Part 23 - Pure Gold

We sat around laughing and joking and D gave Colin his gift before I wandered off down the hall dropping off the gifts for everyone else. Reggie was prepared for me when I got to his room and had a little sprig of mistletoe (I still have no idea where he got it) hanging over the door. He grabbed me and kissed me hard as I went to go in the room. “Reggie!” I squealed pulling away from him.

“You’re under the mistletoe.” He said simply leaning down to kiss me again.

I let him. I know it was wrong, but, well it had been awhile since anyone had kissed me (my birthday actually, but a girl’s got to get birthday sex) and Reggie was a very good kisser.

“Let her go Beauchemin.” Sidney’s angry voice said as I was thoroughly enjoying being kissed.

Reggie shrugged in that nonchalant way that drove Sidney insane. “She was standing under the mistletoe.” He informed Sidney, as if he couldn’t see that.

“I can see that.” Sid said tensely.

I kissed Reggie on the cheek and gave him his gift. “Thanks for the Christmas kiss sweetie.” I told him. “Joyeux Noël.”

“Toi aussi ma belle.” He said grinning at me to Sid’s obvious discomfort.

I turned to Sidney and gave him a hug. “Come on sweetie, it was just a kiss.” I whispered comfortingly, stroking his hair softly as he held me tight.

“I know.” He replied, looking down at me. “And I know that you don’t like Reggie or anything. It’s just that I can’t kiss you and he can.”

I pulled out of his arms. “Well don’t be mad at Reggie.” I told him. “It’s not like you wouldn’t have done if you’re situations had been reversed. Now come help me.” I said. “I have a few more of these to drop off and then we’ll go up to my room and I’ll give you your present.”

“And maybe a little Christmas kiss?” He asked hopefully.

“On the cheek.” I said. “Maybe. But I’m not sure if you’ll be able to top what D gave me.” I teased him. “So maybe you won’t deserve it… Dion certainly did.”

“What did Neufy get you?” Sidney asked intrigued.

I held up my wrist. “This.” I showed him the bracelet.

“Wow.” Sidney looked at me oddly. “Are you sure that Neufy knows that you’re just friends?” He asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Sid this my birthday and Christmas gift.” I told him. “And D likes to buy me things. He’s a generous guy.” I paused. “Sidney, Dion is my best friend in the whole wide world. We love each other to death. If he told me tomorrow he didn’t think that you and I were a good idea we’d be done, end of story.”

“Excuse me?” Sidney asked. “One word from Dion Phaneuf and you’d throw what we have away?”

“Damn straight.” I said firmly. “Bros before hoes.” I told him, as if he hadn’t heard the saying before. “Girls and guys come and go… friendship like the one D and I have is forever.” I paused. “Wouldn’t you drop me in a second if, say Eric Neilson were to say that I was a bad idea? I mean you wouldn’t seriously consider dropping me?”

Sidney turned beet red. “Well umm, yeah I guess.” He admitted.

“See?” I said, eyebrows raised. “D and I have been friends for three and a half years… you and
Eric have a year and a half. He’s never steered me wrong when it comes to guys. I mean, with Kai he told me I had a good thing.” I stopped and made a face. “Even if some asshole on the team destroyed it with a word. With Stolly he pointed out that we were just friends who were hot for each other and, to quote D we should ‘just fuck and get it over with’. It worked. Stolly and I are good friends now that the sexual tension is gone.”

“Do you mean Jarrett Stoll?” Sidney asked eyebrows raised.

“Yeah.” I said. “Why?”

“You slept with Jarrett Stoll?” He asked.

I looked at him oddly. “Umm was part of what I just said not clear?” I asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Not much.” He admitted. “I just didn’t think you’d been with a lot of hockey players that’s all.”

“See there you are confused sweetie.” I told him honestly. “I haven’t ever DATED a hockey player. They are however, quite liberal shall we say, with their favours, and I’ve just taken full advantage of that fact.”

“Oh.” He said quietly.

I rolled my eyes. “And you’re telling me that you’ve never taken advantage of someone who’s ready and willing to fuck you, no strings attached?”

“Well no.” He said blushing.

“Sid, guys aren’t the only ones who can play.” I told him bluntly. “I take advantage of what gets offered, same as anyone else. I don’t want you thinking that I’m pure as driven snow because I’m a teacher. I’ve been fucking and chucking guys since I was your age.”

“Just since you were my age?” Sidney asked.

“Yes. I was 17, nearly 18, when an asshole that I was in love with took advantage of that and used me. Since then I’ve only taken a real interest in a couple of guys. Actually now that I think about it you and Kai and Joey are probably the only guys I’ve taken a real interest in since then.”

“Who’s Joey?” Sidney asked.

“A wrestler I went to school with.” I said. “We dated for like 4 months or something. He loved me, but not enough.”

“What about Kai?” He asked.

“A sprinter on the team with me.” I said. “Our relationship ended when he came home to Red Deer with me for Thanksgiving… we’d been together about 8 months. Someone, I’m still not sure who, called him a nigger and that was the end of that.” I shrugged. “Now there’s you. D approves and that means a lot to me.”

Sidney nodded. “I guess I’m just not used to honesty like that.” He said slowly, choosing his words carefully. “I mean, most girls try to hide their pasts.”

I shrugged. “Why hide it? Things you hide only come back to haunt you.”

Suddenly Sidney turned and faced me, his fingers gently stroking my face. “Drew you have got to be the most unique and amazing woman I have ever met.” He said gently. “I can’t lie to you, I’ve been, umm busy the past couple of years.”

“How old were you?” I asked, my fingers laced through his as we made our way into the elevator.

“14.” He answered honestly.

I laughed. “See you’ve got three years on me.” I told him. “Of course, I’ve been doing this for five years.”

“If I asked would you tell me how many guys you’ve been with?” Sidney asked, his thumb stroking mine.

I raised my eyebrows. “If I asked you could you even tell me how many girls you’ve been with?”
“I could.” He said blushing. “But only because I kept track.”

I giggled. A lot of guys I knew kept track too. I never did though, because it was somehow taboo for women to have multiple partners. “But would you?” I asked. “I mean, if you ask me a direct question, like about Stolly, I’ll tell you the truth. But my sexual history is no one’s business but mine and the people or person who were or was involved.”

“People?” Sidney asked eyebrows raised.

I shrugged. “I had a very adventurous phase when I was 19.”

“I suppose I shouldn’t judge.” He said grinning. “It’s not like I haven’t been a busy guy.”

“And it’s not like you haven’t had girls in groups tell you that they go with each other right?” I said with a grin.

“Well umm yeah.” He said.

I opened my hotel room door. “Door stays open Sid.” I said.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

“Sorry kid, but you’ve proven that you have a complete lack of self-control when it comes to me.” I told him. “When you’re 18 I won’t mind, but for now….” I trailed off, reaching into the box for his gift. “Merry Christmas Sidney.”

He opened the box slowly. As with D, I’d gotten him a white gold ID bracelet with diamond accents. It was absolutely gorgeous as far as I was concerned. He read the inscription carefully. “To my Phenom – Always, Drew.” He said aloud, moving closer to me with every word. “Am I really your phenom Drew?” He asked hotly.

“If you want to be.” I replied my mouth dry.

“I want to be Drew.” Sidney said. “More and more every minute.”

He reached down and hugged me tightly. I returned his hug for a moment before pushing him away. “Sid….”I said slowly.

“Thanks Drew.” He said, immediately changing the subject. “I love it.”

“Good.” I said. “But here, you have to take this too.” I told him, handing him the shot glass with the candy canes and LiveSTRONG bracelet. “I know I probably shouldn’t have given you a shot glass, since you’re the only one who is totally not of age, ‘cause even Cam is 18, so he’s legal in Manitoba and Alberta, but well I just decided I’d give it to you anyway.”

He smiled. “Anything with Hockey Canada on it will gain my parents approval.” He chuckled. “So no worries there.”

“Good.” I said.

“Here.” Sidney said, reaching into the pocket of the hoodie that he was wearing. “I hope you like it.”

I unwrapped it slowly. Inside was one of those Italian charm bracelets with a Canadian flag charm, a charm with a heart on it, a charm with a key on it, a charm with a hockey stick on it, and then the letters the spelt Sid & Drew. “I know its not as expensive as what Dion gave you and its not as pretty, but I just wanted to show you how I felt about you.” He said very quickly. “I know its not as expensive as what you got me either.”

I hugged him. “No Sidney it’s absolutely perfect.” I told him, putting it on the wrist with the LiveSTRONG bracelet I always wore. “I love it. Thank you. How much it cost really doesn’t matter to me sweetie.”

“Thanks baby.” He replied, returning my hug.

“No problem Sidney.” I said softly. “It’s me who should be thanking you. It’s a wonderful present sweetie, and I’m going to treasure it.”

“When I sign my first endorsement deal I’m going to get you earrings and a necklace to match the bracelet Phaneuf gave you.” He promised.

“Sidney this isn’t a contest you know. Your gift came from the heart. So did D’s.” I said. “You both care about me and I care about both of you. I don’t want this to be a competition between the two of you.”

Sidney shrugged. “I just want you to know that I care about you as much as he does.”

“It’s not a competition sweetie.” I repeated, because the message clearly hadn’t sunk in yet.

“How much something costs really doesn’t matter to me Sidney. Your gift came from the heart and so did Dion’s. That’s what matters.” I paused. “Especially since you both looked so darn nervous and cute when you gave me the gifts.”

Sid grinned and ducked his head. “So do I get my kiss?”