“I refuse to do this! I refuse, refuse, refuse!” I snapped as my best friend, Keira, dragged me inside the house of one of my worst enemies, Sidney Crosby. Ever since we were five, I’ve hated him, I’ve hated him because of one thing: He dropped my favorite stuffed bunny into a hole in a pond of ice, I never saw that damned bunny since, and I haven’t seen him since we were eleven when I moved off to Quebec. But as my luck goes, my best friend ends up dating his best friend Evgeni Malkin. Does she tell Sidney I’m her best friend? No. And now what? I’m in his house waiting to see if we could still possibly hate each other after all these years. I watched Evgeni run into the room at full speed and scoop Keira up in a hug and spin her around a few times as they kissed. I lowered my eyes and looked away, I was always jealous of their relationship, they were just so cuddly and adorable. Damn them. “Brooke! Holy shit!” He laughed his dorky laugh and set me down on my feet. He put his hands on my shoulders and stared at me. “What happened to you?” he said lightly. “I was five and I had a crush on you! What’d you expect me to do?” He said rolling his eyes. Evgeni and Keira started giggling like mad. “I was five” “Obviously you weren’t very bright back then” He snickered and took Keira into a hug.
“Hey! Hey! Sid!” Evgeni barked. I looked at him and scrunched my nose like he smelled, then turned my direction to the hallway. A brunette boy walked in. He had gorgeous eyes and a perfect build, I stared at him a little longer and gasped. Sidney, that’s Sidney. Man, his looks came a little late, but damn. I bit my bottom lip and watched him glance over at me, then look back at Evgeni. I felt like melting, how was he once that dorky little hockey kid hat couldn’t pronounce Easton? Instead of saying east-ton, he’d says east-on, then I’d make fun of him, and he’d start yelling at me and call me a stupid girl, which resulted in me crying.
“Hey, I’m Sidney” I looked up, a little surprised and saw him tower over me, then again, a lot of people tower over me, I’m only 5’5”. He must be a good six or seven inches taller than me.
“Can you do me a favor?” I said smirking. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, “Say Easton”
“What?” he held the word, staring at me, right in the eyes, I kept the same little playful smirk on my face. I watched his features as It dawned on him, his confused expression slowly turned to a huge smile and he took me into a hug.
“I dyed my hair, got a lip ring, and lost a couple of pounds” I said blushing, I was a little chubby back in the day when I was five, eleven, I was just starting to loose my baby fat.
“You look.. Incredible”
“You’re not looking to bad yourself” I whispered feeling my eyes drift down to his stomach, then to his arms.
“You know, even though we hated each other, I still missed you when you moved. It may not seem like it, but we were with each other everyday. We were attached at the hip, and without you there, bothering me, or fighting with me, it was.. Boring” He said and stared at me, no traces of a smile on his face. I looked down.
“Glad to know I was missed” I whispered and took a step back, Sidney’s arms fell to his sides and I smiled at him. “I still miss my bunny by the way” I said slyly and walked next to Keira.
“You had a crush on her so you threw her stuffed rabbit into a frozen lake? Wow, how romantic” Evgeni laughed.
“Easton” I said smiling.
“Easton! Easton! I don’t say it like that anymore! I’m a hockey player, I learned how to properly pronounce the names of equipment” he said glaring at me. I frowned and nodded. He looked over at me and sighed in defeat, then rolled his eyes and smiled. “East-on” I busted into a fit of giggles along with Keira. Tears were rushing out of my eyes from laughing so hard. I lost my balance and fell on my butt still laughing.
“Stupid girl” Sidney smirked and helped me up.
“Always so hurtful” I said wiping the tears off of my face. He smiled and wiped a few away with his thumb.
“So what were we doing today?” Sidney asked. Evgeni shrugged and looked at Keira, they kissed and smiled at each other. “Hello” Sidney said snapping his fingers near Evgeni’s ear. I giggled and quickly bit my lip to stop.
“Whatever we want” he said looking at Keira. They started talking, so I turned to Sidney and smiled.
“So, how have things been?” I watched Sidney smile. Okay, I’m sort of happy I came. I mean, it’s great seeing him again, and he’s grown up quite nicely.
“They’ve been good. Found a girlfriend, got my own place, professional hockey player” I frowned and nodded. Yeah, like he would be single? Millionaire hot hockey player? Yeah, he’ll be single for long. “What about you?” He said smiling at me.
“Well, my dad died last year, I can’t hold a boyfriend, and I’m a struggling fashion designer with no future whatsoever” I smiled and watched him frown.
“I’m sorry.. About your dad.. And the whole can’t hold a boyfriend thing” He paused, “And yeah’ he blushed and scratched the back of his neck. “Do you mkake any cash?” he asked nibbling on his bottom lip.
“Well, I have my own little clothing thing off the internet that hasn’t kicked off yet, but I’ve had a few customers. I just have to make everything in my apartment and ship it out, it’s very complicated, time consuming, painful” I said remembering all the times I stabbed myself with a needle. He smiled and nodded.
“I’m sure your clothing line will get somewhere someday” He looked down, then back at me, “What’s the name of it anyway?” he asked. I blushed furiously and shook my head. He chuckled, “What is it? Easton? Stuffed Bunny? Simply Sidney” He said. I couldn’t help but laugh at the last one.
“Cole Harbor” I said blushing. He laughed and shook his head. “I named it where I grew up, alright?” I snapped and kept my gaze at my feet.
“It’s cute” he smiled and looked over at the door opening. I watched a girl that could pass for a model walk in and right up to Sidney, they kissed and he smiled at me. “Brooke, this is Trisha” he smiled.
“Nice to meet you” I whispered. She smiled and nodded. What does she not speak English? Come, on!
“Where’s the bathroom?” I asked looking at Sidney.
“Down the hall, last door on the left” I nodded and slipped out of the room and walked as slow as possible down the hall. Isn’t this wonderful? The boy that ruined my childhood, is now amazingly good looking, and I meet him, and he has a model girlfriend, a foreign model girlfriend! What more could a guy ask for? I looked up and saw the end of the hallway. I turned to the left and walked into a huge bathroom. I sighed and turned the sink on and splashed some water in my face. I stared at myself in the mirror and scrunched my nose, then turned away and looked around. I sat on the toilet seat, I didn’t need to go to the bathroom, I needed to get away from the ‘couples’. I ran my fingers through my hair and huffed. I wish I had alcohol. I stood up and walked out of the bathroom and back into the room where everyone was.
“Hey!” Keira laughed, “We decided to go to the movies” I flinched, like I want to go?
“Actually, I’m not feeling that great” I whispered and looked over at Keira and Evgeni. “I think I’m going to head home, I don’t want to be annoying during the movie or anything” I turned to Sidney and his trophy girlfriend. “Great seeing you again” I smiled and turned away before I could look at his face. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow” I said smiling at Keira.
“Here, take my car” She said handing me the keys. “It’s a far walk and I don’t want you to get abducted or.. Lost” She said caringly. I chuckled
“Thanks. Bye” I called and walked out of the door and took a huge breath of fresh air and smiled. I got in Keira’s car and started it up, then drove back to my apartment, and walked straight to the kitchen and pulled out my bottle of vodka. I grabbed a glass and poured some in, then took the bottle and the cup and walked into my living room, set them down on the coffee table and turned on the television. I left on the Grudge, and laid on my back on the couch, and stared at the ceiling. I chugged half of my cup of vodka, and refilled it.
I managed to drink the whole bottle before the movie was over, every time I drank more of it I would think of something to make me cry and want to drink more. I stayed on my back with the empty vodka bottle in my hand. I looked at the ceiling, and had to shut my eyes, because everything was fuzzy and moving, I must be so drunk, it’s not even funny. I flipped onto my stomach and hung my head over the edge of the couch. I kept crying, my thoughts were fuzzy and I was on the edge of padding out. I was going to have one killer headache in the morning.
I was half asleep when I herd someone pounding on my door.
I fell off the couch and crawled over to the door, then picked myself up and opened the door, stumbling into the wall. “Why the hell haven’t you answered your..” I looked up and squinted.
“Sidney?” I slurred.
“Are you.. Drunk?”
“Me?” I squeaked. I rubbed my forehead and looked back over at him, alone. I shook my head and got dizzy, and slid down the wall and sat down. “I’m fine” I laughed and watched him walk in and slam the door shut.
“You’re only nineteen! And your drinking?” he screamed. I covered my head and sighed. “You drank a whole bottle of Vodka? Brooke, what is wrong with you? You could’ve died from this much alcohol or something! Do you know what you’re going to feel like tomorrow! What are you stupid? Are you insane? This is like a death wish” he continued but I drowned him out.
“I’m Sorry!” I cried once I didn’t hear him yelling at me anymore, “Just stop yelling at me. You yell at me to much” I barked and tried to stand up, but failed.
“Let me help” Sidney whispered and pulled me to my feet and put and arm around me and walked me to the couch. I sat down and wiped the tears away with the back of my hand. “Just please, answer me this, why did you drink this much?”
“Ha! Like I haven’t drunken that much before” I giggled through my tears. “I drank more than that when my last boyfriend broke up with me. I don’t think he was worth that much though” I smiled, “I wasted to much of it on him” I shut my eyes and yawned.
“Brooke, you’re starting to scare me”
“I’m always like this. How would you know anyway? You’ve been off rolling in your mounds of cash” I said and opened my eyes. “You and your model girlfriend rolling mounds of cash.. Together!” I laughed and stood up off the couch only to fall back on it crying again. “And here’s Brooke! Drinking again! What a surprise!” I cried and rubbed my eyes. “Why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be home with your wife or something?” I snapped and turned away from him.
“She’s not my wife, Brooke. She’s my girlfriend”
“What’s the difference, why wouldn’t you marry her? She looks like a fucking model? You’re a hot hockey player, she’s a hot model, you’re both the same kind of people, all the little people want you but they never have a chance, you two belong together, you two could have successful little modeling hockey babies” I cried and grabbed the bottle of vodka and tried to find some little drop of the intoxicating liquid left, but there was nothing. “They can go running around throwing stuffed bunnies into lakes and mispronouncing words, and then they’ll marry more models and hockey players and the chain will go on!” I smiled and started sucking on the bottle again.
“Brooke. You’re insane”
“You just know it’s the truth. You know that if you saw a hot random chick at a game, you wouldn’t even look at her twice because you know you can get someone rich and hotter” I snapped and crossed my arms.
“You’re wrong. Brooke, you just need to go to sleep, come on, I’ll stay here with you” he whispered.
“No! I don’t want you to stay! Go back to your girlfriend, I’m sure you wouldn’t ever throw her bunny into a frozen pond!” I snapped and shut my eyes and yawned.
“I was five”
“I don’t care” I yawned again.
“Please, Brooke. Just let me stay here tonight”
“No! I don’t want you here! You’re just a fucking tease! You’ll stay here, leave in the morning while I puke my organs out, and go home and cuddle with you wife. Just forget about me, alright? Make believe you haven’t seen me since I moved, ‘cause that’s what I’m going to do! I’d rather forget about you then remember you being so far out of my reach it isn’t even funny!” I said and stood up and stumbled to my room. I fell onto my bed and shut my eyes, tears still poured down my face, and my mind was getting all fuzzy. I opened my eyes again and saw Sidney next to me, then shut them and passed out.
I opened my eyes to sunlight, I blinked, my eyes adjusting, then quickly got up and ran to the bathroom and threw up. One word: Hangover. I leaned my head on the toilet seat, however unsanitary it was, and shut my eyes.
“Here” I looked up and saw Sidney standing over me, I blinked a couple times and peeled my face off of the toilet seat.
“Why the hell are you here?” I said staring at him. His face drew a blank and he shook his head. “I thought you were at the movies with.. Trisha or whatever her name was” I said leaning over the toilet and throwing up again. I flushed and grabbed a towel and wiped off my face.
“You don’t remember you yelling at me?” He said staring at me blankly.
"The last thing I remember is watching the grudge and pouring myself a glass of vodka. Obviously I drank the whole bottle again” I said flushing the toilet and wiping my face off again. Sidney sat down next to me and handed me two aspirins and a bottle of water.
“This should help your headache” he said rubbing his eyes. I took the pills with a huge gulp of water and turned to Sidney.
“How long were you here last night?” I asked looking at him with only one eye open. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I honestly don’t remember you coming here, at all” I said chuckling a little.
“It’s not funny” he snapped. I stared at him and nodded. “I came here I don’t know, Keira was calling you for hours, and I told her I’d come check up on you, and I found you completely drunk!” He stopped and took a deep breath, “Babbling on and crying” he sighed and looked over at me. “You don’t remember what you said?” he asked looking down. I shook my head. He nodded.
“Did I like curse you out or something?” I said, then puked again. I flushed and shoved the towel in my mouth, then pulled it out and pulled a few pieces of fuzz of my tongue.
“No, but when your drunk, you sure as hell know how to make someone feel like shit” he chuckled. I stared at him, spitting out some more fuzz from the towel.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t really have control over my actions when I’m drowned in vodka” I smiled. He shook his head.
“Nothing? You don’t remember anything?” he said, practically begging me to recall something. I stared at him and shrugged.
“If you want to fill me in on what I said, I’ll listen” I said scratching my neck. He stared at me and sighed.
“Well” he stopped and rubbed his chin, “I found out you were drunk and started yelling at you, then you told me I yelled to much, and that I always did” He bit his bottom lip, “The you told me you drink like this a lot and you drank more than a bottle when your boyfriend broke up with you, but he wasn’t worth that much, then you got mad at me and ranted about how I should be back with my girlfriend, but you called her my wife, and you told me I was a tease, and said your going to make believe you never met me again, because you’d rather forget about me then remembering I was so out of reach for you it wasn’t even funny” He said and turned to me, his eyes were hurt and it looked like he was going to start screaming, or crying.
“Did I say anything about the bunny or Easton” He nodded. I winced and nodded, I must’ve really been pissed at him, but for what?. “Damn, I’m really sorry Sidney. I didn’t even know I talked that much when I was drunk. It must be weird when I’m home alone”
“It isn’t funny!” Sidney screamed causing my head to pound harder. I winced and looked over at him, he was standing now. “It’s not funny at all! You’re putting your life on the line by drinking like a gallon of vodka and for what? Do you know how dangerous that is? You scared the shit out of me when you broke out into a cold sweat while you were sleeping and started crying, I thought I was going to have to take you to the hospital or something!”
“What do you care anyway!” I snapped. He stared at me, a little taken back. “We were never good friends, and you didn’t even recognize me when-”
“You look different!” He barked.
“That’s besides the point, I remembered you! Why would you care if I did die, or I was sick? You have your beautiful model back at your house and a perfect career. Why would you care about some random chick that you knew from when you were eleven? I’m sure you don’t think of throwing my little brown bunny into the lake everyday, the same with you and your way of saying Easton.” I crossed my arms and felt my head pound louder.
“You’re wrong! Alright, maybe I do think about throwing your bunny in the lake, maybe I do remember the way you made fun on me because I couldn’t pronounce Easton. I refused to say that word the right way after you left. And I woke up for years and the first thing on my mind was regretting not keeping in touch with you when you left, not being there when you left, instead I was down at the lake trying to fish that stupid brown bunny out because I thought that if I found it before you left you‘d stay! Alright, I thought about you for the last seven years, and I would always think of seeing you somewhere and we would..” He stopped and looked away, his eyes were glass. He turned away and walked out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut, the mirror shook on the wall. I sat there, my head pounding and my stomach in knots, along with a little heart break. He tried to get the bunny out of the lake?
I stood up and brushed my teeth and used some mouth wash and walked out of the bathroom, wiping my mouth off. Sidney was sitting on the couch his fingers running through his hair. He looked over at me and took a deep breath and stood up. I looked down, trying to keep from crying.
“You really tried to fish out my bunny?” I asked smiling, a tear rolling down my cheek. He hesitantly walked up to me and put his hand on my cheek, pushing the tear off of my cheek .
“I spent like twelve hours trying to find it” he whispered. “When I couldn’t find it I ran down to the toy store and bought you one that looked exactly like it with my allowance change I saved from finding it in couches and stuff. I went back to your house to give it to you, but you were gone” he whispered. I felt my bottom lip quiver and I went face first into Sidney’s shoulder.
“I missed you” I whimpered.
“I missed you too” He whispered and stroked my hair. “Hey, can you come back to my place?” He asked. I shrugged, and he dragged me downstairs to the parking lot and we got in his car. He drove back to his house and picked me up out of the car and carried me into his house and set me down on the couch in the living room. He ran upstairs and stayed up there for awhile. He came back down a little while later with something behind his back.
“Close your eyes, and put out your hands” He said quietly. I did as he told me and put my hands out. I smiled and waited for something to hit my hands, instead I felt Sidney’s lips crash against mine. I fell back into the couch, with him kissing me. My eyes shot open, but I relaxed and eagerly kissed him back. I was to busy kissing him to realize that I had something in my hand. Sidney pulled away and blushed. “I wanted it to be a big surprise” I smiled and laughed.
“I don’t think it could’ve got better than” I stared at the little brown furry stuffed animal in my hands and immediately started crying. “My bunny!” I squeaked and tackled Sidney into a hug. “It’s my bunny! It looks exactly like it! Sidney!” I laughed and held it out in front of me. It looked exactly the same as my old one, he even torn the tag off.
“I’ve kept that for seven years, in case I ever found you again” he smiled. “It went with me everywhere, I even had it at the draft pick, in my duffle bag, it was sort of my good luck charm” He blushed. I laughed and gave him a kiss and sat down with it in my lap. “So.. Does my little kid prediction come true?” he whispered. I stared at him and tilted my head to the side. “I thought that if I gave you your bunny back, you’ll stay” He whispered, staring at me, nibbling on his bottom lip.
“Will you stay?” His eyes were huge and pleading. I stared from the bunny to him and smiled.
“Of course”
