At eight, Mark and I were standing in a store he called a dèpanneur, which to me, looked like a Liquor Mart (not that I’d know what the inside of a Liquor Mart looks like or anything Ms, Kulak – I should probably have given you the disclaimer at the beginning of this essay, but now is as good a time as any. Be advised that the essay you are currently reading contains the actual facts of being a teenager with 1500$ a month spending money. Not the sugarcoated version most teachers want to read.). Mark, being 18, though barely apparently, was legally allowed to drink.
However, being 16 I am totally not legal. This however, did not bother Mark at all.
Not that I thought it would, knowing some of the Dub players back home the way I do. So he picked up a case of beer, a 40 of rye, and a 40 of vodka (for me) along with mix for both of us. When we got out to his truck I tried to hand him some cash. He turned it away. “No way. That outfit totally gets you free booze for the night.”
I laughed, looking at what I was wearing. “These old things?” I asked, indicating the low-rise jeans that were slightly torn up (you’ll remember them Ms. Kulak… you sent me home to change the last time I wore them to school), but in a sexy kind of way, and a white t-shirt that was a little too small that said “Just because I’ve ridden a bull doesn’t mean I’ll ride you” across the chest, along with a pink cowboy hat and pink and white Nikes.
He laughed. “Quit playing Nicole, you know you’re hot.”
“First Mark, its Nickie.” I said. “And second, how is your girlfriend going to feel about this?”
“Who said I had a girlfriend?” He replied.
I snorted. “Oh come on Mark.” I said. “I saw your room remember? And don’t try to feed me that “She’s my sister” line. I maybe blond, but I am so not that stupid. So what’s her name? Is she from here or from St. John’s?”
“Her name is Catrine, and she’s a Rimouski girl.” He said. “But she doesn’t speak a lot of English, and she isn’t exactly thrilled that you’re going to be living with me.”
I snapped my gum and grinned. “So are you looking to get rid of her?” I asked.
He smirked. “Not at the moment, but you never know with these things.”
“Meaning?” I asked, eyebrows raised.
“Every guy who plays major-junior hockey in this country picks up a girlfriend when he’s still in high school. A girl who doesn’t mind the pucks and the fact that a guy is going to stray every now and then when he’s on the road.” He explained what I already knew. “Catrine’s getting a little possessive lately. So I’ll let you know.”
I grinned. I’ve always been a little, well, bitchy is probably the best word for it. “You do that.” I said. “I’m going to need your help getting adjusted here, and that’s the kind of favour that’s the least I can do for you.”
He grinned back. “Well I’ll let you know either way.” He said.
“So, um, who’s going to be at this party?” I asked.
“The team.” He said. “You may have heard of us. We have a sixteen year old phenom named Sidney Crosby on the team. He’s over in Europe with the World Junior team, but he’ll be back in a little bit. They’re playing Finland tonight actually, I think the game starts at nine our time.”
“I know.” I said with a grin. “I was hoping that we’d get to watch the game.”
“Hockey fan?” He asked.
“Go Flames Go.” I replied with a grin.
He made a face. “How about we stick with Go Canada Go for tonight?”
I laughed as well pulled up in front of a house. “I can handle that.” I said with a shrug. “So umm, where are we?”
“Catrine’s.” He said with a wicked grin.
I laughed as he opened the door to my side of the truck. “Thanks.” I said stepping out.
“No problem.” He said with a smile. “I’ll introduce you to the people who speak English, but be warned, Catrine is going to be fairly demanding.”
I shrugged. “Honestly Mark, so long as there’s a corner where I can sit with my booze, watch the game, and get tanked, I’m game.”
He laughed. “Well I’m sure we can find you that, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll be left alone.” He looked me up and down again. “Especially looking this hot.”
I laughed back. “You better stop looking now.” I said, indicating the front step, where a gorgeous brunette stood, hands on hips, not looking really happy. “Catrine doesn’t look all that happy.”
He turned. “That’s for sure.” He murmured so only I could hear. “Catrine, comment ça va cheri?”
“C’est qui ça?” She demanded, not acknowledging his greeting.
“Catrine je voulais t’introduire a Nickie Roi, elle est la nièce de Mme. Paradis.” He said pronouncing my last name the French way instead of saying Roy. “Nickie, this is Catrine Dumont, elle est, she is, my girlfriend, ma chum.”
Catrine eyed me warily. “Elle ne parle pas francais?”
I understood that. “Non. Je pa.. parle pas fr… fran… francais.” I said hesitantly. Pretty much since I’d gotten here, Mark had been nice enough to give me words in French and then English. “But I’m not stupid. Do you speak English?”
Mark smothered a grin. “Non, elle est de l’Alberta.” He glanced at me. “Come on, let’s go inside I don’t want to miss the game.”
I grabbed my booze and followed, noting with distaste how Catrine possessively wrapped her arms around Mark’s waist. It wasn’t that I wanted him… well maybe a little… he was cute and all, but he was involved. Besides I was about to enter a party chock FULL of cute guys. It just would have been nice if she would have let him introduce me to a few people before she took him away.
We took off our shoes and made our way through the front porch into the hall. As we walked past the living room (where basically everyone was gathered, watching the pre-game show for the Canada-Finland game that was about to start, everyone turned to stare. I guess they don’t get a lot of new people at their parties. “Tout le monde je veut vous introduire a Nickie Roy, elle est la nièce de Mme. Paradis.” Mark said. “Everyone, this is Nickie Roy. Mme. Paradis’ niece.” He turned to me. “Nickie, this is everyone… c’est tout le monde.”
There were a bunch of comments in French… many of which I am sure were dirty as we made our way to the kitchen. “Placer vôtre alcool içi.” Catrine said. “Il y a des tasses sur l’autre placard.”
I looked at Mark, totally lost. She’d been speaking far too quickly for me to understand anything other then “alcool”. “But the booze on the cupboard.” He said. “There are cups on the other cupboard… placard.”
“Merci beaucoup Catrine.” I said, smiling pleasantly at Catrine, realizing that she was just like every other bitchy teenage girl I’d dealt with back at home, and playing like I didn’t know just how bitchy she was really being too me was probably the best way to deal with her. She’d get irritated when I didn’t get irritated with her.
Mark and I mixed drinks as Catrine kept her hands on Mark possessively the entire time. It was enough to make me roll my eyes, how threatened she was. Either way, we headed into the living room and I stood hesitantly in the doorway. Mark looked back at me. He grinned. He knew I was hesitating for two reasons.
One, I don’t speak French, and two I wasn’t sure who belonged to whom. “Eh, tout le monde, Nickie ne parle pas français, alors si vous parlez anglais, vous pouvez t’aider Nickie avec la langue.”
He spoke slowly and some of it I could understand. I smacked him lightly. “Gee thanks Tobin, make me a pity case.”
“I didn’t mean it that way!” He replied, looking around. “Hey Alex.” He said. “Come make Nickie feel welcome.”
“No problem.” The guy, as tall as Mark, was tall, and ruggedly handsome with dark, curling hair, said looking me up and down with a quick grin. “No problem at all.”
Mark looked at him carefully. “Not too welcome.” He said seriously. Then he grinned. “At least not before she’s had the chance to meet everyone. We both know that there’s probably someone better for her then you.”
Alex glared at Mark, but I just laughed, and took a long swig of my drink. “So where are you from?” I asked, plopping myself down at his feet on the floor.
“Montrèal.” He replied, and I noted his English had a slight accent. “You?”
“Airdrie, Alberta, right outside of Calgary.” I said, taking another swig of my drink.
“Umm….” He said slowly.
I laughed. “It’s okay. No one knows where Airdrie is.”
“No one knows where Rimouski is either.” He laughed. “But that will change by the end of the year. Already Crosby… we call him Darryl has the media drooling. Ever since Greztky said that he could be better then him some day.”
I thought back as I took another swig of my drink. “Sidney right?” I asked. “The kid who’s playing on Team Canada?”
“Yep.” Alex said. “So do you like hockey?” He asked. “’Cause you’ll be really out of place here if you don’t.”
I laughed. “I’m Canadian.” I replied. “Am I allowed to NOT like hockey?”
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