Cathy and Harry Peat bought me some bath and body items as well as gave both Moose and myself $100.00 gift card for the local mall.
I called Alex and informed him I was leaving to go home. I wished that I could spend Christmas with him. I mentioned to him that he would get his gift when I saw him next. I had bought him a pocket watch and had it engraved with ‘Always follow your dreams, Love you always Christine’. I hoped that he would like it. I really didn’t know what else to get for him. Especially when he told me all he wanted was me.
Going Home Again
My family met me at the airport in Detroit, and we drove home to Dryden. The house seemed different to me. Smaller somehow. It was nice to be home though. It smelt the same, looked the same, yet something was different now. Maybe I was the one who was changed? I had grown up a lot since I had been away. More mature. I was looking at things differently now. Everyone went about their normal routine. I think we had exhausted ourselves with the miss you’s, on the drive home from the airport. There was nothing else left to say. We celebrated our Christmas the next night. This way I could enjoy it with them. It was nice to sit around with my family talking and catching up.
The day after our mini Christmas celebration, I called up a few of my friends to let them know I was home. Rachel invited me to a party in the next town. I decided it might be fun to go to a party with all my old school friends.
She picked me up at 8:00 o’clock and we drove to the party. She filled me in on all the town gossip. She and all my other friends were now into partying and having casual sex. I shook my head. I couldn’t believe it. In the short time I had been gone, my friends had completely changed.
She asked me if I had a boyfriend. I told I did. I didn’t go into details about it though. I didn’t need rumors flying around. I just said he was someone I met in Toronto and that he had just turned twenty and hot.
I replied “No.” When she asked me if I had sex with him yet. I told her I just wasn’t ready. She couldn’t understand why I was waiting. I didn’t want to insult her and tell her, because I’m not a slut. So I just didn’t respond. I knew everyone was doing it; it was happening at my school up in Toronto as well. I just didn’t want to jump into bed with random guys.
There were a lot of jocks at the party. Guys I recognized from school. The ones who thought I was weird for playing hockey. They were crowded around me now, asking me a million and one questions. They were all flirting with me. They mentioned they had seen some of my game footage on YouTube and one of my interviews. They asked me if I had an agent now. I confirmed that indeed I did have one.
I wasn’t use to getting this kind of attention from these guys. I was dumbfounded that playing hockey for a major junior team could bring so much celebrity. It made me feel awkward. These were people who didn’t want to give me the time of day before. Now all of a sudden, they were taking pictures with me and talking like we had always been best friends.
A few of the girls at the party seemed a little jealous and started making comments. I just ignored it. I was used to ignoring rude people like that by now. I sluffed it off most of the time. Tried not to let it get to me.
We played a few drinking games, but I was being careful with how much I drank. I didn’t want to do anything I regretted.
My phone buzzed while I was at the party. It was Alex. It was so nice to hear from him. I missed him greatly. He was not only my boyfriend but my best friend. He was happy I was out having a good time. He offered to fly me out to visit him during the week. He wanted to have our own little Christmas celebration. Just the two of us. I informed him that wouldn’t be the best idea. It would surely upset my parents. I really did want to go, he knew that.
It was getting on 1:00 a.m., and Rachel was to drunk to stand. She didn’t want to leave the party, and I didn’t want her driving me in her condition. I called my father. He came and picked me up. He was not happy about having to do this in the middle of the night. He was however, glad that I was smart enough not to drink and drive, or to get into a vehicle with people who were.
The week was passing slowly. I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be back in Toronto. Everything had changed since I left. My friends, the town was different, even my house and family seemed different. I felt more at home living with the Peats. Had I really changed that much? I seemed to be on a different level of maturity than my friends. I looked at things much differently now. It didn’t make them wrong or me right. Just changed! Maybe part of it was the age difference between Alex and myself. Or my friendship with Moose. Both of them were twenty. Much older than I was. Yet! I seemed to get along with them the most. We seemed to be on the same level of maturity. I couldn’t see myself with any of the guys my age. They were much to immature for me. My mother always said I was older than my years.
I missed my teammates and my new friends. I couldn’t wait for the week visit to be over. I was debating whether or not to take Alex up on his offer. I wondered what kind of excuse I could give my parents for leaving. I called Alex to see if he was serious. He said he was. I told him give me a few hours I had to convince my parents.
I lied, sort of. It wasn’t so much of a lie, as it was an exaggeration. I told them that I had been invited to Providence. I didn’t say Alex was the one who invited me. Opps! I explained to them that Providence was the farm team for the Boston Bruins. I mentioned that I wanted to check them out. One of my teammates was presently called up, playing with them. He had offered me the spare room in his apartment. I expressed to them that I really felt I should go. It was a good thing for my future. They said go then.
I called Alex back right away. He booked me on a flight that night. That gave me three days to spend with him. I was looking forward to it.
Alex picked me up at the airport, the flight was only two hours. When he saw me, he grabbed me up in his arms and swung me around. He was so happy to see me. We drove to the apartment he shared with one of his teammates. An older player who was twenty-seven. He introduced us, then threw me over his shoulder and carted me off to his bedroom.
After a long make out session. We talked about what we both had been up to. I expressed to him my worries about being traded. The fear of having to start over again with a new team. He assured me coach wouldn’t trade me. I was too valuable a player. It looked like he would be staying in Providence for the rest of the season. Coach would definitely have to make some last minute trades.
He had a game that night. I was excited to check out the barn and watch him play. I sat with the other girlfriends and wives. They were all great. I liked them a lot. They were interested to know what it was like for me playing hockey with the guys. I missed most of the first period, because they kept me talking.
After the game I was contemplating if I wanted to take Alex and my relationship to the next level. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that yet. I decided the right thing to do, would be to just go with the flow. See how the night went, and then make a decision then. He had no idea I was considering a step like that. I also didn’t let on that I was.
I missed him a lot. I was completely in love with him. It wasn’t like he was some guy I was just going to jump into bed with. We cared about each other. I knew that having sex for the first time, was something that was only going to happen once. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t something I regretted.
I knew that if I decided to have sex with Alex tonight, I was 100% positive I would not regret that it was with him. I didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant. I had gotten the needle so I didn’t have to deal with my periods during hockey season. I was however, a little concerned about the women he had been with. I know that he told me he had been tested a few weeks ago and everything had come back clean. I wasn’t sure that was enough for me. If I was going to have sex, I would make sure that he used a condom as well.
That evening we took a steamy shower together. We explored each other’s bodies with the soap and our hands. He washed my hair and I washed his. My heart was racing the
entire time. There were feelings fluttering through me that I did not recognize. Butterflies were swirling inside my stomach. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and placed my lips onto his. Softly at first, then more forceful as our lips parted. His hard wet body contoured against mine. His hands exploring my body as we kissed more passionately.
He step out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it around me. Then he swung me up into the air and cradled me off to his room, placing me gently on the bed. He removed the towel off me and laid down beside me.
He traced my body with his fingers sending chills down my spine. First my chest and breasts, then he traced around my stomach and down to my hips. I couldn’t take it any more. I was about to fall all to willing victim to his magical touch. I surrendered to him with a moan. The night was perfect.
I woke up in the morning feeling stiff, but not sore. I was laying across his chest, his arms wrapped around me tightly. I glanced up at his face. He was still sleeping. His mouth was turned up into a smile. It was the best night of my life. I hoped that he enjoyed it as much as I did. It was certainly going to be more difficult to leave him, now that I had allowed myself to love him so completely like this.
Then like a thousand lightening bolts hit my heart at once, it sunk. What now? He was staying in Providence. Boston had signed him to a contract. There wasn’t going to be another opportunity for us to be together for months. Could I handle that kind of separation? Could he? What if he left me for an older more sophisticated woman? He was gorgeous, smart and talented. It’s not like older women weren’t throwing themselves at his feet. Would he want me anymore?
Maybe Moose had been right? What if he was only being this way until he got what he wanted? Last night he certainly got that. I shuttered. I couldn’t think like that. I had to block that out of my mind.
What if this, what if that. I had to look on the bright side. I loved him, and I knew he loved me. That was all that mattered. There was movement under me as he started to wake up.
“Good Morning Beautiful.” He greeted me.
I starred into those deep green eyes of his “Good Morning.”
“Last night was amazing. Nothing will ever compare to that.” He smirked. “How are you feeling Love?”
“I feel great.” I was certain that I had made the right choice for me. It was magical. He moved to get up, and I protested. He laughed.
“I guess you are keeping me prisoner in bed today,” he teased.
“You guessed correctly.” I giggled then threw myself at him taking full control of the situation in the bedroom.
An hour later he declared. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better you attack me like that.”
“I don’t want to leave.” I moaned. “I wish I could say here like this forever.”
“I don’t want you to leave either Hun, but you have to get dressed, or you’re going to miss your flight.” He reasoned. “Don’t worry Chrissy, we have a lifetime together to have nights like this.”
I growled “Grrr, fine, I’ll get dressed.”
He chuckled ”Did you just growl at me?”
I nodded yes, as I slide off the bed, so unwillingly that my body was almost slumped over itself.
“Stop pouting, you’re to irresistible when you do that.” He pulled me back down on top of him. I had only managed to get one leg in my jeans. I laid there beside him as I finished pulling them on.
“What am I going to do with you?” He shook his head.
“I really don’t know Alex, but I do recall a night that you promised to keep me forever.” I snickered.
“Oh, I intend to Christine. I intend to.” He declared.
After we were both dressed I finished packing. I realized that I hadn’t given him his Christmas gift. I pulled it out of my bag. He loved it. Then he handed me mine.
I ripped the paper off quickly and then noticed it was a small jewelry box. I opened the top and inside was a diamond ring. What the hell? I looked up at him in shock.
He looked up at me with nothing but love in his eyes. “It’s not an engagement ring Christine. They call this a promise ring. It means that one day I would like to be engaged and marry you.”
“But Alex, I’m only seventeen.” I choked. “Engaged, married, those things aren’t even on my mind yet.”
“Christine I understand that you’re only seventeen. For me to give this to you, just means that I will be faithful to you. I will wait for you until you’re ready for marriage.” He explained. “If you will accept it that is?”
I nodded my head up and down. He grinned then slid the ring on my finger.
“You know this means you have to take our relationship public now.” He insisted. ”I want everyone to know that your heart is spoken for.”
I took his head in my hands and kissed his lips. I figured that would answer his question.
He sat down in front of his computer and changed his Facebook relationship status to in a relationship with me. He motioned for me to sit on his lap. I didn’t have a choice. He made me log onto my account and accept it. Within 30 seconds of me accepting it, two of our teammates started to chirp their comments. We both laughed.
I changed my profile picture to a cute new one taken of me and him after last night’s game. Then changed my status to ‘Leaving Rhode Island, had the most amazing week with Alex, heading back to Toronto’. Then I logged off.
I thanked his roommate Steve, for being so welcoming. As I was leaving, I asked Steve to keep an eye on Alex for me with a wink. Alex and I drove to the airport.
Our airport goodbye was caught on camera by some Bruins fan. Great! That would be up on YouTube before I even boarded the plane. Alex seemed amused by the idea. He had wanted our relationship public from the beginning. Now that he was no longer on the Gophers, it was acceptable for us to be together. Many of the older guys in the league had younger girlfriends and the younger guys seemed to have older girlfriends. It was odd if you stopped to think about it. I think maybe it balanced out the relationships. When you’re young in the situation us rookies are you tend to need that extra guidance so you seek out a relationship with an older person. Yet the older guys seemed to need that carefree spirit in their relationships. Hmm, food for thought.
My mind was a million miles away during the flight to Toronto. I replayed the entire visit with Alex in my head. At this moment I was the happiest girl in the world. I had everything I wanted.
Alex had given me cab money to get back to the Peats house. I was looking forward to seeing them. I missed them over the holidays.
I arrived a day before Moose did. He already knew about Alex and I going public. He had commented on my relationship status on facebook.
Over the holidays two players were traded. In return, we were getting a solid forward from Plymouth. I was just relieved that I wasn’t part of the trades.
Mrs. Peat ogled over my promise ring. She told me that she thought Alex and I would make a great couple. Moose ripped me bad about it. I had to hand it to him, he was great with the chirps.
Over the next few months I busted my butt. I was third in points on the team with 42 goals and 48 assists. I was really getting into the grove of it all. I was totally adsorbed in the hockey live style. Looks like we were heading to the playoffs, and my relationship with my teammates was stronger than ever.
Alex and I managed to maintain healthy communication. I felt confident in our relationship. I hadn’t heard anything to make me suspect he was anything but the perfect boyfriend.
I was looking forward to my first Playoffs. We faced Kingston in the first round. I knew we would take them. We just couldn’t go in overconfident because in Playoffs – anything can happen.
We were out of the playoffs in the second round. Belleville had knocked us off in five games. That was the end of the season for us.
Back in the beginning of March we had our team dinner, and I won fan favorite. To me it was a great honor. It made me feel accepted by all the fans. It wa
s close between Joe and myself for OHL Rookie of the Year, but he got that one. I did get most improved player which made me happy. I was also mentioned as a consideration for CHL rookie of the year.
I was sad to say goodbye to my new family. I would miss them terribly. I now had a contract with Toronto, and was more confident in my future because of it. The Peats would be billeting me next season. Moose would be moving on to the ECHL. He was going to play for the South Carolina Stingrays. I was happy for him.
After our team party, I packed my things and sent them home. I didn’t accompany them. Instead I flew to Providence to stay with Alex. They still had games ahead of them. Their season always started later than the OHL. Alex was ecstatic that I was coming to stay with him. I wondered how it would affect our relationship.
It was weird sitting in the stands, game after game with the girlfriends and wives. Listening to them talk about the puck bunnies that were making their lives miserable. I did question them, if they had heard anything about Alex. They told me that he had been good. They had nothing bad to say. They did point out one girl in particular, who seemed to have her eye on him.
She noticed me looking at her and gave me the finger. Yup the middle finger! I gasped. Sarabella, Mike’s wife huffed when she saw what the girl had just done.
“Now there’s class for ya! And they wonder why everyone thinks they are trash.” She ranted.
I shook my head in disbelief. I had seen a lot on the road, but never once had I seen a puck bunny give a girlfriend the finger for no reason. I laughed in disbelief. She was some blonde, not a very attractive girl.
I turned back to Sarabella and whispered. “You know if you rearranged the letters in Love is Blind, you get Blonde is Evil.”
She busted a gut laughing. What made it more humorous is that her and I were both blondes. The others looked curious as to what we were laughing about.
Sarabella informed me that girl had a website dedicated to her hockey exploits. Guys she was targeting and her sexual fantasies for each of the players. She talked about guys she had slept with, but didn’t mention names. She would just describe them and the sex.