Demons (Jonathan Toews)

Chapter Seven

My body pulsed nervously. All of the air in my chest was gone, and as I gasped for air, my eyes focused on my cell phone, small beads of sweat started to drip from my hairline, running down my perfectly fixed face. For the first time in a long time, I went all out with my make up, and tried as hard as I could with all of the clothes I had to make a ‘nice’ outfit.

Getting up from my bed, knees shaking, I stumbled over to the full-length mirror on the inside of the bedroom door. Pausing, my eyes scanned over every inch of me. I had a slouchy beanie hanging from my head, a gold and black necklace on, a cream colored sweater that fit snugly around my torso. My legs were wrapped in a pair of slightly torn black skinny jeans, and I threw on a pair of my old black combat boots. For once, I didn’t think I looked horrible, but if you put me next to someone I would expect Jon to date, I looked like a hobbit.

Self esteem plummeting, a low buzz sounded from my back pocket. The thought of seeing Jon in a car smiling at me, waiting to bring me to a pit of his friends made me stumble for the bathroom. Turning the water on, I took a few short inhales, then grabbed the phone and on the last ring, answered.

“Hey”, my voice cracked, my composure I had managed to keep was breaking already, and I didn’t even see him yet.

“Hey! I think I’m here”, he laughed. A laugh that made my heart explode in my chest, making every other organ in my stomach numb. “Are you ready?”

That was a loaded question. Was I ready in the sense I was completely clothed? Then yes. Was I ready to be alone with him in his car, and then meet about five other men who were also professional hockey players, who were going to critically analyze me and ask me awkward and horrible questions about Jon and I. Absolutely not.

“Sure, I guess you can say I am.” I lied and then went on to inform the boy I would be in the parking lot in a few seconds, I just had to grab my wallet. Snatching it off of the bed where I once sat, I slowly headed for the door. Shrugging into my forest green jacket, I checked to make sure my keys were in my pocket, and then took a long, deep, inhale and walked out of the door.

As I headed downstairs to the first floor, I kept telling myself I would be okay. Over and over again, I was promising myself that this would be good for me. Professor J was right, I needed to survive, I needed human interaction. I needed friends.

These guys were professional hockey players; they weren’t into looking for friends in fucked up twenty one year olds in art school.

Grinding my teeth together, I let out a long breath and then felt my body grow warmer as my eyes hit the window looking out into the parking lot to see a sleek silver car waiting in the parking lot.

“You see that thing?” A boy said as he walked up next to me, staring out of the window at the silver car. “That car has to be at least a hundred and twenty thousand dollars.”

“Jesus Christ”, I whispered instantly feeling sick.

“Whomever is getting picked up in that has got a hold of some good shit.”

“Mhmm” I nodded and watched the boy next to me disappear into the stairs. Once he was, I quickly walked out into the parking lot and watched as the window to the sleek silver car rolled down. Peering into it, I saw the small smile on Jon’s face looking out at me.

Biting hard on my lip, I opened the door and slid into the car. Setting my wallet on my lap, my eyes traced everything in the car until I reached Jon. Scanning over the nice coat he was wearing, with a button up shirt on underneath, I blushed and looked down at my poorly put together outfit.

“You look great, Madie.” He reassured as soon as he noticed how I looked down at my shirt in disgust. “This is casual for me”, his laugh broke the strong stare I had with my clothes and sent my eyes floating over to him.