Chapter 11: Safe?

Karri’s POV

“I knew I shouldn’t have drank so much pop!” I bounced around in my seat, trying to convince myself that I could make it till the end of the second period.

Vero shook her head and laughed at me, “Karri! Just go to the bathroom. You’ll be gone for 5 minutes tops.” I shook my head and continued my bouncing. “Please! You’re shaking me…” She started laughing and I looked over at her. Sure enough my rapid movement was causing her tiny frame to shake along with me.

“Oops! Sorry… ok I’m going… be right back!” I jumped up and ran down the stairs, almost knocking a man over on my way down. I pushed my way through the random groups of people and finally managed to get into the right corridor.

The bathroom was almost empty, except for a few girls doing their make-up in the mirror. While I was finishing up in the stall I could hear the teenaged girls talking. “Like OMG you guys, Sidney Crosby is the hottest guy ever!”

“I know, totally! Think we’ll meet him tonight?”

“I wanna go home with that Mark-Andrew guy… goalies are sooo dreamy!”

I laughed silently to myself, I’d have to remember to tell Vero her boyfriends’ actually called ‘Mark-Andrew’, who’d have known? I washed my hands quickly, wiping the remaining water off on my jeans as I pushed the door open with my hip. “Karrington!” Someone called from behind me. I turned around in time to see the female report Sidney had told me about.

“Oh… umm… hi….” She walked up to me briskly, cornering me between the bathroom door and the wall.

“Where’s Sidney?” She snapped, glaring at me.

“On the ice… playing hockey…”

“And why aren’t you out there supporting him? Trouble in paradise?”

“No, I had to use the bathroom… and we’re fine thanks.” She had me almost pinned against the wall now, I was taking small side-steps trying to get around her.

“So tell me Karri, may I call you Karri, how does it feel to be dating Sidney Crosby and Max Talbot? Do they know about each other?”

“No… wait, what?”

“They have no idea! Aren’t you afraid they’ll find out eventually?”

“No… it’s not like that-”

“So, you’ve got it well covered? Who’s the better kisser Max or Sidney?”

“Max’s kiss was a mistak-”

“Max? And here I would have thought Sidney was the better kisser!” She giggled a horrible high-pitched giggle and gave me a sarcastic smile. I looked at her fully, only to see she was holding a tape-recorder in her hand. “So Karri, tell me… how did you do it?”

“How did I do what?” I was starting to get terrified. I knew I should stop talking about she was intimidating me to the point I was stuttering. I wanted Sidney… I needed to find him, to make her go away.

“How did you convince the most eligible bachelor in hockey to date… you… an ugly, gold-digging cheater?” I was speechless. I knew that’s what people were saying but that was on the internet, that was different. Here was a professional looking woman, standing in front of me, one hundred percent serious.

“I- I-…” I could feel the tears forming in my eyes and I did my best to fight them off; I did not want to let her see me cry.

“None of the girlfriends like you… Crosby feels obligated to you… he team-mates try to hit on you because they know you’ll sleep with anyone if it means you get money. Do you hate Sidney so much you would deny him someone that he truly deserves? Pittsburgh hates your Karri… you’re not good enough for our Golden Boy.” She started laughing as the tears fell down my face. “Oh… you thought you deserved him… did you think you were good for him? Oh… that’s too bad. Well, at least now you know.” She shrugged and walked away.
I felt my legs give out and I plopped down onto the floor, curling my knees up in front of me protectively. I sobbed into my legs as the bathroom door was pushed open.

“Ummm…” I could hear girls giggling. “What are you doing?” I looked up to see the three girls from the bathroom. They stared down at me, their noses upturned.

“OMG… I think that’s Sidney Crosby’s girlfriend…”

The one in the Crosby jersey shook her head with distaste, “No way…” The other two burst into laughter again as they took off down the hall, dragging their friend in tow behind them.

They’re right… they’re all right. What am I doing? I never deserved Sidney. I never deserved him; not back home in Cole Harbour when he was nothing more than my neighbour, and definitely not now that he’s the Sidney Crosby.
I could still feel the tears running down my face as I closed my eyes and tried to gain control of myself. I ran back down the hallway, wiping my face on my sleeve before jogging up the stairs back to Vero.

“You were gone a while?” She said, giving me a concerned glance. “Is everything ok?” I nodded my head, avoiding eye contact. “Karri?”

“I’m fine… just nervous about the game.” I didn’t trust my voice to say anything else. We sat in silence until the third period was almost over, “I have to use the bathroom again… I’ll be right back alright?” She nodded, still giving me a worried look as I headed back down the stairs.

I didn’t take the corridor this time, I headed out the back exits towards the parking lot. I began jogging, thankful for the first time that I was wearing my Reebok sneakers. I jogged a couple blocks until I found a deserted park; I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing to do but, self-preservation wasn’t high on my list of concerns at that moment.
I walked over to a swing and sat on it, allowing the events of the night to sink in on me. Maybe I was over-reacting but it was hard not to; not after hearing people reinforce what you’ve known all along. Sidney would say he loved me, that he wanted me but I knew the truth; and so did everyone else it seemed.
Sidney Crosby was too good for me. I had to leave.

I made my way to a coffee shop and sat around for over an hour, trying to figure out my next move. I was going to have to get my stuff somehow, sometime Sidney wasn’t there. When’s the next away game? Darn, I can’t remember.
I sipped on my coffee, still not sure of what to do. I didn’t think I deserved to be with Sidney, but I certainly didn’t think I was selfless enough to just give him up.

My phone started vibrating in my pocket, causing me to jump. I looked at the caller ID; Sidney.
I sighed, allowing the phone to ring four times. What was I going to say to him?

“Baby? Karebear? Where are you, are you ok? I’m worried sick about you, Vero said…”

I started to cry, why does he have to be so perfect? “Yes, I’m fine… I mean, I’m not hurt… no one hurt me I just… can’t see you.” I was sobbing so hard, I wasn’t sure if he had even heard me.

“Baby, what are you saying? Why can’t I see you?” His voice was breaking, and it was breaking my heart. I didn’t want Sidney to hurt.

“I just… I need some time ok?”

“What happened? Where will you go?” I could hardly make him out anymore. I knew why he was whispering; he didn’t want me to hear him cry.

“I’ll figure it out ok? I just need a couple of days Sidney… please?” I waited in silence. Part of me wanted him to say no, to say that he was coming to get me right now; but I knew Sidney, I knew he would never do that.

“Ok. Ok baby… you do what you need to do… please just come back when you figure it out ok? Promise me… promise me you won’t leave me?”

“I won’t… I promise… I’ll call you soon, ok?”

“Ok… I love you Karebear…”

“I know Sid, I love you.” I hung up the phone, feeling new tears forming in my eyes. I got up out of the seat I was sitting in. I needed to find a place to crash. I pulled out my wallet; 30$, not enough for a hotel room. Enough for a cab though…

After a quick phone call, I was driving through the city on my way to the apartment. I hurried up the stairs, anxious to fall asleep and have the night end. When I got up to the top floor of the up-scale apartment complex , I saw the door I was looking for wide open. A girl was walking out of it towards me, like every other girl tonight it seems, she was glaring at me. Her dyed red hair looked trashy and clashed horribly with her shiny black halter top. “Hey.” She stopped abruptly turning around to the door that she just came out of, “Don’t forget about my sweater… and my 20 cents… ass.” She spat before turning and continuing on her way down the stairs.

“Good to see you too Goyer!” He called from the doorway.

I turned towards to sound of his voice, in time to see a sad smile spread across his face. The look of pity caused me to start sobbing again, why was I brining him into this? “It’s ok… you’re safe now…” He encouraged. I started walking quickly, sobbing into my hands. A few long strides and I closed the distance, ending up in the waiting arms of Max Talbot.