Left Behind // Jake Virtanen

Chapter 6

The lights came on and the music becomes louder. I looked across the ice and see the Canucks goalie step onto the ice.

"What number is Jake's?" Shouts Raquel.

"He's number eighteen!" I shout back.

I look at each player who skates by after taking a shot at the empty net trying to find Jake. But no luck.

"Have you found him yet?" Raquel asks.

"No I don't see him" I say sadly. 

Then a player skates by with a huge smile on his face looking right at me. I smile back recognizing that it is Jake.

"There he is!" I point him out to Raquel.

"Damn boy! You look mighty fine in your hockey gear!" Raquel attempts to whistle but fails.

I keep my eye on Jake the rest of the warm up. Cheering when he scores and laughing as Ben Hutton hits him into the boards. Jake turns around and pokes his stick at Ben. Ben just laughs at him.

I really can't believe that I know Jake Virtanen and that he gave me tickets to be at this game. There is literally nothing that can wipe this smile off my face. 

I see that the girls beside me have a sign. Every time that Jake skates by they giggle, scream and bang on the glass yelling "We love you Jake!"

"What does you sign say?" I ask tapping the one girl on the shoulder.

She smiles turning her sign to me. It says 'I drove from Calgary just to see you Jake Virtanen!!! Miss seeing you play for the Hitman!' "Do you think that he seen it?" She asks me.

Wishing I never asked to see it I say "I'm sure that's why he keeps looking over this way. I bet he loves it."

"Really! You think so thank you. I have been a big fan of Virts since he started playing in the WHL for Calgary." She gleams.

"Did you meet him back then?" Why do I keep talking to her.

"I did once at a signing but that was a couple of years ago. I haven't had a chance to see him meet him again though."

"He seems like he could be a decent guy" I smile knowing how sweet he really is but there is no way I am going to tell her that I kind of know him.

"Angie come on. I'm hungry, let's get some popcorn." Angie's friend says.

"Okay I'm coming." Angie says "Bye. Enjoy the game." She says to me.

"Yeah you too. Hope you get to meet Jake again." I say hoping not.

I am glad that Ang is leaving now because she is starting me make me upset. I really hope that her seat isn't close to mine or I might have to bitch slap her or something because Jake is mine.

"OMG KELSEY!" Raquel screams. "I can't believe you were so cool about all that. I am going to lose it on her trying to steal your boy from you."

"You have no idea Ray. I almost lost it on her." I say while my heart is pounding out of my chest.

I watch the two girls run up the stairs. My heart sinks knowing that there is a chance that these girls actually knows Jake and that Jake only saw them and not me standing right next to them.

Raquel gives me a hug after seeing the hurt written on my face. I can't believe that I actually thought I would ever get the chance to be with Jake.

"You know Kelsey that just because those girls know Jake from Calgary doesn't mean that he wants to be with them." Raquel tries to cheer me up.

"I really don't know why I even bother coming here tonight and giving Jake a chance because honestly it will never work out between us" If I keep telling myself this I might start to believe it.

"Don't say that. You haven't even given him a chance to prove himself to you."

"Why give him a chance when I know it will never work out."

"Why not just have fun for a while with this then?"

"Because I am the one who will get hurt in the end" Just thinking about all of this is making me hurt.

Raquel turns to look at the ice saying "Please don't be a downer for tonight. I at least want to have fun."

I finally get enough courage to look back at the ice but only find the Zamboni.