To You, With Love

Chapter Three: Draft Day '06

"Hurry up!" My dad shouted from through the door of the bathroom at the hotel we were staying at, "We're going to be late!"

That was one thing that never changed from the old house; dad's nagging.

The draft was today in Vancouver. And the only benefit of being in B.C., was the fact that I finally got to see the most Western province in Canada.

"You ready?" He asked as I emergered from the bathroom.

"Sadly..." I mumbled from under my breath, "Let's just get this over with."

I looked at myself in the mirror. My fitted black dress just hit my knees, while my blond hair was tied up and hit the crook of my neck.

Sure, I may've been wearing a pound of makeup, but without it, I'd look like a Goddamn zombie.

As we finally got on the road, I'd decided to break the silence that had been lingering since we the morning.

"Do you have any idea who the GM is looking to draft?"

My dad sighed as he made a wide turn, "We've talked a little about it, and we were looking at a few European guys." He replied.

It didn't sound like he was in a very good mood, so I made the decision to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the ride. Instead of talking, I pulled out my phone and texted Jake back. Luckily, our hotel was located only 15 minutes away from where the draft was being held, so the awkward silence didn't last too long.

"We're here." My dad stated nervously. I knew he had been waiting for this day for months. It was always the most stressful day to be involved with an NHL organization.

"Relax, dad," I reassured, placing my hand on his shoulder, "He'll make the right decisions."

As we both made our way to the building, I walked beside him and linked my arm with his while pulling my purse over my other shoulder.

Entering the building, I got the immediate sense of nervousness from everyone in the building. The feeling was so strong, I could've swore I could smell it.

But then again, maybe that was just the nervous sweats that most people experienced. Nonetheless, it was an overwhelming feeling.

"When is it supposed to start?" I asked, pulling my father closer to me.

"7:00," He said, dazed, "I'm going to go sit at the Leafs' table, okay? Find a seat in the crowd, darling." He gave me a kiss on the forehead before befriending a few others from the organization.

My eyes scanned the stands, looking for an empty seat to sit in. Not one of the faces looked familiar to me, so the first seat I found, I went for. I found myself sitting beside two draftees, both with brown hair and eyes. And not to mention, they were both good looking guys. I pulled out my phone and snapped a few pictures for Taylor.

Just then, I felt something brush against my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." The accented male's voice spoke quietly. Clearly he was still nervous to talk to native English speakers. But that accent he had made my heart melt.

"It's okay." I giggled, returning my attention back to my phone.

Me: You'll never guess what just happened!

Taylor: What?!

Me: One of the cutest guys I've ever seen just spoke to me. He's getting drafted this year, and he's from somewhere in Europe... Judging by his accent!

Taylor: That's awesome. Sneak a picture for me... But you do realize that you have--

Just then, a man stepped up to the podium on the stage. I put away my phone and flashed a smile at both guys I was sitting next to. And soon enough, the draft began.