The Road to the Cup ~ Wattys 2015

Friday Nights

"What do you do on Friday nights?" Julia asked, munching on some snacks I had set out when we got home. We were just hanging out on my couch catching up.

"You seem to have forgotten that I have only had one Friday night here," I replied.

"Okay, what did you do last Friday?" She rolled her eyes.

"I stayed in," I replied. Easy question.

"Can I see your phone?" She asked out of the blue.

"Uh, sure?" I handed it to her. She unlocked it and started scrolling through it rapidly, seeming very interested in it's contents. "Found something you like?"

"No, nothing. You weren't even kidding. You don't have any interesting pictures or texts or anything."

"Were you expecting anything different?" I was mildly surprised that she had even bothered to look.

"I was actually. You seemed a little off when you brushed that guy off earlier. I thought there might be-"

"Oh for God's sakes, Jules! I'm not seeing anyone! I'm perfectly happy being single, and I honestly just want to coach. I don't need anything else." My subconscious knew I was lying.

"Nothing?"

"Well, I'd like us to win."

Jules rolled her eyes, "We're going out tonight."

I sighed, "Fine, it's been forever since I went dancing."

"I was gonna say we could just go the bar..."

"Jules doesn't want to go dancing?" I gasped, "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

"Okay, fine, I'll come. But I'm finding you a guy and you have to dress like a girl."

"I am dressed like a girl!" I cried, "Just because I don't wear pink doesn't mean I'm not a girl!"

"Do you even look in the mirror? You always wear your hair like you don't care about it and that shirt does not show off anything that could remotely label you as girl; it's shapeless!" She didn't mean it as an insult, merely a concern for my ability to find a man.

"I've nothing to show off!"

"Do you still have that little black dress you wore when we went clubbing in college?" She crossed her arms.

"Yeah, it still fits."

"Put that on and we'll see how much of a girl you look like then," she demanded.

I tried it on. Okay, she was right, I actually looked like a girl, but I was nothing compared to some of the girls I'd seen strutting around the Steel City. Jules barged into my room. "Hey! I could've been indecent!" I shouted.

"Honey, I've seen your ass more times than I would have liked to during our hockey days; please don't try to pull that 'indecency' crap on me." She put her hands on her hips. "This is going to work just fine! Now I'll grab my LBD and do our hair and makeup and we can head out on the town."

"What if I don't want to do my makeup?" I pouted like a child, I hated makeup.

"That's why I'm doing it. Find us a club," she saw my face, "Come on, Erin! It'll be fun!"

"That's what you always say," I muttered as I looked for a good club in the city.

When Jules finished, we checked ourselves out in the full length mirror in my room. We looked hot. My dress hugged my curves and was just low cut enough to show off a little skin, but not enough to be considered slutty. It had long sleeves that hugged my arms, which were still toned from all my hockey training. The skirt came down to mid-thigh and the back was cut low, but covered in lace. Jules had somehow managed to convince me to wear my heels for the second time in two weeks. She had calmed my frizzy hair and put eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick on me to 'highlight my best features'. Her dress was shorter, deeper cut, and had shorter sleeves. She had smoky eyes, dark red lipstick, and she'd had straightened her hair. Honestly, we could pass for twins if you didn't know us. It was safe to say we'd be turning heads tonight.

"Where are we going?" Jules asked as we walked to my car.

"Z:Lounge. It's on the south side and has good ratings," I said. It looked pretty good, though I had nothing in this area to compare it to.

"Is there dancing?"

"Of course!"

"Good. That's all that matters," she grinned.

"Thanks for making me go and getting me ready," I told her. I grew more and more excited as we approached the club.

"What are friends for?" She replied.

We got into the club and our ears were immediately assaulted by the pounding of the bass through the speakers. It was like every club: dark and loud and hot, just like I remembered.

"C'mon, let's dance!" I said, surprising myself. I pulled Jules into the center of the fray on the dance floor and we began to dance.

I can't twerk to save my life, but that doesn't mean I can't move. We were jamming out, and either our attire,  our moves, or maybe both, attracted attention. We got hoots and cat calls as we danced, but we ignored most of it. The DJ played "Black Widow" and Jules and I shouted the lyrics. I laughed through half of it, unable to keep up. Out of breath after the song, Jules and I staggered to the bar to grab drinks. We had to catch our breath before we could even speak to order anything. This was one of the best times I had had in quite a while. We ordered shots from the girl working the bar and I threw mine down. Jules was quick to follow. We got seconds and I could feel the alcohol beginning to make it's way into my system, but it would take a few more shots to get me drunk if I remembered correctly.

The bartender came over, "Hello, Miss," he said and flashed a smile at us. He was pretty cute with his slicked back brown hair and blue eyes. Tattoos wound their way up his forearms disappearing into his short sleeves. We both looked at him expectantly and he grew confused. "Excuse me a minute," he said and made his way back down the bar.

"That was weird," Jules said.

"Yeah. I thought he was interested in one of us for a minute, but I guess I was wrong." I responded.

Then he was back, he scrutinized us a minute before giving up, "Alright, I have a drink for one of you, I'm just not sure who it's for. They told me 'the pretty brunette with the blue eyes', but that's both of you."

We laughed, this used to happen all the time back home when I'd visit from Union and Jules and I would go out. "Well, I'm the single one so I'll take it. Do you mind telling me who it's from so I can thank them personally?"

"Oh, girl, gettin' a little flirty aren't you?" Jules crowed.

"The buff guys down the bar. Most of them aren't from around here if that helps," the bartender said, handing me a Shirley Temple. Even in my hazy state I knew who it was from; my team was here in the club.

Author's Note

Hey, hey, hockey fans! I hope you enjoyed that little twist ;-) A new (and exciting) update will be coming your way very soon. Please vote and comment to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks! And until next time, Let's Go Pens!