Love Rivalry (A Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Fanfiction)

Chapter 23 - Complexity

February 4th

Ashley's POV

"Come on, Nuge!" I heard Taylor call from the stairs, yelling at Ryan to hurry up. The Oilers played the Avalanche tonight, and Ryan has been acting weird all day. Not weird in a bad way, but he's been extra flirty. It's been that way since we came back from Columbus. At the most random of moments, he'll kiss me, say I look beautiful, squeeze my sides. The list goes on. I don't mind one bit, but it isn't... Ryan.

The boy I loved was almost trying to hard to make me happy. I didn't even understand why. The thought has occupied my mind since we came back from Columbus.

Ryan emerged from his room, looking cute as always in his suit.

"Doing you're makeup?" Jordan teased from the front door. Ryan blew off the comment, and took my hand and lead us out to his truck. I rode in the back with Jordan and Natalie, while Ryan drove and Taylor was in the passenger seat.

The car ride was usually quiet. Nat and I assumed that the boys wanted to focus on the game, so instead of talking, we usually just texted each other, even though we were sitting right next to each other. It was a privacy thing if anything. Anything we wanted to discuss about the boys, we did it via text. We never bad mouthed them, but if one of us wanted to know something about one of them, (Usually Taylor or Ryan) we didn't want the boys to hear it.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed and I took it out and read a text from Nat.

"So I don't think you're the only one that's noticed Ryan's affection for you lately. ;)." I smiled at it.

"You and Taylor too?"

"Not Taylor, he wouldn't know what affection was unless I got half naked for him." I had to stifle a laugh, putting my hand over my mouth.

"LOL. But you've noticed too?"

"How could you not? It's more than the way he looks at you now, it's the things he does. The "I love you's" and the compliments and the intimacy, it's all so cute!"

"I'm just worried about his reasoning. He's been acting this way ever since all-star weekend. I hope he isn't jealous."

"OOOOO of who?!"

"This Gabe Landeskog guy. Ryan introduced me to him in Columbus and I noticed him tense up in the oddest way several times. Ever since then, he's been like this."

"Gabe is a babe. Ughhh. Gorgeous. Look at you, having two NHL boys fight over you. Lucky girl!"

"I just hope Ryan doesn't run into him tonight off the ice. I'm worried that he might say something."

"Wait, are you saying you have feelings for Gabe?"

"No, he's just a nice kid. I just don't want Ryan to chase him off over petty jealousy." At this point we pulled up to the arena.

"So you do like him!"

"NO! He's just a friend. He was so nice to me."

"Ah, the feels."

"Nat, OMG."

"I'm kidding. Look, why don't we just talk more inside, when we're alone."

"Fine." I put my phone in my pocket and Natalie did the same. Ryan helped me out of the car, and held my hand as we walked through the arena tunnels.

"Good luck tonight." I said, pecking his cheek.

"Thanks, babe." With that, the boys entered the locker room and Natalie and I started towards our seats. However, the route was a little different than normal.