken mirror and cut your finger? You had a panic attack.”

“That was different. I thought I was going to be genetically altered and turn into some freak with abnormal powers,” she muttered.

I laughed. “Yeah, ok.”

“Still, I think I could be a good doctor. I wouldn’t become emotionally involved. I think I’d be a Cristina. I’d be kick-ass,” she stated. I could only shake my head and laugh.
-------------------

Rain.

It was one of the few things that made me calm. It soothed me. I turned over in my bed to stare out the window and watch the drops fall and hit the window sounding louder and louder. Every few minutes there would be a flash of light later accompanied by an echoing thunder.

I hadn’t slept all night. I couldn’t help but wonder what my father was doing at this moment. Growing up, I had always been close to my parents, but I’d been closer to my father. He would always take me with him everywhere he went. When my mother would work on weekends, he would take the day off and take me to the park, or museum, or somewhere and we’d have fun. I remember thinking he had the funniest sense of humor I’d ever known, even though it was cheesy. I was the only one who ever laughed at his jokes and made the same jokes as him as a child. My mother would laugh at how only we found each other’s jokes funny.

I had always trusted my father. I knew I could tell him anything. He was never one to talk seriously about serious things to me. Besides his humor and happiness, he’d never really show any emotions. I knew he loved me, but I can only recall him telling me twice when I was about four or five. Other than that, he never had an actual serious conversation with me. He had grown up with the mind set that you had to be tough and never show emotions, only to make it seem less aggressive, he constantly joked. If he were serious and quiet all the time, it’d be different, but his always being funny made it better. The only down part: he never quite knew how to comfort me or talk to me sincerely.

I forced myself to get out of bed and went to shower. I came out, changed, made some coffee and grabbed my umbrella before heading out. Once I got to the arena, I assumed practice was almost over. I headed towards the locker room to see Peyton talking to a girl I’d never seen before.

“Brooke, hey. This is Vero,” she motioned to a tall girl next to her. “Well her actual name is better but I can’t say. I’d make it sound bad, so her name is Vero,” she said.

“Hi,” she greeted in a slight French accent. She was tall, to me anyways, almost olive skinned, with dark hair that seemed to compliment her warm eyes.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I greeted back.

“Vero is Marc’s girlfriend,” Peyton informed me.

“Oh, really? That’s nice. Marc is such a nice guy.”

“He’s all right I guess,” she joked.

Peyton and I laughed as some of the boys began coming out of the locker room. “Oh, Brooke, Max wanted me to tell you that we’re coming to the game tomorrow. Are you coming Vero?”

“I’m not sure, I might be busy, but I’ll try to make it,” she assured.

“Hey guys, I see you’ve met my girlfriend,” Marc said coming out of the locker room.

“Yes we have,” Peyton answered.

“Are you ready to go?” Marc asked.

Vero nodded looking back at us. “Bye girls. It was nice to meet you. Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

After they left Sidney and Max came out discussing something and ending their conversation when they saw us. “Hey Brooke how are you?” Max greeted.

“I’m good Max. Where did they go?” I asked crossing my arms.

“To do something dirty,” he grinned walking over to put his arm around Peyton. “Ready to be shown off?”

I frowned. “What?”

“I’m ready,” Peyton smiled.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on please?”

“Peyton didn’t tell you?” Sidney asked.

“I was going to, but I thought this’d be more fun,” she grinned.

Sidney shook his head. “Optional skate today. Max and I usually just hang around with some of the other guys. We don’t really do much. Some days we might work out, but not today.”

I nodded. “So what does this have to do with me?”

Sidney laughed. “Well Max and I thought it’d be a good idea for you to meet some of the other guys.”

“Yeah, so let’s go,” Max said walking away towards the gym. Sidney and I followed behind them.

We walked in with only Aaron Asham and Eric Goddard chatting and stretching out. “Hey boys,” Sidney greeted.

They both nodded at him walking towards us. “Guys meet Peyton and Brooke,” gesturing to us. “Peyton’s mine, so that would mean Brooke is Sidney’s.”

Peyton waved. “Nice to meet you.”

I smiled back. “Hi.”

“You’ll have to excuse Brooke,” Max said. “She’s not really the talkative type.”

I rolled me eyes at him. “That’s not true. I just don’t like talking to you,” I corrected. Max pouted walking away.

Aaron and Eric both laughed. “I like you, you’re funny. And anyone who can make Max cry is a friend of mine.”

Aaron agreed. “Definitely.”

“I am not crying,” Max yelled. “I just have dust in my eye.”

“Well guys see you later,” Sidney said as we left the room.

Peyton had stayed back to go get Max while Sid and I walked into the kitchen area where the vending machines and refrigerator was. Tyler, Mark Letestu, Chris Conner, and Craig Adams. “Hey guys you remember Brooke right?”

They all nodded smiling at both of us. “Yes, hey Brooke how’s it going?” Tyler asked.

“Good, thanks. How about you?”

He shrugged. “Oh you know hockey and all.”

I laughed. “I assume.”

Mark grinned at me. “Hey Brooke, how’s that whole Evgeni thing going?”

I forced out an awkward laugh. “Funny, really.”

“Brooke, you know my kids haven’t stopped talking about you. They’re wondering when they’re going to see you next.”

“Really? That’s sweet. I love them they’re so adorable. I’d love to see them again,” I told him.

He smiled back at me as Sidney waved at the guys leading me to the area where all players got their injuries checked out. Most of the players were there sitting down and chatting about anything, no one really getting anything done or getting anything checked out. “Hey.” The guys all greeted Sidney, going back to their own conversations.

Pascal and Kris were chatting, or more Pascal making fun of everything he said, while Jordan, Geno, and Marc were each taking turns and making jokes. Pascal came over to us trying to hold his laughter in about something.

“Hey guys,” Pascal greeted. “Brooke, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

He leaned in and whispered, “Don’t you think everything Kris says is funny?”

“Pascal stop it,” Kris told him.

“Pascal stop it,” he mimicked.

“Come on you’ve already been on me for like fifteen times today. Can you stop?”

“Can you stop?”

He adjusted his cap and rubbed his forehead, stressed. “I mean it.”

“I mean it,” Pascal said increasing Kris’s accent.

He sighed shaking his head and walking over to us. “Hi Brooke, how are you?”

I bit my lip trying to hold back my laughter. “Hi Kris. I’m good and you?”

He nodded shoving his hands in his pockets. “Ok. I haven’t seen you in a while,” he said giving me a tiny smile.

I smiled at him. “It has been a while.”

Pascal looked between us. “Why are you two being so weird?”

We glanced at him and back at each other before clearing our throats and looking away. “So Pascal how are you?” Kris asked.

He gave him a strange look before he repeated what he said. “So Pascal how are you?” He gave him a look before shaking his head once more and walking away. Pascal went after him yelling, “No come back here Frenchie!” He somehow managed to have a paper ball in his pocket as he threw it at his head following him.

“Is everything ok?” Sidney asked.

I nodded. “Yea, I just haven’t seen him in a while so I didn’t know how to act. I was trying not to make it uncomfortable, but completely failed.”

He laughed. “It’s ok.”

“Brooke hi,” Marc waved me over to where he was sitting.

“Hey Marc, weren’t you with your girlfriend like five minutes ago?”

“Yeah, we were going to go to lunch but she had to do something,” he answered.

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

He shrugged as Jordan smiled at me. “Hey Brooke, how are you?”

“I’m good thank you. How about you?”

He shrugged fixing his cap. “Alright. Hey do you want to play with me? I got kind of bored with these guys,” he said.

I laughed. “Sure why not. What do you want to play?”

He pulled out a PSP out of his pocket and grabbed another and handed it to me. “We play this a lot on the road.”

I smiled going over to sit next to him. I hopped on the black hard cushion where players got checked out and sat crossed legged facing him. He set something up on both of ours and we started playing. I had no idea what we were playing, I was only focused on trying to kill him. We were both silent for a few minutes until I spotted Jordan’s player and shot him dead in the head.

“What? Are you kidding me? This can not be happening,” he said. “I’m going to get you this-” he stopped and let out a frustrated breath.

“You got him again?” Sidney asked looking over my shoulder.

I smiled sheepishly. “It’s not that hard, he’s right in front of me.”

Once more, he was trying to look for me when I came up behind him and shot him again. “Come on,” Jordan whined. “Are you kidding me?”

Sidney gave my shoulders a squeeze and laughed at how angry and more concentrated Jordan was getting. “Oh, he’s right there,” Sidney pointed out.

“What? No you’re not going to-” he looked up at me like he wanted to kill me. “I hate you.”

I grinned at him as Sidney, Marc, and Geno laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m not doing it on purpose, you just make it so easy.”

“I am going to beat. You are not going anywhere until I do,” Jordan said sternly.

And he meant it. We played and played several times. Eventually everyone around us was getting bored and practice ended so Max invited everyone over to my place.
-----------------------

“Hey guys, guys look what I can do!” Max yelled. Everyone turned around to see him trying to balance a plate and cup on top of his hand.

“Max I swear you better not drop it or-” I spoke too soon. The plate and cup had smashed in pieces all over the kitchen floor.

Max laughed awkwardly, “It was an accident?”

I sighed as Peyton got up. “I’ll clean it up. I know how she wants it done and you’ll just mess it up.”

Max pouted walking over to where Jordan, Sidney, Marc, and me were now playing. Max felt left out and picked up his PSP to play with the rest of us. Marc left the game and went to find something to watch on the television with Peyton.

I was incredibly engrossed in the game, trying to kill Jordan whenever I could. Anytime Peyton would try to talk to me, I just nodded and mumbled incoherent words. I had never been a fan of video games, but the fact that I was actually good at them and beating Jordan was drawing me more to them. Or at least this one.

“Oh come on Brooke he’s right there, you can catch him,” Sid told me.

“I’m trying,” I muttered moving as fast as I could. I finally saw him a good fifty feet away and went behind a rock. I crouched down and looked through my sniper and shot, managing to shoot his head.

“Yes! I’m sorry Jordan but you just make it too easy for me,” I laughed as Sidney and Max looked at me impressively.

Jordan muttered something under his breath and faked a smile before going back to his game. Sidney smiled. “Wow Brooke, you really are good at this game. Or Jordan’s just that bad, which he usually isn’t.”

I smiled. “I try.”

Peyton and marc walked over to us. “I can’t believe you're actually playing this game with these boys Brooke.”

I shrugged. “It’s pretty entertaining.”

“Men,” Max interrupted.

Peyton gave him a look. “What?”

“We’re not boys, we’re men. I’m a man,” he said puffing his chest out.

“Aw, you're so funny,” Peyton cooed pinching his cheek.

I shook my head paying more attention to who was in front of me in the game. I saw someone and grinned as I realized who it was. I set up for the kill and shot the first chance I got.

Max gasped. “Did you just kill me?”

Marc leaned over my shoulder to see my screen. “Oh, suck it Talbo.” We all laughed as Max tried to look for me but failed and started being careful I wouldn’t get him again.

“Hey Max you know you can get in those bushes right?” Sidney said focused on his game.

“Ha you're dead. Sid’s definitely the worst player,” Max told us.

“I can’t believe you're saying you're the best player,” he replied.

“I didn’t say that,” he corrected. “I said but you're the worst.” He moved sideways trying to run back to Sidney and grinned. “Oh wait, oh wait. I just killed you.”

Jordan and I laughed. “Oh I just killed you Max. I thought you were the best. What happened?”

“You happened!”

Jordan rolled his eyes. “Good one.”

Max scoffed. “Whatever I’m better than all of you here,” he grinned.

“Max is a douche,” Marc said. The rest of us laughed watching Max abandon his game and going over to Peyton.

I yawned getting up from the floor to stretch. “I’m going to get something to drink. Do you guys want iced tea?” they all smiled and nodded as I headed to the kitchen.

“I’ll help,” Sidney offered already getting up. I eyed him as he came over to me. “I know you're going to say its fine, but I’m going to end up helping you anyways, so let’s just skip the argument this time,” he smiled.

I sighed turning back around to the kitchen. “Let’s go.”

I opened the fridge and took out the pitcher of iced tea while Sidney took out a few glasses. “So how are you?”

I stopped mid pour. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you haven’t talked about the whole father situation in a couple of days,” he pointed out. “Are you having second thoughts?”

I cleared my throat. “No I just-”

“You’re just not really sure if you want it or afraid you made the wrong choice?” he chuckled noticing he had finished my thought.

I nodded. “I guess.”

“You're just not sure if you made the right choice and how to make sure you want this and wont back out,” he continued. “Brooke I know it may seem like a bad choice now, but once he gets here it’ll be different, you’ll see.”

I had to smile at his optimism and decided not to argue. “You're right.” I placed the glasses on a tray to take that Sidney took from my hands and put it back down on the counter.

He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me dead in the eye. “I know you don’t believe me now and you're just saying that to not argue. But you’ll see everything will be ok, no matter what happens. I’m going to be here for you throughout everything. I promise it’ll be fine.”

I nodded, wanting to believe him. I would have, if he hadn’t added the last part. I didn’t want him to promise anything he wasn’t sure of.

“Brooke you told me I deserved to be happy. You can be happy too. You just have to let yourself be,” he told me.

It was then that I noticed he knew how I thought and what I was thinking. He knew about the doubts that I had. He knew how I was thinking about this choice twice. I was grateful for how much he cared. He really was trying to understand me and help me, which was a first from anyone.

All I could is smile and meet him halfway. “Ok. I promise I’ll try.”