chapter 23

-inside Mellon Arena-

We walked inside to the boys skating around on the ice.

"I thought you didnt have practice today?" i asked.

He said nothing and gave me a pair of skates as he laced up his and ended up skating off with out me. I heard everything get quite as I started to walk out.

When I had finally stumbled my way out to the edge of the ice I saw the guys in a big huddle on the blue line the closest to me.

"GENO!" I yelled.

He turned around with a big smile on his face. As did the others. The first thing I did notice was that Max was nowhere to be found. As I was thinking what all they could have done or said the time I was lacing up my skates and not around Geno motioned for me to come out.

I skated on to the ice as soon as I hit the middle of the ice the lights started to dim like they do at the games. Happy birthday started playing from the booth as from the boys. When I looked up to them I noticed a yellow light in the middle of the group. They had a HUGE cake on the ice.

Geno skated out to me and grabbed my hand as he led me over to the cake the song ended.

It was kind of hard to blow out all the candles seeing there had to be like 100-150 so the boys all had to help me out.

I hugged them one by one as they wished me a happy birthday and skated off the ice eventually leaving Geno and I alone.

"You are amzing." I hugged him.

"Me Know." He smiled Embracing me. "Just try an make day great!"

"What else you got planned."

"well you party...An that really it." He laughed with a scary look.

"You sure?" I questioned.

"Yah."

"Okay."

Later that afternoon I sat at the table wondering what had happened to Max. I didnt want to take the chance of Evgeni getting mad at me because I asked about it or something.

'Maybe he will be here tonight?! An we can try an work things out because Max is a really good friend and is and has been there for me.'

The limo pulled up around two hours later to pick everyone up.

Vero,Marc,Kelsey,Tyler,Jordan,Geno,me,Kris, And room for two other who everyone told me were for Sidney and his date...Sid and a girl?!? Then again we havent talked in a while so it is hard to tell. We headed to 'Grille 36' one of my favorite resturants.

We met Sidney and his date there. When we arrived they were already at the table with drinks in their hands.

"Nothing like waiting for the people this is acually about." Kelsey said rolling her eyes.

Vero, Kelsey and I all turned an looked at each other at the same time...Saying "What the fuck." In unison making the guys all turn around and look at us.

The girl looked at us then to her self and turned a slight shade of red then whipsered something to Sid who then smiled and kissed her check.

"Hooker isnt always the best way to go." Kelsey whispered to us.

We all laughed as the boys took there seats.

"So Sid Whos the chick?" Jordan asked.

"An how much did you pay her to join you?" Kris asked.

"Excuse me?" She answered back to Kris giving him the dirtiest look ive ever seen in my life.

"Oh snippy." Kris laughed.

"Okay guys cut it out. Leave Veronica alone!!" Sid interviened.

"HHeeyyy VVVEERRRoNNiicccAAA!!" Jordan added as Sid gave him a weird look. "Sorry dude Ill stop."

"OKAY ANYWAYS!!" I added. "Its my birthday so we are here to party not yell at each other."

Drinks were pouring an soon everyone was ready for Diesel! We all hoped in the limo leaving Sid's Range Rover in the VIP parking lot of Heinz Field.

Jordan was hanging out the sun roof yelling at every girl he saw walking on the street or in the car beside us. Kris eventually joined him and they did it the hole way there.

chapter 22

On the ride to where ever we were going I pulled out my phone and scrolled down to Max's name. I decided it would be better to find out what the hell the flowers really meant before Geno did. For some reason I dont think that he believed me.

"Flowers?" I hit send.

A few moments later we reached are destination.

"Where are we?"

"You see."

I smiled as he grabbed my hand and lead me in all a while my phone was buzzing in my pocket.

I didnt even bother with the phone because I was to involved with whatever he was doing. As we walked away from the car he pulled me in even tighter. I looked around enough to see that we were walking into this little dinner. I didnt even know that it was here. Maybe because it was tucked away an not many new like i didnt. Maybe It was one of those things that you just happen to stumble across. Either way I loved it and I hadnt even been inside yet.

Inside this little old women probally about 4 foot something greeted us and spoke to Evgeni as if he was a regular costumer and then looked at me then back to Geno an smiled nodding her head as if giving approval.

When we were finnaly left alone the first thing he said to me was "Flowers?"

"Yeah I have noclue why he sent me those. But Im sure he could tell that I was mad and he didnt want to be on my bad side."

"Oh."

I placed my phone on the table not even giving the text i recieved minutes ago any kind of thought.

"I'll be right back." I kissed him and walked down the hall to where the arrow saying 'restroom' hung.

Geno POV

AS she left and walked behind me i noticed her phone sitting over by the wall. This brought back the thought I had when we walked in..'who could possibly be texting her now of all times.'

I reached for her phone. The first thing I saw was Max's name was flashing on the screen. As bad as this maybe I hit the open button and began to read..

"Well it's your birthday. An you know the main reason is im just trying to make my girls day better."

'WTF! His girl.' Im so confused.

I put her phone back just in time as i heard her walking up the hall. As i thought of an excuse that wouldnt make me look terrible for doing what I had just done as walked up behind me and let her arm run its way down my shoulder.

"While you were gone your phone went off..I thought someone was calling so I grabbed it but you had a message instead." I started to trail off at the end as I looked in her eyes.

"Oh who was it?" She looked down.

"MAX!"
Her face dropped. "Did you read it?" She looked down to her phone reading the same thing I just had.

"Yeah acually I did."

"Geno, Honestly I dont want anything to do with him. I guess I porbally should have told you this when it happened yesterday. An I am sorry that I didnt. I just didnt want you mad and wanting to fight him."

"Will you just tell me what happened already?"

She looked at me with fear in her eyes.

"Im sorry I just need to know."

She mumbled something..

"What?"

She mubbled it again..

I got up out of my seat, she turned to me as i bent down in front of her.

"Baby please, Just tell me."

"He... He kissed me." Her eyes started to fill up with tears.

"What!!!" I screamed. 'That bastard knows better.'

"Im sorry I didnt mean to yell dont cry baby."

"That's not why I am crying I dont want anything to happen to us or to you. Especially since you are teammates."

"Yeah I understand babe but he needs to be confronted about this since he is my teammate he knew better then to do this to me and to you."

He pulled out his phone and walked down the same hallway I was just in.

Ciera POV

After we had finished the rest of are breakfast we got back in the car and began driving towards downtown. Moments later we were outside of the arena.

"What are we doing at Mellon?"

"I have another surprise."

"Okay?" I looked at him confused.