Tyler
We started bowling and all of a sudden messages would appear on the monitors. Especially when certain people were up.
For example, this lady named Liz was up and she had two pins left that were standing behind one of the other pins.
So a message pulls up and says:
Uh oh Liz, got a man in the bedroom. Better not get caught.
Just then this other bowler Kyle leaves the same thing. And another message pulls up.
Kyle, you and Liz trying to tell me something here?
They start laughing and eventually it was my turn. Somehow I left the corner pins and when I missed them, everyone started laughing. I didn't think it was funny but Jamie said I should look at the screen.
Goal!!!!!!
Not what I was expecting to see.
"Lighten up man. This is for fun." Jamie says.
Jamie left the same thing and his message was even more aggravating to me.
Hockey player or NFL? Which one will he choose.
Jamie started laughing but I thought it was a dig to what we did.
"If she thinks she is better than us why won't she put her money where her mouth is." I mumbled under my breath.
Or so I thought because that Liz lady came up and said low enough for me to hear. "Because if she did she'd kick your ass up and down these lanes and make it look like child's play." Then she walked away.
Jayson came over and bumps into me."You alright. "
"Yeah. How good is she?"
"Who Liz? She's good man. Won several titles and what not."
"Not Liz. I'm talking about her."
"Who?"
I looked at Jayson and motioned with my head to where that Rochelle lady was laughing at whoever was on the phone.
"Oh. That her." He says smiling. "She's good man really good. I can't believe she's gonna go back on tour, with everything that happened. "
"What do you mean?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean with everything that happened?"
"Oh uh um. Forget I said that.Ty seriously don't pay attention to that, please."
"Yeah sure."
Our first game was over and somehow the two non athletes that are on the lanes with us had to stop. So we actually had 2 open spots.
I went to the bathroom and then to get something to drink. When I came back I noticed Jayson putting on shoes. "You bowling with us man?"
"Yeah he is and so am I. Issue you with that playboy?" A voice called out.
I whipped my head around and looked at her. Once again her eyes caught mine. I could feel my pulse quicken. But still had this edge in me after those comments she was making.
"I'm not a playboy." I gritted out. Probably to harshly. But I hated how everyone would judge me based on my past. That's not me anymore.
She raises her eyebrow and softly looks at me. But then moves her eyes off mine like she is searching for someone. But then looks back at me.
"Well how about this playboy? If you beat beat me on these lanes you take me out for dinner. But if I beat you, well?"
"Well what? I asked with my eyebrow raised.
"Well then you know I can put my money where my mouth is." She winked and walked away.
What the fuck? I don't know if I should be turned on or pissed since that comment I made got back to her.
I must of been standing like an idiot for both Jamie and Jayson came over and was waving their hands and calling me.
But I finally snapped out of the trance I had only for them to tell me it was my turn.
"Uh? Oh oh uh ok"
"You alright?" Jamie asked.
"Yeah." I nodded.
Was I alright? No no I wasn't. That beautiful woman just challenged me. And there is no way I am backing down.
As we were bowling, Jamie knew something was going on. "Talk to me man. You got that look in your eyes like you do on the ice. What's up?"
I smirked and just told him that I feel like being a little competitive.
"This wouldn't have to do with Jayson would it?"
"What? No. Seriously Chubs not at all."
He looks at me and quirks his head.
"What? Stop looking at me like that."
He starts to chuckle. "You are doing this for her." He laughs some more.
"Dude stop seriously."
"You like her."
"No she pissed me off and now I am determined." I glared at him. He maybe my bestfriend but hell he can be an ass. Just like now.
"Nope you like her. Those messages got to you and now you are trying to show off."
"That's not it moron." I huffed.
"Then what?"
I looked around making sure no one was watching us. Then proceeded to tell him the bet she made with me.
"You like her."
"Damnit Chubs." I was getting pissed.
"Relax Romeo. You know I got you eh?" He smiled. "I'll help ya out."
"Chubs, keep this out of earshot of Jayson. Cause when she said all this she herself was making sure he wasn't around."
"Say no more lover boy."
He smiled and walked away over to where both her and Jayson were standing.
Ugh. Aggravating.
Jayson's turn was up and Jamie was still talking with her. But now Kyle comes over and we start talking. Just about me playing hockey and him on tour. He really is a pretty cool cat actually.
But I felt an intense burning. Like eyes were watching me. As I glanced around trying not to make it look like I'm trying to see, I noticed it was Her looking. I caught her and she blushed looking back at Jamie.
As our second game ended, her first. She beat me. My little 108 compared to her 228.
As we are getting ready to start the next game, she walks past me and lowly says, "Always next game." Then she continued her way past me.
God her voice alone sends chills down my spine. I can't let her distract me or even though I affected by her.
Third game starts and we are tied by the first two frames. But then that wasn't the case any more.
Every frame she bowled she had strikes in. And she made it look easy.
The last frame I was standing next to Jamie, Jayson and Kyle. There was tension in the air that was thick. Like everyone was waiting for something. And it got quiet. No bowled. No one said anything.
She rolled her first ball, strike. Rolled the second, strike again. The last one was even more tension.
Jayson had his jaw locked in place. Kyle looked like he was ready to shit himself. And Liz had her hands clutched together. Even Chubs was holding his breath.
STRIKE!!!
Then cheers, crying, hoots and hollers erupted from everywhere.
I saw Liz and Kyle hug her and say something to her and she nodded her head laughing and smiling.
Jamie went up and congratulated her with a hug of his own.
But Jayson, he lifted her up in the air and spun her around. She smiles down at him and my heart breaks. I want that smile to be for me. I want those eyes to sparkle and shine.
But it's then I realized it is never going to happen.
"Ladies and gentlemen boys and girls. Bowling on lanes 23-24. Our very own boss of this establishment, Rochelle Parker just bowled a perfect 300 game. Congratulations boss lady. Now go and do that on tour."
She gets back on the lanes, after Jayson put her down, and waved to the crowd.
"Guess dinner will have to wait." She says to me quietly. And I let out a low gutted growl of frustration as she lightly chuckled and walked away.
We stuck around and signed autographs for the fans. Kyle and I got talking and I offered him VIP tickets to come see us play when we are in town together again. We exchanged numbers and such too.
"Thank you for coming out and doing this." Rochelle said.
"You kidding, this was great." Jamie tells her.
"I never thought we would have had the turnout like we did." Jayson says.
"I'm gonna get a drink." I say.
I walked away and my phone started ringing. Looking at the caller id, I see it's my mom. So answering her call she asks me how everything went. I told her but kept Rochelle out of it.
"Alright baby, I will let you go. I love you. Talk soon ok?"
"Ok. I love you too." I say to her and hung up.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a girlfriend. Please excuse my flirtatious behavior." I heard behind me.
"What?" I turned to talk to her properly but she apologized once again and left within a sea of people.
"Fuck." I cried out to myself. She didn't even give me the chance to explain.
"Hey we are going out for drinks. You coming?"Jamie asks.
"Yeah sure."
We took off and headed to this little bar. And I noticed Rochelle was sitting at a table.
"Thanks babe for saving it." Jayson said to her after giving her a kiss on the cheek.
We all sat and ordered some drinks when Jamie asked them how they met.
"Well, we met in college actually. She quickly became my bestie and we tried dating. But we realized that wasn't in the cards." Jayson stated.
"Why's that?" Jamie asked.
"He was focused on hockey and I was focused on bowling. Our schedules never matched." She said. "Then I met Amber and in one of my classes and the rest is history. "
"Oh. That's cool that you remained best friends like that. In spite of everything. " Jamie said.
Then somehow the conversation switched to families and siblings. Jamie talked about Jordie, and of course we knew about Matt. Who ironically enough was running late.
"What about you, Tyler? Any siblings?" Jayson asked.
"Yeah two sisters. Cassidy and Candace." I said.
And just like that my phone rings and seeing it's Cass. I showed Jamie and he laughed. "Put it on speaker." He says.
"Hello." I started to say.
"Ty, does your dogs not know manners?" She practically shouted. "I came over here to have mom help me with something and instead your mutt won't get off my stuff."
Jamie is laughing quietly. And I shook my head trying not to laugh myself.
"Mom said she talked to you a few minutes ago." I looked at Rochelle just then and our eyes locked on.
"Yeah we did. Told her about the event. Why does it matter to you?"
"Tyler please get your dog off my stuff. " she whines.
"How do you expect me to do that? I'm here not there. And besides which one is it. You know I have 3."
Rochelle had a surprised look on her face when I said 3 dogs.
"Jerry. Now please Ty. I have you on speaker now just please."
"Jer, off."
You could hear him groan through the phone and Rochelle let out an "awe".
"Oh my God.... was that a girl I just heard? Are you out on a date? I thought you sworn off all that shit when you left Boston. Tyler, you better not get back into your old ways. I swear I will tell mom."
"Did Jerry get down?" I totally ignored what she was saying.
"Yes but you still better..."
After that I just told her she was welcomed and hung up the phone.
"So you have dogs?" Matt finally asked as he sat down next to his sister.
"Yeah 3. Marshall, Cash, and Jerry. Jerry is the puppy."
"Yeah totally a daddy's boy." Jamie pipes in.
After a while Matt and Jayson left to call their wives and Jamie went to use the bathroom. Leaving Rochelle and I .
"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions about the phone call."
"It's ok. I wanted to tell you that I was talking to my mom but you just left." I tell her. "Can we start over?"
"I'd like that. "
"Hi. I'm Tyler Seguin. "
"Rochelle Parker." She smiles and shakes my hand.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." She blushes.
We talked for a bit and she asked me for my number. Which was surprising because I told her I was just about to ask her for hers but didn't know how.
We laughed about that and did exchange numbers.
The rest of our evening went good.
When we left and went our seperate ways I actually found that I felt lighter than I did in a very long time.
Good night Tyler.
The message appeared on my phone.
Good night Miss Rochelle. I hope you sleep well beautiful.
I couldn't help it. I wanted to tell her but with the guys around I couldn't.
Thank you. And you do the same handsome.
Yup. I'm going to bed with a smile ony face.