| �So what was Ellie like when she was a kid?� Matt asked Steve. He had caught Colby watching Brielle walk to a corner with Eric, supposedly to discuss his �speed� problems. Matt knew it was complete bullshit from the second it came out of Eric�s mouth, thanks to Tom telling him and practically the rest of the team that Eric and Brielle were friends when they were kids. �Elle was pretty much the same as she is now,� Steve commented, taking a gulp from his drink. �Only she was shorter. And she was much less high strung.� �Brielle Rucchin, high strung? No, I don�t believe that for one second,� Matt said with a laugh. Steve smiled. �She�s not that bad anymore, is she?� He paused for a moment while Colby and Matt shook their heads no. �She was thrilled when she found out about the job here. She was looking for any excuse to get out of Long Beach without having to quit coaching the Ice Dogs. Then she found out that Meloche was on the team and she got a bit panicked.� Colby forrowed his brows in confusion. �Whaddya mean, panicked?� �Well, when we moved from Montreal, they didn�t really part on the best of terms, so she was kinda antsy about seeing him again,� Steve explained. Colby blinked. �Brielle and Eric knew each other?� he asked, clearly shocked with Steve�s statement. Steve almost laughed. �Of course they did,� he said, not understanding why Colby was so confused. �What, she didn�t tell you?� Colby was unable to speak, he only shook his head no. �Yeah, they knew each other alright,� Steve said, reaching for his wallet. �They were best friends for a while. Played on the same pee-wee team for a year or so. I have a picture of them in here, I meant to give it to Elle, but I forgot until now. It was taken during their first year in pee-wee�s, this was after one of their games.� Steve handed Colby a dog-eared photograph of a boy and girl, wearing full hockey gear. They were standing on the ice, both grinning broadly, their arms around each other�s shoulders. Their sticks, gloves and helmets were sitting on the ice in front of them. The boy on the left was clearly a young Meloche, and the girl on the right was obviously Brielle. Colby was shocked at what he saw, but his shock quickly subsided and gave way to anger. He looked up to where Brielle was sitting with Eric, and saw that she was standing up and walking away. �I�ll give this to her,� Colby said to Steve, not waiting for a reaction and walking away, meeting Brielle halfway across the room. She looked upset as Colby was approaching her, but Colby only wanted an explanation and didn�t really care that she looked upset. �Brielle, why didn�t you tell me you knew Eric?� �What?� Brielle suddenly got scared; Colby only called her by her full name when he was upset. Colby handed her the picture, and her mouth dropped open when she saw it. �Holy shit,� was the only phrase she was able to mutter. �Where did you get this?� she asked, looking at Colby with wide eyes. �Your brother said to give it to you,� Colby muttered. �Why didn�t you tell me?� �It was such a long time ago, we hadn�t spoken for over fourteen years� I didn�t even think he would remember me,� Brielle said, clearly uncomfortable with explaining herself in the middle of Brews Brothers. �He does remember you?� Colby asked. �Is that what you two were talking about just now?� Colby didn�t give Brielle a chance to answer, interrupting when she opened her mouth to speak. �No, you know what, I don�t care. I have to go, I have to think. I�ll see you tomorrow,� he said, turning on his heels and walking to the door. Brielle didn�t make a move to stop him, and only turned back toward the bar. �Can I get another Labatt?� she asked Marie before turning to Steve. �Where did you find this picture?� she asked. She glanced down at it. �I thought I destroyed all of them.� �Apparently you didn�t, because Mom found it,� Steve answered. �She was looking through our old hockey stuff from Montreal, and she found it in a box. One of those boxes you kept under your bed. She gave it to me when she was in Anaheim a couple weeks ago because she knew I was gonna visit you. There�s tons more, they�re in my blue suitcase.� �Can I see?� Matt asked. �Army walked away with it so quickly�� �Oh, yeah, sure,� Brielle said absentmindedly, handing him the picture as Marie walked over with her bottle of Labatt. �Wow, Ellie, you were adorable when you were little,� Matt commented. �And I�m not now?� she asked, giving Murley the benefit of a small smile. �Of course you are,� Matt said. �But Eric has longer hair than you now. Which makes him prettier.� �Eric is not prettier than I am,� Brielle muttered, looking back to the table where Eric sat. Jason had joined him, and was clearly annoying him. Strictly judging from the daggers that Eric�s eyes were shooting at Jason, that is. �I am much prettier than he is.� Steve and Matt laughed. �You�re right, you�re much prettier than Eric,� Steve commented. �Damn straight I am.� ~*~*~ �Army, get the hell out of my way,� Calista muttered as Colby was walking toward the door. Calista was sniffing, and about to cry, but Colby never got a chance to ask her what was wrong. He automatically assumed that she had gotten into a fight with Shane, because Shane was sitting by himself, sulking at the corner of the bar. Colby watched Calista rush out the door, and decided to stay with Shane and get himself plastered. He dodged his teammates as he walked over to the bar. �Hey,� Colby muttered, taking a seat next to Shane. Shane glanced up to see Colby, the expression on his face matching Shane�s. �Hey,� he muttered, staring at the label of the bottle in front of him. �Brielle knows Eric,� Colby muttered, flagging down Marie. �So?� Shane asked, not seeing his roommate�s point. �Your usual?� she asked, handing Colby a bottle of Coors. �You know it,� Colby replied, taking a large gulp from the bottle. He turned to Shane. �They were friends when they were kids.� �Yeah, I knew that,� Shane replied. Colby almost choked on his next swallow of Coors. �Apparently I�m the last person to know anything about my girlfriend,� he said, shaking his head in annoyance. �At least your girlfriend isn�t cheating on you,� Shane muttered. �And with one of our teammates, no less. Calista�s been spending entirely too much time with Murls lately, Mac pointed it out to me.� �You think she�s sleeping with Murls?� Colby asked, almost laughing. Shane nodded, and Colby couldn�t contain his laughter anymore. �She�s not with Murls, he�s her friend. Besides, he told me a week ago that he couldn�t wait to see Lisa,� Colby said, motioning toward Matt and Lisa, who were sitting across from each other at the bar. The two were clearly together; they sat next to each other, Matt�s hand resting on Lisa�s knee. �They dated for a long time before he came here. They�ve been together since high school. Cal loves you, don�t worry too much about it.� �She stormed away pretty quickly,� Shane pointed out. �She�s pissed, you know how she gets when she�s pissed. Just let her cool down for a while, she�ll come around.� Colby glanced across the bar, trying to find Brielle. She was no longer standing near Matt and Lisa, and she wasn�t with any of the other guys. After a few moments of searching the room, he realized that Eric was nowhere to be found. �Damnit,� Colby muttered, putting the bottle back on the bar. He stood up and walked toward the exit to Brews Brothers with a purpose. �Where�re you going?� Shane asked, following Colby out the door. Colby ran around to the back of the building, looking for Eric�s Cherokee. �He left with her. He�s gonna fucking die,� Colby growled, heading over to his car, digging in his pocket for the key. �Woah, calm down,� Shane said, running after him. He jumped in the passenger seat right before Colby sped out of his parking spot. �Stop jumping to conclusions, I�m sure Ellie got a ride back with Steve, he left a little while ago.� �Well I�m gonna find out,� Colby said, holding the steering wheel in a death grip. �Why don�t you just call one of their cells?� Shane said, grabbing the side of the seat as Colby took a corner a bit too tightly. �Wouldn�t that be easier than killing the both of us?� �No,� Colby spat out. He thought about Shane�s logic for a moment, before turning to the side of the road. �Yes, actually,� he said, reaching for his cell phone, which was in his pocket at the moment. He dialed a number, and after a few rings, �Colby, we have to talk,� came over the line. �Damn straight we have to talk,� Colby replied, gripping the steering wheel with his free hand. |
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