Chapter 13: The Trouble With Love...

**Didn't have time to check the spelling or anything (just a warning). I'm suffering a really bad case of writer's block, especially with this story. I know this isn't that exciting or that long but I just feel like I need to throw something up inorder to keep myself writing lol... let me know what you guys think. Anything you want to see happen?**



"So did he?" Jordan was standing behind me, whispering urgently to me as I laced up my skates.

"I don't know Jordan... Karrington wouldn't but Max-"

"Max has a way of getting what he wants," he cut me off. "Did she say anything?"

"No! I wasn't going to ask her. I just get her back and you think I'm gonna ask her whether or not she had sex with Max?" I shook my head and got up off the bench, heading towards the rink with Jordan in tow.

"Still man... don't you want to know?"

"No. Actually I don't." My tone meant that the conversation had ended. Jordan opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind; letting out a huff as we continued our way on the ice.

I thanked God for the ice; my sanctuary. As soon as my legs touched down onto the glossy surface, everything started to make more sense. This was my own refuge when things got too hard; the reason I was able to deal with everything.
When I was on the ice, regardless of whether it was a game of shimmy, a warm-up or a pro game; everything always seemed to work itself out by the end...
It was that way now. I propelled myself around the ice, gaining momentum as I pushed my legs faster and harder. After a dozen laps of the surface I let up, allowing myself to coast back around the ice and into the middle, where my team was congregating. They all looked up at my approach and I was able to give them an honest smile back.
Geno started hitting pucks out towards me, as Flower took his position in nets. With no real purpose or drills set up for the day I started taking a few shots on net.

"Hey Sid, can we stop for a bit? You're wearing me out and the other guys haven't even started yet." Flower called between squirts of water. I looked over at the clock; I'd been slapping pucks at him for almost an hour. I turned around and found the rest of the guys doing some stick-handling at the other side of the ice.

"Shit, sorry Flower... I didn't even notice..." He gave me a smile and skated out towards me, slapping me on the side with his blocker.

"Anything in particular or just... everything?"

"I don't even know." I shrugged my shoulders, and moved down the ice with the rest of the team.

"Bonjour mes amis!" Talbot called as he jumped on the ice and sprinted off towards Tanger and TK, slapping the latter with his stick as he passed.
An angry noise escaped my throat and I changed directions heading for him instead. Dan, who had no idea anything had even happened, began to blow his whistle; signalling a change in drills.

I felt Flower's pull on my right arm as I reached Max. "You're late." I spat at him, coming to a halt a few inches behind him.

He turned around and grinned at me. "Oh I know... but Sid... you should have seen her man! I wasn't even looking for anything last night and she was all over me... was she ever a looker!" He crooned, earning grins of approval from TK and Tanger.

"And what the hell is that suppose to mean?" I moved closer, until we were chest-to-chest. Max started to back up, realizing for the first time that I was angry.

"Umm... je na sais pas... what going on?" He held his hands out in front of him, giving me a look of true confusion. How was he able to brush everything off so easily? I couldn't sleep last night because of him and he was out fucking around?

I opened my mouth to say something but Flower grabbed me from behind and jerked me backwards. I followed his lead and allowed him to drag me behind me, my rant already bubbling over my lips. "The fucking nerve of him Flower! I'm up all night freaking out because there's something going on between him and Karri... and he's out fucking some tramp!"

"Calm down Sid, you don't know for sure that something's going on. I don't think there is so just... don't do anything stupid."

By this point we were in the dressing room. I pulled off my skates and chucked them as Flower watched me hesitantly from the doorway. "What?" I shouted at him, I exhaled and turned my back on him. "Sorry... I didn't mean... I'm just pissed off, about everything." I flopped down on the bench next to me and shook my head. I couldn't even go for a skate to clear my mind; not with him out there.
He was everywhere now. He had access to my home, my sanctuary, my girlfriend.

Flower gave me a small smile. "I need to get back out there Sid. I'll go talk to Dan. Maybe it would be best if you went home, spent some time with Karri." I shook my head.

"I'm just gonna go up to the gym." I pulled my practice jersey over my head and glanced around for my work-out gear. I heard Flower sigh as he closed the door behind him and made his way back out to the ice.


My muscles screamed in protest as I forced myself onwards. The handles of the stationary bike were slippery from my hands and sweat was dripping down into my eyes.
I knew that killing myself like this wasn't going to help anything; but it was nice to play the game... 'if I can go faster/further/harder, then everything will be ok'.

"Sid." A voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I glanced over my shoulder to see Max walking towards me. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"What do you want?" I asked nonchalantly. The bike had solved one problem for me; I wouldn't punch Max in the face now, I was too exhausted to do anything but keep my feet moving.

"Look man. Nothing happened. I wouldn't do that... I mean, yah ok... I kissed her that one time but, it wasn't like that. I don't want to steal your girlfriend from you. I didn't sleep with her, and I'm not trying to." He sounded sincere but I knew Max better


"I'm not in the mood for this Max... just go." I looked back at him and he was looking at his feet. He finally looked up in defeat and turned his back on me, heading towards the door.

"You know what?" He stopped suddenly, rounding on me. "If anyone should be pissed off it's her, not you! You're acting like a baby."

"What the hell did you just say to me?" I stopped pedaling and shoved myself off the bike.

"I've done nothing wrong and neither has she. But yet she gets all this shit from the other girlfriends, the media... she just wants someone to rely on and you just... you just care about yourself. She had the worse night of her life the other day, and you should br there with her but you're not. Practice ended over an hour ago and you're still here. That's no way to treat someone you say you love."

"And what do you know about love?" I snapped, taking a few steps towards him. "You're gonna stand there and try to tell me how to love a woman, you; Max Talbot. The only thing you know how to do is pick up and dump." I pushed past him, taking great care to slam my shoulder into him as I marched by.

"Why are you so mad at me? I told you I didn't do anything!" He shouted, his hands squeezing into fists at his side. I stopped walking and turned to glare at him.
Suddenly a smile snapped onto his face and let out a bark-like laugh. "Oh... you're pissed because she came to me." He shook his head and looked down at the ground, smiling to himself for a few seconds before looking back up. He started laughing loudly and I felt myself become even more infuriated. "Oh Sidney, what kind of mess are we in?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, trying to control the anger and confusion in my voice.

He took a step towards me and looked directly in my eyes. "You're upset because Karri went to me when she had no where else to go... and I'm upset, because no matter what happens she'll always go back to you."




"Flower I got a problem..." I said softly into the phone as I drove back towards my house.

"What's that man?" He asked. "Max say something about Karri?"

"Yes. But not what you think. He didn't do anything, I know that for sure. He won't do anything like that."

"Well that good ri-"

I cut him off. "Flower, he doesn't want to sleep with her... I think he's in love with her."