Chapter 16. I Think... It's Time to Be Brave

Theme song: Brave (Jennifer Lopez)



The game went well. They won so no sour face tonight. Someone on the team was having a small party at his house and we were going. I was quite starstruck so I still had no idea where we were going. I saw all his team mates and they came to say hi to me. Seeing all of them (shirtless) got me speechless. I still had no idea what Sidney was talking about, I just sat on the front seat of his car going "OMG!" on my mind.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Sidney laughed when I finally came back to earth.

"Huh?"

He just laughed. Boy, I love that laugh.

"I was just telling you how all the guys are giving me heart time because of you."

"They are?" I asked surprised. They had behaved really well when I had been there. They were just polite.

"Oh yeah." He kept laughing. "Especially since Jordan told everybody about us. Of course it wasn't really realistic, I mean all the little details he added to spice up the story. But that's all they talk now."

"Oh. What do they talk about us?" I asked smiling and thinking about Jordan's story, which most likely was the same one Filippa had come up with. She called it This century's love story.

"They are just teasing. You know this is pretty rare situation."

"I still can't believe you have never, I mean never ever, been in a relationship." I sighed.

"I've been with girls but never in relationship." He said though I knew all that. We had many deep and meaningful conversations on the phone.

"Yeah."

"Netta?"

"Yeah?"

He shrugged before he said what was on his mind.

"Is this a relationship? I mean, really a relationship. Not just..." He kept his eyes strictly on the road.

This time pushed my growing feeling of fear of being close to someone, away and smiled.

"I don't know, Sid. What do you think?" I asked and glanced at his profile. I saw how he was smiling too.

"I sure do hope this is, and if it's not, then I want to turn it into it." He said. A wave of happiness washed over me.

"Okay." And that's when I knew, just listening my own voice, that I was falling. I was done being afraid, done building a wall around me. He wanted me! He wanted to be with me though he knew I was a crazy person. It was pure insanity but I wanted to take this leap and jump over the edge.

"Okay." He said as sealing the deal. We were slowing down, because he was looking for a spot to park.

"So whose party..."

He burst into laughter.

"Fleury's. You know the goalie..."

"I know him, silly."

"Yeah good." He laughed.

The house was also huge just like Sidney's. And cool cars were parked outside. I guess boys will be boys and have their toys, especially when a boy has enough money for the rest of his life. Sidney rang the doorbell and in a moment young woman with brown hair and big smile came to open the door.

"Hi guys!" She greeted us with a French accent. Sidney gave her a hug and introduced us.

"Vero this Netta and Netta this is Veronique, Fleury's girlfriend."

"Hi! Nice to meet you." I said and we shook hands.

"Please come on in. There's some food and beverages in the kitchen and feel free to make yourselves at home."

I loved their house. You could instantly see that it was not just a house, it was a home. I bet that all the credit belonged to Vero. I hoped that Sidney would also pay more attention to his house so it would not be just a great luxurious house, but a home.

"I love your house. It's really beautiful." I told her as we were following her to the living room.

"Thank you. I love this house too." She smiled.

The living room was packed with Sidney's team mates and their spouses. They looked curious when we stepped in. I became very selfconscious and I felt like hiding behind Sidney and Vero.

"Look who finally showed up!" Jordan said and smiled warmly at me.

"Hi everyone! This is Netta and Netta meet everyone." Sidney said and everyone said or waved hello at me.

Wow, this was awkward. They were all looking at me and trying to figure me out. Max Talbot came to us and other people returned their conversations.

"So Netta, has Sidney been a good boy?" He said and winked. I laughed. We had already met at the arena and he made me relax especially now with his shirt on. He was really funny and easy going guy.

"He has." I said and I heard Sidney chuckle.

"It's great that you guys finally sorted things out. We were little worried about him since he just suddenly disappeared and then Fleury got a message from Montreal. As our captain he needs to be focused, you help him focus, right?" He asked with a teasing smile.

"I'll do my best." I laughed.

"Max, is Claire, no no, Annie... um Sonya here? I mean since your so focused nowadays." Sidney teased back.

"Yes, Crosby, I am focused. And I'm focused on that extremely lovely redhead over there talking to Geno's girlfriend. Her name is Samantha. I met her couple days ago at the airport."

Max waved at the redhead who gave him a sweet smile. She didn't look like the kind of girl that would suit Max's reputation. She was a girl next door very innocent and shy, beautiful though. She was very petite and looked like she didn't belong in this world next to Geno's drop dead gorgeous blond girlfriend. I wondered how others saw me. Was I also outsider in my plain but very comfortable clothes?

"Well good luck bro. I guess it's needless to remind you not to play with her." Sidney said and from the look on his face he was probably thinking why on earth had Max asked her out.

"I'm nothing but a gentleman. Netta, don't believe the rumors. I'm not a player." Max said and that caused Sidney to chuckle some more.

"Yeah. He's not a player." He laughed and shook his head.


The food was divine. Vero had ordered it from a deli in downtown. One thing that surprised me was the fact that there was not much alcohol, it was a party after all. Just couple beers but nothing else. Sidney said that it was because of they had to be in best condition in tomorrow's game. For me it wasn't a big deal though. I never drank myself drunk since I hated being drunk. In high school I had gotten wasted and made a total ass out of myself, and since then I had never been drunk. Besides my hangovers were not worth it. Every time I had been sure that I would die. I was just getting a class of Mountain Dew when Jordan came to me.

"How's Filippa doing?" He asked.

"She's in Vancouver. I think she said something about being full of the Olympics just after two days. And the only thing related to Olympics she's seen are the banners and flags in the streets." I smiled. Jordan laughed.

"She's so funny. I think I have to give her a call sometimes."

"I think she'd like that." I said knowing that there was nothing romantic going between two of them. Filippa had made it very clear by saying that Jordan would be a wonderful husband candidate except he's not a dark stranger, interested in ballroom dancing nor an investment banker. And Filippa's future husband should have at least one of those qualities, preferably all of them. Filippa was one of those people who loved to be surrounded by people and she constantly tried to make new friends. And Jordan was one of those "I need to be his friend" people, as Filippa called everyone who interested her.

"I heard you injured your leg." He said and genuinely looked sorry.

"Yeah. ACL. But it's getting better. I don't need to walk with crutches anymore." I said.

"Well maybe there's something good in that injury too. I mean you came hear, right."

That really stayed on my mind. If I hadn't got injured I would be in Vancouver dancing, which of course would be wonderful, but being here was, I had to admit, even better. I would still be living in that fear of being close to someone. I would not be able to be kissed by Sidney the way he kissed me. I don't know how he did it but he made me feel like I was slowly disappearing from this world when he kissed me. He made me forget everything around me. Sometimes he had to remind me to breathe. I would still be living that pathetic little life on mine if I hadn't got injured.

Sidney was talking with a small group on the other side of the room and I observed him. I couldn't believe this. That man had turned my life around and he really cared about me. I guess he sensed me staring because he turned to my way and smiled. And I smiled back. Once again he made the whole room disappear. It was just us, looking at each other. I wished I could have walked across the room and just kissed him, but I was too shy to do it. But that's exactly what he did. He came to me and pulled me into his arms. Oh, his kiss. It took my breath away and I could barely stand on my feet. Luckily he was holding me so tightly that I didn't even have to. I heard how people were whistling and Vero even sighed "Oh". People were staring at us but I didn't care. I loved this! I loved him kissing me. I loved it that he didn't care that people were looking. I loved... No! It was too early even to think about that!