Chapter 4
He taught me to love and play hockey. At times I joined in on their guys’ hockey night and to be honest I’m not sure if he spent more time looking at the game or me. I just know I loved to tease him about it.
“You still played hockey after he left?” the woman asked curiously.
“No. But I occasionally watch the games on TV,” Sydney said with a smile.
“Why give up if you love it?” the woman continued.
“Practise wasn’t my thing and for fun I had no one to play with. Andrew is more into basketball so as far as sports are concerned we don’t understand each other,” Sydney explained.
“So I assume you are not a basketball fan,” the woman replied half joking.
“Correct you are,” Sydney said and smiled.
Sydney and Vaughn were driving around in his car without a destination in sight. It was already dark outside and for the past half an hour not a word had been exchanged between them. They had spent the evening watching hockey with Josh, Andy and Christopher after witch she just didn’t feel like going home. So now here they were. Driving. He behind the wheel and she simply sitting next to him looking out the passenger side window with this emptiness in her eyes staring at passing by cars, streetlights, people. There was no emotion in her presences and she seemed numb. The radio was on but most likely neither of them paid any attention to it. Yet it was better than sitting in complete silence. He tried to figure out what might be wrong but came up with nothing. He attempted talking to her but she just ignored him like he wasn’t even there. Vaughn sighed feeling hurt by her choice of action but decided to leave her alone. He didn’t enjoy being left out but believed she’d come around if given space. Then Iris by GooGooDolls came on the radio. The acoustic version he knew she loved. He noticed Sydney’s head stir just slightly and a content smile appeared on her lips. She closed her eyes feeling the tune. After the song was over she turned her chocolate brown eyes in his direction and just sat there studying Vaughn’s every move until he became uncomfortable. So she innocently shrugged her shoulders and focused on the road in front of her instead.
“How can you keep your eyes fixed on me and still see the game?” Sydney asked randomly.
“What?” he replied with a question surprised by yet another change in her mood. Now she looked almost like herself again.
“Well I spent the last few minutes studying your every move and honestly I don’t know what was happening around me,” she explained in a serious tone.
“Is it necessarily a bad thing?” he asked as a reply.
“Suppose not. Truthfully I wouldn’t change that moment for anything,” she said casually.
“So where is the problem?” he asked wondering what was bothering her.
“Nowhere. I was just curios,” Sydney explained sounding somewhat sad.
“Listen… The game and results will always be there but you and I change with time and I don’t want to miss out on anything,” he replied sincerely.
“That is so sweet. Makes me feel almost guilty for teasing you on it all the time,” Sydney said with a smile on her lips.
“Sure,” Vaughn replied shaking his head in disbelieve.
Sydney just laughed and gently kissed his cheek. All of a sudden she felt so much better and there was no other place she rather be then right her and now with him. Vaughn knew when to back of and yet he was there to catch her when she was about to fall. He never forced her to talk about her worries and gave her space when she needed it the most all the while staying close enough for her to reach out to him in need. She felt she could relay on him without a doubt and that meant a lot. Still the next fifteen minutes were spent in silence again. The radio was playing and she returned to staring out the passenger side window. Yet the mood had changed. She was content though a bit tired. She watched the passing by scenery with interest and curiosity. There was a sparkle in her chocolate brown eyes and a vivid smile on her lips. At that moment she knew she was in love and there’s no other way she’d want it to be.
“I thought about taking self defence classes,” Sydney casually said continuing the conversation.
“To protect yourself from the crazed fans if you become famous some day?” he joked.
“More like crazy loonies I try to interview as a journalist,” Sydney replied smiling.
“You are determent,” he hinted at the fact she had already picked out a possible profession for herself.
“Truthfully self defence was my moms idea,” she replied realising as soon as she had said those words that everyone thought her mother to be dead.
“Your mother?” he asked feeling confused.
“Yes. When I was little she always told me I should know how to protect myself when I grow up,” Sydney lied hoping he’d drop the subject.
“But then you won’t need me anymore,” he pretended to pout.
“Trust me. You have other useful qualities too,” she replied giving him an adoring look.
“I feel a lot better now,” he said with a grin.
“For example you give good back massages. Think how much money I’ll save,” she continued.
“I’d tickle you right now if I could,” he replied pretending to be insulted.
“You still love me,” she stated a fact.
“And you are hopeless,” he replied shaking his head.
“But you like me that way,” she stated lovingly.
He begun to laugh and gently stroke her cheek with the palm of his hand. And an hour later he drove her home.
“So why were you sad?” the woman curiously asked.
“No reason. Sometimes I just am. I can’t help it,” Sydney explained truthfully.
“Interesting,” the woman simply commented.
“Not really,” Sydney replied with a shrug.
“So self defence?” the woman asked wanting to hear more about it.
“My mom would have probably had me master martial arts if I hadn’t been so passionate about dancing,” Sydney explained with a smile.
“So a small compromise?” the woman asked.
“Something like that,” Sydney replied innocently.
He taught me to love and play hockey. At times I joined in on their guys’ hockey night and to be honest I’m not sure if he spent more time looking at the game or me. I just know I loved to tease him about it.
“You still played hockey after he left?” the woman asked curiously.
“No. But I occasionally watch the games on TV,” Sydney said with a smile.
“Why give up if you love it?” the woman continued.
“Practise wasn’t my thing and for fun I had no one to play with. Andrew is more into basketball so as far as sports are concerned we don’t understand each other,” Sydney explained.
“So I assume you are not a basketball fan,” the woman replied half joking.
“Correct you are,” Sydney said and smiled.
Sydney and Vaughn were driving around in his car without a destination in sight. It was already dark outside and for the past half an hour not a word had been exchanged between them. They had spent the evening watching hockey with Josh, Andy and Christopher after witch she just didn’t feel like going home. So now here they were. Driving. He behind the wheel and she simply sitting next to him looking out the passenger side window with this emptiness in her eyes staring at passing by cars, streetlights, people. There was no emotion in her presences and she seemed numb. The radio was on but most likely neither of them paid any attention to it. Yet it was better than sitting in complete silence. He tried to figure out what might be wrong but came up with nothing. He attempted talking to her but she just ignored him like he wasn’t even there. Vaughn sighed feeling hurt by her choice of action but decided to leave her alone. He didn’t enjoy being left out but believed she’d come around if given space. Then Iris by GooGooDolls came on the radio. The acoustic version he knew she loved. He noticed Sydney’s head stir just slightly and a content smile appeared on her lips. She closed her eyes feeling the tune. After the song was over she turned her chocolate brown eyes in his direction and just sat there studying Vaughn’s every move until he became uncomfortable. So she innocently shrugged her shoulders and focused on the road in front of her instead.
“How can you keep your eyes fixed on me and still see the game?” Sydney asked randomly.
“What?” he replied with a question surprised by yet another change in her mood. Now she looked almost like herself again.
“Well I spent the last few minutes studying your every move and honestly I don’t know what was happening around me,” she explained in a serious tone.
“Is it necessarily a bad thing?” he asked as a reply.
“Suppose not. Truthfully I wouldn’t change that moment for anything,” she said casually.
“So where is the problem?” he asked wondering what was bothering her.
“Nowhere. I was just curios,” Sydney explained sounding somewhat sad.
“Listen… The game and results will always be there but you and I change with time and I don’t want to miss out on anything,” he replied sincerely.
“That is so sweet. Makes me feel almost guilty for teasing you on it all the time,” Sydney said with a smile on her lips.
“Sure,” Vaughn replied shaking his head in disbelieve.
Sydney just laughed and gently kissed his cheek. All of a sudden she felt so much better and there was no other place she rather be then right her and now with him. Vaughn knew when to back of and yet he was there to catch her when she was about to fall. He never forced her to talk about her worries and gave her space when she needed it the most all the while staying close enough for her to reach out to him in need. She felt she could relay on him without a doubt and that meant a lot. Still the next fifteen minutes were spent in silence again. The radio was playing and she returned to staring out the passenger side window. Yet the mood had changed. She was content though a bit tired. She watched the passing by scenery with interest and curiosity. There was a sparkle in her chocolate brown eyes and a vivid smile on her lips. At that moment she knew she was in love and there’s no other way she’d want it to be.
“I thought about taking self defence classes,” Sydney casually said continuing the conversation.
“To protect yourself from the crazed fans if you become famous some day?” he joked.
“More like crazy loonies I try to interview as a journalist,” Sydney replied smiling.
“You are determent,” he hinted at the fact she had already picked out a possible profession for herself.
“Truthfully self defence was my moms idea,” she replied realising as soon as she had said those words that everyone thought her mother to be dead.
“Your mother?” he asked feeling confused.
“Yes. When I was little she always told me I should know how to protect myself when I grow up,” Sydney lied hoping he’d drop the subject.
“But then you won’t need me anymore,” he pretended to pout.
“Trust me. You have other useful qualities too,” she replied giving him an adoring look.
“I feel a lot better now,” he said with a grin.
“For example you give good back massages. Think how much money I’ll save,” she continued.
“I’d tickle you right now if I could,” he replied pretending to be insulted.
“You still love me,” she stated a fact.
“And you are hopeless,” he replied shaking his head.
“But you like me that way,” she stated lovingly.
He begun to laugh and gently stroke her cheek with the palm of his hand. And an hour later he drove her home.
“So why were you sad?” the woman curiously asked.
“No reason. Sometimes I just am. I can’t help it,” Sydney explained truthfully.
“Interesting,” the woman simply commented.
“Not really,” Sydney replied with a shrug.
“So self defence?” the woman asked wanting to hear more about it.
“My mom would have probably had me master martial arts if I hadn’t been so passionate about dancing,” Sydney explained with a smile.
“So a small compromise?” the woman asked.
“Something like that,” Sydney replied innocently.
