Chapter Eight

So, let me first congratulate the Stanley Cup Champions! What a season! I was soooo glad to see Sidney lift the cup. And the look on Marian Hossa's face? PRICELESS!! Ok, on with the story now...

"Where are we going?" I asked Sid as we walked out into a mob of fans, mostly screaming teenage girls. So we were gonna be here for another hour.

"Diesel.," he said. What was that? I asked myself. Nightclub? Hmmm...this could get interesting. I waited off to the side a little bit as he signed for them. I observed the crowd. Some had signs proclaiming their love for Sidney and asking him to marry them...weird. Others made T-shirts. The rest handed him their jerseys or pucks to sign. This town really seems passionate about their teams. They wait out here in freezing weather just to get a signature. Sorry, but as much as I love football and baseball, I am over that stage. I couldn't care less anymore about meeting the players of my favorite teams-I just want to see them win. But if I happen to see one, I will treat them like a normal person. And that's when I realized that Sidney wasn't a normal person. He has a fan base larger than my family, extended and immediate...and I thought that was big!

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked into the crowd again, and I noticed some teenage bitches were staring at me, and started to whisper back and forth. Grow up, I thought. If you have something to say, say it to my face. Don't stand there and be a fucking back stabber and then pretend to be nice. I hated when a person does that. It just goes to show that they are big pussies and have no guts. I went through that shit in high school, and I was above that now.

"You ready to go?" he said, bringing me out of my daze.

"Yeah," I replied, and followed him to where he was going, assuming it was his car. So I guess he was driving us there...ok.

Where are you? I texted Paula.

Diesel. You comin?

Yeah-be there soon.

We walked up to a silver Range Rover and both got in. Well, expensive taste.

"What is Diesel?" I asked him.

"It's basically a night club. The guys and I go there for a few drinks after a win sometimes."

"Like tonight?"

"Pretty much," he smiled. "So I never did ask you-are you from Pittsburgh or anywhere around here?"

"Nope-I was born and raised in New York City."

"Oh, nice. How come you moved here?"

"I transferred from New York University to the University of Pittsburgh for Pediatrics. I just felt there wasn't as much there for me as there is here. It's mostly fashion there, and I'm not really into all that."

"Well, from the way you look tonight, I'd say you have a great sense of style."

"Thanks, so do you."

"Me?" he questioned. "I am horrible when it comes to fashion, so I've been told. You are the only person that has ever told me that I have good fashion sense."

"Looks like we have something in common," I laughed. "So now that I've told you where I'm from, it's time for you to tell me."

"Well, I'm from from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia."

"I'm assuming that's in Canada, right?"

"Yup-I'm a Canadian boy," he chuckled. "Have you ever been to Canada?"

"As pathetic as it sounds, no. I have never even been out of the United States. It's really sad."

"Well, I'm taking you there."

"Ok, sounds like a plan."

We pulled up to a very large building. I saw tons of people standing outside, and 2 big dudes clipping and unclipping a velvet rope.

"Do we have to wait in that long ass line?" I said.

"Nope. I'll show you where we're going." He led me to a very long and dark alley into a steel door, in what seemed to be secluded from the street. We entered the club and went up a set of stairs into the VIP lounge, where we met the Paula and Max and some of the team.

"Randiiiii!!!" Paula shouted as she stumbled to where I was standing. Yup, she was drunk.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Of courseeeee!!! I got me Max to keep me in line."

I went over to where Max was sitting and tapped him on the shoulder. "Do me a favor," I said, "keep an eye on my drunken friend over there," pointing to Paula. "Make sure she gets home safe."

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll make sure of it."

I walked over to where Sidney was sitting, all alone, and a beer in his hand. He looked stressed for some reason, which I didn't understand. He just won the game and scored a goal. Why wouldn't he be happy?

"Lonely there?" I asked.

"Now I'm not," he said, motioning me to sit next to him. I sat to his left on the brown leather couch and looked at the dance floor, which was packed with people. We talked about various things-what we liked, family, and got to know each other a little better. Two hours later, I was tired, and I didn't want to drink, but he convinced me to have a couple shots and a few Strawberry Daquaris. I normally could handle alcohol pretty well, but tonight wasn't my night.

The rest of the night's events turned out to be a blur, and then I woke up, not having a clue in the world where I was.