Juvenile Act

Six days.

Six days of nothing... not a visit, not a phone call, not even a single word. Six days of realizing that I am goodbye; that something is so wrong with me, I chase people away.
I was so confused. Everything seemed to be fine; sure, I was still dying inside, but Aberleigh had made me feel something other than emptiness. Now I didn't even have that, I had even less than when I started.

I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the polished surface; unable to move any part of my numb body.
My phone vibrated, signalling that it was time to head to the game; but I had made up my mind, I wasn't going - I needed more time.
She kissed me! My mind started screaming again, I didn't ask for this, I didn't make her do anything. What? What now...

Finally willing my body to move, I crossed the kitchen floor, towards the phone. I grabbed the receiver off the wall and pressed it to my ear; before I realized that the only two people I wanted to call, wouldn’t answer.
I didn't need to find the little piece of paper Max had given me to remember Aberleigh's number; I had stared at it so much over the past few days, I knew it off by heart. I punched in the numbers and waited - nothing.

I pressed the flash button and waited for the dial tone; dialing in a number that I hadn't dialed in the longest time... it rang four times before going to voice mail. "Bonjour ! Vero ici… me laissent un message..." I hung up the phone before the beep, pressing my forehead up against the wall as the tears fell down my face.

When I had no tears left to cry, I slumped onto the ground, pulling my knees up towards my chest as I leaned back against the wall.

"Flower?" I heard Max yell from the door, "Flower, where are you man? We have a game soon!" I continued to sit in silence, as I heard his foot steps travel up the stairs and through my house, before he entered the kitchen. His foot steps paused for a minute before they started again - slowly - towards me. "Marc... please..."

There was something in Max's voice that I had never heard before. He wasn't pleading for the hockey game, he was pleading for me. I looked up into his face and saw his eyes swimming in fear. "Marc, you can't do this by yourself anymore... please... tell me what I need to do." He reached his hand out to me and I grabbed it as he pulled me up to my feet. "Go get dressed man, we gotta get going-" he said softly.

"I don't think I can..." My voice was husky and soar; I had cried myself hoarse.

"If you can't play, then you can't play... but you have to come Marc, I can't leave you here; I won't leave you here alone." I nodded slowly and made my way upstairs to change.


We parked outside of the Arena; Max turned his truck off, leaving us in silence. I could see Max struggling with his thoughts before he finally spoke. "Marc, you don't have to do this alone, you know? I'm not gonna pretend that I understand what you're going through - cause I don't. But I'm here man... we're all here, and we all want to help you."

I nodded my thanks, trying to keep myself together as Max gave me a minute alone; heading into the arena ahead of me.
I watched him until he had disappeared through the doors before I slid out of the truck. I headed towards the arena; trying to keep my mind on hockey and only hockey... trying to ignore the pain I felt inside, the pain that never ended.
Then I saw her; them. Aberleigh was leaning into a tall, tanned man; his lips pressed to her forehead. She took a step back and smiled at him as he climbed into her car.
Of course... I nodded to myself as I forced my legs to keep moving into the building, it had been a mistake... why I had I even thought anything different? God, I'm such an idiot.


"Hey Flower!" People started shouting as I pushing the door open to the dressing room.

I looked around; everyone fell silent at the look on my face. Max walked towards me, a questioning look on his face. I started to laugh, a hint of hysterics in my voice; "We were pretty foolish, eh? To think she wanted me..." Max cocked his head, not following. "She didn't... doesn't want me. She found someone else - Aberleigh" I added as he continued to look confused. "That's where she's been the past week... with him. I saw them together on my way in... looks like she figured me out faster than Vero." I moved past him towards my stall with my head hung, feeling everyone's eyes following me.

I opened my bag and began to pull my gear out; I needed to be on the ice, to feel it, breath it. There was something inside me, forcing me to move, something more than hopelessness - jealousy? This wasn’t an emotion I was use to, and it felt out of place; but it was there none the less. I pulled on my pads and looked up in time to see Max leaving the dressing room. I sighed and put my head down; focus Marc.




“It’s her brother!” Max said loudly, causing me to jump as he came up behind me. He was fully geared and smiling ear from ear.

“What are you talking about?” I sighed, as I turned to face him.

“The guy in the parking lot… that’s her brother, little brother or something. Anyway, she’s coming to the game… to see you. You should see what she’s wearing too!” He finished slapping me on the back. I saw him glance over at Dan, who was watching me. “Ugh, let me go fix something… I’ll be right back…” he gave me another slap before heading over to coach.
A smile formed on my face, brother… of course she had a brother! She had told me that before… I felt relief wash through me as I let out a chuckle. Maybe it wasn’t a mistake then…
I sighed and shook my head as the smile left. It had definitely been a mistake; even if she didn’t have a boyfriend, she had still avoided me for six long days.
I tried to shake the thought as we began to file onto the ice.

The announcer called my name and the crowd cheered as I made my way over to the net. I caught sight of Abby; directly behind the net, front row. Like last time, she had her binder laid out on her lap; this time however, she was wearing a Penguins jersey - my jersey.
She looked up and made eye contact with me; giving me a small smile and wave. I grinned back, trying not to let the sadness show in my eyes. I took my place and leaned across the net, letting my eyes roam over the surface of the ice as I thought about the woman behind me. So she didn’t have a boyfriend, that was her brother; and she’s here now, in my jersey… watching me play. She didn’t talk to me for six days though… even if she’s here now, she’s here for work… not me. I sighed as Sidney won the face-off and booted down to the other side of the ice, it was probably Mario’s doing; he was worried I’d fall apart again so he made her come…

The Caps were coming in hard; relentlessly. I wasn’t playing at one hundred percent, but I also wasn’t playing horrible.
In the third period, Ovechkin had a break away and I was sure he was going to score. I saw him twist to the left and I fell; trying to stop him. It was a rouse though, he brought his stick up and hit it in high; I caught it in my glove.
I was just as surprised by my save as the crowd that erupted around me in the stadium. I couldn’t keep the disbelief off my face; and in a juvenile act I turned around to look at Aberleigh with a ’did you see that?’ grin.
More surprising than my save was the act I caught Aberleigh in. Usually so cool and collected; she had abandoned her work. I watched her binder fall off her lap as she jumped up and turned around, celebrating with the people around her. She turned back around and caught my eye; my face wide with disbelief again. She gave me a shy smile and shrug as she pulled her binder back up into her lap; I returned the grin, being brought back to reality by the ref.

Thanks to that save, the game went into a shoot out. I saved two out of three; the Caps goalie saving only one.
With that win I went into the locker room in high spirits; spirits which were only elevated by Max and his elation at my current situation. I showered and changed quickly; the adrenaline still pumping through my body, making it impossible to slow down.
“Hey Flower, lounge buddy.” Max shouted across the room at me as. I looked up at him, the smile draining off my face as I stared incredulously.
He continued to stand at the door, smiling and waiting. I slowly got up and moved over towards him, feeling the other guys beginning to move around me.
In a big group we headed towards the lounge; I felt Sidney move up behind me, steadying me with a hand as Max pushed the door to the lounge open.



My eyes automatically fell onto the couch in the corner; the couch where Vero use to wait with Heather, Amanda and the rest of the girlfriends.
At some point I stopped walking, allowing my eyes to linger there; on the empty seat. “There she is…” Sidney whispered in my ear, pointing in the opposite direction.
I turned to follow his finger; searching for Vero. It was a full minute before I realized he wasn’t talking about her. Against all odds and for no apparent reason; Aberleigh was standing, still in my jersey, waiting by herself in the corner. Dani had come to join Max and I felt him shove me towards Aberleigh as he rested his arm across Dani’s shoulder.

I stumbled towards her, coming to a stop a few feet away before finally catching her attention. She looked up and gave me a small, shy smile; I could tell she felt as awkward as I did.
We stood there in silence, looking at each other, as some of the boys and their girlfriends milled around us. I took a timid step towards her, leaning into her. “Do you want a drive home?” I asked quietly, trying to avoid Max’s detection. She nodded and followed me towards the door.

“Flower!”, “Where are you heading Flower?” I heard Max and a few others call to us as we made out way out; I didn’t bother to turn around as I opened the door for Aberleigh.


We walked to my car in silence. The night was cold and I saw her shiver as she clutched my jersey around her closer. I opened the door and she climbed in; I hopped in and blasted the heat.
Without prompting I began driving towards her house. It took all my willpower to avoid staring at her - but it was impossible not to look - there was just something about her in my jersey. I loved it.
I caught her looking at me too a couple times, and I hoped that was a good sign; but with Aberleigh it was hard to tell sometimes.

Too quickly, we were stopped outside her house. Her car was there and that made me assume that her little brother was inside. I sighed through the silence; wishing that he wasn’t. I needed to talk to her, figure out what was going on; but beyond that I wanted to be with her.
I felt sick as we continued to sit in the dark. My lips was dry, my hands were clammy and I could feel my heart racing out of control. I wiped my hand on my leg and reached it over across the car; covering her small hand with it. I looked up into her eyes and she stared back; not moving her hand from mine. “Is your brother in there?” I asked in a husky voice, nodding towards her house.
She looked over at her car in the driveway and nodded. “I guess I should let you get in there then…” I said, moving my hand away.
When she didn’t move I looked back, she was looking down at her lap, indecision etched clearly on her pretty face. This is it… I thought as I watched her.
I wanted her. I could hardly believe the thoughts as they flashed through my mind - so vividly. The idea of grabbing her and pulling her into my lap; the pressure of her lips, the feel of her skin... I exhaled loudly, finally causing her to look up.
Pushing those thoughts away I reached over and placed my hands on both sides of her jaw; tilting her towards me. She licked her lips as she watched me come closer.
At the last second my immaturity took over and I chickened out. Veering away from her lips I tipped her head down and pressed my lips against her forehead. As I did so her hands closed around my wrists; holding them there.