All the Ways

xxv

Paige wore a long sleeved beige bodycon dress with a vneck and lace detailing. She paired the dress with nice heels and a gold statement necklace. Johnny texted her that he had arrived, and she scurried out the door and down to the parking garage where he was waiting for her.

She hopped in the passenger seat, "I'm wearing heels and a dress, tonight. I am doing you a service. Please compliment me."

"I was going to compliment you anyway, Paige," Johnny leaned in for a kiss, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He drove out of the parking garage and headed downtown. Paige wasn't surprised by the environment--every fancy restaurant was located downtown. But she was surprised when Johnny pulled up to a big building, one she had always seen but never checked out. They entered the building and hopped on an elevator. Paige stared at Johnny, puzzled.

"The restaurant's on a higher floor." He said, staring at the numbers light up as they changed floors. The number 4 lit up, and the elevator doors opened. They exited, immediately running into the entrance of a restaurant.

"Table for two. Under John." He told the hostess. It was ironic, considering he probably didn't even need to tell the hostess his name.

The two walked to a secluded table, one that overlooked Calgary. Paige looked out the window, sat down, and stared at Johnny with a big smile on her face.

"Did I do well?" He asked sheepishly.

She held his hand from across the table, "You outdid yourself." She looked down at the menu on her table. A sushi menu. Her favorite food. "You really outdid yourself."

He smiled proudly, "I figured. I had to do the very best for the very best." Johnny ran his thumb over her knuckles as they held hands.

"How was the trip? I'm sorry you guys lost both games." She frowned.

He shrugged, "That kind of stuff... It happens all the time."

Paige looked out the window, distracted, "Yeah. I just want you guys to win 82 games."

"Impossible." Johnny laughed.

Paige bit her lip, "So... Sean?"

"Doing better. Still sad though, because of our losses. But he's holding up."

"Good. That's good. Amber said that her time in Edmonton could've been better."

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know, but I'll let you know later."

The two continued to talk about the past few days over more than a few rolls of sushi, soaking up the Calgary skyline, as well as enjoying each other's company. Johnny dropped Paige home afterwards, despite the fact that he wanted her to spend the night. She declined because she wanted to see Amber.

Paige went back up to her apartment, taking her heels off instantly. Amber was sitting at the dinner table, eating a bowl of cereal. "How was dinner?"

"It was good! We went to a fancy restaurant that overlooked Calgary. It was also very expensive... Not that I paid, because he wanted to, but still."

"I'm sure the price wasn't Johnny's biggest concern." Amber laughed.

Paige went to go change into something more comfortable, and came back to sit with Amber at the dinner table. "So, are you gonna tell me about Edmonton?"

"I might as well just stayed home. Connor barely talked to me when I was there. But he's busy, I get it. Everyone loves him there."

"Everyone loved him in Erie too. He was busy there as well." Paige impulsively traced the wooden surface of the table.

"Yeah, I know," Amber got up to put her bowl in the sink, "I'm gonna talk to him tonight, though."

Paige furrowed her eyebrows, "He didn't have time for you in Erie, what makes you think he'll suddenly have time for you when he's in the NHL?"

Amber shut the faucet off, "Things change."

Paige clenched her jaw, "Some things don't change. And this is never going to change. I know you two are close, but you keep bending over backwards for someone who won't even lift a finger for you!"

"I'm a big girl. We can carry our own weight now!"

"Or you're gonna try to carry his weight too, but he won't ever return the favor! It was like this before too! Stop being a fucking idiot!"

Amber's eyes welled up with tears of anger, "Fuck off! Stop trying to tell me what to do! I like him, we're fine."

"Fine? He barely spoke to you when you drove three hours to see him. That's not fine, Amber!"

Amber was so angry she couldn't speak. Paige was the same way. Paige just grabbed a pair of shoes and her keys and set off. It was now 1 AM, and there was no doubt that Johnny was going to be asleep. She dialed his number as she got in her car and left her apartment.

"Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up." She repeated as the line rang.

A very sleepy Johnny answered, "Hello?"

"H-hi. I just--I just got in an argument with Amber. I'm coming, and--fuck. I'm s-sorry. I'm on my way."

"I'll see you soon." He said and hung up.

Paige showed up at Johnny's door looking like a straight up mess. He invited her inside and they both went to his room. All he did was hold her as she cried. Her and Amber have fought before, mostly about deciding where to eat, or what movie to watch, but nothing of this magnitude.

Johnny held her as she shook in his arms, screaming and crying. From time to time, he'd shush her and kiss her forehead.

"I hate this. I hate Amber. I hate myself. I hate everything."

"Hey," He held her face, "It's gonna be okay. You're going to be fine."

/////

Vivienne barged into Amber's room, where she was crying. "Where's Paige? Why was I woken up by yelling?"

"I j-just wanted to c-call Connor, and she yelled at me because he's n-never gonna make time for me. N-not in Erie, not now."

Vivienne sat next to her, "Shhhh," She stroked her hair, "I don't want to make you feel worse, but you have to stop doing everything for Connor when he wont do anything--or say anything--to you. You deserve so much better than that."

"I thought we were okay. I thought we were better. I thought that since we had an actual shot of being together, we could." She continued to cry.

Vivienne held her hand and let her cry for as long as she wanted, until Amber fell asleep on her.