A/N: Sorry guys, there was some sort of bug keeping me from logging in, or this would have been up earlier. I was so happy from all the reviews I got after one day. I'm glad you all like my story so far. Keep your fingers crossed that it won't start heading down hill. Drill's the same as before, though I may have to slow down soon because school's starting. So anyway here's chapter two. Hope you all enjoy.

As Nikki walked into the room she staked out the two general areas of hockey players. The Minnesota table was near the back of the room, and the Massachusetts table was off to the right. Reason told her to go sit with her fellow Minnesotans, but of course Robbie would be sitting with them, and she was ready to avoid him at all costs.

"Hi," she started uneasily going over to the Boston table. "Can I sit here?"

"Hey, it's mini-Herb," a dark haired boy laughed. Nicolette hugged her arms around herself uneasily.

"Yea, sit down," the guy closest to her got up to let her in. He looked a little older than the others perhaps. "I'm Mike Eruzione, Rizzo, whatever, it doesn't matter, I don't really care. There's Dave Silk, Ralph Cox, and Jack O'Callahan."

"Nikki," she said with a slight wave.

"So, why aren't you over with you're boys from Minnesota?" Silk questioned as she sat down.

"I'm not a big fan of a couple of the guys from the U," she answered.

"Like who?" Cox inquired.

"Robbie McClanahan for one," she said, and then paused. "Actually that's it; I don't really know the rest of them."

"I like this girl. You want a drink?" Jack asked passing over the dregs of the pitcher of beer.

"I'm nineteen," she started uneasily as she stepped over by the empty chair.

"And..." he questioned.

"I can't drink yet," she continued.

"And she's not getting it any ways," Ralph added intercepting the pitcher and emptying it in his glass.

"I'll get you a soda," Rizzo offered, getting up.

"Oh thank you so much," she started going into her wallet.

"Naw, it's on me," he offered. "Just pass it on to your dad."

"That you buy his daughter drinks," she laughed. "You obviously don't realize what kind of reaction that will get from him." He gave her a playful knock on the head and went off.

"Is he always this nice?" She asked his teammates quietly.

"Only until you get to know him," Silk answered. "Then, watch yourself, sister, yikes." The way his said it drew a few laughs from around the table, like a suggestive inside joke.

"What are you working on?" She asked leaning over to see what he was pouring over.

"Some stupid psychology test you're old man gave us," he answered in frustration. "This is ridiculous."

"Oh," she said. "He gave me one once, I went through and circled B for every answer. He came back and told me that I was a Sociopath, and I wanted to kill him."

"What?" they all laughed, as Rizzo returned with her drink. She took it nodding in thanks and explained as he sat down.

"There was a question: 'If forced to choose between the following, who would you rather kill: A.) Your mother; B.) Your father; or C.) Yourself. I didn't even read the question, I just put B."

"I haven't come to that one yet," Dave said flipping through the booklet.

"Put C," she said. "It's supposed to be how you relate yourself to authority."

"So I'm going to kill myself because my parents are better than me?" he stated in confusion. "I mean listen to this: 'You're stopped by a police man, but you know you're not at fault do you state your disagreement right away?' He's got three hundred of these things.

"It's just a test Silky," Rizzo said. "You've taken one or two before."

"Not to play hockey I haven't," he answered.

"Can you even read Silky?" Cox asked. There was a round of laughter.

"I try," he answered.

Nicolette saw Robbie walk in with that Mark Johnson guy her father had showed her earlier. She sunk down in her seat, and sort of stuck her head under the table.

"What are you doing?" Ralph asked in confusion.

"I think there's things under there you don't want to see," Mike warned.

"Like Coxie's feet," Dave interjected; laughter.

"Hey Rizzo!" Robbie called, waving over to them.

"Mac," he answered with a smile. He turned back to a fuming O'Callahan. "Easy big guy," he urged in a calming voice.

"I don't know how you two can stand be in the same room as that clown," O.C. shot in agitation, as Nikki came out from under the table.

"Talk about it," She said uneasily.

"Let it go, it's over," Mike urged. "Let it go."

"What's going on here," Ralph questioned.

"O.C.'s got a little unfinished business over there," Silk replied.

"Not for long I don't," Jack shot back.

"Hey. What I tell you, man," Rizzo started; then mouthed: "Let it go."

"McClanahan," Cox started. "You're not still going on about the '76 play offs are you?"

"What happened at the '76 play offs," Nicolette questioned curiously. 'I should know this,' she told herself. 'I was there.'

"Come on O.C. that was like three years ago," Cox continued.

"Let me ask you something Coxie," O.C. started. "Why'd you want to play college hockey."

"Isn't it obvious," Cox said, wiggling his eyebrows humorously at Nicolette. "For the girls." She forced an uncomfortable chuckle as every one laughed.

"I'm serious Coxie," Jack demanded. "Why'd you want to play college hockey?"

"Because I love to play hockey," he answered. "I wanted to go to the NHL, just like everybody does."

"Well I wanted to win a National Championship," O.C. shot. "And that pansy over there cheap shots me; I get knocked out of the game. He steals the ring right off my finger. How would you feel?"

"Everyone was throwing cheap shots that night," Rizzo started up.

"You know it's funny that you say that Rizzo," Jack snapped. Nicolette was afraid for a moment he would jump up and take a shot at him. "Because I was just wondering whose side you were on."

"I'm on your side," Rizzo insisted.

"You know it really seems that way," O.C. shot. "I'm not doing this now. I'm out of here."

"Where you going?" Rizzo called after him as he got up.

"To my room," Jack shot back. "Is that okay with you, Mother?"

"Jezz, no wonder the guy gets so many penalty minutes, right," Ralph started trying to break the nervous tension.

"Some time he gets a little carried away," Silk added, he was staring at her a moment before she noticed.

"What is it," she asked him nervously.

"You have...um," he motioned to the back of her head. "Gum in your hair."

"Oh gross," she started reaching back for her pony tail.

"Lemme see," he urged, pulling her hair slightly.

"Ow! Ow ow," she yelped as he yanked the gum out of her hair.

"Sorry," he said with a slight laugh. "Yea, no more ducking under the tables for you, mini-Herbie."

"Talk about it," she said.

"What's your problem with Mac anyway?" Ralph asked. "I mean if you're not going to go off like that." He motioned to where Jack had walked out.

"No," she said. "He just gave me a lot of snot when he was on my dad's college team is all."

"Like what kind of snot?" Silk inquired in confusion.

"During hockey boot camp," she started. "I guess a year or two ago, my dad brought me to these eight hour day practices. I always brought my figure skates; I'm a pretty good figure skater. While we were eating lunch on the first day, he took these poor kids' lunches and put peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my skates. When I came back to the girl's locker I slipped them on and got all than junk in-between my toes and everything, it was really gross." The guys tried acting compassionate for a minute before bursting out laughing.

"The next day while I was in the shower, he and some other guys took my clothes and my towel, and poured freezing water over my head. I was in there screaming for my daddy for half an hour, before he realized my underwear was being passed around in the locker room."

"That's pretty harsh," Silk said. "But also extremely funny, I'm sorry." He burst out laughing.

"Oh yes, it's funny until some one gets hurt isn't it," she said. "Then it's hilarious." Dave put an arm around her.

"Yes this is my new best friend," he stated mirthfully.

If Nicolette had thought she could have avoided Robbie for the duration of the evening, her hopes were ill-founded. He came over an hour or so later, and plopped down at the end of the table.

"Hey," he started. "So this is where you've been hiding."

"Robbie, can you please go away," Nicolette urged. "I really don't want to talk to you."

"Why don't you come over and say hello to the rest of the guys," he urged.

"Look, maybe I don't wan to be all buddy-buddy with the rest of the hockey team," she snapped. "Maybe I don't even like hockey, maybe I don't even like you."

"This is about the underwear isn't it," he said insightfully. "Would it help to say I'm sorry, and that I've matured since then."

"No!" She yelled. "I would help if you shut up and go away!"

"Wow," her three companions stared as he got up and walked away.

"Maybe you should give him a break," Ralph suggested at length.

"So O.C. over there's allowed to get mad at him, but I'm not right?" she returned.

"We all know O.C.'s a bitter jack ass, with or with out Mac over there egging him on, the guys just one big raging mass of testosterone. You don't have to be like that," Rizzo said. Nicolette huffed in annoyance and dropped her head.

"Since when have hockey players been insightful," she demanded.

"You call that insightful?" Silk questioned.