Chapter Eight

AN: Yes, I'm well aware that it's not Christmas...yet. But it's near. So here is an advance present for all of you who are reading this.

"Wow, you look...amazing." Was the first thing I heard as soon as I got to the event. It was a wonderful thing to hear, mostly coming from a hockey player with very, very plush lips. Stop, I told myself. This is so fucking hard. "Thanks. You too." I said back. "Ha, really? Or are you just being nice?" Being Nice? Yes. But he did look amazing, too.

I was debating on what to say, but I ended up just saying; "It's the truth. Capital T." And he replied with his signature not-so manly, high pitched giggle. Oh that giggle.

"So, do you want to meet my teammates?" He asked, "Do you want meet my friends?" I answered. Technically, I only really have one friend, but a few of Leighton's friends that happen to be here are my acquaintances. Just right when I was about to tell him, that we should go meet his teammates first, harassment struck.

Cameras swarm us, I was lost. I felt like Britney Spears in that music video where she hits her head and almost ended up drowning in a hotel bathtub. I was scared, and I was protecting my head. Mental note to self; DO NOT TAKE A BATH. Shower instead. "Come on, let's get out of here...I'm sorry." That was all I could make out of what Sidney was saying, it was all because of the clicking and "Hey Sid, is that you girlfriend?" and "SID THE KID BROUGHT A DATE!!!!" Paparazzis at a charity event? Seriously? This is ridiculous. Actually it past the ridiculous state a long, long time ago. Luckily, Sid and I we're able to get out.

"I've never been swarmed by paparazzis before." I told him, using all the left over breath I have left. "Really?" He asked. "Yup. Now I know what people say that paparazzis makes girls feel special. I will never underestimate Paris Hilton ever again." He looked bewildered by my statement. It's a joke. "I'm joking." I told him, more seriously this time. He tried to smile, but I can tell that I've lost some of the trust I gained from all the weeks of; trips to Little Joe's, texting, phone calls, everything.

"Hey, I was joking. Seriously." I told him, looking straight into his eyes. "Yea, I know..." He said back. "And..?" "And, nothing. I get it, it's a joke. Do you want me to laugh?" Do I want him to laugh? Actually I do. But I'm not going to tell him that. "No it's fine." I smiled at him. And like the polite gentleman he is, he smiled -a tight smile back.

What could I have done to make him doubt me? The joke?

"Sidney, If you think i'm just hanging out with you because you're Sidney Crosby. Well you're dead wrong. What I said a moment ago was supposed to be taken light-heartedly. Not seriously. So I'm sorry?" I made it sound more like a question, like I was unsure of what I was saying. "I'm sorry." I repeated this time, with more confidence. "It's fine. Really, it's just that I've had my fair share of bad relationships." Looks like me and Crosby have some things in common. "Tell me about it." I muttered. "Looks like we have more in common than we thought, huh?" he said. "Yup." I said back. We we're silent for a few long minutes. But I was not going to be the first to break the silence.

"So, what happened to you?" He whispered. "Excuse me?" I whispered back. I'm not quite sure why we we're whispering, when I'm almost pretty sure we we're out of the paparazzis ear-shot, probably because of the intensity of this moment. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have asked you like that." He answered in a low voice. It was awkward for a while, but I decided to be brave. Who's the best person you can share a secret with? A stranger. And that is exactly what Sidney is to me. A stranger. Sure we've been talking for a few weeks, and we might be becoming closer but I know too well the even he has his walls up. He doesn't really trust me, at least not fully. And that's fine, because honestly; I don't either. But he truly is a great company to have.

"My ex cheated on me, and got the bitch pregnant." I told him. He stared at me, a blank stare. It looked like he was in another world.

"I've been through a lot." I said to him, but really to myself. To reassure myself, that I wasn't the only person in world that's going through the same things. And he just looked at me. It was a different look, like he was remembering something, or trying to relate, or even trying to understand unlike the sympathetic look that everyone gives me, when they find out what happened to me. But it's not the look that got me this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, its what he said. those two fucking words, was all it took to get me feeling emotions again. "Me too" that was it, that's all he said. And in an instant; he smiled and hugged me.

And in that very moment, Sidney Crosby made me cry. He made me cry a river.