Chapter 26 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

“Nicole!” B’s voice called somewhere behind me. I turned away from watching Sidney, and smiled at B.

“Hey B.” I said, forcing a smile.

Bianca glanced at me, concerned. “You look upset Nicole. What’s mal?” She asked.

I shrugged. “I’m being stupid, that’s all B. It’s not really a big deal.” I glanced back at the table where Sidney was sitting. I couldn’t see him anymore, because he was so surrounded by girls now. I smiled at her. “Come on. I told Sid that I was going to find you and then I was going to come right back.”

B shook her head looking at the girls. “They are pathetic Nicole.” She said. “As I was. They throw themselves at him because they are willing to degrade themselves in order to get what they want. Sidney is intelligent.” She pointed out. “He will no more fall for them then he did for me.”

I smiled and tossed my hair over my shoulder. “I know.” I said with far more confidence then I was actually feeling. “Now come on.”

We sauntered up to the table. “Excuse-nous.” B said, with a wink at me.

“Phenom, I leave you allow for three minutes and you forget all about me.” I said, pretending to be upset, my hands on my hips.

Sidney grinned. “Tout le monde, ca c’est ma chum Nicole.” He announced. “Nicole, everyone.”

“Charmed.” I said with dry sarcasm.

The girls looked at me, then at each other, then at me again. None of them looked particularly happy. “So Bianca did you come with someone?” Sidney asked after he’d pulled our chairs out for us like the gentleman he is.

I kicked him under the table. “Stupid.” I hissed.

“Sorry Bianca.” He said immediately, looking properly ashamed of himself.

She smiled tremulously. “It is okay.” She told us. “Now that I am over you Crosby, I can find someone who is right for me. Perhaps the cute goalie who played for Pittsburg and is back with Cape Breton.”

Sidney and I both laughed. “Marc-André Fleury?” Sidney said. “I think he’s single. If you want to meet him B, I’m sure I could arrange it after tomorrow night’s game.”

“It would be nice to meet him.” Bianca said slowly, totally flabbergasted and not having expected that response from Sidney. “But do not tell him I think he is cute.” She told him firmly. “Perhaps I need to start as his ami… friend.”

I nodded, looking at Sid pointedly. “That sounds like a very good idea B, doesn’t it Sid?”

“Of course.” Sidney replied seriously.

I glanced up, having been totally engrossed in our conversation, and the girls were still all around us. I looked at B and rolled my eyes. “Sidney are we going to sit here all night or are we going to dance?”

Sidney looked a little surprised. “Umm I have mentioned that off the ice I have zero sense of rhythm right?”

“Only about five hundred times since I made you promise to come to the dance.” I said rolling my eyes. “Now come on Sidney, it is seriously NOT that hard. Besides, why else do you think I’d drag you to a dance unless I wanted to dance?”

“Don’t destroy my illusions with logic.” He grumbled, standing.

I just smiled and took his hand. “Come on B!” I said.

“You two go ahead.” She said with a big smile, as a slow song came on. “You dance, and then I will join you when the next, not for two song comes on.”

“Thanks.” I said with a smile, leading Sidney out on to the dance floor.

Sidney wrapped his arms around my waist and my arms twined around his neck. Sidney leaned down so that our foreheads were touching. “I have the best boyfriend on the face of the planet.” I told him with a huge smile.

“Well of course you do.” He replied. “But umm, could you tell me why?”

I giggled. “Offering to introduce B to Marc-André.” I said. “That was super sweet of you. Neither of us were expecting that.”

He shrugged. “I think he’s single, and then she looked so sad, even though she was trying hard not to so that you wouldn’t worry.” He paused. “Actually when you think about it, its kind of cute how you two are walking on eggshells around each other, trying so hard not to upset each other.”

“And it’s so cute how the minute that I walked away from the table you were surrounded by admirers. It was almost like the first night we met all over again.” I replied testily, not wanting to here that he thought ANYTHING that Bianca did was cute. It was hard enough for me to put the things she’d done and said both to and about me behind us.

“Except….” He replied, his forehead still touching mine. “I didn’t dismiss you tonight. In fact, tonight I dismissed all of my admirers for you… and I’ll keep doing that any time I have to.”

“Awe thanks honey.” I said, kissing his cheek.

He kissed my ear. “Can we leave now?”

“We just got here.” I pointed out.

“But I want to get you naked.” He whined.

“In due time phenom.” I said. “Just lets get Danny and Michelle and we’ll dance with B a few times as a group, you can be adored a little bit more and then we’ll go.”

“But the only person I want adoring me is you.” He whined.

“You’re a big baby phenom.” I told him with a smile. “But since you’re my baby, I suppose I can’t really complain.”

“You definitely can’t.” He said. “Especially since every second girl here would give just about anything to be in your shoes.”

I shrugged. “Well I suppose you could always replace me then huh?”

“Never.” He replied vehemently. “Never. Nickie you are one of a kind brat. Don’t you ever forget it.”

“There’s no way I can forget that.” I whispered softly into his ear. “I mean, you remind me of it every day.”

He kissed me gently as the song, some corny love song that neither of us were really paying any attention to, ended. “Let’s go find Danny and Mich.” He said. “Then we can all dance together, then you and I can leave.”

I giggled. “Are you even sure that you’re parents will let you spend the night with me?” I asked.

“I tried to call, but no one answered.” He said with a shrug. “I’m not sure that I can stay all night, but at least I can spend some time alone with you.”

I sighed as we headed back to the table where we’d left B. She was sitting there talking to a rather cute guy. “He’s cute.” I whispered to Sidney, who glared at me.

I rolled my eyes. “He’s cute phenom. Puppies are cute. You can be cute. Most of the time though, you’re dead sexy.”

“When you put it that way….” He said slowly.

“B whose you’re friend?” I asked as we approached the table.

“Nicole c’est Philippe Roy.” She said with a giggle, pronouncing his last name the French way. “Philippe ca c’est Nicole Roy.” B winked at me.

I shook my head. “Comment ca va?” I asked offering him my head.

He said something that basically sounded like gibberish to me. Sidney laughed. “Elle ne parle pas beaucoup de Francais.” He explained with a smile. “Tu dois parle lentement.”

“Je m’excuse.” He said with a smile.

“Pas de problem.” I replied. I glanced at him. There was something familiar about him. “We’re not related are we?” I asked B, who seemed to find the situation hilarious.

“Oui.” She said with a laugh. “Your Tante is his Grandmère.” She paused. “Oh and your Dad and his Dad are like, cousins or something.”

I raised my eyebrows. I knew that Tante Amèlie had kids and grandkids. I just didn’t know that any of them lived in Rimouski. I also knew that my Dad had family in Quèbec but we never saw them or anything. Dad was a bit of a redneck when it came to some things, despite our own heritage. “I didn’t know that any of Tante Amèlie’s grandchildren lived here.”

Philippe shrugged. “My Maman and Grandmère had a.. desagrement il y a dix ans. I don’t see her.”

I glanced at him awkwardly. I understood most of that. “They had an argument ten years ago?” I asked B just to make sure.

“Oui. Très bien.” She said with a smile.

I glanced at Sidney with a grin. “See Sid? There was a reason I thought he was cute. He kind of looks like Frankie. Only much older. Quel age as-tu?” I asked.

“19.” He said. “I go to l’Université in Quèbec. I am home for a brief visit.”

“Well….” I said slowly. “We should go dance. Care to join us B? Phil?”

“Oui.” They both said.

After we started dancing Michelle and Danny joined us, followed by a few girls who just wanted to be dancing near Danny and Sidney. I glanced at B. “So how do you know Phil?” I asked eyebrows raised.

“Il est, he is my older brother Guisseppe’s ami.” She said, rolling her eyes.

“You don’t like him?” I asked, feeling slightly confused.

“Mon dieu non!” She laughed. “He has been dating Catrine’s older sister since dixième. She is a year older then he is, and very controlling.”

I laughed. “Je ne suis pas supris.” I said. “I mean, look at Catrine. So why is he here?”

“To meet the cousine who is the reason that Mark broke Catrine’s coeur.”

I shook my head. “I think Sidney and I are going to bail soon.” I told her, as Sidney glanced at his watch again. “He’s an impatient boy.”

“Only when it comes to you cheri.” B said with a real smile to my surprise. “With me I waited on him. He waits on you.”

“Very true.” I said with a grin back at her. “But you will make Marc-Andrè wait on you.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “It will be nice to meet him. But that is all. Now go before Sidney looses his mind.”

“He already has B.” I said with a laugh as I grabbed Sidney’s hand and led him out of the high school’s gym, so like the one back home.

“Thank you.” He whispered pulling me into his arms and kissing me passionately, despite the disapproving gaze of one of the chaperones.

He pulled away, and rested his forehead on mine, as I struggled to breathe. “You can still make me weak in the knees phenom.” I murmured.

“Good.” He said fiercely… passionately. “Because you take my breath away every single time I see you.”

“I love you Sidney.” I said simply.

“I love you more Nicole.” He replied.

“Let’s get out of here.” I said with a wicked grin. “Because I didn’t wear this skirt for nothing.”

“What are you suggesting?” Sidney asked, looking intrigued.

“We haven’t christened my car yet.” I pointed out. “I’d suggest christening your truck, but I’m fairly sure that you’ve already taken care of that.”

To my surprise he blushed. “Umm a few times.” He muttered. “But you’d be the first girl that I was dating.”

“Hmmm….” I said slowly, sucking on his index finger sensually. “Is that an offer phenom?”

“Only if you want it to be.” He replied, his eyes fixated on my lips and tongue. “Only if you want
it to be brat.”