Chapter 7 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I’m sure you were expecting something more then that from my first meeting with the phenom Ms. Kulak, but the fact of the matter is going after guys is like fishing or hunting or any of those other things that guys in Alberta love so much. You can’t catch anything unless you bait the trap or hook or whatever.

By catching Sidney by surprise, I’d caught his interest. Now I had to play it cool. With the guys gone on a two day road trip to Lewiston (before coming home to play Chicoutimi) it was fairly easy. My Dad had made arrangements for me to have a car while I was out here and he came through on his promise, because right after Mark and the boys left, a silver Pontiac Sunfire (leased of course) showed up for me.

So I decided I was going to go shopping. Tante Amèlie had yet to get the Internet hooked up, so it wasn’t like I had anything better to do. I did promise Mark that I’d be back for Sunday’s home game… apparently he’d talked to Sidney after I left and Sid was looking forward to showing me exactly WHO he was.

I made a ton of worthwhile purchases on my Dad’s platinum VISA. This was my spoiled brat way of letting him know that I was pissed. And knowing my parents the way I did (and do Ms. Kulak, because not much appears to have changed) I knew that they would just pay the thing off without a comment. They’ve spent the past six years loving me with things instead of actual love. Sending me across the country to live with an ancient Great-aunt wasn’t going to do anything to change that.

By Saturday night I was back, and Michelle and I hung out with a few of her friends from school (no Bianca, Catrine or Claire to my relief). Then on Sunday, she came over to borrow some of my clothes (apparently she’d noticed that I have quite the wardrobe… one nice thing about Quèbec Ms. Kulak, the clothes I got out there are amazing). We’d decided to dress up a little, since I’d totally dressed DOWN the last time we went to a game.

“Oh mon Dieu.” Michelle said as she looked at my closet. “I thought Catrine was spoiled.”

I laughed. “You ain’t seen nothing.” I said. “Back at home, I have my own walk in closet, and I’ve taken over the closet in the guest room down the hall. I just brought the essentials with me though.”

“Essentials?” Michelle said. “You could wear a different pair of shoes every day of the month!”

I shrugged. “Borrow whatever you like.” I said, as I reached for my sex boots. (I’m sure you know these ones too Ms. Kulak, since you HATE the skirt I usually wear with them and you usually send me home when I wear it to school…. They look like a regular pointed leather boot, but the back is open and just has leather laces running up the back my legs… my calves look KILLER in them.)

“So you know that Bianca is going to be at the game right?” She said.

I shrugged again. “Yeah.” I said. “But man, that girl is whack. Especially if she thinks that a couple of dates with a guy back in like, September, means that you’ve got some sort of claim to him.”

“Well its not like she’s the only girl with a crush on Sidney. I mean he is kind of cute and all that.” Michelle said. “Claire really likes him, not that she’ll say anything. She’ll just do whatever she can to undermine anyone else who likes him, and since Catrine doesn’t like you, you can guarantee that she’ll help her.”

I rolled my eyes. “Honey compared to some of the girls I dealt with back home, those girls are rank amateurs.”

Shortly after that we headed out the door. I was wearing the sex boots, the skirt you can’t stand Ms. Kulak (short, black, slightly flared), a silky pink negligee style top, as well as the leather jacket that was Daddy’s last sorry-I-was-fucking-my-secretary-and-missed-something-important-in-your-life present before I came here. We got in the car and tore off to the arena, where, as promised, Mark had tickets waiting for us.

He had seats for us behind the Rimouski bench. Apparently, Mark was totally on my side (not that I ever suspected otherwise) with this phenom thing. I’d let my hair curl a little and I knew I looked hot. The guys had lost both their games in Lewiston according to Michelle. (I have to admit, at this stage of the game I was far more interested in the boys on the team then I was in the team itself), and they were looking to beat Chicoutimi big before heading off to the Maritimes for a four game road trip.

I won’t bore you with the details of the game, though I will tell you that the phenom spent a good chunk of the game not paying attention to what was happening on the ice, the way one would expect, but rather, looking up at me. So much so that Mark, Eric and Alex all noticed. They all totally winked at me as they went off the ice at the end of the game.

However, the game didn’t exactly go the way the phenom would have liked. He didn’t score a single goal, or even manage an assist. Mark, however, managed a goal and Danny got two assists in the 2-2 draw, with Hrdel (the guy Mark had told me could teach me to cuss in Czech) adding the other marker. Thinking about it, I had to grin to myself. I mean, I knew I looked hot and all, but I didn’t think I looked good enough to throw the phenom off his game.

He’d never admit it, but even Michelle knew that I had something to do with him being totally off his game. She grinned at me as we wandered back to the dressing room after the game. “He was totally into you.”

“Shh.” I said, looking at the other girls, including Catrine, Claire and Bianca, who had gathered around the dressing room, as girls inevitably do after games. “The world doesn’t need to know.”

“Sorry.” Michelle said, not sounding sorry at all. “So what are you going to say to him?”

I shrugged. “Who says I’m going to say anything?” I replied. “Maybe I just want Mark to see my car.”

Michelle laughed. “And they….” She said indicating the other girls who were waiting. “Are just here to congratulate the guys on the game.”

I shrugged, smiling as the guys made their way from the dressing room. “Hey sweetie.” I said kissing Danny on the cheek as he made his way to Michelle and I, noticing that Mark went straight to Catrine, exactly the way she would have wanted. “You know Michelle Bergeron right?”

Danny smiled, and I noticed that Michelle blushed slightly. Apparently my new “friend” had a couple of reasons for befriending me. Not that I could blame her. “Hey Mich.” He said, then he looked me over. “Nickie, you’re killing me!”

I giggled. “It didn’t look like I killed you at all. You made some great plays out there honey.”

“Thanks.” He said. “It would have been nice to win.”

I noticed that Sidney was making his way out of the locker room, so I shrugged. “Actually it would have been nice to see what all the hype was about. You’d think the phenom would be able to put on a better show then that.”

Danny raised his eyebrows. “Everyone has bad games Nick.” He said pointedly.

I shrugged. “I just expected something more you know? With all the hype can you blame me?”
The phenom, meanwhile, was busy glaring at me. So was Bianca. In fact, I couldn’t totally tell who was MORE pissed off with my comments, the phenom or the bitch.

“What would you know about it?” The phenom demanded.

I shrugged. “Just that hype players have to do SOMETHING.” I said. “Back home, if Iggy doesn’t score, he better do something to help the team, and if Ryan… you probably know Getter, he was on Team Canada too, if he doesn’t score then he better hit someone HARD.” I said. “As far as I can tell, you didn’t do much of anything.”

“So you’re an expert now?” He said angrily.

“Nope.” I said with a shrug. “Just a girl in a skirt.” I turned to Mark, completely ignoring the phenom. “Hey sweetie, you gotta see what my Daddy sent me.”

Mark shook his head, his eyes dancing with amusement. “What on earth did you get now?” He asked. “It better not have to go in the basement. If you have your way the living room is going to become you’re frickin’ closet.” Mark paused, then continued looking frightened. “It doesn’t have to go in your closet does it? Because if it does, we’re going to have to convert the living room.” He turned to the phenom. “I thought Catrine had a lot of clothes. I was wrong… I didn’t know what spoiled was.”

“Haha.” I said dryly. “It is not my fault that my parents love me with things instead of actual love.” I flipped my hair over my shoulder and added. “Besides, a girl needs clothes. And accessories. It is not my fault that Tante Amèlie’s bedrooms have such small closets.”

Mark shook his head and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “So what did your Daddy send you doucette?” He asked.

“Come to the parking lot and take a look.” I said with a grin. “You can come too phenom.”

“My name is Sidney.” He snapped, but he still followed us.

I shrugged. “Whatever phenom.” I turned to Michelle. “So you have school tomorrow right?”

“Oui.” She said. “I should probably go home right away.”

I turned to Danny, figuring I could do Michelle a favour. “Danny, sweetie, can you give Michelle a ride home? I’m not in the mood to go home yet, and Mark and I have to play with my new toy.” I turned to Michelle. “You don’t mind do you Michelle?”

“Non.” She said. “I do not mind at all. If Danny doesn’t.”

Danny shrugged. “No problem sexy.”

I wandered over to my car. “Nice doucette.” Mark said taking a look. “Fully loaded I assume?”

“Hell yeah.” I said. “Remote starter, leather seats, complete with remote seat warmers, the best factory stereo Daddy could find. It’s tight.”

The phenom looked unimpressed. “So basically what you’re saying is that you’re a spoiled little brat Nicole.” He said.

I shrugged. I’m fairly used to people saying stuff like that about me. “Since you know absolutely nothing about my life honey, I won’t be offended by that comment.” I said. I tossed the keys to Mark. “Want to drive?”

“Of course doucette.” He said, popping the trunk and tossing his suit bag in the trunk. “You comin’ Darryl?”

The phenom made a face. “No thanks Tobin. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned to me. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but well it wasn’t.” He looked back at Mark. “I have no clue why you call her doucette Tobin… there is nothing sweet or soft about her.”