The Many Faces of Reid

Sorry about the delay in today's post! I'm aiming to get at least one more up this week, possibly two. Don't forget to check out the bonuses from this week, if you haven't already! 

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After the game, which we won handily, we all headed to our favourite spot for beers and wings. Rachel, Ainsley and I were clustered at the end of the long table with Sarah, Reid, and Jen, our goalie. Everyone was in a jubilant mood, riding on the adrenaline high from the game and revelling in the lingering summer heat on the patio. 

We were reliving the best moments from the season when Jen leaned across Rachel and said, "I haven't even heard about your trip yet!"

Sarah chimed in, "Yeah, we've barely heard anything yet!"

I gave them the highlights of the trip, describing my favourite spots and dramatically retelling our Pink Palace exploits. By the time I finished describing the "body shots" on the booze cruise, we were all laughing our asses off. 

"That's crazy!" Sarah cried. "Who would do something like that... In front of a bunch of strangers!"

Rachel raised an eyebrow and smirked at me. "If she thinks that's crazy..." she murmured so only I could hear.

I fought to avoid blushing at her reference to Marc and Leila's proposition. That was definitely not a story I felt like sharing with the class.

"Well apart from the random boning and bjs, it was a really amazing trip," I said jokingly.

"Your pictures were gorgeous," Sarah added. "Reid and I looked at them, like every day. We had a bit of a bet going, actually."

"A bet?" I questioned. My eyes slid to Reid, who was looking resolutely into his beer.

"Yeah! Reid was positive that Gavin was going to propose on the trip, so we had a bet going for when it would happen!"

"Oh really?" I laughed, "Sorry to disappoint you guys. Getting married isn't really on our priority list right now." My mind flashed to Gavin asking me to move in together. I felt a pang of guilt as I thought of the listings he had emailed me, which I hadn't even bothered to look at. I made up my mind that when I got home, I would look through all of them.

When I tuned back in to the conversation, the topic had switched back to the end of the season. This time, the tone was a little more bittersweet. 

Sarah sighed and said, "I wish the season wasn't ending. I'm going to miss hanging out with you guys over the winter!"

Jen, replied, "You should join our coed team at The Icebox!"

A few years back, several of us from the women's team had started up a coed beer league soccer team that played every Saturday. We had each brought in a few guys we knew, and now we had a core group that spent just as much time partying together as we did playing together. A rec club in the city had converted one of their old, crappy hockey rinks into an indoor soccer field. The club had some fancy name, but everyone I know called it The Icebox. There was a bar upstairs that overlooked the field and the two arenas, where we usually gathered after the games. 

Ainsley, who ran the team, piped in, "You should totally join! One of the girls from last year moved away for grad school, so we have a spot."

I added, "Yeah, it's a good time. Way less competitive than this league, and even more drinking!"

Sarah laughed. "Sounds great! I'm in!"

Reid, who had been sitting and listening quietly, as usual, spoke up. "Do you have room for any guys? I'd love a spot."

Ainsley smiled, "Absolutely! We have a group that has played with us forever but we always have drifters that only play for a season, so we can definitely take you."

Sarah's eyes lit up, "What about Jay? We should get him a spot, too!" She turned to us and said excitedly, "Jay is Reid's best friend. He's a really good soccer player!"

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Reid interjected. "Jay is.... Well, he's kind of a hothead."

"He's not so bad since he finished his anger management," Sarah countered.

"Anger management?" Ainsley and I echoed.

Reid took a swig of his beer. "Yeah he got ejected from a game after he started a bench clearing brawl, and since it was his third ejection, he had to take an anger management course before he was allowed to play again."

I laughed incredulously, "Hothead sounds like a slight understatement."

Reid grinned. "Yeah, psycho might have been a more fitting choice."

Sarah poked Reid hard in the arm. "I notice you're neglecting to mention your role in that brawl you mentioned," she said teasingly. 

"I'm sorry, WHAT?!" Ainsley cried.

Reid looked down, slightly abashed. "Jay threw the first punch, but I may have been right behind him, throwing the second one."

We were all shocked. Quiet, subdued Reid, actually punching someone?

"I cannot picture that. At all," I said.

Sarah laughed. "You guys are about to see a very different side of Reid if we join this team."

"Well Jay brings it out in me," he argued. His cheeks were pink and I could tell being the center of attention was embarrassing him. It was completely adorable, and I felt myself pushing down that familiar swoon again."Maybe I should join the team alone first, so you guys don't get the full Bash Brothers effect."

So it was decided. Sarah and Reid were joining the team. I reached in and clinked my glasses against theirs as we cheered to the fun season ahead of us. As our glasses met over the table, my eyes caught and held Reid's. I wondered what other sides of him were left to be discovered.