AnguiSH
Page 19
"Sara, are you leaving already?" Charles, the security guard, looked over at me. He was an older man, with a very kind heart. He was retired military and in better shape than I could even think of. Rachel had hired him and he was always looking out for me and the girls.
"I know it is almost unheard of, but Rachel is forcing me to go to a hockey game with her tonight."
“That little girl is something else. You have fun tonight.”I smiled my best fake smile and headed down the eight flights of stairs.
Mother Nature brought cold winds from the lakefront in Chicago. I should be used to this, I thought as I headed down the street to my apartment. I have lived in the city all my life and had no use for a car. Instead, I clenched my jacket tighter and pulled my scarf higher.
Walking home in the brisk wind, with the sounds of the street all around me, brought back memories of us walking hand-in-hand, not even minding the cold. We would talk about our future, our lives together, but that all is changed now. Closing my eyes I can see his smile, hear his laugh, feel all the love I felt for him. His words that he loved me would make my heart beat until I felt it would burst. We were perfect together in every way, until that day.
As I reached my apartment the tears were close to spilling over. I can’t keep thinking about the old days, I need to move on.
Rachel found this place for me and moved everything in for me. Although, I have been here for month, it still does not feel like home. I have not put anything on the walls. Packed boxes lined the corner. Looking around I realized I could not keep this up.
I need to decorate soon.
I realized that I would need to hurry. If there is one thing that Rachel was never late for, it was hockey. She lived and breathed the Chicago Eagles. Why does she like the dumb sport anyway? All they do it fight. I rushed to get ready and with ten minutes to spare I had on a pair of jeans, red polo shirt, gray jacket, and hair was in a low side ponytail to hide some of the scars. My contacts were killing me, so I put on my glasses. The thick purple frames brought out the green in my eyes but Rachel still called them "nerd" glasses. I looked in the mirror and decided I looked okay. I was average height with long curly hair. I have a good build, a little thick here and there but still pretty. When I was with him, I cared about what I ate and worked out all the time. Mainly, because that was what he liked. Even though I never had a serious complex about my size, like other girls had, I did it for him. Now, I worked out when I had the time and ate when and what I wanted.
A loud knock brought me out of my thoughts. I knew she would be early. "Let's go! I don’t want to be late," Rachel hollered through the door.
"I thought the game started at seven," I said as I opened the door and looked at my petite-with-supermodel-good-looks friend. If she was taller she would be on every magazine cover in every country. However, she was short and had the brains of a genius.
"It does, but they warm up first," she said as she flipped her blonde hair and headed toward the stairs. I rolled my eyes and sighed, then grabbed my purse and followed.
A preview of Melting Away The Ice by Mary Smith
As we pulled up to the Chicago Center, Rachel was on the verge of losing her patience. Traffic was crazy around the Center and it seemed to take forever to get there. We had to walk a short distance to get to the check-in line and Rachel was bouncing around like a giddy school girl. When we made it through the large crowd to our seats I stated to her, "This is not your first hockey game."
"No, but it’s my first in the glass section," she firmly clarified.
"True. How did you get these tickets again?" I knew these seats had to be expensive since we were right against the glass.
"I got them from the greatest site ever, the NHL Exchange.” Just then she squealed and was on her feet, cheering. The Eagles were taking the ice for warm ups. The people around us looked just as happy as Rachel, yelling for their favorite player and talking trash to the other team. All I could do was shake my head as I noticed that she was wearing Eagles gear from head to toe. She beamed with pride as the team skated around. She does love this team.
I looked all around me. I was used to the Chicago Center since I came for NBA games, but the interior looked much smaller with the huge hockey rink in the middle. I had been to a few hockey games in my lifetime, but never liked the sport, considering it’s just a bunch of toothless, barbarians, skating around and fighting all the time. I sighed hoping that this game would go fast because I just wanted to go home.
"Are you paying any attention?” Rachel stared at me.
"Did the game start?" I snapped back.
"No, they are warming up and you look like your puppy just died,"
Close, I have a broken spirit.
"Why I should care about this warm up?" I asked.
Rachel crossed her arms and gave the "stare down" that was quite frightening. "You will have fun tonight or so help me I will toss you in the lake." With that being said, there was no point in arguing.
"Fine," I sighed, and just like that Rachel was a giddy school girl again. She began rambling about the players and the game. I stared at the ice as Rachel kept talking.
There were red jerseys everywhere. They all looked graceful on the ice, as I watched them skate. Some looked so serious like number 19. Others were smiling, laughing and joking around like number 88 and number 10. Except there was one number 99, just standing there and not really moving.
Strange, I thought. Why isn’t he skating? He was off to the side just watching the team. There was something about him, through. I couldn’t quite read his face.
"Rachel, who’s that, number ninety-nine?"
“Who is that?" She looked at me like I was an alien. "That is only the greatest hockey player ever! That, my friend, is Lucas Sharp," she beamed.
"Oh, I was just wondering." I looked over at him again. Lucas Sharp. Well, the name fits him. All I could see was his profile, but he had dark hair peeking out of his helmet, a strong jaw, and he was good looking. I bet all his teeth are fake.
"Why is he just standing there and not warming up?" I asked.
"He is the captain, he is watching over his team,” she informed me. I watched as he looked over his team intently and was shouting commands at them.
"Oh okay." I watched them for a few more minutes before the team skated off the ice. Rachel waved down an attendant to purchase hot dogs and beers before the game started.
"So, what do you think so far?" Rachel shined with glee as she finished her hot dog. Where does she put all that food? Rachel could eat a hundred times a day and never gain an ounce. She would always say that it was because she has a high metabolism. Though, I know the truth, she worked out all the time.
"Nothing has happened." I stated, taking a sip of my beer.
"Come on, where is fun Sara? I miss her." She gave me her sad face and I knew that I had to answer the question.
"I haven’t seen her in a year and a half," I said quietly thinking of the good times Rachel and I had before my life changed.
"She needs to come back." Rachel laid her hand on mine. "I know that you are still hurting, but you need to start taking small steps towards coming back to being you. It will be okay. I promise." She gave my hand a squeeze. I looked over at my dearest friend. Her big blue eyes looked sad for me and I knew it wasn't fair to bring her down with my own emotional issues.
I took a deep breath and put on my bravest smile. The one I plaster on my face when people asked me how I was doing. "You’re right. Let’s have fun."
Rachel giggled. "I know you are faking it but it’s a start." I could not help but giggle back at her. She could call me on all my lies. She is the greatest friend. Just then the arena went dark and the Jumbotron started introductions and the crowd went wild. I stood up with Rachel and did my best to "have fun.”
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