Hockey Love

Chapter 8 - Marie's Birthday

It was January 4, which was Marie's 19th birthday. Marie just sat in the hotel she didn't really care to go out and celebrate. She couldn't either because the paparazzi covered every inch of the hotel... the hockey players had a great time trying to get out of the hotel for every game.

Marie rather chose to sit on the couch and watch TV instead, "It's amazing, you had your heart broken 2 days ago. And you aren't moaning on the couch like most people do," admitted CJ.

"Well, that's because I'm not like anyone else. I never went by the rules- actually I did in school. But not with a broken heart. I guess I should be sad, I guess... I just... didn't know him a lot, so I didn't make a great connection with him?" Marie raised an eyebrow, "If that makes sense?" Marie asked CJ.

"Don't ask me," demanded CJ. "I have no clue what you're thinking in your head, so how would I know what you're saying." CJ pointed out.

Marie opened her mouth to defend herself when something buzzed under a pillow. She picked it up and saw a phone, "CJ, your phone is ringing... again." Marie told her as she threw her phone.

CJ looked at the phone, "It's Dougie." CJ groaned, she threw her phone back to Marie.

Marie picked up the vibrating phone, "Well, aren't you going to pick up?" Marie questioned.

"No." CJ said with a hint of disgust in her voice.

Marie raised an eyebrow, "Why not?" Marie inquired.

CJ huffed, "Why do you have to go all CSI on me?" She asked.

"Not CSI," paused Marie. "Flashpoint," she corrected.

CJ rolled her eyes, "Dougie likes me; he's going to ask me out." CJ told Marie.

"What's the problem with that?"

I don't like him like that, I like Brendan like that," stated CJ.

"Well, you should at least talk to him instead of ignoring him," suggested Marie.

"Well, my mother told me never get into peer pressure. I would have never thought that you'd be the person to use peer pressure on me." CJ sassed, as she tried to outsmart Marie.

"It's not peer pressure, when you're going to do something good." Marie told her. "Actually it is, but it's good peer pressure not bad peer pressure."

CJ huffed, "Fine," she surrendered. "I will talk to him, after I go and get something from the store." CJ told Marie.

"One of those things better be a birthday card." Marie added. CJ rolled her eyes and walked out of the hotel room.

CJ drove all the way to the mall; she got 2 new pairs of boots, and got a birthday card for Marie. She took Liam's truck and went back to the hotel. She parked the truck and walked to the front of the hotel. She looked through the window and saw Scott, Dougie, Brendan, Quinton Howden, and Michäel Bournival sitting on the black leather couch.

Scott looked out of the window and spotted CJ, "I'm starting to get a headache and I think I should go and lay down in the hotel room. I'll see you guys later at the practice." Scott told them and he started to get off the couch.

"I'm going to head out too." Brendan agreed, getting up from the couch. CJ put up her hood. Michäel, Quinton and Dougie were the remaining hockey players in the lobby. They started getting into a deep conversation and CJ decided to go into the lobby. CJ passed Quinton and Michäel.

CJ stood in front of the elevator, "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up." She muttered.

Dougie put his arm on the wall next to the elevator and leaned on it, "CJ?" He questioned.

"So close." CJ muttered to herself.

CJ faced Dougie, "Hi, Dougie," smiled CJ.

"You know you haven't called or texted me since yesterday." Dougie crossed his arms with a stern face.

"Ya, I know, my phone was dead," lied CJ.

"CJ, please don't lie to me." Dougie begged he gave CJ a sad expression. CJ couldn't argue with that face.

"Well, I...I...I... I can't make up a good excuse," confessed CJ.

"Well, I wish you would have said that we-" Dougie started.

"I know you wished I would have said we would be great together, we would be perfect for each other, and we would be the dream couple that only we would have, and that everyone would be jealous of." CJ rolled her eyes.

"Well, that was really off from what I was going to say, but yes." Dougie said nodding.

"I was sure that you would say that." CJ told him.

"Yes I would say that, because it's true." Dougie told her as he grabbed onto both of CJ's hands.

He looked deeply into her eyes, "Ever since I saw you at that game, and the first time I talked to you, or even looked at you I couldn't speak or think straight because you were always on my mind. You make my life complete." Dougie emotionally said.

"Well, that's a little, no a lot over the edge. I wouldn't say I make your life-" CJ was saying. Dougie grabbed CJ's waist and pulled her close. He kissed her. Brandon walked back into the lobby; he glanced to his left and saw CJ and Dougie kissing.

He walked faster and got into the elevator. Brandon took a deep breath, "How could Dougie do this to me? My friend? My new best friend? And with my crush? The girl I liked since I saw her walk through that door. With her pretty brown hair over her eyes; then I ran into Mark." Brendan said to himself. He looked down at the ground, he started to smile.

He looked up from the ground, "I should really look around before I talk to myself, just in case." Brendan concluded.

~~~~~

"Just wondering, are we together?" CJ asked Dougie.

"I think the kiss explained everything." Dougie smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"I should really get back to Marie," concluded CJ. "She'll wonder where I went." CJ told him. CJ started to walk backwards, her hand still tangled with Dougie's. Dougie smiled and pulled her back to him.

"Just stay here a little longer, CJ." Dougie began as he ran his thumb over CJ's hand.

CJ looked at him and started to think, "Ok." CJ breathed as she started to pull Dougie towards the couches. They started to talk for a bit until Marie appeared from the elevator.

"CJ, you know you should really come back up to the room." Marie told her.

CJ furrowed her eyebrows, "Why?" She asked.

"Well, it's almost 4:00 pm-" Marie informed her.

"Wait, what?" Dougie questioned jumping up from the couch.

"It's ten to four," she told Dougie.

Dougie dropped his head into his hands and started to mumble something CJ and Marie both couldn't make out. He lifted his face, he was showing his clenched teeth, "I can't believe I'm going to miss practice!" He stated.

"Hurry and get there," CJ spoke.

"Huh?"

"Go there; even if you're late, you're still going to be at practice." CJ told him.

Dougie walked over to CJ and kissed her on the cheek, "I'll see you later," he promised. Dougie left and it was only Marie and CJ.

"So, you and Dougie, eh?"

~~~~~

Marie and CJ stayed downstairs, they also got something to eat but returned to sit in the lobby. Marie and CJ talked about everything! Well, maybe not everything but something close to that. Marie was talking away about something but fell silent when the junior team came in.

Jonathan walked past Marie, giving her a high five, "Wassup Brandon?" Marie asked as he walked past her.

"Not much, what about you?" Brendan retorted.

"Not much, just chillaxing on the couch." Marie pointed out the obvious.

Marie looked over at the door and saw Scott walking in through the doors. Their gazes met and Marie spoke up, "I'm going." Marie told CJ as she continued to look at Scott with a stern face. Scott continued to look at her until she got up from the couch and towards the elevator.

"Hold the elevator!" Marie yelled putting her hand in front of the doors.

The elevator was filled with Team Canada players - only one or two people could still fit in there, "Oh, we have Marie rolling in the elevator!" Jonathan yelled.

"The party just started!" Someone yelled.

"You guys are such dorks." Marie smiled.

Scott leaned against the wall and watched the elevator close; with his teammates and the girl he loved laughing and smiling. "My favourite elevator is at the University in Saskatoon!" Marie yelled. CJ got up from the couch and made her way to Scott to stand beside Scott.

"You really hurt her Scott; you won't listen to her because you think your theory is right. Why do you think that Marie ran after you? Why do you think she tried explaining everything to you because-" CJ was trying to say.

Scott rolled his eyes, "I couldn't care less." Scott stated as he began to walk away.

"You never want to hear anything I have to say. Whenever I say 'because' you just stop listening to me." CJ told him.

"Yes, I realized that," agreed Scott.

"You should stop doing that." CJ suggested as she patted his back.

~~~~~

All the guys gathered in Dougie and Brendan's room, for a pre-game party. It was to celebrate their ticket into the Bronze Medal game. "Tomorrow's the bronze medal game, boys!" Mark yelled to his friends.

"We are so going to win." The majority of people yelled.

"Totally." Scott agreed with a sad tone in his voice.

Everyone noticed, no one said a thing though, "Scott your depressed what's wrong?" Dougie asked walking towards him. Everyone else talked amongst themselves, and there was the random cheer throughout everyone.

"Well- Wait. Why am I going to tell you?" Scott asked him.

"Because I can relate to it." Dougie lied.

"Well, I decided I'm not going to tell you what happened." Scott assured him.

Dougie raised his eyebrow and put his hands on his hips, "And why not?" Dougie asked.

"Just because..." Scott mumbled.

"Scott, please tell me about what happened." Dougie asked putting his arm around Scott.

"I don't want to talk about what happened with Marie and I." Scott muttered bitterly as he began to look down at the ground.

"I can help you; I've had girl problems too." Dougie admitted.

"I know, every guy has, but none of them have suffered how bad I have." Scott said.

"I might have if you told me what happened because I have no clue!" Dougie told him, raising his voice a bit more.

"I don't think you will actually want to know what happened to me." Scott alleged.

"How do you know?" Dougie questioned.

"Because- just because." Scott stated.

"Scott, I'm not asking you as a teammate, I'm asking as a brother. Brothers' talk about these things. I should know because Freddie is over there." Dougie told Scott.

Freddie looked back at them, "Hey." He smiled.

"Even though, I have hardly known you, you're my brother Well, I know you from the OHL. But besides that point you're my brother. And you always will be." Dougie told him.

"Dougie that was beautiful" Scott told him as he pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

"But I am still not telling you." Scott finalized.

Dougie huffed, "Fine, I'll ask CJ, because she knows the truth of what happened." Dougie decided as he walked away from Scott.