Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Score ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

A/N: Hey, back again. I thought maybe if I update a bit faster I'd get a little more response to this story. Here's hoping!

 

Chapter 14:

 

So, the party Ray and Riley had decided to throw consisted of the whole team, the team's significant others, the staff and their partners and random people who decided to join in on the fun.

 

Aiko looked around the crowded living room and was definitely glad that she had taken her brother and sister home before coming there. Sarah was around somewhere; she had hitched a ride with her and Matthew, but Aiko had lost sight of her the minute they'd arrived. And Matthew, on the other hand, had never left her side.

 

“Not too bad, huh?” Aiko yelled over the music.

 

Matthew looked sheepish. “What can I say? I forgot my best friends were total psychos.”

 

“Hey! We resent that!” They turned around to see Riley there with a drink in his hand.

 

“Man, you shouldn't be drinking before a practice,” Matthew lectured.

 

“I'm not, its ice tea,” Riley replied indignantly.

 

“I'll be right back guys. I'm just going to go to the washroom,” Aiko said, leaving the two to talk alone.

 

As she made her way through the crowd, she spotted Sarah flirting with one of the players. She also spotted and waved at Yumi. And she did a double take when she saw Laila, the center of attention, with a whole group of people gathered around her. Aiko had to stop to wander how Lai had got there?

 

Finally she made it to the bathroom and just her luck there was a line. So she stood there waiting impatiently, she just wanted to get back to Matthew.

 

Looking around, Aiko spotted Tony slipping into a room all alone, and he wasn't looking so good. Her turn for the bathroom was next and as soon as she went in and out she made her way to the room she saw Tony go into.

 

Slowly she cracked the door open. It was pitch black in there. “Tony,” she whispered, not knowing why she did.

 

“Aiko,” the distant reply came.

 

She opened the door and hurried in, closing the door behind her. She found him half on the bed, half off.

 

“Tony what are you doing in here?” she asked concernedly.

 

“I came to play poker,” he said; clearly he was drunk.

 

“Oh Tony, you know you aren't supposed to drink before a practice,” Aiko scolded gently.

 

“Yes I am,” he argued childishly, while he struggled to pull himself fully on the bed.

 

Aiko watched the somewhat pathetic attempt; she couldn't help thinking that Tony's current state of being had everything to do with her.

 

“Tony, why are you drinking?” she asked hesitantly, as she came to sit on the bed.

 

“Because, I- I'm going to win you back,” he slurred, confirming her suspicion. “In this game of poker.”

 

“Oh Tony, you heard what Matthew said about me being his girlfriend,” she stated.

 

“No, you're mine. I won't let you go,” Tony said, making a swipe for her but missing completely, almost falling off the bed in the process.

 

“I'm sorry Tony. I was going to tell you, really,” she admitted.

 

“You and Matthew won't last,” he said quite adamantly and surprisingly coherently.

 

Aiko was just going to reply, when the door opened and the light flickered on. There at the doorway was Matthew staring grimly at Aiko and Tony.

 

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“Bye Sarah,” Aiko said, as they dropped her friend home after the party.

 

“See ya,” Sarah replied, looking warily between the two, Matthew and Aiko, before getting out.

 

As soon as the door was shut and they were back on the road, Aiko turned to stare at Matthew. His mouth was set in a firm line, his brow furrowed, he was totally focusing on driving and he wasn't very happy.

 

Aiko had explained to him why she was alone with Tony in a room, in the dark. Matthew took her explanation and replied only with the suggestion of leaving the party. Now he was silent, saying nothing. It totally frustrated her.

 

“I thought you said you trusted me?” she accused.

 

That startled him out of his trance and he took his eyes off the road for a second, turning to her to say, “I do.”

 

“Then why don't you believe me when I say I was just checking to see if Tony was all right?” Aiko asked, her tone totally conveying her annoyance.

 

“I do believe you, I don't believe him.”

 

“Huh?” Aiko asked, confused.

 

“Tony wouldn't drink before a practice. And if he did he wouldn't drink so much that he'd get himself drunk. No, I think he was faking,” Matthew shared his theory.

 

“What? I don't know Matthew. He seemed pretty out of it to me. Are you sure your not just mad at me?” she asked, voicing the question she'd been wanting to ask since the incident.

 

“I'm not mad at you,” he simply said. Aiko wasn't convinced. “I just don't believe Tony would sacrifice his job as starting goalie in the playoffs for you.”

 

She didn't think she was the greatest catch in the world, but still that hurt. “Well thanks. It's nice to know how much I'm worth.” Tears sprang to her eyes uncontrollably. Of course, how could she compare to the glorious Stanley Cup?

 

The car suddenly stopped and Aiko heard Matthew let out a frustrated sigh. She had her head turned around to look out her window. They'd stopped in a parking lot of a closed store.

 

“Aiko look at me,” Matthew demanded.

 

“Uh no,” she denied. The tears were still there and they threatened to fall any minute. She didn't want him to see how his words affected her.

 

“Aiko, come on, please look at me,” he tried a gentler approach.

 

“No,” she said adamantly. A tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped at it furiously, thinking herself weak.

 

“Aiko,” he practically whispered; gently, he placed his fingertips on her chin and turned her to face him. He could now see the damage he'd done. He was such an idiot. “Aiko, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'd sacrifice a hundred cups for you. I'd give up my whole career for you. You're worth it and so much more”

 

He cupped her face and wiped the falling tears with the pads of his thumbs. She didn't resist his touch, so he moved in to kiss a tear away from one cheek, than the other. Tentatively, he placed his lips against hers, hoping she'd kiss him back. When she did, he pulled her closer, never wanting to let her go. She hugged him back fiercely. After a minute of just holding each other they pulled apart and she rested her head against his shoulder.

 

“Do you believe me?” he asked unsurely.

 

“Ye- yes,” came her shaky reply, she was still quivering.

 

“I care for you deeply. I'd do anything for you. Just name it and you've got it. Anything,” he told her adamantly.

 

She let out a shaky sigh, before answering, “Just stay with me. I only want you.”

 

Matthew felt a wave of relief flood through him; he hadn't lost her after all. “I can do that. I only want you too.”

 

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Well that's it for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed.

And thanks to my one reviewer joshrox, sorry I'm taking forever; I'll try to be quicker. And thanks to anyone who has read this story.

 

Please review and let me know what you think.

 

Thanks.