Monday, March 3, 2008

Chapter 8 - An American Flavour

We got back to the Parisé’s late. I’d done a lot of shopping. It was great therapy to spend some of the money in my expense account. We’d decided to stop at the movie theatre and check out a movie, before getting back into the limo and going back. When we got there Stephen let Zach out of the car, followed by Sidney, before helping me out of the car.
“Miss Kallista.” He said with a smile, letting go of the door, leaving Christina to her own devices.
“That will be all Stephen.” I said nodding. “I would like you to be on call for the next couple of days. I don’t want to keep you from your family, but I happen to have box seats for everyone, including you, to see the Vikings play tomorrow.”
“Thank you for including me Miss Kallista.” He said with a smile.
“Umm hello?” Christina said. “What about me?”
“What about you?” Stephen asked.
She climbed out of the limo with a glare. “These shoes aren’t easy to walk in you know.” She snapped. “And how dare you speak to me like that?”
I glared at her. “How dare you speak to him like that?” I snapped. “Stephen is my employ. I am the only one here who can treat him like a servant, but so long as he does his job, I won’t.”
“So you’re the reason he won’t call me Miss Christina. He calls you Miss Kallista, Sidney Master Sidney, and Zach Mr. Parisé, but not me.”
“No, you are the reason I will not call you Miss Christina. You have been nothing but rude to Miss Kallista, whom, as you know, pays me.” Stephen said. “Not only that, but I like her. She is one of the best people I’ve ever had in the back of my car. She is polite, courteous, and she tips well. You, as far as I can see, are none of the above.”
He paused and turned to me. “My apologies Miss Kallista for speaking out of turn.” “You are forgiven Stephen.” I said, trying to keep the smile off my face. “Don’t let it happen again though.” I warned.
“Of course Miss.” He said winking at me as he got in the car.
I shook my head as I headed into the house, following Christina who was carping at Zach. Suddenly I felt exhausted. I didn’t want to fight with Zachie or his girlfriend. I wanted to like her. But part of me couldn’t forgive Zach for what he’d done the last time she was here, and now she hated me so much that I didn’t think she was ever going to like me.
Mrs. Parisé had snacks waiting for us and I took a diet coke, but didn’t take anything to eat. I was tempted to warn Christina about the freshman fifteen, but I didn’t want to cause more trouble. I quietly excused myself and headed to the room I’d be sharing with Sidney. I was nervous about it, but I didn’t want to admit it, not even to myself.
I changed into a pair of Team USA workout shorts that Zach had given me and Shattuck’s hockey hoodie. It was as casual as I got, clothing wise. I pulled my hair into a bun and took my contacts out, putting my glasses on before I went to join everyone in the kitchen. To my surprise, I found Sidney there alone.
“Where’d everyone go?” I asked.
“Mrs. & Mr. Parisé went to bed.” He said. “And Zach went to ‘show’ Christina something.” “Oh.” I said in a small voice.
“I was going to go to bed too.” He said with a yawn. “But I didn’t want to walk in on you when you were changing.” He paused and grinned wickedly. “Okay, well I did want to walk in on you while you were changing. But I didn’t think you’d want me too.”
I cuffed him lightly on the head. “You’re a moron kid.”
He shrugged. “I may be a moron Kally, but right now I think I’m a hell of a lot brighter then Zach is.”
I snorted. “It doesn’t take much.”
He grinned and yawned. “Give me five minutes ‘kay Kally?” He said.
“Yeah sure.” I said, heading for the living room. I turned on the TV. I was tired, but I didn’t feel as though I could sleep, if that makes sense. I sat, curled up on the couch, silently watching the days sports highlights. I heard Christina she came upstairs and headed to the first floor guestroom.
Instead of heading upstairs to go to bed, though, Zach crawled onto the couch next to me and tried to draw me into his arms. “What are you doing?” I hissed angrily.
Zach looked at me and pouted. “You mean I don’t get a cuddle?” He asked.
I shook my head. “Have you been into your Dad’s homemade wine again?” I demanded. “Your girlfriend is in the other room Zach, and she hates me enough as it is. Just go to bed.” I told him. “And leave me alone.” I muttered, feeling a little angry.
“Kally you are still my best girl.” Zach said pouting. “And all I want is a little cuddle…” He tried to cajole me.
“Only when she’s not around.” I pointed out a little angrily. “When she’s around you act like an asshole. Now she’s gone to bed and now you want to cuddle?” I raised my eyebrows. “You get where I’m coming from Parisé?”
“I always want to snuggle with you.” Zach whined. I didn’t respond and he ran an anxious hand through his hair. “Kally I’m trying here, and you aren’t really helping.”
“I’m not going to just sit back and let her talk shit me Zach.” I told him firmly. “You always told me at Shattuck’s that I should stand up to people, and now I’m standing up to someone that you like and you’re on me to lay off.”
Zach pulled me into his strong, muscular arms. I wanted to protest, but being in his arms was comfortable and familiar. Every now and then you need that. Something new isn’t always what you need. I sighed. “Kally….” He said slowly. “I just want you and Christina to like each other.”
I snuggled closer. “I’m sorry Zachie, but that’s not going to happen.” I told him. “She hates me because I’m everything that she’s not, and because you and I have history.”
Zach smoothed my hair and kissed me softly on my forehead, his arms tightening around me. “Can you try for me Kally?” He asked. “Really try?”
I sighed and shook my head, burying my face in his chest. “Zachie I will try to actually be nice to her. But I won’t let her treat me like shit.”
“That’s all I can ask of you Kal.” He said, smoothing my hair some more. “Thank you.” This was going to get a little too intimate if I didn’t stop it right away. I disentangled myself from Zach, but not before he kissed me softly on the lips. “I love you Zachie.” I whispered as our lips parted. “I always will.” I paused. “Goodnight.” I finished squeezing his fingers in mine briefly.
I wandered into the bedroom, and Sidney was laying on top of the covers in a pair of sweat pants, his chest bare (nice by the way), his eyes closed. “Kid?” I whispered, feeling not tired, but wired after what had happened with Zach. “You asleep?”
“Nope.” His said, his eyes opening at the sound of my voice. “Waiting for you.”
“Well I can’t sleep.” I said with a sigh. “I need to get out of here for awhile kid.”
“Kally it’s after midnight.” Sidney said.
I shrugged. “Its early kid.”
“But everyone is already in bed Kally. We can’t go out. We’d have to leave the Parisé’s door unlocked and we can’t do that.” Sidney said, the voice of reason.
“I have a key kid.” I said, grabbing my cell and texting the car service.
“Where will we go?” He asked worriedly.
“I know a decent club in Minny.” I said. “We could get dressed and go for a few drinks, maybe a little dancing.”
“Umm one minor problem Kally… we’re both minors.”
I shook my head with a small smile. “Kid where I come from things like the legal drinking age are just a suggestion. Now do you want to come with me or not?” I asked him, rummaging through my suitcase. “Because either way kid, I’m out of here.”
“I’ll come.” He said immediately. “I can’t let you go alone… but what should I wear?” “Same thing you had on at the mall kid.” I said. “But let me do your hair. Then give me a couple minutes to get dressed and the car should be here.”
45 minutes later we were sitting in a booth in the VIP of the club I knew about, a bottle of Cris sitting on the table. “Cheers.” I said downing my first glass in one gulp.
“Kally you do realize that this is a five-hundred dollar bottle right?” Sidney asked, looking concerned. “And that they have a three bottle minimum?”
“Yep.” I said pouring myself another glass and taking a sip. “So we’d better find some people to drink it with us or we are going to end this night really fucked up kid.”
“Are you sure the Parisé’s aren’t going to be angry with us?” He asked.
“Kid, Zach and I used to do this all the time.” I said. “In fact, sometimes doing this was the only reason we’d come to visit his parents on the weekend.”
He nodded, taking a sip of his drink. He took a deep breath and asked. “So are you using me to replace Zach Kally?”
Anger boiled up in me and I worked hard to control it. Yes, we were doing things together that Zach and I used to do, but I wasn’t doing them with him because Zach wouldn’t do them with me anymore. Hell, after that kiss, he would have come with me clubbing if I’d asked him. I did them with Sidney because I wanted to spend time with him, But I couldn’t just out and tell him that.
I took a deep breath and asked archly. “Am I fucking you?”
“No.” He replied.
“Well then, there’s your answer kid.” I said. “And just so you know, I haven’t gotten laid since I got back to Shattuck’s. So if I really wanted to use you as a new Zach we wouldn’t be sitting here, we’d be back at the Parisé’s fucking like rabbits.”
“Oh.” He said, taking another sip of his drink.
We sat in silence for awhile, every now and then taking sips of our drinks. “So I’ve never asked, kid, but I want to know about your family.”
“Not much to tell.” He replied with a shrug. “It was just my parents and I until I was 8, and then Mom had my little sister Taylor. I’ve been playing hockey for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my Dad painted the floor of our basement to look like a hockey rink. Hockey’s kind of been my life. I mean, I played baseball too, until hockey kind of took over and I didn’t have time anymore.”
I nodded. “So why on earth did you chose to come to Shattuck’s?” I asked. “I mean it sounds like you’ve got a great family at home… you’re not a throwaway like me kid.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call yourself that.” Sidney said. “You aren’t a piece of trash to be thrown out Kally.”
I shrugged. “Depends on who you ask kid.” I replied, finishing off my second glass and pouring a third. “I’m sure Christina would love to see me taken out with the garbage.”
Sidney shook his head. “Christina is a fucking bitch who is just jealous of the past you have with Zach.” He said.
“I know that kid.” I said, shaking my head. “She’s got her own issues thank God. That still doesn’t tell me why you chose Shattuck’s?”
He shrugged. “Because Mom and Dad thought it would be a good experience. Because they have a great hockey program, and because they play exhibition games against higher level teams. This might actually give me a chance to get better. We were scared I would stagnate at home and not improve this year and this is an important year for me.”
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“It’s my draft year.” He said.
“But you’re too young…” I said thinking, as I sipped my fourth glass of Cris. “I thought you had to turn 18 before September 15th to be drafted.”
“My major junior draft year.” He explained. “I can play in the QMJHL next fall.” He paused. “But I might go the College route. Dad is always on me about how important getting an education is. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
I nodded. “I feel the same way about College.” I said. “I have no clue where I want to go.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He told me. “I doubt you’ll have any trouble getting into whatever school you want to go to.”
I shrugged. “But, I mean, kid, you’re 15 and you know how you want to spend your life. You want to play hockey. Zach is the same way. You just aren’t sure which path you want to take to get there. I have no clue what I want to do with my life.”
“Do anything.” Sidney said, downing his glass. “Do everything.”
“You make it sound so simple kid.” I said softly.
“I honestly believe that you can do anything if you’re willing to work for it Kally.” Sidney said, emptying the bottle. “I believe that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to do what you want to do with you life.” He looked at me carefully. “What do you want to do Kally?”
His hand had reached across the table to hold mine. Our eyes met, and I squeezed his hand gently as I looked deeply into his eyes. “I want to live happily ever after kid. That’s it. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

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