Begin Again
Begin Again
*Anna*
She was so nervous. Butterfly feelings she hadn’t felt in a long time were past the point of fluttering. It felt more like toads playing leap frog. Anna had been debating the pros and cons all day. Did she really want to go out and take a chance with Boston’s residential party boy? Did she really want to miss out on the sweet guy who helped her when she dropped all her books on the sidewalk?
His smile was iridescent. He’d been so cute and excited. Tyler Seguin actually looked downright goofy. Anna smiled herself as she remembered his nose scrunching and his cheeks nearly covering his eyes. Big brown eyes stared back at her, young and eager. She still couldn’t believe he’d asked her out.
A part of her wondered if he would even show up. According to the ladies of Boston, that was a possibility. Anna repeated to herself what she’d be saying all morning, “Give him a chance, you never know.” Her heart nearly stopped when she saw him, across the courtyard all bundled up against the cold, firmly gripping a dog leash. On the other end was a biggest, cutest, goofy looking chocolate lab she’d ever seen. If Tyler Seguin was ever a dog, he’d be his own.
He was waiting for her, rocking on his toes, waiting for her. The idea of anyone being so excited to be with her that they showed up early warmed her heart, but then again, hadn’t she shown up early?
“Hey, Anna.” When he saw her, he smiled as she walked to his side. “This is Marshall.” Anna got down on her knees to get eye level to the dog. Marshall sank into her touch as she scratched behind his ears.
“Marshall, you’re quite the cutie, aren’t you? I bet you get all the ladies for your dad here, huh?” Tyler’s laugh rang through her ears. It was deep and relaxing. Anna looked up at him. He was so tall and built.
“I managed to get you here.” He defended himself. She chose not to mention her internal battle about showing up and stood up. Immediately, his arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a hug. Tyler’s arms were strong and thick around her. Her arms came up to wrap around him. He was so warm and smelled so nice.
Anna couldn’t help but compare him to her last boyfriend. Chase was tall and strong but it was nothing to the pure power that Tyler was. In a way, they were comparable. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale but Tyler was so much more. His big brown eyes were full of life and happiness that her ex never had. His smiled lit up a room. It was only mid day and she could see a little scruff come in.
“I’m so happy you came.” He murmured into her ear. His hot breath fanned out over her cheek. Anna was suddenly so glad she did too.
*Tyler*
The first thing he notice about Anna was that she was so tiny compared to him. He held her hand as they walked with Marshall to a small café he knew. Tyler glanced at her hand; it was drowning in his massive paw. It made him smile.
As she marveled at the white snow that had started to fall, Tyler took a minute to appreciate her. Her long dark hair was such a contrast to white of her hat. Dark amber eyes that flashed and shined, not to be cliché, but like a window into her soul. Her pale skin was perfect and her pink lips were the most kissable he’d seen in all of Boston.
She caught him looking at her and deep red blush flooded her cheeks. “Take a picture Seguin, you might need it later tonight.” The jibe at him caught him so off guard, he choked on his laughter. A smile broke across her face and he could hear his heart flutter.
“I just might.” She giggled; it was the single most adorable sound. As they kept making their way to the café, they chatted about hockey, his life in Boston, what she was doing there. He learned so much about her. She was a student at BU, smart as hell, scholarships and grants were paying her way through college. Anna might have been the one person in Boston who was busier that he was.
He watched her as she talked about all the aspects of her life, her roommate, her best friend who went to college in the south, her face lit up as she talked about her favorite teacher from high school. The conversation flew by with quick banter and laughter. Almost instantaneously, they stood at the archway of the small café.
The place wasn’t packed. It was Wednesday after lunch hour. They chose a comfy spot in a booth. Marshall lay on their feet under the table. He heard her giggle again. “I have really ticklish feet.” She blushed as she explained. Tyler stored the information.
Over the next hour, he felt himself fall from the girl from the suburbs. Anna wasn’t anything like any of the other girls he dated. They’d all been classified as sexy, while the girl sitting across from him was beautiful. She was sweet and smart and funny. No hidden agenda, no need to claim fame, she just wanted him and it felt good.
*Anna*
Tyler Seguin was nothing like the Boston bad boy everyone made him out to be. In all honesty, he was a sweet boy from Brampton. No doubt, the cockiness was there, that was for sure but then again, there had been moments where he was shy. More often than not, she would crack a joke and bright pink blush would flush his cheeks.
She watched as he nurtured Marshall, as he ignore his call the minute it started ringing, as he completely crushed the hopes of the waitress that was obviously hitting on him. This Tyler Seguin, she could love. This was the man that all of Boston didn’t get to see. It was refreshing.
The sweet tinkling of the door turned her attention away from Tyler towards the door behind him. Chase walked in, tall and broody as he had always been. His eyes flew to her and Tyler, emotions that she’d been feeling over the past eight months flew through her. Every fight they had came to the forefront. All the times he’d blame her for the end of their relationship, all the lonely nights were suddenly in front of her.
Tyler noticed. He motioned for the waitress to bring the check. In a few minutes, they were out of there. Anna did her best not to turn to the eyes that were boring into them. She would not give Chase that satisfaction. For a few minutes, they were silent and they walked through the snow towards her dorm.
Anna had been about to apologize and explain what had happened to Tyler when he spoke. “I love this time of year. My family comes down for Christmas, every year. We sit around my fireplace and TV and watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Her heart melted, the boy from Brampton really was stealing her heart. “I always sit there with hot cocoa and get really excited. I love this time of year.” He repeated.
When they made it to her building, he stopped in front of the door. His cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his ears were red from the cold. He towered over her as he turned to face her. Anna felt his hand cup her cheek, she turned into it and looked up at him. Those eyes, she would never forget. He was so beautiful.
So slowly, Tyler lowered his head and touched his lips to her. A soft, sweet kiss that left her dizzy and struggling for air. It was too soon when he backed away. “I like you, Anna. I’ll see you soon.” He smiled at her and with Marshall in tow, turned and made his way back to wherever he came from. Which Anna was ninety-five percent sure, was the land of perfect men.
She stood there for a few minutes trying to process the day. Tyler Seguin was a perfect gentleman.
He had made her laugh and smile, so hard her cheeks hurt. He made her forget about her ex boyfriend. He’d made her feel feelings that she hadn’t in a really long time. He wouldn’t know how nice it was to go out with him, but she did.
For the first time in a while, she walked into her building with a huge smile and butterflies in her stomach. Tyler was everything her ex hadn’t been. After what had happened, she never thought she could feel the feelings again, that they might have been the lie that it had been before. As she rehashed the day’s events in her head, she watched it begin again.
She was so nervous. Butterfly feelings she hadn’t felt in a long time were past the point of fluttering. It felt more like toads playing leap frog. Anna had been debating the pros and cons all day. Did she really want to go out and take a chance with Boston’s residential party boy? Did she really want to miss out on the sweet guy who helped her when she dropped all her books on the sidewalk?
His smile was iridescent. He’d been so cute and excited. Tyler Seguin actually looked downright goofy. Anna smiled herself as she remembered his nose scrunching and his cheeks nearly covering his eyes. Big brown eyes stared back at her, young and eager. She still couldn’t believe he’d asked her out.
A part of her wondered if he would even show up. According to the ladies of Boston, that was a possibility. Anna repeated to herself what she’d be saying all morning, “Give him a chance, you never know.” Her heart nearly stopped when she saw him, across the courtyard all bundled up against the cold, firmly gripping a dog leash. On the other end was a biggest, cutest, goofy looking chocolate lab she’d ever seen. If Tyler Seguin was ever a dog, he’d be his own.
He was waiting for her, rocking on his toes, waiting for her. The idea of anyone being so excited to be with her that they showed up early warmed her heart, but then again, hadn’t she shown up early?
“Hey, Anna.” When he saw her, he smiled as she walked to his side. “This is Marshall.” Anna got down on her knees to get eye level to the dog. Marshall sank into her touch as she scratched behind his ears.
“Marshall, you’re quite the cutie, aren’t you? I bet you get all the ladies for your dad here, huh?” Tyler’s laugh rang through her ears. It was deep and relaxing. Anna looked up at him. He was so tall and built.
“I managed to get you here.” He defended himself. She chose not to mention her internal battle about showing up and stood up. Immediately, his arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a hug. Tyler’s arms were strong and thick around her. Her arms came up to wrap around him. He was so warm and smelled so nice.
Anna couldn’t help but compare him to her last boyfriend. Chase was tall and strong but it was nothing to the pure power that Tyler was. In a way, they were comparable. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale but Tyler was so much more. His big brown eyes were full of life and happiness that her ex never had. His smiled lit up a room. It was only mid day and she could see a little scruff come in.
“I’m so happy you came.” He murmured into her ear. His hot breath fanned out over her cheek. Anna was suddenly so glad she did too.
*Tyler*
The first thing he notice about Anna was that she was so tiny compared to him. He held her hand as they walked with Marshall to a small café he knew. Tyler glanced at her hand; it was drowning in his massive paw. It made him smile.
As she marveled at the white snow that had started to fall, Tyler took a minute to appreciate her. Her long dark hair was such a contrast to white of her hat. Dark amber eyes that flashed and shined, not to be cliché, but like a window into her soul. Her pale skin was perfect and her pink lips were the most kissable he’d seen in all of Boston.
She caught him looking at her and deep red blush flooded her cheeks. “Take a picture Seguin, you might need it later tonight.” The jibe at him caught him so off guard, he choked on his laughter. A smile broke across her face and he could hear his heart flutter.
“I just might.” She giggled; it was the single most adorable sound. As they kept making their way to the café, they chatted about hockey, his life in Boston, what she was doing there. He learned so much about her. She was a student at BU, smart as hell, scholarships and grants were paying her way through college. Anna might have been the one person in Boston who was busier that he was.
He watched her as she talked about all the aspects of her life, her roommate, her best friend who went to college in the south, her face lit up as she talked about her favorite teacher from high school. The conversation flew by with quick banter and laughter. Almost instantaneously, they stood at the archway of the small café.
The place wasn’t packed. It was Wednesday after lunch hour. They chose a comfy spot in a booth. Marshall lay on their feet under the table. He heard her giggle again. “I have really ticklish feet.” She blushed as she explained. Tyler stored the information.
Over the next hour, he felt himself fall from the girl from the suburbs. Anna wasn’t anything like any of the other girls he dated. They’d all been classified as sexy, while the girl sitting across from him was beautiful. She was sweet and smart and funny. No hidden agenda, no need to claim fame, she just wanted him and it felt good.
*Anna*
Tyler Seguin was nothing like the Boston bad boy everyone made him out to be. In all honesty, he was a sweet boy from Brampton. No doubt, the cockiness was there, that was for sure but then again, there had been moments where he was shy. More often than not, she would crack a joke and bright pink blush would flush his cheeks.
She watched as he nurtured Marshall, as he ignore his call the minute it started ringing, as he completely crushed the hopes of the waitress that was obviously hitting on him. This Tyler Seguin, she could love. This was the man that all of Boston didn’t get to see. It was refreshing.
The sweet tinkling of the door turned her attention away from Tyler towards the door behind him. Chase walked in, tall and broody as he had always been. His eyes flew to her and Tyler, emotions that she’d been feeling over the past eight months flew through her. Every fight they had came to the forefront. All the times he’d blame her for the end of their relationship, all the lonely nights were suddenly in front of her.
Tyler noticed. He motioned for the waitress to bring the check. In a few minutes, they were out of there. Anna did her best not to turn to the eyes that were boring into them. She would not give Chase that satisfaction. For a few minutes, they were silent and they walked through the snow towards her dorm.
Anna had been about to apologize and explain what had happened to Tyler when he spoke. “I love this time of year. My family comes down for Christmas, every year. We sit around my fireplace and TV and watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Her heart melted, the boy from Brampton really was stealing her heart. “I always sit there with hot cocoa and get really excited. I love this time of year.” He repeated.
When they made it to her building, he stopped in front of the door. His cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his ears were red from the cold. He towered over her as he turned to face her. Anna felt his hand cup her cheek, she turned into it and looked up at him. Those eyes, she would never forget. He was so beautiful.
So slowly, Tyler lowered his head and touched his lips to her. A soft, sweet kiss that left her dizzy and struggling for air. It was too soon when he backed away. “I like you, Anna. I’ll see you soon.” He smiled at her and with Marshall in tow, turned and made his way back to wherever he came from. Which Anna was ninety-five percent sure, was the land of perfect men.
She stood there for a few minutes trying to process the day. Tyler Seguin was a perfect gentleman.
He had made her laugh and smile, so hard her cheeks hurt. He made her forget about her ex boyfriend. He’d made her feel feelings that she hadn’t in a really long time. He wouldn’t know how nice it was to go out with him, but she did.
For the first time in a while, she walked into her building with a huge smile and butterflies in her stomach. Tyler was everything her ex hadn’t been. After what had happened, she never thought she could feel the feelings again, that they might have been the lie that it had been before. As she rehashed the day’s events in her head, she watched it begin again.
7/15/13