Part 10 - Pure Gold

The next day the guys (including Brent) were completely unavailable. They had the morning skate, media stuff, and then according to the text message that D sent my phone, nap time because “some people” had been sluggish in the morning skate. I shook my head. I knew that it was Sid who had been sluggish in the morning skate. We’d sat outside my room until nearly one am.

It served him right. But the tone of D’s text message was amused so I figured I wasn’t going to be asked to go home… at least not yet. I spent most of the day shopping, because, well the shopping in Winnipeg is way better then the shopping in Red Deer. I left the mall around 4:30 feeling like D would approve of most of my purchases. I kept it to blues, greens, pinks and purples… colours that flattered my colouring, and of course black.

I always look good in black for some reason. But tonight, Team Canada was playing and that was my theme. I put on a pair of tight low-rise jeans, a black baby-tee with the Team Canada logo, and of course, D’s old Team Canada jacket. I used a red hair elastic to pull my hair back into a ponytail (despite D hating the look on me). I grabbed one of the Hockey Canada tattoos I’d bought a couple of nights before and some silver glitter and put one of the temporary tattoos on my face.

I thought I looked very proud to be Canadian. I downed a couple of drinks before heading downstairs around 6:30, called a cab and headed over to the MTS Centre. The guys had been there for hours by now, and I was stoked to see them play again. Brent had gone over with them for some physio and to spend some time on the bike. We all knew (even if no one was saying it) that the eighth defensemen Canada had kept for these two exhibition games with Brent out was going home tomorrow.

I was headed to the concession and bought a beer before going to my seat. I hoped that I was going to be seating next to some rowdy fans. I love that. Unfortunately when I got to my seat, the first thing I realized was that I was going to be sitting next to a large group of teenage (and underage) girls.

I sighed and took a long sip of my beer. I was going to need to be drunk to deal with this. Where the hell was Brent when I needed him? Probably up in the press box. I could go find him at the end of the period I decided as I looked for Sidney as Team Canada warmed up.

“Oh my God!” One of the girls next to me squealed. “Where did you get your jacket?”

I glanced down. “This?” I said. “Its D’s from last year. He got another one this year, so he gave me this one.”

“D?” The girl asked looking intrigued.

I took another swig of my beer. “Dion Phaneuf.” I said. “I’m from Red Deer and I’ve known D ever since he started playing there.”

“Oh ma GOD!” One of her friends screamed. “You know Dion Phaneuf?’

I shook my head. “And the rest of the team yes. But mainly I know the guys from Red Deer, Calgary and the Hat.”

“How do you know Dion?” The first girl squealed.

“He started playing for the Rebels when he was 16… he’s in his fourth year with the team. I was 20 and I was from Red Deer. I was going to school in Calgary at the time, and we met when I came home for Thanksgiving and have been good friends ever since.”

One of the other girls rolled her eyes. “Yeah right.” She said. “Like you know any of them. Let alone Dion. You probably bought that jacket.”

I shrugged and took another swig of my beer. I really actually don’t like beer but it was all I had to get me drunk. So I took it. “Believe what you like. I can prove I’m from Red Deer and I am a teacher who has taught several of the boys, D and Colin weren’t among them however, they’re more like drinking buddies. Heck, they are drinking buddies, plain and simple."

The girls looked at me. “There is no way you’re a teacher.”

I shrugged. “You want to see my license?” I asked, reaching for my purse.

“Yes.” The girl who didn’t think I knew Dion said.

“Fine.” I said, reaching into my wallet and pulling out my license. “There you go.” I told her as I handed it to her.

She looked at it. “Teachers don’t drink.” She said folding her arms across her chest.

I laughed. Loudly. And long. “Honey, teachers drink more the most other professionals.” I said. “Doctors are probably the only professionals who drink more then teachers do. Remember, we have to deal with kids like you all day.”

She glared at me. “Just because you’re actually a teacher doesn’t mean that you actually know Dion.” She informed me.

Again I shrugged. “Believe what you want.” I said sipping my beer.

She glared at me again, but I went back to watching the game. I rose to my feet with the rest of the crowd when Jeff Carter scored at 4:09 of the first. It was great. The girls next to me temporarily stopped interrogating me (what had I done to deserve all this shit? First Sid’s parents now these girls). “Good job Jeffie!” I yelled. “Way to go Getter!” I yelled when Ryan was given an assist.

One of the girls apparently decided that her friend may not have totally known what she was talking about. “I’m Ashley.” She said reaching out to shake my hand.

“Nice to meet you.” I said pleasantly. “I’m Drew.”

“So you really know these guys?” She asked a little shyly.

“Yes.” I said taking a sip of my beer. “I really do know the guys. I just met most of them a couple of nights ago though. Last game I sat with Brent Seabrook in the press box, but he was in physio tonight before the game, so I actually used my ticket.”

“How is his shoulder?” She asked.

I shrugged. “I’m really not at liberty to say.”

Her friend who didn’t believe me snorted. “You don’t really know them.” She snapped.

“Ignore Melissa.” Ashley said rolling her eyes. “She’s always super suspicious of everyone.”

I shrugged. “Well you can expect to hear all about it after the game. It’s an open secret with everyone who’s been around the team this week. I just don’t want to get Coach angry with me.”

“Coach?” Ashley asked.

“That’s what everyone in Red Deer calls Brent Sutter.” I said. “We live Rebels hockey during the season whether we want to or not.”

Ashley nodded. “Have you met Sidney Crosby?” She asked, clearly not caring about Red Deer.

“Yes.” I said, not about to share anymore details with a girl who could be no more then 15, maybe 16 years old.

“Is he as hot in person?” She asked, her eyes eager.

I shrugged. “I didn’t really notice.” I lied.

She sighed. “He is soooo fine.” She said. “Have you talked to him much?”

I shrugged, feeling really uncomfortable. I mean, this is the kind of girl Sidney should want. Not someone who is nearly six years older then he is. I mean, I didn’t know her intentions, but she was more his age. I was too old for him. Too old to even be his friend realistically. “I’ve spent some time with him because Patrice likes to take a nap the afternoon before games and kicks Sid out of the room, so he goes and plays playstation or Xbox with D every now and then.”

“That is soooo cool.” She said. “What games do they play?”

“Usually Madden.” I said shrugging. “It’s really NOT that interesting. I promise. They play and trash talk each other, and I sit around bored and examining my nails until D decides that
someone should talk to me before I mutiny.”

“They are soooo cool.” She said.

“Not really.” I said. “They are like every other 17 to 19 year old guy on the face of the planet. Which means at times they are also annoying and gross. A lot of the time, they smell.”

“Smell?” She asked.

“Yes.” I said nodding. “They smell. Have you ever been around a hockey player at the end of a game? Nothing is like that stink. Top it off with the fact that they burp and fart and take dumps in each other’s bathroom’s with the sole purpose of stinking them up and they just… smell.”

Ashley looked at me a little oddly. “Sidney doesn’t do things like that does he?”

I shrugged and finished my beer. “I don’t know about the taking dumps thing, but I have been around him after games and he definitely stinks.”

As Ashley was about to ask me another question, Dion scored a goal and I stood up and cheered. “Way to go D!” I yelled as loudly as I could. Then I couldn’t help but grin as D pointed towards me in the stands. What can I say? The boy completely rocks.

Of course, I knew that he was pointing at me, and he knew that he was pointing at me, but the girls that were blocking me from going to get another beer didn’t know that. Not that I really cared. The rest of the period was pretty dry and colourless. I mean, it was exciting enough if you were a Team Canada fan and all you cared about was that we were winning. If however, you liked good hockey? Well this game was not the game for you.

Either way, as I was sitting there, contemplating my beerless state, Ashley kept bombarding me with questions about Sidney, most of which I couldn’t answer. Finally, when there was about five minutes left in the period when I heard Brent call my name from the aisle. The same aisle that the girls were blocking. “Excuse me.” I said as I stood and made my way to Brent.

When I got to him and he hugged me quickly. That made not only Ashley and Melissa and their friends gape, but pretty much everyone was gaping. “Hey Brent. How was physio?”

He shrugged. “I’m going to play Drew.” He said fiercely.

“I know Brent.” I said, knowing that he was willing to tough it out and play through the pain just for the chance to represent his country. I paused. “So what are you doing down here with us mere mortals?” I asked.

“Well Neufy saw you in the stands after his goal and so he sent one of the support staff to tell me to go get you.” Brent said with a shrug.

I shook my head. “Sorry D has turned you into his errand boy.” I said.

Brent shrugged again. “No big deal.” He said, then he lowered his voice. “Besides, I thought that I might have to rescue you when I saw who you were sitting with.”

“Thank you!” I whispered back. “I was trying to figure out how I could get out of there to get another beer.”

He laughed at me. “And that beer was number…?”

“Just three.” I said. “I don’t intend on being super drunk, but tipsy is cool with me.”

He laughed. “Well let’s go get you a drink Drew.”

I turned to Ashley and Melissa and their friends and waved. “It was nice meeting you all!” I called as I let Brent lead me away.

He looked at me and laughed. “I take it they weren’t that nice.”

“Not particularly.” I said. “Plus I really hate snotty teenagers.”

“And you’re a teacher?” He replied.

“Yep.” I said. “In part so that I can cure snotty teenagers of their snotty-ness.”

He laughed. “Is it working?”

“I’d say so.” I said. “At least when they have to deal with me.”

“So what do you think of the game?” He asked.

I shrugged as I grabbed the beer that was offered to me from the guy at the counter. “I think that we’ve got the game, so I’m glad I’ve got the beer.”