Hockey boy

Kate's P.O.V.

      I look around staring at the now blank walls imagining the posters that once hung. I think about all of the memories that happened inside of this room and in this house. I know I can come back whenever I want but know that I'm out of collage and have a job and an apartment this is no longer the place that I call home. As I walk out of the house I give my mom one final hug. I walk to my car and back out of the driveway wishing I was a child again and didn't have to take care of myself, and buy everything I need. Once I got to my apartment, I walk up the three flights of steps unlock my door and walk in. My main room is empty except for a small kitchenette I'm the back corner, and a couch with a small table across from it which holds my television and it is my makeshift table for eating. It's 9:45 and I head to my bedroom. I put on my music note pajamas and go to sleep praying that my first day as a band teacher at Lafayette high school goes well.

         Well to day just sucked I get to the school my first class starts and I am already tires of these so when the last bell rings I head straight to my car and the apartment. As I pull in to a parking spot  a big black truck pulls up next to me. It scares me at first but I head to my trunk and grab a couple of my boxes. I see the man who drives the truck start walking to the door, I quietly follow behind him trying not to draw any attention to my self. Once he gets to the door and holds it open so I go ahead and walk threw nodding my head trying not to start a conversation. I get on the first step and my boxes start wobbling, "here let me help you" the man saids. He grabs 2 of the boxes and heads up the stairs with me. "You must be new here" he said. "Yeah what made you guess that?," I said realizing that I just started a conversation. "The boxes and you parked in my spot, but anyway my names Alex, what about you... I mean what's your name?" "Oh my name Katherine but you can call me Katie it's easier." We walk I'm silence for a couple steps then he saids, "Ok Katie where are you from?" Does this guy want to know my life story "Here, I'm from around here, and this is my level. I'll take those boxes," I say trying to end the conversation. "It's ok", he saids "this is my level as well so I can help a neighbor out right?" I just nod my head and walk down the hallway which is empty besides for the sound of our footsteps.

     I get to my door and unlock it "you can set the boxes there" I say pointing next to my table. He goes and sets them down and looks around. I wall over to the fridge "you want a drink, that's the least I could do for you". He shakes his head and starts walking towards the corner of the room where all my blues stuff lays. "You like hockey", he asks acting surprised. "Yeah, for as long as I can remember I loved it I always wanted to play but I never really learned how to skate. I really wanted to but I never had the time." I go and sit on the couch "are you sure I can't get you anything?" He takes a moment to think and asks "can I get a glass of water?" I start to get up and he saids "don't worry just tell me where the cups are." "Second cabinet to the left", he takes out a cup and starts filling it up, once he's done he heads to the couch and sits next to me.

     As he sits down I realize that this is the first time I've gotten a good look at him, his jaw is strong and I just think he's perfect, and i have seen him before. He looks over at me and I put my head down hoping he didn't see me staring at me. "So what do you do for a living", he asked. "I'm a teacher at Lafayette", I say kind of embarrassed, "what about you?" "Oh", he said "well...". "What is it embarrassing" I say "or oh do you not have a job." "No" he said defensively "it's hard to explain. Most people either know who I am already or when I tell them they freak out." I pause and then say "well you do look familiar I just don't know where from though." He was quiet like he was thinking really hard to tell me or not. He stood up and said, "well I'm gonna go now. I'm sorry for the inconvenience of over staying my welcome. Well good night or I mean good afternoon Katie", he said as he headed for the door. "Good afternoon Alex and I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. Just, when ever you want to come back over I should be here." He nodded excepting what I had just said and walked out the door.

      I breathed a sigh of relief when Alex left because that could have turned out worse than it was. I sit on the couch for a little bit and decide to take a shower. As I got into the shower I heard a knock at the door. "Ughhh", I said grabbing my robe and headed to the door. As soon as I opened the door I knew it was a mistake. "Oh", he said "I should just come back later". "No", I said without hesitation "don't worry it's ok. So um what do you need?" He stood there for a moment and I pulled my robe tighter and crossed my arms. "I just wanted to apologize...for earlier I mean I should have never acted like that. I should have...". "It's ok", I interrupted "I shouldn't have made you feel uncomfortable. But go ahead and come on in it's chilly in the hallway". I made room for him to get in "give me a second", I said as I went to put on pajamas.

      When I came back into the living room I saw him looking around, "not much, huh", he asked. "I have what I need no more no less", I responded. I stood next to the couch looking around the walls are a basic creme color, and there is nothing on the walls except for some of my blues stuff. I stood there in silence thinking how this isn't really my place it's just 3 rooms with my stuff in it. "Are you okay?", he asked. "Yeah, just thinking", I responded as I realized that I was just staring at a blank wall. "So about that question you asked earlier", he said as if he was regretting something. "You asked so I will answer, I said it was complicated because it's like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. If people already know they freak out when they meet me, like I said before. Also like I said before when I tell them they freak out they never treat me the same." "It's ok I know what it's like when I tell people what high school I went to they do a double take at me and never treat me the same." "No....Well I guess it's kind of like that,but I don't know." "Just take, it like a man not a scardey cat. Come on i told you what I did when you were practically a stranger, well you still are kind of a stranger but come on...". He smiled then said "okay, are you sure your ready?" I looked over at him with a look that said are you serious. He gave me a laugh and took a deep breath "okay soooooooo I play for the blues and Im surprised you didn't recognize me because you're such a huge blues fan," he said teasing me. "You know what mister big shot hockey player I've been in the middle of Nebraska getting my teaching degree, so if you want to call Nebraska and ask them when they don't show hockey, be my guest but I had to live 4 years with just replays and interviews online."

      He laughed a got up from the couch "it's getting late and I have practice tomorrow". "Okay", I said as I got up from the couch. He got to the door and started walking out, then he turned around. "So I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you today coming back and forth, and kind of weirding you out in the first place. But you know what how bout I make it up to you, tomorrow night we can go ice skating." I smiled "but you know I can't skate." He laughed and responded "who better to learn with than a professional hockey player, but good night".  I smiled and said "sure I guess that's fine around 6,"  I asked and he nodded. "Okay" I said "goodnight" I smiled than closed my door.