With Sean and Julie off in their own world playing carnival games or sneaking off to a secluded area, Connie and Guy took advantage of the time they had alone as well. Like the good sport she was, Connie bought Guy popcorn using the five dollars she owed him and they were now lounging by the wooden barrier that separated the food stands from the parking lot.
"Five bucks says you'll miss," he suddenly said and stood up to face Connie who was sitting on top of the barrier. He gave the popcorn bag to her and opened his mouth.
"Germaine, I have no money for another stupid bet," she said but grabbed the popcorn bag anyway. "You'll have to ask for a different prize."
"Don't worry, I'll think of something," he charmingly retorted.
Connie grabbed a piece of popcorn and squinted her eyes to focus on his mouth. She lifted the popcorn into the air, hoping it would land right into Guy's mouth. Instead, it dropped right onto his forehead before hitting the soft grass.
"Wow, Cons...nice throw," he mocked and picked up the fallen snack to throw it at her. She giggled and swatted it away.
"Oh shut up, it's dark out here," she countered. "Okay, so what do you want as a prize?"
"Hmm…" he scratched his head and pretended to think really hard. "Spend the night with me?"
Connie looked at him questionably but wasn't too taken back by the request. "Well...how do you mean?" she asked with a curious smile. He chuckled at her reaction and walked closer to her.
"My grandparents are gone for the weekend. I have the house all to myself so I figured it would be the perfect time to hang out...alone...before I have to leave again tomorrow," Guy explained as he leaned his waist against her knees.
"That's quite a big prize to ask for, Germaine," she said and placed her hands on either side of his waist.
"I know. A night with #00. Who could resist?" he replied cockily. Connie punched him in the gut warningly.
She smiled up at him and nodded. "Okay."
"Okay," he said happily and moved into the space Connie had made by putting her legs on either side of his. Guy sought extra support by placing his hands on either side of her body on the wooden barrier. She unzipped his jacket to slip her hands underneath and gently caressed his lower back then up to his shoulder blade where his scar was. They didn't move for the next twenty minutes and the two talked about everything and nothing. But as the night got darker and chillier, Connie's arms slipped around his neck and his arms around her waist. They were in their own world and they loved it.
"Hey Mr. and Mrs. We're-Not-Together," a voice behind them called out.
Connie and Guy turned around to see Sean and Julie watching them with a knowing, amused look plastered on the goalie's face. Connie blushed but Guy just chuckled it off. He moved away to let her jump off from the barrier.
"Hi Jules," Connie said.
"Hi Cons," she replied and raised her eyebrows playfully. "Sean and I are gonna to get going and we thought we should let you know."
"Sounds good," Connie said and looked back at Guy. "We were thinking the same."
"I'm sure you were," she said under her breath but loud enough for Connie to hear.
Connie pushed her playfully before grabbing her into a hug. "Thanks for such a fun night, Jules."
"No Cons, thank you!" the goalie replied.
"Are you getting home okay?" Connie asked as the boys were behind them exchanging handshakes and wishing each other luck on recruitment and training.
"Yeah, Sean's going to drive me," Julie responded with a hint of shyness to which Connie grinned. "How about you?"
"I'll be at Guy's."
"Of course you will," Julie gave Connie a big wink.
"You know it's not even like that. Just hanging out," she responded. "Anyway, if my parents call….?"
"Say no more," the goalie assured her.
His room. The one he called home ever since his grandparents took him in. It was a grey four-walled room with a simple desk and bed large enough for an ever growing boy. The walls were naked with the exception of a couple of posters, a calendar, and a framed green Ducks Jersey. His dresser held the basic teenage boy necessities like cologne, a comb, textbooks as well as his hockey medals.
Connie loved his room. They've spent hours in that room just talking, doing homework and sometimes even arguing. In a way, it's become her own little escape. Not to mention, finding little traces of their relationship in his room always made her heart skip a beat. The beaded "best friends" bracelet she made for him in the 1st grade sat next to his hockey medals on the dresser. The elephant doll wearing a burgundy sweater she brought back for him during a family trip was perched on top of his desk among a slew of papers and books. It was so familiar and reminded her of everything in the past. It was comfortable, for sure, and it was safe to say things haven't really changed between them.
As Guy was going through his drawers, Connie mindlessly scanned the room she's grown to know too well. But something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she went to pick it up. "I don't remember this photo," she commented as she looked closely at the snapshot.
"Of course you don't. You were wasted at that party," Guy responded in amusement. He watched her as she traced her fingers over a kodak photo of all the Ducks looking rather giddy and disheveled. Connie expressed confusion as she didn't remember the events of that party.
"No I wa-Oh wait, yes. Yes I was. End of the year party, sophomore year. I remember it all too well now." Connie's eyes widened in slight regret as she set the photo back down on the desk in the room.
"Here's some clothes," he called out and handed her a pair of plaid boxer shorts and a black long sleeve shirt with the logo of some hockey team.
"Ahh oversized pajamas...every girl's dream," she sighed contently.
"I'd actually like to have the shirt back this time. Thanks very much," he told her playfully.
"Hmm, we'll see about that," and the brunette sauntered into the bathroom to change.
They lay side by side facing each other on his bed. Guy was turned inwards with his chest on top of the bed sheets. His arms were underneath the pillow to give him more support. Although the room was mostly dark, Connie could see that his eyes were heavy and he was on the verge of sleep. She held her head up with one arm and watched the sleepy teen yawn like a child. She couldn't help but chuckle at Guy's actions. He was adorable when he was half-asleep. Guy laughed too and buried his blushing face in the pillow.
"Sleepy?" she asked gently and ran her fingers up and down the side of his abdomen causing him to look into her brown eyes.
"Exhausted," he answered with a slight chuckle. "Not as tired as I'll be after tomorrow's training though."
"I wish you didn't have to leave again this weekend," she commented.
"Me neither. But there's only a few more weeks left. Then I'll be back and we can go on as many double dates as you wish," he responded in a tired, flat tone.
"I think tonight was a successful one, wouldn't you say?" Connie grinned and continued her soothing action.
"Aside from the fact that I spent twenty bucks trying to win you that bear, I would agree completely," he said.
"Thanks for contributing to the pile of stuffed animals I own. Much appreciated," she retorted.
"Tell that to my wallet," Guy blurted out plainly, making Connie laugh.
They stayed like that for a few more minutes before Guy reached over to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer. She lowered herself so that they were eye level and their noses touching. For the average pair of best friends, this would be considered odd but for Connie and Guy, this is what being together meant for them. More often than not, the lines between friendship and intimacy blurred. But this was their relationship and they've held on strong and fast.
Connie rested her right arm on his shoulder and played with the short blonde locks on the back of his head. She could make out the scar on his left shoulder blade beneath his tank top and moved her fingers from their current place to gently brush them over the discolored skin. Guy caught his breath in his throat for a second before exhaling again. Still, his gaze remained on Connie.
"I miss you too, you know," he said sleepily, responding to her confession from earlier in the night.
Connie offered a soft, tired smile at his declaration, running the pad of her thumb along his neck while he closed his eyes. She moved her head closer and nuzzled his cheek with her nose. "Glad to know."
Guy smirked at her attempt at sarcasm. "Careful, Moreau. That attitude might kill your chances of winning me over for another double date."
"I'm willing to take the risk," she flirted back. "Besides, I only needed you to win me the bear."
"Well, I think it's time you see yourself to the front door then," Guy said plainly, not even bothering to open his eyes at her comment. Connie couldn't help but laugh at their playful interaction before placing her forehead against his. Silence ensued for a few moments as she kept her gaze on the boy.
She began to caress his ear softly as she let her mind wander off into its own quiet world—a world where the worries of high school ending suddenly began to come crashing down on her. Her thoughts fast forwarded to the Ducks' final season as a team and the last year they'll all be in the same place at the same time; figuring out college and the plans for after Eden Hall; not to mention, the impending stresses that she knows will affect her relationship with the guy in her arms...
Sensing something was off, Guy opened his eyes again to meet hers again. "Everything okay?"
Connie took a deep breath and bit her lip, overwhelmed by where her mind wandered off to. "Yeah, just thinking…"
"What about?" he pulled her in tighter.
"School, the Ducks, you…" she responded sleepily. "Well, maybe more like overthinking."
"I have an idea," he said, hoping to pull her away from her worries.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" she asked curiously.
"How about we leave the overthinking for a different nighttime conversation?" he asked while kissing Connie's cheek softly.
"And what makes you think there'll even be another one, Germaine?" she asked playfully.
"Like I said. A night with #00. Who could resist?" he replied cockily, earning him one last jab for the night before the blonde and the brunette drifted off to sleep.
