Double Date

Hey! Just had to take a second to thank everyone for a)following the story and b) the comments I receive on every chapter. It's very much appreciated! Thanks, guys :)

I let out a yawn as Sidney walked me to my door, lifting up my free hand to cover my mouth as I did so. “I am so tired. Aren’t you tired?”

Sidney shrugged, letting go of my hand so I could dig through my purse to find my keys before I opened the door and he followed me in. “It’s not that late, and I had the day off. It’s you that was up at five this morning.”

I sighed, setting my keys down on the counter and sliding out of my coat before I lazily collapsed onto one of my couches. “I don’t know why five am even exists. No one likes it.”

Sidney laughed, taking a seat on the chair across from me. “That’s how I feel about Chris Neil.”

I had to let out a small laugh, stretching my legs out across the couch. “I like Chris Neil. He’s got character.”

“He’s an asshole,” Sidney argued.

“He’s a babe,” I corrected.

“A babe? Hanna, the guy can’t say my name properly because he’s missing so many teeth,” Sidney reminded me.

“So? Brendan Morrison is missing most of his front teeth, does that make him less of a babe?” I asked.

“No, but that’s because he has the face of an angel. Neil has the face of an asshole,” Sidney pointed out.

I sighed, turning onto my side so I could actually see Sidney. “Whatever, I guess we just have different taste in men.”

He rolled his eyes, giving his head a shake as he glanced past me at the clock on the microwave. “I guess I should head out soon, seeing as you’re almost asleep.”

I forced myself to sit up, rubbing at my eyes tiredly, hoping that I hadn’t smeared the mascara I was still wearing. “I’m sorry, I’m just so tired. And I’m also sorry if my dad was terrifying.”

Sidney widened his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath of air before he kind of nodded. “Yeah he was definitely a man.”

I laughed, standing up from the couch so I could walk over and hug him, my heavy head falling against his shoulder as I did so. It had been a long dinner, almost three hours, and poor Sidney hardly had time to eat because of the non-stop questions my parents were asking. My dad asked him why he didn’t fight more in games, and then my mom would ask if he viewed the violence in hockey as influential or simply entertaining. I tried to be supportive, but I spent most of the time giggling at how obviously uncomfortable they were making poor Sidney. The only plus that I think Sidney could take away from the dinner was that, despite Sid’s protest, my dad paid for the dinner.

“Did they like me?” Sidney asked, his chin resting on top of my head.

I laughed, “Well, they stayed for the entire dinner and my dad paid, even though he knows that you make a pretty decent amount of money. That means yes, they did like you.”

He sighed, lifting his chin up as I pulled away from him. “That’s good. I was trying to make a good impression. I’m sure they’ve already heard every stereotype there is when it comes to dating a hockey player and I didn’t want to do anything that would make them think I fit into those stereotypes.”

“Well, you didn’t have a plastic blonde girl beside you, a pitcher of beer to chug or your shirt off, so I think you safely escaped that,” I assured him.

“Oh, that’s just because the girl was busy and the beer I like wasn’t served there,” He joked, earning a smack in the arm from me as he laughed, tugging his keys out of his pocket and walking over to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow some time. I don’t know when, exactly,” He said, pulling his shoes on.

I nodded, yawning again before answering, “I’ll see you after my shift. I don’t work during the game tomorrow, I get to do the pre-game cleaning.”

“Wow, you live a good life, Hanna,” Sidney joked, walking over to me so he kiss my cheek before saying goodbye and heading out the door.

“Thank goodness, I thought he’d never leave,” Peyton called, making me jump.

“Jesus, I forgot you were here,” I admitted, placing a hand over my heart.

“Actually, my name’s Peyton,” She joked. “I was going to grab a glass of water, but I didn’t want to interrupt whatever you two may be doing,” She explained, walking into the kitchen with a playful smirk on her face.

“Right, because that’s the kind of girl I am,” I said. “Does Kris know you’re in town?”

Peyton paused with the cup just before her lips, glancing at me from the corner of her eyes. “No,” She admitted, taking a drink from the cup. “I haven’t told him yet,” She admitted.

I nodded, stretching my arms above my head. “Well, you should let him know. Because the guys leave on a road trip the day after my parents fly back, and if you’re planning on staying an extra few days to see him-”

“I wasn’t planning to stay just to see him,” She said. “I was going to stay to spend time with you. Plus, I took all of my homework from school with me, my teacher sent the lessons plans with me, so I am set.”

“So…when are you going to tell Kris?” I asked.

She sighed, drumming her fingers along the counter for a moment while she sucked in her bottom lip before answering. “I don’t know. I’m scared that it’s been to long since we saw each other now.”

I rolled my eyes, “Peyton, that’s stupid. He still asks about you, and you guys talk every once in awhile, it’s not like it’s been six months with no contact.” I watched her as she gulped back the rest of her water, wiping her mouth afterwards. “How about you come to the rink once my shift is done and you and Kris can come with Sidney and I for lunch?”

She thought about it for a moment, nodding. “I guess that could work.”

“I won’t even be here to yell at you to hurry up so you can look extra pretty,” I reminded her.

Peyton laughed. “I guess that’s a plus.” She sighed, putting her empty cup into the dishwasher before she headed out of the kitchen, stopping a few feet away from me. “Thank you, Hanna. Not just for letting me stay here, but for everything. For telling me abut hockey so that I could keep up with the rest of you, for forcing me to befriend Max and Jordan, which led to getting to know Kris and-”

“Peyton, you don’t have to thank me for all of that,” I interrupted, laughing. “That’s what friends do. You were there for me when Alissa died, I’m here for you and Kris finally smarten up and date. No big deal.”

She laughed, “Goodnight Hanna.”

“See you tomorrow, Peyton,” I said, tiredly dragging myself into my room.

-------------------------------

“Do I smell like Mr. Clean?” I asked Sidney as we waited for Peyton and Kris to arrive at the tiny restaurant Sidney and I were already sitting at.

“Who’s Mr. Clean?” He asked, seeing the look on my face. “That was a dumb question, wasn’t it?”
“It’s the cleaner. You know, the one with the creepy bald headed guy on the front in a white shirt? He winks at you in all of the commercials?” I asked. Sidney gave no response, causing me to shake my head. “You live such a sheltered life.”

“You don’t smell like cleaner,” He said, laughing. “You smell like a girl.”

“Ew,” I heard someone say from behind me, making me chuckle. “Girls are gross,” Kris joked, sliding in to other side of the booth, Peyton following soon after. “How long have you two been here?” He asked, picking up the two menus on their side and handing one to Peyton with a smile.

Sidney checked his watch, “Only a few minutes. Five maybe?” He asked, glancing at me.

I shrugged, looking over my menu before looking back up at Kris and Peyton. “So, excited for your game tonight?” I asked, trying to break the silence that had fallen over the table.

Kris nodded, “I love playing the Habs. So much energy from them.”

“Will Price be in net?” I asked. “He’s a-” I stopped, noticing Sidney’s face. “He’s a goalie,” I finished lamely, making Peyton laugh.

“We don’t know who’s going to be in net for them, yet,” Sidney answered. “It’ll probably be Halak, he’s been hot right now.”

I laughed, “Yeah he is.”

Sidney shook his head, looking over at Peyton. “So, what have you done while you’ve been in town, Peyton?”

“Slept,” She answered. “Oh, and Hanna’s mom took me shopping. She bought a scarf. I lost my dignity.”

I laughed, “Shopping with my mother is always an adventure,” I told Kris and Sidney. “She’ll try on everything in every store, and then buy something completely useless that she doesn’t need.”

“Like a seventy dollar silk scarf with her initials on it,” Peyton said. “I bet she’s already lost it.”

“No, she’ll wear it non-stop for a few days and then decide she doesn’t like it. It’s like when she gets a haircut and spends three days talking about how amazing her hair is, and then wakes up on the fourth day and decides she doesn’t like it anymore so she wears a hat for the next two weeks,” I corrected.

“Is it just people on the West who do things like that? Because I’m pretty sure my mom never did that,” Sidney said.

“Your mom couldn’t go shopping, she had this kid who had to be at hockey practice non-stop,” I reminded him.

“My mom does that, too,” Kris said. “She buys things like leg warmers and tries to give them to my sister.”

“I’m sure your sister loves that,” Peyton said.

Kris nodded, moving his eyes away from the menu to look at Peyton. “She really does. She’s a very odd little girl. She doesn’t like the Jonas Brothers because they’re too mainstream. She listens to Hanson instead.”

Sidney and I both burst into laughter while Peyton shook her head, chuckling. “Oh man, Hanson was such an epic part of my life when I was six. I was convinced Taylor was my future husband.”

Kris nodded, “Me too.”

There was a pause before we all started laughing again, Kris and Peyton falling easily into a discussion of past childhood favourites while Sidney and I merely shook our heads at them.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard Hanson,” Sidney admitted.

“What? You’ve probably head ‘MmmBop’ and just don’t know that it’s them,” I said.

“Maybe. I’m pretty oblivious to most music, aside form Great Big Sea,” He admitted.

“Oh, Sidney, I feel so sorry for your ears right now,” I said, making him roll his eyes. “I’m definitely heading home to make you a mix cd of shitty bands from my childhood for you to listen to on your roadtrip.”

“Look at that,” Sidney said, smiling slightly. “You called Pittsburgh home.”

I grinned, “Well, it is my home now. Besides, it takes too much time to say ‘Pascal’s basement suite’ and I might as well like the place, right?”

He nodded, glancing quickly over at Kris and Peyton as they were still laughing and talking, now discussing S Club 7. “You know that the only girl I’ll be thinking about when I’m gone is you, right? Because I don’t want to leave with you thinking that there’s some chance of me being the guy that some people like to claim I am.”

I gave him a small smile. “I know. I mean, I won’t lie, that’s going to be in the back of my head no matter what, because you’re this amazing guy and I’m constantly going to worry that you’ll realize you could do better, but I know you’re not a club goer, or a party guy or any of that.”

“Hanna,” Sidney started seriously, making sure Kris and Peyton were still distracted before continuing, “The only thing about me that could be considered amazing are my hockey accomplishments. What’s amazing about you is your spirit, you mind, your everything. I’m not going to leave thinking that there’s any girl, or possibly anything, better than you out there. Do you know how rare it is to find a girl who not only embraces the lifestyle I live, and my career, but also takes the time to get to know me and actually give a shit about what’s happening in my life? While I’m gone, I’m going to be worried that you’ll find some completely normal guy who’s around all the time and realize that’s what you want.”

I shook my head, “Sidney, normal guys are boring. I like you more.”

He grinned, reaching under the table to grab my hand and give it a small squeeze before he cleared his throat, interrupting Kris and Peyton. “What do you guys think you’ll order?” He asked.

Peyton shrugged, looking at the menu once more. “I don’t know. I kind of forgot we were at a restaurant,” She admitted with a laugh.

“I do have an ability to make girls forget about where they are,” Kris told her, picking up his menu once more. “It’s a curse, really.”

Peyton grinned, looking back down at her own menu with a playful eye roll.

“How many babies do you think they’ll have?” Sidney asked me.

I laughed, elbowing him. “Hopefully none anytime soon.”

“I’m thinking triplets. They can name all three Sidney,” He said.

“Yeah, I guess that works if they have three little baby girls,” I replied, trying to keep a straight face as Sidney’s grin fell from his face and he gave me an unimpressed head shake.

“Where is our waitress? I am hungry!” Kris groaned, patting his stomach.

“She probably forgot where she was and doesn’t know she’s working. Isn’t that the effect you have on females?” Peyton asked, still looking down at her menu and struggling to keep herself from laughing as Kris glared at her.

“Does that happen on the ice? You put him out up against Niedermyer or Phillips or someone and they’re stunned by his beauty?” I asked Sidney.

“It’s basically the only reason we signed him,” He told me. “He’s super useful on road trips, actually. When all the ladies are chasing after me, I just throw him at them and they’re silenced.”

“Silenced and pregnant,” I muttered, earning a laugh from Sidney and Peyton and an embarrassed head scratch from Kris.

“Oh, Hanna,” Sidney said, laughing still, “What am I going to do without you?”

“I’ll tell you what you’re not going to do, some girl in a glittery pink jersey,” I told him, pointing at him.

He nodded, leaning towards me to kiss the top of my head as he glanced back down at his menu and then placed it on the table. “What if she’s in a normal jersey? What if she says she’s my soul mate?”

“Sidney!” I yelled, smacking him again as he laughed, making both Peyton and Kris laugh as well.

“I won’t do anything that could upset you,” He said, still smiling at me. “I promise.”

I nodded, picking up the iced tea the now invisible waitress had brought me earlier and taking a sip of it, desperate to convince myself that the time would fly while he was gone and soon enough, he’d be back, and I’d have no reason to be worried.