How You Get The Girl - Lukas Dostal

one

MADELINE ZEGRAS wasn't one to fall at someone's feet. A boy, nonetheless. She hated boys her age, you could say; the way they treat women like objects, and the way they only want to mess around. She knew this because her twin brother was one of them - he tells her everything - and it didn't help that women literally fell at his feet.

He was the one and only Trevor Zegras after all, the heartthrob left-winger of the Anaheim Ducks. Madeline rarely liked going to his games, but she made sure to go to every single one she could - she wanted to be there for him like they've been for eachother their whole lives.

She liked to live quietly, curling up with a book in her Newport Beach apartment was one of her favourite things to do. Once in a while, she'd go out with her friends, but she always preferred not to.

A voice came from the right of Madeline, getting her out of her head. "Earth to Maddie, are you there?" Evie says, tilting her head in the view of Maddie's binoculars so she can't see anything.

"Quit it," Maddie scowls, pulling the binoculars down to look at Evie. "We have lives to save here, you know."

Evie cracks a smile, spinning her chair around to gesture at another man in the lifeguard tower. "We have Owen for that!" She exclaims, patting his back a few times.

"You know, I can't see you, but I can hear you," Owen replies, still scanning the beach with his binoculars, "And also feel you slapping my back."

Evie rolls her eyes, "Quit being a big baby," She says, before turning back towards Maddie. "It's his shift to look, so we can just talk."

Madeline shook her head, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Fine, but keep it down. We're supposed to be on duty," she said, giving Evie a playful nudge.

"So are you taking me to the Ducks game tonight?" Evie grins, meeting Maddie's gaze.

Maddie sighs, rubbing her temples. "Why do you want to go so bad anyway? And don't say it's because my brother's-"

"Your brother's hot." Evie quips, finishing Maddie's sentence. "About half the Duck's fanbase thinks that, you know."

Evie's words make Maddie feel a little sick, but she shakes it off and continues on. "I know, and it's sickening, truly."

Evie rolls her eyes, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "What's so bad about him, anyway?"

Maddie leans back in her chair, squinting against the bright sun. "One, he's my brother, two, most of the time he's convinced that the entire world revolves around him," She pauses, taking a drink of water, "And, three, him and all of his teammates barely see women as actual people."

Evie nods, but there's a playful glint in her eyes. "So, what you're saying is, I should totally come to the game tonight and swoon over your brother just to annoy you?"

Maddie rolls her eyes, but she can't help but chuckle. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

"Yep, that's why you love me," Evie replies with a grin. "But seriously, Maddie, it's just a game. Plus, it'll be fun hanging out with you and seeing your brother in action. Come on, live a little; we almost never get to hang out outside of work."

Maddie shakes her head, a smile playing on her lips. "Fine, fine, you win. Let's go to the game tonight. But if you and Trevor start making out, I'm leaving early."

Evie throws her arms up in victory. "Deal! Now, back to saving lives or whatever it is we're supposed to be doing."

***

The energy in Honda Center that night made it feel like the roof was going to come off, and it sure got Madeline's heart pumping. It was a 3-2 game against the Blackhawks, into the last thirty seconds, and everyone was betting on Trevor to keep the puck on the offensive side.