The Friend Zone

Chapter Forty: Promises

 "I'm off to the rink," Taylor said the next day as he put on his dress shoes before the game that night.

"Hold on," I said, getting up off the couch and walking over to examine his get up to make sure his hair looked somewhat brushed and that his tie was straight this time.

"I don't need to you inspect me first," he laughed, "My mother used to do that before church and everyday before school when I was little and it was annoying as hell by the time I was fourteen."

"But the other day you walked out and you had a huge chunk of hair sticking up on the back of your head," I laughed, "And your first game here you almost left with your fly down and I saved your ass from a shitload of embarrassment," I grinned.

"That you did," he sighed, pulling me in and pressing his forehead against mine.

"You're going to be late," I smiled as we stood there in the middle of the room getting lost in absolutely nothing but each other for a few precious minutes.

"It's worth it," he smiled, kissing me on the lips.

"Get your ass to the rink," I grinned, "Now."

"See you later," he laughed, kissing my cheek before walking out.

###

Two hours later, I was standing at the glass by the door to the ice at the rink watching warm ups before the big game. It was my tradition no matter where Taylor played to watch his team warm up and stay in the rink from warm ups until game time every game and say good luck after he came off the ice.

"Hey you," I said as he walked past.

"Sorry, I didn't see you," he replied, turning back around.

"Good luck," I said, "Don't let your dad in your head. Promise?"

"Promise," he said.

"Kick some ass," I smiled, reaching up and patting him on the back before he walked back to the locker room.

As I walked back to my seat, I caught him out of the corner of my eye. Taylor's dad was here early, by some miracle, and he was walking toward the locker room.

There was no way in hell I was going to let him anywhere near Taylor before this game. I wasn't going to let him have the chance to get into his head, he wasn't going to get in his head, not if I had anything to do with it.

"Hey, Simpson!" I called as one of the club guys Taylor was friends with walked past.

"Yeah," he said, turning around.

"See the guy over there in the Buffalo hoodie?" I asked, "Go make sure he gets nowhere near Taylor when he comes out of the locker room, please."

"Yeah, sure," he said, "That his dad?"
"Sure is," I sighed.

"I'll make sure he stays away," he said.

"Thanks," I said, turning away and walking back to my seat.

###

"Damn it," I sighed about two hours later as the other team put the puck in the empty net for the second time.

Taylor just didn't seem to be on it today, none of the guys other than Campbell seemed to be as we found ourselves on the losing end of a 5-2 game as the buzzer sounded.

I sat in the lobby for nearly an hour after the game waiting for him to come out. As the minutes passed by, I hoped and prayed that his dad would get lost and leave Taylor alone. But he didn't, he stuck around just as long as I did.