Shirts and Skins

Chapter Eight

Jeff's POV

We showed up at ScotiaBank Place at about ten to five. I walked into the dressing room and began to warm up and get my Under Armour on. I was trying to mentally prepare for the game. I knew I'd be physically ready, but that means nothing if my head wasn't in the game.

"Call Lindsay." My mind kept telling me.

"No," I told myself, "I should wait a little longer. It'll be fine."

But I couldn't concentrate on getting my head in the game. I had to call her now.

It was around four o'clock her time when I picked up my phone. I wondered if she'd even be home from school by that time. I'm sure she'd answer her phone either way. I mean, she asked me to call her, right?

I scrolled through my contacts to find her name. I touched her name and the call began.

It rang once. Twice. Three times. I almost hung up, but she picked up. Or so I thought.

"Hello?" said a girl's voice that wasn't Lindsay's.

"Umm, hi. Is Lindsay there?"

"Yeah, she'll be here in a minute. I have a question for you." said the girl back to me.

"Oh, okay."

"Lindsay's call display said that this is Jeff Skinner calling. Is that true?"

I laughed kind of nervously. "Yeah, it is."

"I've heard your name around my house before. Are you a hockey player?"

Wow, this girl was smart. "Yeah, I play for the Carolina Hurricanes."

"Oooohhhh, you're that guy! Any way, here's Lindsay."

Lindsay came on the line. "Hi Jeff, sorry about that. I was just in the middle of baking and my hands were full of cookie dough, so I couldn't answer my phone."

"You're a baker?" I asked. If she only knew how much I loved chocolate chip cookies.

"Oh yeah! I love to bake! Cookies, cakes, brownies, you name it."

"Wow, that's awesome. Just curious, but who was I talking to before you came on the phone?"

"It was my younger sister Eva."

"Oh okay, cool. So I hear my name has been thrown around your house a bit." I said to her.

"What? Who said that?" She asked, sounding kind of worried.

"Eva. She said that I was 'that guy'."

"Well...I mean...you are a professional hockey player and a Calder trophy winner. My house pretty much runs on hockey. That's why I love my job so much. I'm in an atmosphere that I love."

"Wow, that's brilliant." I said to her.

"But anyways, enough about me. This call is to get your mind in the game." she said.

"Oh, right." I muttered.

"What's going through your mind right now?" she asked.

"Honestly?"

"Yes." She laughed.

"...You."

She was quiet for a second. Softly, she said, "Really?"

"Yeah, you are."

"Hmm..." she thought for a moment, "Well, I don't know how to fix that, but I know one thing that might help."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Score a goal for me tonight. Or at least try your best to."

I was shocked for a moment. In one simple sentence, she had put my mind in game mode. I had to get out there on the ice. I had to score tonight. My thoughts were about the game now, but also, strangely about her at the same time. Then, I had an idea.

"Only if you come out to Raleigh this weekend."

The line was quiet for a second. "What?"

"Come out to Raleigh. We have back-to-back home games Friday and Saturday. And I want you to be there. Please?"

She made the sound of a sad sigh. "Jeff, I'd love to be there for you, but I can't afford to just jump on a plane and fly out to Raleigh. And my parents would never let me go alone."

"I'll fly out to Winnipeg in the morning. I'll come get you. And we can fly to Raleigh together. I'll pay, I have no problems with that." This was all so spontanious. I had no idea where this was all coming from.

I heard her quietly breathing, thinking. "Okay. If you score tonight, come to WInnipeg and get me."

"It's a done deal." I smiled. "Hey, I have to go get my gear on, so I'll talk to you later, okay? I'll try my very best to score a goal for you tonight."

"Okay Jeff, good luck tonight. Wish Eric good luck from me as well." she responded.

"I shall. Bye Lindsay."

"Bye Jeff."

The line went dead.

I turned my iPhone to silent and went back into the main dressing room. Almost the entire team was here already. I began to get the rest of my gear on. We'd be going out in about 45 minutes for our pre-pre-game skate. I had one goal in my mind tonight. And that was to score for Lindsay. I really wanted to see her again as soon as possible. And scoring tonight meant I just might be able to score this weekend (if you know what I mean).