White Cloud

17- Sounds Good

"I've got two tickets to a Florida Panthers game with our names on it," My dad tells me the next day after he asked me to stop by his office. I figured that he was going to push the college thing more and then get back to work so him telling me that he got us hockey tickets for tonight definitely takes me by surprise. "What do you say?"

I'm feeling very tired right now because I was good on my word and doubled my jog today to pay for the potato overdrive from last night. It was still definitely worth it but my legs are a little sore even though I took a nap right after returning to the hotel.

"Are you serious?" I ask him with raised eyebrows. My dad used to play hockey but injured his shoulder in his last college season which meant that he could never go on to pursue a hockey career but he still loved the sport so I grew up going to games with my dad. The St. Louis Blues played their home games only an hour and a half away from our home in Springfield so we went to as many games as possible. Even after Dylan got here, it was just me and my dad going to the games because Dylan never really got into sports. Go figure.

"Yeah, there's a game tonight, the BB&T Center is only two hours away and I feel like I've been shackled to this hotel ever since we got here," He explains from his side of the desk. "And I know that we haven't really seen eye to eye since we've been here either so I think that we need a break."

"Okay," I say with a nod, feeling excited to spend some much needed time with my father. "Sure, when are we leaving?"

"Let's say four," He suggests. "That'll give us enough time to get there and maybe get some dinner before the game starts."

"Sure, I'll see you then, Dad," I pipe before leaving his office so that he can get some work done before we leave for the game tonight. He was definitely right when he said that we haven't been getting along lately. Ever since the whole incident with Lionel, we haven't really spoken to each other unless completely necessary.

I'm only wearing a bikini and an oversized sweater that drapes around my thighs because I ran out of Twinkies in my room and I know that they have a stash of junk food in the break room for the employees. I know that I shouldn't take their food because I'm not an employee here but my sweet tooth has been tingling all day and I'll buy them a new box of Swiss Rolls next time that I go to the store.

With a few Swiss Rolls and Honey Buns filling up my sweater to hide the tasty treats from my mom, I start heading back to the elevator but before I can get there, I hear a deep familiar voice calling my name from near the pool door.

"Hey, I was actually coming to look for you," Vincent is approaching me, only wearing his lifeguard shorts and a t-shirt. It's part of the hotel rules that the lifeguards have to have shirts on to come into the building. I'm starting to hate that rule.

"Sure, what's up?" I ask him, looking around to see if anybody is paying attention to us. I really don't want to get him into any trouble.

"I just wanted to let you know that I had a really awesome time last night," He says. "And Ava really liked having you over. Anyway, I have the early shift again tomorrow so maybe we can hang out tomorrow night, are you busy?"

"Nope, tomorrow night sounds good," I say with a small smile. "What did you have in mind?"

He shrugs at me and I'm now thinking that maybe after I stuff myself with terribly unhealthy snack food, I'll make my way down to the pool before Vincent's shift ends. Because I like the pool, not because I want to stare at his abs all day long forever until the end of time. "I don't know, I'll cook you dinner. Or I'll burn down my apartment building. We'll see how things go."