• How To Love • |Tyler Seguin|

3

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress."

Frederick Douglass

•Three•

All day, all that Tyler could think about was that he wished he could see her again, and this time he would talk to her. She was haunting him in his dreams and in his thoughts. Everywhere he went, he would look around trying to find her face, that he had only seen once, but that was clearly engraved in his memories forever.

He shook it off and went on with his day. He went to practice and goofed around with the boys when the coach wasn't looking. He had a really nice time and was still grinning, sweat running down his forehead and his back as he got off the ice. He was making small talk, talking about the other game they had tonight. It was their last one before they went on a road trip for three games. They were playing the Sens.

Tyler was in the shower, getting rid of all his sweat and relaxing his muscles. It didn't take long before he was all dressed and ready for his free afternoon. He wanted to relax before the game, so he had turned down the boy's offer to go eat lunch and decided to go to the normal café down the street.

He took a seat at his normal table in the back, not bothering to look at the small menu, he knew he'd take his usual. Like always, the waitress came to ask him what he'd like to drink and eat. He looked up and saw her. She was looking at him, a patient smile on her perfect lips. He couldn't believe his eyes, she was the one asking him what he wanted and he couldn't give her an answer because he was too mesmerized by her sparkling blue eyes.

"Do you want me to come back later sir?" She asked, her voice a perfect melody just like he had so often dreamed of.

Tyler cleared his throat before answering, coming back to reality. "Hum no it's okay, I'll take a black coffee with a ham and Swiss panini. " he said, listing off his usual order.

She wrote it down and nodded telling him it would be over soon. He watched as she walked gracefully away from him. She wasn't like the first time he had seen her, she was much less stressed, more patient. Her eyes were an electric blue, making her look more alive than ever.

He had tried so hard to forget about her, but she was one of those that you can never forget. Those that, even with only one glance stayed engraved in your memory forever.

When she came back with his coffee, he couldn't help the big smile that took over his face, reaching completely his eyes. She smiled back, eyes twinkling. She was stunning.

|Ella|

*three days ago*

Ella was content with her life. She had been accepted in the college of her choice, studying law at New York University. She had two months before her session started and she was going to live with her brother. He lived in Dallas, because of work. He was a successful business man, one of her mom's biggest source of pride.

She was coming to Dallas to relax before school started, but because she couldn't think of going to school not prepared, she had brought some of her law books to study them before her session started.

That is how Ella ended up in this cute little café just down the street from her brother's apartment. Her books all sprawled around her. She was intensely trying to understand what they were talking about, but without a little bit of guidance from a professor, she was lost. She looked up from her books, looking around her, trying to relax her mind a little bit.

She watched as everyone was making small talk, an old couple just two tables from her were looking at each other like they were still madly in love, but with the wisdom that growing up brings you.

She continued to look around and her eyes finally settled on a man at the very end of the restaurant, sitting alone. He seemed her age, but was maybe older. She couldn't really see his face, as he was a little bit in the shadows, making him look mysterious. She could only guess that he was good looking from the outline of his face and body.

She looked down to her books and decided that she was just going to go home, she had read enough. That is when she saw the man leaving. She looked at his confident walk and his muscular back. Her heart beating faster for an unknown reason.

She looked down, shook her head to get rid of the unknown feeling and started cleaning her table. She got up to pay for her bill and decided to ask if they were hiring, she'd need money and her brother was practically working 24/7.

"Sorry, miss, I was wondering if you were hiring new waitress?" Ella asked the kind lady at the front.

"Oh, but we are sweetheart!Have you ever worked at a restaurant before?" The lady which her name tag said 'Terese' answered her.

"Yes, I used to work at a steak house in Boston." She told her, with a polite smile, showing off her perfect teeth that were worth the three years of wearing braces.

Long story short, she had gotten the job and was to start the next day for a quick formation. She was happy to be able to have some money and have something to do of her days.

When she left the restaurant, the next day after her formation, she felt really tired and went directly to her bed and dozed off for a quick nap. Her brother woke her up just in time to watch the Stars' game on TV. They were both hockey fans ever since they were old enough to understand the game. They didn't have a favorite team and since his brother lived in Dallas, he had learned to love them. She didn't really know anyone on the Dallas team, just some of their names, but none of their faces.

"So what did you do today sis?" David asked, wondering what his sister was up to these days.

"Well I got a job yesterday at the small cafe down the street and it was my first day today. " Ella told him, knowing he'd be surprised about the news she had kept from him.

"That's really cool! I'm sorry I can't be here often and we can't really do anything together, but at least you'll have some thing to do when I'm working." David sounded really sad that he was working so much, but she knew he loved his job and had to work hard to make a name.

"Oh it's fins Dave, I'll make some friends and have fun, don't worry about me! Now shut up that game is about to start. " and they spent the rest of the night watching hockey and talking about different players and teams giving their opinions and such things.

They both dozed of on the couch and she was awaken at 7:30 when her phone went off, her alarm that she had settled for work. She got off the couch reluctantly because she was still tired and her body was sore.

She took a quick but relaxing shower, cleaning her hair. She now smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. Getting dressed wasn't long and she found herself out the door in no time, ready for another day at work, now alone, serving her own clients.

The morning went by fast and her quick lunch too. She had made a new friend at work, a waitress called Katy that had been working there for two years. She was a small brunette and was always smiling. Her eyes were alive and told Ella that whatever Katy said, she was always sincere and didn't mean no harm.

She was starting her afternoon shift, her first client being a young attractive male. She walked to him and he seemed frozen, like he recognized her, but she was sure she would recognize someone like him, beautiful body, handsome face and vivid eyes.

She was awestruck by him but covered it the best she could, holding a breath. She hoped it wasn't the last time she would see him, the man sitting at the back of the restaurant mysterious and handsome.