CHAPTER 25: Number One Fan
ROSALINE’S P.O.V
Kaner had to leave for a practice right after lunch and I decided to wait in the crowd, with nothing else to do with my time. It was so hard to forget about Nick, but I was done wasting my time with him. If he was gonna make my life hell than it was better he left.
I had no idea where he was going, if he had even thought this through, probably not, but right now I had so many other things to worry about. I already had school on my mind, the NHL, my shoulder getting better, and the fact that I needed to stay off the ice for at least 2 months. It was hard, emotionally, for me. Hockey was my life. I had no other way to get through my life without it.
And now, I really wanted to go back home to my aunt Jess. I wished I could’ve flown them all the way to Vancouver with my cousins, but they couldn’t come with me because of work and school. I understood, but right now I could not wait to see them. Some friendly family faces would make my day.
“You look exhausted.” I heard a voice come towards me.
I jumped because I was so deep in thought, I was not expecting someone to sneak up on me. “Hey, Sid.”
He came along with Taylor, and I simply continued to stare ahead at the ice. Taylor frowned, “Is it okay if we sit with you?”
I nodded, trying to force a smile on my face. “Sure. Grab a seat.”
They both took a seat on each side of me, and I took in a deep breath. “So, congratulations on the win, Sid. Golden game tomorrow, you must be nervous?”
He smiled, “A little, yeah but I’m sure it’ll be something pretty special whether we win or lose.”
I forced a smile on my face, “That’s awesome.”
“So, what about you?” Taylor asked me. “How’s your shoulder?”
I shrugged, “It’s getting better, I guess.”
Taylor noticed something wrong. “You seem very distracted. You okay?”
I chuckled, “Oh yeah, life’s awesome.”
She already understood my sarcasm and chuckled herself. “Okay, you want to tell us what happened?”
Something caught and I blinked multiple times to keep from crying, and looked away from the ice to the ground. “I don't really know how to say it.”
Sid put his arm on my shoulder, my good one. “We already know about Nick. It’s okay.”
“Thank god, cuz I didn’t want to say it.” I chuckled to hide the terror and pain.
“I’m really sorry.” Taylor said.
“Yeah, me too.” I muttered, looking back towards the ice. “I tried to help him… but if he wants to run away, then there’s nothing I can do. It’s his life, I’m tired of just… I don’t even want to talk about it right now, guys.”
“It’s okay.” Sid said. “We can talk about something else.”
“You know where you’re going after the Olympics?” Taylor asked me.
“Ottawa, finishing high-school. Doesn’t look like I’m going in the NHL any time soon. Looks like that’s gonna have to wait till next year.” I said.
“Hey, that’s okay.” Sid said, encouragingly. “More practice, more rest. I think you could use a bit of rest.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “You might be right on that one.”
He smiled, “It’s okay to have a break once in a while.”
“It’s not what I’m used to but I’d have to agree.” I said.
“So, what are you excited most for school?” Taylor asked me.
“Getting my diploma and getting out of there.” I smiled. “I don’t really like school, but my grades aren’t that bad. I can manage my time well.”
“That’s good.” Taylor said.
“I just can’t wait to go back home.” I sighed, putting my head in my hands tiredly. “I want to see my aunt, my cousins, and my grandparents. Those are the people I want to see. You have no idea how much I could use their company right now.”
“You know, I was moving to Ottawa in April.” Taylor brought up the subject. “The junior women’s Canadian hockey team are gonna be training there for a few months, so I thought I could get there early. If you ever wanted to move out, I could keep you company.”
I smiled over at her. That was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard someone tell me. “Thank you, that’s… so sweet of you. In April, I will definitely move in with you, but those first few weeks I really want to be at home.”
Taylor smiled. “Awesome, cuz Sid would not let me move to Ottawa without someone.”
I chuckled, “I’d love to be your roommate, Taylor.”
“You guys make a good team.” Sid said.
My head fell on Taylor’s shoulder, and I was purely exhausted. What a day! My eyes snapped back open, realizing that today was my cousin’s birthday. I jumped back up and looked down at my phone, “Oh my god, I have to make a call.”
Taylor looked at me, “To who?”
“Ethan. I have to call him. It’s his birthday.” I suddenly felt a bit better to call a familiar face, and I walked away, apologizing to them for leaving so soon but stating that I would come back soon enough.
I dialed my Aunt Jessica’s phone number at home, and I wasn’t sure how early it was back home but I needed to call him. I needed to hear their voices. She answered on the second ring, happily recognizing my number. “Rose, sweetie?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” I smiled. “How are you?”
“Brilliant, brilliant. Always, but that’s not important. What about you, we watched you play yesterday. You were so great, but are you okay?” She asked very concerned. It kind of reminded me of my mom.
“Yeah, I’m doing better, very well, actually.” I smiled. “Is Ethan awake?”
“Oh, yes. Ethan and Jake have been watching you on television nonstop. You have no idea how incredibly proud they are of you. I swear they’re bragging at everyone that you’re their cousin, sweetie.”
I laughed, somehow it felt good to forget my brother for a second. “That’s awesome. It makes me feel so good to hear you say that."
"Is everything okay?" She asked.
"I'm gonna have to fill you in on the Nick situation eventually." I said.
"Oh, Nick was back here for almost week, but he was acting really strange. Was there something going on with the two of you?" She asked.
"There's always something." I sighed. "Anyways, I'll fill you in on that another time."
"That sounds fine."
"Could I speak to Ethan?" I asked.
Ethan and Jake were my two younger cousins. When I moved back there after my parents’ death, they kind of became little brothers of mine. I didn’t have any younger brother and it was kind of nice to have that feeling around them. Jake was 16 years old, and Ethan was the youngest of all of my cousins, turning 11 years old on this very day. I always remembered because it was so very close to mine.
“Rose?” Ethan spoke through the phone.
“Hey, little buddy! How are you?” I asked him, smiling.
“Amazing, I know how you’ve been.” He said. Oh, you really don’t, kid, I thought. “You’re so awesome, Rose. When you get back, you’re gonna have to teach me all those tricks you do on the ice.”
“For you, of course, man.” I smiled. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, you know what mom bought me?" He said.
"For your birthday? Could it be a cake?" I asked.
"No, besides that. She got me something so cool." He said.
"What did she get you?" I asked him, curiously.
"She got me a cool hockey stick, one that matched yours."
"Oh, that is nice!" I said. "You'll have to show me that."
"That's why I want you to teach me everything you do on the ice." He said. "You're so good, and I'm so happy you're my sister."
I loved the way he always called me his sister, even though he knew that I was his cousin. It made me feel so welcomed, so special to this little boy's eyes. "Of course."
“Do you know if Nick is coming back? He was here for almost a week but he left after the semi-final game to go see you. He didn’t want to bring me.”
I sighed, that was gonna be a bit harder to tell him. “No, Nick is just not feeling well right now. I don’t think we’ll be seeing much of him for a little while.” I tried to say it in a way he wouldn’t think Nick was completely abandoning us. “But I’ll be home tomorrow, I can guarantee that.”
“Oh, but your shoulder?” He suddenly remembered, gasping. “Oh no, you won’t be able to play with me, will you?”
“It’s okay, buddy.” I tried to assure him. “It’s just for a few weeks. I promise I’m gonna be heading with you to the arena if that’s the present you want.”
“I love you, Rose.” He said, seriously, like a grown up little kid. “Even though we don’t get to see each other a lot, you’re always gonna be my sister, and I’ll always love you.”
He was so adorable, I was almost in tears. He was the cutest kid I’d ever met, and my number one fan, of course. I smiled across the phone, through tears. He felt like so much more than a cousin in these last few months. “I love you more, kiddo. Don’t tell Jake, but you’re my favorite cousin.”
He laughed and I smiled as well.
“I really need to go, but you enjoy your day, okay?” I told him. “Leave me a piece of cake, right?”
He grinned, “Maybe.”
“Ethan, man, if I don’t get a piece of cake, you’re no longer my favorite.” I said, jokingly.
He grinned, “Okay then.”
I laughed, “I’ll see you later, little buddy. I love you.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said, and he hung up the phone.
I smiled, and laughed. How cuter could that kid get? I knew then that there was faith. I still had some kind of light in my life. It wasn’t over. I took in a deep breath and walked back towards Sid and Taylor, sitting back down with a small smile.
“How’d that go?” Taylor asked me.
I smiled, “Great. I love the kid, he’s like my number one fan. No joke, he pretty much made my day.”
“I see that.” She smiled.
HI there. Yeah, you! that's right, I've got something to tell you.
Thanks for reading:) I love you guys so much! :) xoxoxoxoxoxo
VOTE
COMMENT