I Hope You Dance (Artemi Panarin)

Everybody Brusises Theory

Gabriella

After a long day of rehearsing and training I was ready to sit back and relax and watch the Blackhawks take on the Preds at the UC in the comfort of my hotel room. I hate to admit that I missed going there. It was chaotic and loud and always stressed me out but it was a great to place to be when you were in the mood.

And I definitely was in a hockey mood right now, so I invited Jake and Kassie over to enjoy the game with me. Kassie was over a lot because I always had questions and she had answers, plus she hated the other dancers. It wasn't their fault, she didn't want to dance anymore and she was better than every one in her class without even trying. She was there because it was paid for and she didn't have to go home. But the dancer she lived with was loud and messy and she loved the view from my hotel room so she found herself over a lot. And while Hank is a great companion, humans aren't as bad as I once thought.

And since Kassie was up in my room for the night that meant Jake was too. I wish they would stop flirting and make something happen.

I make some popcorn for us and some tea for me. I hand the kids some soda and join them on the couch.

"How has Artemi been" Jake asks.

"He's been pretty good. He loves his new dog, that's for sure. I don't know how many selfies he's sent me with Tank but I'm starting to get jealous" I joke and he laughs.

"A dog is mans best friend" he shrugs.

The game gets started and I enjoy the company I was in and the game I was watching. It was already their third game in but it wasn't looking too hot for them. I don't know what they needed, that's where Lindsey came in handy because she would just explain these things to me, but they needed something.

"They should put Artemi back with Kaner" Jake says and I turn to him.

"Why did they separate them" I wonder.

"Probably to get Jonny going again. It's hard to do something without a good first line. And as much as I love that Kane-Anisimov-Panarin line it's better to distribute the scoring. But now no one is scoring" he explains and I nod. Makes sense.

The game continues and we eat all the popcorn I had by the time for the first intermission.

I go into the kitchen to make another batch and pop it in the microwave. I close the door and wait for it to stop popping.

Suddenly I feel my world start to spin and I grab for the counter. I lean over it and try to stabilize myself but I can't. Hank comes running in the kitchen and starts to bark loudly because he knows what comes next. I try to quiet him down but it's hard when I'm seeing like three of him.

"Hey Gabs, are you okay" Kassie yells.

That's all I remember before passing out onto the floor.

"Hey... I think she's coming to."

"Maybe we should pour some water on her face?"

"This isn't a movie."

"Wait! Her eyes are opening."

I blink a few times so I could see and my vision comes into focus. I see Jake and Kassie hovering above me, both with concern laces on their faces.

"God I thought you died. Joffrey would have killed me too" Kassie claims and I laugh.

"Good to see you too" I shake my head.

"What happened" Jake asks.

"I fainted, that's all" I explain sitting myself up on the floor.

"That's all? You just passed out then acted like it's normal" Kassie says.

"For me it is" I shrug.

"Do you have a condition" Jake asks.

"I have anxiety. So structurally I'm sound. The only thing out of place is my mindset" I explain.

"How does that cause you to faint" Kassie wonders.

"When something is believed to be wrong in my mind it sends signals my body to warn me that something isn't right. I don't always know why I have a anxiety attack, a lot of times it's a bunch of things and not one central thing. But that's why I got Hank" I smile rubbing his head as he holds me up off the floor. He was such a good boy.

"Is Hank a service dog" Kassie asks joining me in the petting.

"He is. He's a great one too" I nod.

"I would have never guessed you had anxiety" Jake says.

"That's kinda the point of it" I explain.

"Well it sucks. I hope you get better" he insists.

"I'm trying" I smile.

They help me off the floor and I get the popcorn out. Thankfully it didn't burn. We return to the tv where the hawks had scored a few more and had a little bit more comfortable of a lead.

After a while the Hawks win making us really happy people. They thank me for inviting them over then ask one more time if I'll be okay. I assure them that all is well and they leave.

Once they're gone I start my green tea on the stove and pour my first cup of the night. I sit in bed with Hank beside me and stare up to the ceiling. Tears fall slowly of the weight of the day starts to fall in my chest. At this point I was too tired to sleep, my brain running on fumes but still going a mile a minute.

I wipe away the tear before another one replaces it. My head pounds as my body starts to realize what was going on. I wasn't going to bed any time soon and it won't have time to refresh.

I get up and take some pills. I lay there and try and close my eyes. A second later my phone goes off and my eyes shoot open. I see Artemi was trying to face time and I smile before answering.

"Hello Artemi" I answer.

"Hi baby. You look beautiful" he says and I giggle. I looked like I haven't slept in days, because I haven't.

"You can barley see me" I argue.

"I can see enough. Like your amazing eyes and you're cute little nose that scrunches up every time I compliment you" he claims.

"I'm going to throw up" someone mumbles and I laugh.

"Hi Artem" I yell.

"Hi Gabby. How are you" he asks.

"I'm good. And you" I ask.

"Tired" he admits.

"Good game tonight" I tell him.

"Thanks kid" he smiles before leaving.

"How was your day" Artemi asks coming back on the screen.

"It was pretty good. Training was relaxed and it was a lot of review, nothing too hard. Then Jake and Kassie came over to watch the game with me" I explain.

"Is that a bruise on your head" he asks moving closer to the screen. I look at me on the screen and I'll be darned if there wasn't a bruise on my forehead.

"Oh, I guess there is" I say touching it lightly. Yup. That's for sure a bruise.

"What happened" he asks and I can feel him jumping to conclusions. He was extremely protective over me, but it was refreshing really.

"No one hurt me, don't worry. I just hit my head and I bruise easily" I assure him.

"What did you hit your head on" he asks and I pause. "And don't you dare lie to me" he threatens.

"I fainted when I was making popcorn and head my head on the floor. But I'm fine, I swear" I insist.

"That's not fine. There's nothing fine about what you just said. I worry about you" he says and I sigh.

"I know you do. But you have to trust me when I say I'm okay" I define.

"I do trust you. I just hate that you're hurting and I'm not there for you" he claims.

"You're in my heart, always."