Picture Perfect | Claude Giroux Philadelphia Flyers story |

Captain Cold Shoulder

"I just- I mean- Clau-" I start to say but catch myself before I finish his name, "you-know- who isn't my favorite person in the world right now."

"Well don't worry about him we just won't invite him," Sean smirks with a chuckle.

"Well," I hesitate, "that'd be awesome," I admit truthfully with a small smile- it's impossible to say that I'm not looking forward to hanging out with them on this road trip- I've always wanted to get to know them better but Claude was always there to distract me. Now that I have Sean to pulling me head first into hanging out with the team, my job is bound to get even more fun than it already was. I just made the NHL Flyers Snapchat account last night and this new-ish friendship is going to enable me to start posting videos and photos to the account, giving the fans an inside look on all of the guys off the ice.

We finally pull into the hotel that we'll be staying at for just tonight's away game around noon. I stretch for my bag on the shelf above our seats when I see Claude making his way towards me. Just as he's about to reach for my bag, Sean springs up and snatches it from the shelf. I let a silent sigh of relief, "thanks Sean," I say and avoid acknowledging Claude's presence behind me.

"No problem," he replies sweetly and I see his gaze shift from me to Claude; his face tenses and his smile disappears from his mouth. I shuffle past Sean quickly and make my way down the aisle of the bus with him close behind me. I can't believe how quick Sean has been to have my back in these types of situations- did he consider us to be friends after this short amount of time already?

I'm shaken from my thoughts abruptly when I trip over something sticking out in the walkway. I try to steady myself but I can't- I'm heading down the stairs head first- what a way to start the road trip. I close my eyes tight and brace myself for the pain about to greet me. Suddenly I feel a pair of arms around my torso like a rushed hug and a breath of air leaves my chest. Unfortunately, the arms around me aren't the familiar ones I've been fantasizing about for so long- but at least my face isn't smashed into the pavement.

"Kat are you okay?" Steve says as he unwraps his arms from around me and steadies me down the bus steps.

I try to laugh off my embarrassment, "uh-yeah thank you so much, Steve."

"No problem- just be more careful next time," he replies with a sincere smile. A bit of an awkward silence passes as I focus on Claude staring me down with a worried glance. Just when I think he's about to say something to me, he continues to walk past and looks to the ground instead of my eyes.

"Kat?" Steve says shaking me from my daze and I look back to his face, "you okay? Twist anything?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," I reassure him. He picks up the duffel bag on the ground behind him- I guess he dropped it when he swooped in like superman to save my face from meeting the pavement.

Sean picks up the heavy bag in my hand and carries it for me; I try to protest but he cuts me off before I do, "don't need to give you another chance to break your face Kat," he chuckles. I smile and nod in reply- trying to not seem too preoccupied by Claude's gaze on me - did he really not care enough to simply ask if I was okay? Isn't that common decency? Just ignore him, forget he even exists Kat, I think to myself. When we all gather in the lobby and check in all at once, Sean, Steve and I make our way to our rooms- I was on the same floor along with the rest of the guys.

Steve finds Michael Neuvirth, the relatively new goalie on the team I was excited to get to know, swiping into the room they were sharing. I can't help but laugh to myself as I wave hi to Mike; Jules and I swear he looks like Freddy from iCarly.

"Ready to hit the gym roomie?" Brayden yells from down the hall as soon as he sees us.

"Yeah just give me a few minutes to get ready Schenner," he replies then turns to me, "he's always this eager when we get to the hotel- he never lets me relax," Sean grumbles. "What room are you in?"