Just Hold Me (Sidney Crosby) EDITING THEN CONTINUING

Chapter 18 - I Like Him.

"THAT MADE MY DAY!" I shouted as I leaned forward and hugged my knees in Sidney's sports car.

Practice went great, and the guys were hilarious.

"Remember when we sent Fleury down to get the runaway puck?" -he starts laughing- "And he fell?"

I laughed so hard, remembering him just lay there for a few seconds.

"Then you walked over to him and were like, 'You had one job.' "

We laugh just a little more before calming down. My cheeks were sore from all the smiling.

"So am I dropping you off at your apartment?"

I snap my head towards Sid.

"Actually I think it would be safer to just go to your house."

"Safer?"

Marilynn's note clearly stated that Brooks Laich, the douchebag hockey player she went on a date with would be back.

I got a weird puky feeling in the top of my stomach. It fell over the rest of my stomach and partly my whole body like water running over a flat surface.

"Yes. Safer." Is all I say.

He slowly pulls the car to a stop on the side of the road. The moonlight hit his face and lit up his flawless features.

"What's wrong? Is something going on?"

I swallow.

"Marilynn left a note saying that Brooks Laich was 'coming back' or something, and I just have a really bad feeling about it."

"Where's Marilynn?"

"She's staying at her mom's till the whole thing blows over. She left that in the note too."

"Maybe I should just go to your house and protect you from the big and scary Brooks Laich."

I stare at him and bite my lip, trying to figure out if I should put both of our lives in danger, or if I should stay at a safe shelter with a big, strong man and away from sexual predators. Decisions, decisions.

Before I can answer, Sidney starts up the engine and we speed off.

To my dismay, we are at my apartment building.

"Sidney." I say, serious and slighty annoyed or maybe angry. I don't know what it was. I've never felt this way before.

My tone let him know that we might actually face something difficult tonight, and I didn't think it was a good idea to go on with it anyways.

"Yes?" He asks, before licking his lips.

I sigh.

"It'll be fine. I'm here."

Again opening my door, Sidney gives me his hand.

I love holding his hand.

We walk into my apartment building and are roughly slapped in the face by heat. Slapped so hard it burns.

We take the elevator up to my room.

"I hope it's not a mess." I say aloud, approaching the door, suddenly becoming self conscious of my living environment.

"It'll be fine. I just wanna be with you."

We walk in and it's actually not that bad. There are a few stray sweatshirts on the couch, but other than that it's fine.

"I like your place." He says, eyeing my Christmas tree Marilynn and I had decorated a few days ago.

He smiles grabbing a Patrick Star ornament and studying it in his hands.