One of the Boys

Chapter 13

Delaney

A few weeks after that rainy afternoon I spent getting to know Chris more, I was now sitting between him and Riley on our flight out to Chicago. I turned my head to look in the seat behind me to see a sleeping Casey and Jason while Jack sat in the middle reading a book.

"Ready for your first game on the road as a Marlie?" Riley asked looking down at me with his sky blue eyes. "Of course I am." I reply giving him a small closed mouth smile.

"Good cause these guys can get a little rough out there." He said. "Yeah I know." I reply. "But hey, don't you worry, we'll have your back out there if they come after you. Right Chris?" Riley said leaning forward just a tad to look over at Chris who was looking out the window. "Hmm? Oh yeah, we've got your back out there. Always." He said before turning back to look out the window. "We've always got each other's backs. Both on and off the ice." Riley smiled.

******
"Hey Delaney? Dels wake up, the plane just landed. We're here." Jason said shaking me awake as my eyes began to flutter open. I quickly wipe my tired eyes and adjust to the light before lifting my head off of Chris's shoulder. Oh my god! I fell asleep on Chris! I say to myself as he turns to look at me.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I fell asleep on you!" I quickly apologize as the heat rises to my face and my cheeks turn red. "Nah, don't apologize, it's all good! Riley falls asleep on my shoulder all the time!" He says as I look over at Riley who has his eyebrows raised looking over at his best friend. "Right Riles?" Chris asked. "It's not all the time! Sometimes it's the other way around!" He replies as I let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, yeah! That was one time man, just get over it already!" Chris exclaims as the three of us get up and get off the plane.

******
"Want to go for a walk and grab a smoothie?" Jason asked laying on the bed of his hotel room that was just next door to mine. "Yeah sure." I replied getting up from the chair that sat next to the window. "Alright, let's go." Jace said grabbing his room key off the night table.

"Oh hey guys, where you off to?" Jack asked. "We're heading out for a walk and grabbing a smoothie. Want to join us?" Jason replied. Jack shook his head as he adjusted the bucket of ice in his hands. "No thanks, I'm gonna head down to the gym." He replied as I held the door to the room open for him.

"Enjoy your walk. See you when you get back!" He smiled. "Yeah, have fun at the gym and try not to make a mess of our room Eh!" Jason smiled before we made our way to the elevators.

Once the elevator doors opened, Jason and I stepped inside before the doors closed behind us. "So, sharing a room with Jack this trip?" I asked. "Yeah, he's a pretty chill guy. Did you know he loves solving puzzles?" Jace asked furrowing his eyebrows. "Well I do now!" I smile.

"And I see coach gave you your own room this trip." He says. "Yeah, he knows I always share one with you on road trips the odd time but he said he was putting you in with Jack to give you guys that bonding time. Plus he told me he was giving me my own room so I could have some privacy." I reply. "Well at least we're room neighbours." He smiles.

******

"This tastes really good!" I exclaim as I sip on my strawberry and banana protein smoothie from the small smoothie shop we dropped into on our walk. "I know, mines amazing!" Jason says before taking a sip of his Raspberry Vanilla smoothie.

"So how are things going with Chris? He still being a jerk?" Jace asked as we walked down the city streets of Chicago. I still haven't told Jason about everything that happened that night Chris came over or everything that happened since then. But I guess now wouldn't hurt to tell him right?

"Well..." I started. "It's kind of a long story but I'm going to tell you anyways cause you're my best friend and I know that if I don't tell you, you'll manage to get the truth from me one way or another." I say looking up at my giant of a best friend. "Okay, spill it Dels!" He says as we continue to walk along the sidewalk.

"Okay so it strays back to that night I scored my first ever career hat trick. Mason and I had ordered pizza after the game and we were arguing over who was going to get it while we stood in the hall. I saw a guy who looked familiar and I went up to him. Turns out it was Christopher. Mason had come back up with the pizza as Chris and I talked in the hallway, I introduced the two of them and Mason invited him over for pizza and a beer. Then while we were eating, Mace got a call and went to his room to answer it. Chris asked me if I was okay because I looked nervous, which I was. Then the next thing you know, I'm pouring my heart out to our team captain in the living room of my apartment. He sat there and apologized to me for being a jerk, I accepted his apology and next think you know, we're talking about hockey and doing some bonding. And then the next morning, I ran into him on my way out to go for a run and we somewhat had an awkward elevator ride before parting ways."

"Wow that's... That's a lot to take in!" Jason said as I stopped for a pause allowing him to soak in what I just finished sharing. "And that's not all, there's more.

"What else could there possibly be?" Jace asked puzzled. "So a couple weeks ago after practice when I stayed for my media photos, Mason told me he was going to pick me up. I waited outside the rink waiting and he hasn't come yet so I started getting worried and paced back and forth since he wasn't answering my texts. Then Chris came out from the rink since he stayed for a while after practice to work on stuff and he asked me if everything was okay. I told him it was and what I was doing then Mason texted me saying he was running late because of an accident at one of the intersections. Then the wind picked up and it started raining and Chris told me he'd give me a ride home since we live in the same building. He told me that he wasn't going to let me stand outside and wait for my brother in the rain." I say letting out a sigh at the end.

"Okay and did you accept his offer?" Jason asked as I nodded. "So he started driving and then he asked if we could stop to grab a bite to eat. So we stopped at the coffee shop I used to go to all the time as a kid, we got a drink and some food and sat in the exact same booth I'd sit in as a kid. Then we got talking before we left to go home." I added before taking a deep breath in and letting it out again.

"Wow! That's- that's all I've got to say Dels. Just wow!" Jace said as he opened the door to the hotel lobby. "Well, he has definitely proven that he's doing his best to adapt to the new change that was thrown at him. That's for sure!" He adds.

"But I think there's more to it than just adapting to this change." Jason said. Oh no, he's thinking about it. I know he is! He thinks Chris is starting to like me. I just know it!