On Thin Ice 3

  On Thin Ice 3

  I looked out the window of the library to see the leaves had just started to change color. It was early September, change of seasons was definitely in full swing. As the leaves on the trees began to die, I was doing the opposite. I could never remember feeling this way before. In fact, I knew I hadn’t. For the first time in my life, I was in love. Really, truly in love.

  I mean sure, it wasn’t like Daniel was the first boyfriend I ever had. But I also wasn’t the type to just drop a guy and find a new one, and of all my old boyfriends, none of them made me feel like this.

  Daniel understood me. He understood me perfectly. It was like we were a single spirit, so in tune with the other’s feelings.

  Of course, adapting to life together outside of the rehab clinic where we met wasn’t easy. I faced my parents again, who were nothing but supportive, but I still felt guilty for taking their other daughter away from them every time I saw them. I called them every couple of weeks, and I was getting better at dealing with my feelings, but it was still difficult.

  I didn’t dare call most of my friends during what was left of the summer break. I figured I would get back into contact with a lot of them once classes started again, and I did. It was... interesting. I actually felt really lonely when I got back into contact with my old friends. A lot of them didn’t know how to treat me. It was like they were on tenterhooks when I was around. They were polite, they spoke softly, it felt like I was being treated like a sick child or something, and it annoyed me tremendously. I mean, I understood it in a way. In society, we’re not really taught about how to deal with our friends having major mental problems. We should be, but we’re not. I didn’t blame them, but it still made me feel like crap.

  The only exception was my best friend, Sabrina. The instant I saw her again outside our first class together of the semester she wrapped her arms around me, taking me into a huge hug and squealing into my ear.

  “I’m so glad you’re back!” she exclaimed, holding me at arm’s length and looking me up and down. “You look good! You look so much better than when I last saw you. You look healthy, you look happy.”

  “Thanks, Sabrina. I am happy. I didn’t really think I ever would be again, but here I am.”

  “Good. Last semester sucked without having you there, plus seeing as we’re spending most of our life in school anyway, I’m glad you’re back to get it over with along with the rest of us.”

  Sabrina and I had met in premed about five years ago, and had been inseparable ever since. Of all my friends, I was really, really glad that she was the one who still treated me like an adult. It was like nothing had happened when I was around her.

  “Hey, I have to tell you this, guess who I’m dating?” I asked her in hushed tones as we entered the room.

  “Oh – Em – Gee! You’re dating someone? The virgin Kylie has a boyfriend?”

  I punched her lightly on the arm. “Shut up. I’m so not a virgin. And yes, I do have a boyfriend.”

  “Well, spill!”

  “You know Daniel Ross? Captain of the Sea Lions?”

  “Holy shit, shut up!”

  “I haven’t even told you yet! But yeah, I’m dating him.”

  Sabrina’s eyes looked like they were going to burst out from their sockets.

  “Really? Are you serious?” she practically shrieked, and the dozens of people already sitting in their seats turned to look at us as we made our way up the stairs.

  “Shhh! Yeah, I’m serious. You know how he hurt his knee and got addicted to painkillers? Well, guess where he went for rehab. We met there, and now we’re dating.”

  “Oh my God. I can’t believe this. He’s so sexy, you’re so lucky. I can’t even believe you. Can you introduce me, so I can meet all his teammates?”

  I laughed. “Fine, I will. He asked me to meet him at the rink this afternoon, he has a surprise for me!”

  “I am so jealous of you right now. So, so jealous.”

  I laughed at Sabrina, but I couldn’t ignore that nagging feeling in the back of my head that still told me that no, Sabrina absolutely didn’t want to trade places with me. Not after what I’d done.

  Just then the instructor made his way to the front of the classroom and turned on the screen at the front of the class, illuminating a large PowerPoint slide titled “Immunology and Diseases”, the name of the course.

  “Seriously though, I want to meet him,” Sabrina whispered as he started talking, and I nodded to her, smiling to myself as I took out my notebook.

  A few hours later, when class had finished, I took a cab down to the arena, where Daniel had asked me to meet him. He had offered to let me use his extra car, a few years old sedan, but I refused. I hadn’t driven since the accident; I still wasn’t comfortable with it.

  I wondered what he wanted to see me for on the ride over. After all, while the rest of his team was going to be on the ice, Daniel hadn’t skated since his injury. The physiotherapist told Daniel he should wait until the end of September before getting back on skates, so I had no idea what I was doing here.

  Daniel met me out the front.

  “Hey!” he greeted me, a smile lighting up his gorgeous face as soon as he saw me. I thought I’d get used to seeing him. I thought after we’d been dating for a couple of months that I’d stop feeling like I was floating on air every time I saw him, but no. My breath still caught in my throat, my body surprised at the absolute gorgeous sexiness of his own. He literally took my breath away.

  “Hey, how are you?”

  “Good, now. Come with me, I want to show you something.”

  Daniel took me by the hand and led me past security and into the building. We were in the arena where the Sea Lions played, except there were no fans. A couple suits were milling around, there was a three-person camera crew near one of the corners, I guess they were filming something about the team.

  “Remember how I told you the rest of the team had their first day of training camp today?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, just wait here for a while.”

  Confused, I did as he asked. For the next fifteen minutes, nothing happened. The camera crew got up and left, having shot the segments they wanted, I supposed. The suits looked at their watches from time to time, took phone calls, and that was about it. I played games on my phone for a bit, until finally there came a bit of a ruckus from the bench.

  I looked up and saw Daniel, in all his hockey gear except his helmet, step out onto the ice. I immediately broke into a huge, goofy grin. He skated towards me, tapping the glass lightly with his stick as he went by where I was sitting. I could see the pure joy on his face, and barely even noticed his teammates all hitting the boards with their sticks, celebrating the return of their captain.

  I was so happy I could feel tears forming in my eyes. I knew how hard Daniel had worked for this moment. I knew how many hours he worked with the physiotherapist, Dan, how many times he came back from sessions in so much pain I wondered if he was injured again, how hard he worked in the gym to get back onto the ice. And now, he had done it. He was skating. He was going to play hockey again. All those tears, all that sweat, all that dedication, not to mention having to avoid addictive painkillers after the surgery on his knee, it was all rewarded as I saw the happiness on Daniel’s face.

  If nothing else, it was the most motivating thing I had ever seen. If Daniel could do it, if Daniel could get through the hard times and get back onto the ice, then I could beat my own demons. I could continue my studies, I could become a doctor. I could be successful. Nothing could stand in my road except for myself.

  As the team joined their captain onto the ice and the training camp started, I watched Daniel, and Daniel alone. He mainly stayed to the outside, awa
y from where the players were practicing, skating around in circles by himself. At one point when the team had a scrimmage Daniel climbed back onto the bench and watched.

  I could tell he was being careful. I was glad he was. I didn’t want a relapse, I hoped he wasn’t on the ice too early. I knew Daniel had a tendency to take his body to its absolute limits, but at the same time, I trusted him to take care of himself. I knew how much this meant to him, and I knew that since his surgery, since he decided to go back to playing hockey, he had been stringent in following doctor’s orders, and he hadn’t taken any risks he shouldn’t.

  Two hours later, the players were finished, going back to the dressing room. When he was changed Daniel came out to see me. He grinned when he saw me, and I ran over and wrapped my arms around him. As I buried my face into him I could smell his aftershave, and the lightest smell of soap. He’d obviously just had a shower, and the smell of him was intoxicating. I could have taken him right then and there in Section 102 of the Sea Lions’ arena.

  “Surprise!” he muttered into my ear.

  “Was it ever! That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks. Dan told me two days ago I was probably ok to have a light skate around, and I wanted to surprise you.”

  “No kidding! How did your knee hold up?”

  “Really well. It honestly feels completely fine. I’m going to go see Dan later this afternoon, but then why don’t we go out and celebrate with dinner?”

  “Of course! Wherever you want, we’ll go. When’s your appointment?”

  “Three. I’ve got about half an hour.”

  “That sounds like enough time.”

  “Enough time for what?” Daniel looked at me, confused, but as I widened my eyes slightly and raised my eyebrows, he got the hint.

  “Ooooh! There certainly is! Come on, I know a few of the nooks and crannies in here where no one will find us,” he continued, and I felt my heart race as he led me somewhere where we’d have some more privacy.

  * * *

  When Daniel came back from his physio appointment I was ready and waiting for our date. I’d showered, picked out a nice velvet dress that showed off my curves and paired it with some white tights, as the nights were just starting to get a bit cool.

  We set off on our date, Daniel changing into a polo shirt and jeans which gave him a half casual, half business, all sexy sort of look. As he came back down the stairs after getting changed I could already feel my body reacting, the juices building up inside of me as I watched him move. He was so strong, so manly in every way, it should be impossible for a single human being to exude that much testosterone.

  “So where are we going for dinner?” he asked.

  “Your choice, we’re celebrating you tonight.”

  “Let’s get take out and eat it in Washington Park. We’ll have a picnic to celebrate these last few days of summer.”

  “Yummy, I love that idea.”

  As we sat in the park on a blanket Daniel had brought eating Chinese food and drinking Gatorade, both of us making fun of the other’s inability to use chopsticks, the sun setting over the lake as we watched people cruising past on their bikes, I realized just how perfect this scene really was. I couldn’t believe my life could possibly go this well. I was so happy with Daniel, happier than I’d ever been in my life. I couldn’t imagine life without him anymore.

  “I’m so proud of you, you know,” I told him. “So proud to see you get back out there on the ice.”

  “Thanks, Kylie. But you know, I couldn’t have done it without you. I wouldn’t have done it without you. You’re amazing.”

  “It’s funny, because I was going to say the same thing. I guess we’re good for each other. For me, it’s motivating to see. I’ve seen you overcome obstacles, and it encourages me that I can overcome mine, and I can do well at medical school this year.”

  “Yeah, I haven’t really had the chance to ask you, how have your first couple days of class gone?”

  “They’ve been pretty good. Sabrina’s a godsend. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Everyone else seems to treat me like I’m a five year old, handling me with kid gloves, like if they say anything not scripted I’m going to grab a bottle of vodka and down it in a single gulp.”

  “Yeah, I know what that’s like. I’m getting it from a couple of the guys on the team. It’s mainly just the younger ones, at least, the ones who haven’t known me for long. They kind of avoid me now. The rest are fine though, I guess maybe it’s easier for guys.”

  “Maybe, I dunno. It’s a bit frustrating, but I saw Sabrina today, and she’s exactly the same as she always was. I’m so glad to have her. Marley and Helen were just kind of patronizing, but Sabrina acted like she’d only seen me yesterday. She wants you to introduce her to the rest of the team, by the way.”

  Daniel laughed. “I’m already getting requests from your friends to set them up with mine?”

  “Oh, yeah, I guess that must happen a lot.”

  “Actually not as much as you’d think. I think most people are either too polite or too shy to ask.”

  “Well, neither of those words describe Sabrina, that’s for sure.”

  “I’d like to meet her. I like knowing the people in your life. It makes me feel even closer to you.”

  “Sure, anytime. Sabrina would move planets to meet my boyfriend, she still calls me Virgin Kylie.”

  Daniel laughed. “I can assure her that’s not the case.” He lowered his voice. “I could tell her about this afternoon if she wanted to know what you really get up to.”

  My mouth dropped, mortified. “Don’t you dare. If she found out we did that in a semi public place I would never, ever hear the end of it. I guarantee you she would bring it up at our wedding.”

  When I realized what I’d just said, I covered my mouth, even more mortified than before.

  “I mean... I didn’t mean... umm...”

  “I know what you mean. It’s just an expression. Besides, how could I ever be insulted if you did want to marry me?”

  I was so thankful for Daniel helping me out of that awkward situation. It was funny though, how easily those words came out of my mouth. I mean, I hadn’t thought about marrying Daniel at all before. After all, we’d only been dating for a couple of months. But still, the fact that my brain went there, I wondered if deep down I wanted even more from him.

  “So when the regular season starts are you going to be playing again?”

  “I hope so. I think so. Dan thinks if we’re pretty aggressive with my rehab for the next month that it should be possible. I know that it’s not extremely important if I don’t, but I’d like to be back in time for the start of the year.”

  “Yeah, you had the surgery in July, three months recovery is pretty damn good for an athelete.”

  “I was lucky that the tears weren’t too bad, definitely.”

  When we finished our food, we cracked open our fortune cookies.

  ‘Anything is possible if you really believe’, mine said. I smiled at the words. I believed them now. After I saw Daniel skating around on the ice today, the same Daniel who winced when he showed me how to lunge because his knee was in so much pain, I knew that what my fortune cookie said was right. Anything was possible. It just took a lot of hard work.

  Our food discarded, I scooched in to be closer to Daniel. We sat together, me resting in between his legs, leaning back against him as his arms wrapped around my waist. I took his hands in mine, and we watched the lake in silence for a while. This was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

  “I love you, Kylie,” Daniel suddenly said, out of nowhere. I hadn’t been expecting it, but it felt so right to hear right now. It felt nice to hear.

  “I love you too,” I replied, leaning back against him. I closed my eyes. Daniel loved me. He had just told me he loved me. I thought before that the situation was perfect, but I was wrong. Now it was perfect.

  * * *

  After that night in the park, time seemed to s
peed past like it always seems to do when life gets busy. My workload picked up enormously as classes went on, and I found myself spending most of my days either in class or at the library. Meanwhile, Daniel spent his days in a combination of the arena, the gym and Dan’s physiotherapy area. September turned into October, and the new NHL season was about to start.

  “Our opener’s at home this year. We’re playing the Kings. I hope you’ll want to come and watch,” Daniel told me a few days before the first game.

  “Absolutely! So you’re going to play?”

  He nodded. “Dan gave me the OK today. I think I’m ready as well. I feel ready. The last week or so we’ve been doing a ton of conditioning work to get my body back into shape for the regular season. I don’t think I’ll play a ton of minutes the first few games, probably just ten or so, but I should quickly be able to ramp it back up to the fifteen, twenty minutes a game I usually play.”

  “You’re healing so well, I should bring you to one of my classes for show and tell,” I teased.

  “Hey, speaking of your classes, did you want to take Sabrina with you to the game on Sunday? We could go out for a late lunch or something in the afternoon. Game doesn’t start until seven, so I don’t have to be there until 4:30, five o’clock.”

  “Sure, that sounds nice. She’ll be ridiculously excited.”

  “Wait until you tell her that my tickets are in the family and friends suite.”

  “I might actually go deaf, knowing how hard she’ll squeal about getting to watch a hockey game in a suite.”

  Sure enough, when I texted Sabrina that night she texted back a ton of exclamation marks. She was definitely in.

  Daniel and I met with Sabrina at a burger joint on Sunday just after noon. We got there first, and when Sabrina slipped into the seat across from us a few minutes later, I introduced her to Daniel.

  “You know, a part of me actually thought Sabrina was lying about dating you until now,” she said as she gave Daniel a friendly hug across the table.

  “Thanks, Sabrina. It’s good to know you trust your best friend,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

  “Hey, you can’t blame me, can you? I mean, you’re not exactly the type to go slut it up and look for famous athletes to date.”