I barge into Stan's room, clearly spooking him, around midday on Saturday. There is still about 5 hours until puck drop but I am already in my suit ready to head to the arena. "Hey, you picked up Bray's door right?"

"Yeah? Why is something wrong?" Stan has his suit pants on already but is looking between two shirts still undecided on which to wear. His suit screams big money, just like the rest of him but the dude is so humble and quiet you'd never know. His $10,000 watch sits on his wrist the same way my $200 one does and while some of our teammates like to flash their expensive accessories, Stan tries to hide his. Stan's dad is some tech genius and while my parents are comfortable Stan's dad could buy the hockey arena, no actually the entire school, and name it after himself if he got bored.

"No I just need to stop by and drop something off, want to join?"

Stan shrugs and I reach out and flick his arm. "What's wrong man?"

"Pmans new girlfriend, hook up, whatever lives there, right?"

"Maya? I have no idea, why?"

"No reason. I had a class with her fall semester, I don't think she even knew I was on the hockey team." He lets out a bitter laugh, once again looking between his two shirts.

"Well come with me and we will change that. Also pick the left one."

"What does it matter? She's with P now."

"Fuck P dude, steal his girl. Forget bro code, if you like this girl shoot your shot. It is not like P is in it for more than the hook up anyways."

Stan nods hesitantly so I pick up the shirt on the left, shove it at him and force him to put it on while I grab the rest of his stuff. He finishes getting dressed and we both head to my car to drive to Francesca's apartment. I am a little nervous about showing up to give her a hockey sweater, I have never given anyone a sweater or a jersey or a shirt or anything like that before.

When we pull up Stan leads the way since I don't know the apartment number. I knock on the door while he stands behind me fidgeting. "Alex chill," I whisper right before the door opens.

"Ew," Francesca roommate spits as soon as she opens the door. I don't even try to hide the eye roll as we both look at each other in mutual disgust. To think three weeks earlier this is the way me and Francesca looked at each other. "Fran, there is a dog at the front door."

I hear some clattering and then Francesca pops up in her roommates place with a bright smile. "Are you stalking me?"

"Brays door," I remind her and she just nods before looking at Stan behind me. "Stan Beck, Beck this is Stan."

"Is Stan your actual name? Because I have never met a hockey player who gets called their actual name."

"It's Alex," Stan tells her meekly and she gives him a sweet smile in return trying to make him more comfortable. Hell must freeze over instantly because he does relax as someone finally shows him an ounce of kindness.

"Alex, wait you had that sick backhand last night, right?"

Both me and Stan are stunned but for different reasons. For him it is because finally someone paid attention to him on the ice but for me it is because the ice princess actually knows hockey. Her voice was pretty raspy last night after the game but I just assumed it was her trying to talk to her friends over the crowd. Shit, this girl never ceases to surprise me.

"Anyways, did you come for more brownies, fat ass?"

Suddenly nervous I shove the sweater toward her. "It is embarrassing to be friends with someone who doesn't even own a hockey shirt to wear to games."

"Oh." Looking at the sweater she brings it to her nose and thankfully doesn't gag. I washed it twice this morning to make sure it didn't smell. "Thanks."

"Yeah, anyways, we got to go, but there is a party at the house after the game, if you're interested?"

"Definitely, I am going to get you on the dance floor if it kills me, Ryder."

I shake my head as we walk off. I will never dance. I just know I'll be horrible at it and she will ridicule me forever.

"Wait," she calls out as we reach the elevator. "Your hair isn't as ugly as I thought it would be. I just assumed the hat was to hide your male pattern baldness."

I smile as I step into the elevator knowing that is about as close to a true compliment as I may ever get, but I am ok with that. Whatever our weird, insult filled, sarcastic friendship is I like it the way it is and I wouldn't ever want it to change.

Stan is definitely more excited for this game than I have ever seen him and as we warm up it shows. I am really grateful for my friend's new confidence and I hope that he can use it to make some moves tonight on the ice. Maybe if he does it will get Mayas attention.

The game is fun tonight and a lot less stressful than it was the night before. The first game off a loss is always tense but tonight we are back in our rhythm and it shows. Every time I am on the ice I put on a show for the fans but especially for Francesca, who I already spotted in my sweater sitting in the middle of the student section. Apparently she is very into hockey because she is yelling and screaming with all the hardcore fans, even flipping off the ref after a bad call. She is small among all the male fans but she definitely holds her own and when I am not on the ice I find myself watching her more than I am watching the game.

When the game ends and I bypass everyone to get to my phone wanting to text Francesca before she leaves.

Me: You and Maya want a ride?

From what I could see she was the only figure skater to make the trek to the game tonight and since Pman is too busy being an idiot I decided to extend the offer for a ride myself.

Beck: Brought you a brownie anyways so sure.

Usually I am the last to leave the locker room but I shower like I am on fire and get dressed just as quick. Poor Stan because he drove with me is dragged from the locker room barely dressed as I blow past everyone to find the brownie, I mean Francesca. No I don't I fully mean the brownie.

"Brownie," I demand the second I find her, still walking over to the locker room from the student section. I can feel the stares and hear the whispers as I stand in front of her jumping from foot to foot as she reaches into her bag.

"What a good boy," she coos. "Such a good doggie." I rip the brownie from her and shove the whole thing into my mouth, ignoring her dog comments. She can call me whatever she wants this brownie might be better than sex and nothing can kill the vibe right now.

"Ready," I mumble little bits of brownie falling from my mouth. Francesca rolls her eyes but I lead the way to the car while she introduces Maya to Stan who despite an actually incredible game, including his first goal, is still painfully shy. Being the amazing wingman I am, as we reach the car I shove Francesca toward the front passenger seat forcing Stan and Maya to be in the back together.

I park in the back of the house, one of the first people home. I know I will remain one of the first because tonight a good portion of the team is striking back for the car wrapping prank on Thursday. I am not sure about the exact plan, choosing to not ask for details or pay attention to the plan.

"I am going to change, come on." Stan scurries away completely red from his little time alone next to Maya and I lead the two girls up to my room. Maya tries to talk about the game with me but I am trying to find out Francesca's true feelings about my playing. She clearly knows more than she is letting on and shit do I want to hear all her critiques. Finally someone who won't be scared to be honest and tell it like it is to me.

When I open my bedroom door the only other person to ever be that honest is sprawled out on my bed, TV on and a bowl of cereal in her lap. "Maddie, no fucking eating in my bed. Fuck, we go over this like once a week."

Maddie shushes me then raises the volume of the TV to drown me out. Maya and Francesca stand in the doorway watching the two of us, probably getting the total wrong idea. Maddie is a proud puck bunny but she also knows what she is talking about when she talks about hockey. Freshman year, Maddie scouted me out early seeing my potential and we got close. A younger, stupider Ryder thought we'd end up dating but I quickly learned that dating was not for either of us. We had a couple of hook ups in the past but now she is more like a sister if anything, though the last week or so our relationship has changed and I realize she doesn't get me like Francesca does, even after three years of friendship.

Annoyed with her as I usually am, I rip the TV plug from the wall. "Ryder you buzzkill! You're ruining my post hockey high."

"Fucking hell," I grumble under my breath. Francesca finally enters the room and removes my sweater, setting it in my overflowing laundry basket. Maya has disappeared and I assume P is home, ditching the prank war to try to get her into his bed.

"Hi, I am Francesca. Thanks for the song, by the way."

"Oh 100%! Glad you like it! Anyways I am gonna go make my rounds, see you guys."

She leaves the room, abandoning her half eaten bowl on my dresser on her way out. "Fucking slob."

"You're one to talk," Francesca counters, kicking my laundry and looking at my disaster of a desk. My entire room is a shit show, honestly who has time to clean between practice, lab and class?

"Whatever butt." I grab some jeans and a clean shirt and pop into my bathroom to change. When I return Francesca is poking around near my desk, littered with lab notes and class notes and hockey shit.

"Your handwriting reminds me of a serial killer."

"Maybe I am one," I joke as I move next to her to straighten out my desk. Standing next to her I notice she is wearing a small necklace. I have noticed it a few other times when she has taken her sweater off at the rink. "Is it a moon," I ask in reference to the necklace.

She touches the small gold pendant resting on her chest and smiles. "As a baby I had this glow in the dark moon sticker on the ceiling. As I got older I redid my room a zillion times but I always kept the moon on the ceiling, even when it stopped glowing anymore. Before I left for college my brothers gifted me this so I would always have my moon with me."

"Are you close with them? Your brothers?"

"Extremely. They're hockey players, them and my dad taught me everything I know."

I nod feeling slightly jealous. I would kill to have siblings but my parents didn't even want me, let alone two or more kids. I shake off my jealousy and we head down to where the party is just beginning. Maya is already down with Pman and other people are flooding in through the front door. Francesca and I spend a majority of our night at the beer pong tables and I manage to avoid the dance floor though she does spend some time dancing with Maya and some of the other girls before she eventually goes home.

As soon as she leaves I sneak to my room and lock the door where I prefer to be during parties, except when she is here.