Toying With Paradise
Maybe I like to express my feelings in 140 characters
Alex sat at the edge of the bed running his hand through his short brown hair. Mason and Ryan were already downstairs grabbing breakfast so he pulled on some swim trunks and threw on a t-shirt to join them. Walking into the elevator, Alex pressed the L button and waited as the door closed and the elevator started to descend. It stopped moving when he came to the fifth floor. There was a ding before the door opened, revealing a middle aged father carrying a small child with another little girl close behind him.
“We eating, daddy?” The little girl asked in an accent.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Then we’ll go swimming. How about that?” The man answered.
“I like that.” She smiled excitedly.
“Cute kids. How old are they?” Alex found himself asking.
“Macie there is five and Jillian is six months.”
“I have a little girl at home, Victoria. She’s just four months,” Alex pictured his little baby girl, but the ding of the elevator interrupted his thoughts.
“Quite a handful, huh?” The man laughed. “See you around.”
“Yeah, see you around. Bye Macie,” Alex waved to the girl and she shyly waved back. When Alex turned around Ryan and Mason stood in front of him.
“Don’t you think she’s a bit young?” Mason laughed at his joke.
“That’s sick bro, Makayla is around that age.” Ryan glared at his team mate.
“Trying to lighten the mood.” Mason put up his hands in defense. “We were just looking for you.”
“Here.” Alex shrugged and made his way through the lobby to get to the breakfast buffet. He ate in silence while Mason and Ryan watched him.
“Okay, I know the situation you guys are in but seriously? Lighten up, let loose a little bit. We’re here for two more weeks, two more hockey free, press free, family free weeks.” Mason tried to reason with his older team mates, “How about we go snorkeling today?”
“Maybe Mase is right…” Alex thought out loud.
“Eh, Burr knows I’m right.” Mason nudged Ryan.
“Yeah I guess, you’re setting everything up though Raymond.”
“Deal,” he shook Ryan’s hand and walked away from the table.
“I am going to sit on the beach,” Alex told Ryan.
He nodded in return, “I’ll come get you if we go anywhere.”
“Thanks,” Alex said politely before sauntering off to the beach, it was a short walk down from the hotel. When he found an available lawn chair, Alex sat down and stared out into the water. He spotted a couple in the water, splashing each other in the waves. He instantly thought of how in love he and Nancy once were.
“Alexandre! Stop it!” Nancy laughed loudly as her fiancé splashed her with water from their pool.
“Please get in,” the left winger pouted.
“No,” Nancy taunted.
“Baby…”
“Alex, no!”
“I do not want to do this…but if I must,” Alex pulled himself out of the pool with the muscular arms he gained from many years of hockey.
“Don’t want to do what? What don’t you want to do? Alex!?” Nancy pulled her feet from the pool and stood up, but it was too late. Alex had already wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into the pool with him. “Asshole!” she screamed when she resurfaced.
Alex laughed loudly and pulled her into him, “sorry, but you wouldn’t get into the water.”
“Mon dieu,” she rolled her eyes.
“Je t’aime mon Cherie ,” Alex whispered.
“Je t’aime aussi, Alexandre.” Nancy wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a small kiss on his lips.
The memory burned him like the hot Australian sun. It hurt to think about her, yes she was the mother of his beautiful baby girl but the tension in that house was not healthy for the baby. It was too much work to try to work things out.
-----
@Burrows14: Something inside me just kills.
@Ryan_Kesler: Definitely need this vacation though Burr, come on. Meeting you on the beach in 20 @Burrows14
@MayRay21: Quit sulking you guys! We are going snorkeling today!!! CHEER UP! @Burrows14 @Ryan_Kesler
-----
While in mid thought, four girls in their early to mid 20’s gathered at the group of chairs next to Alex’s. The only blonde tried to open a bottle of champagne but struggled to do so. Being the nice person that he is, Alex offered to help, “do you need some help with that?”
“Oh, yes! Thank you!” She replied. Ayla turned around as he opened the bottle and winked at the single girls, “Ayla Tanner, thanks again,” Ayla shook his hand after he handed her the opened bottle.
“Alex Burrows,” he shook her hand politely.
“That name sounds so familiar,” Kai squinted her eyes, trying to remember why his name sounded so familiar.
“Honey, you have a fiancé, stop trying to pick up more men,” Ayla joked.
“You watch hockey perhaps?” He laughed.
“No, but my fiancé does…wait! You play for the Canucks?” Kai snapped and pointed her finger.
“That would be me, number 14,” he smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Kai Tobyn.”
“Jessa Samuels.”
“Pearson Smitts.” All of the girls introduced themselves, though Pearson took a little more interest in the NHLer than the rest. “Care to have a glass?”
“I’m on vacation, why the hell not,” Alex smiled slightly. He wanted to enjoy himself but somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.
“So is there some kind of NHL thing here or something?” Pearson asked.
“No, I needed a vacation before the season starts.” He nodded.
“It’s Kai’s bachelorette trip.”
“Oh okay, figures you girls are taken,” he laughed nervously.
“Just cause I’m with her doesn’t mean I’m not single,” Pearson said smoothly.
“Burr!” Alex heard Kesler call.
“That’s my team mate.” he explained to Pearson. “Over here!”
“Care to introduce us to your friends here buddy?” Mason glanced to the girls, he certainly did not have a problem with the annulment now.
“Girls, these are my team mates Ryan and Mason.” Alex said simply.
“Hey,” all of the girls said in unison.
“So we need to head to the marina in fifteen, the boat tour is there,” Mason explained.
“Okay, what do we do till then?” Ryan put a hand up to his face to block the sun.
“Have a few drinks with us! There’s plenty.” Jessa smiled and winked at Ryan who returned a crooked smirk.
“You heard the lady, they have plenty.” Ryan reached for the glass of champagne.
As the group mingled, Alex sat on a lawn chair by himself looking off into the water. He pulled out his phone and opened the twitter app.
“Are you going to come talk?” Pearson sat next to Alex.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket, “uh, I think I’ll sit out for a while.”
“Were you tweeting?” Pearson smirked.
“Maybe…I like to express my feelings in 140 characters.” Alex chuckled, Pearson did too.
“You should follow me,” Pearson suggested.
“What’s your twitter name?”
“@CheckYesJuliet,”
“I thought your name was Pearson?” Alex furrowed his eyebrows.
“My full name is Pearson Juliet and there is a band called We the Kings that I love and my favorite song by them is Check Yes Juliet.” Pearson blushed when Alex smiled at her.
“Alright, followed.” Alex held up his phone.
-----
@ CheckYesJuliet: Finally in Aussie-land and already made new friends :)
@Burrows14: Opening my mind to the idea of having fun.
@MayRay21: On the beach chilling with some bachelorettes before snorkeling? Hell yeah to this vacation!
@Ayceee: Kinda wish I was still single at this point, hot Canucks, hell yeah.
@Trent_Anders: Excuse you? @Ayceee
@Ayceee: Only kidding, love you! @Trent_Anders
@Ryan_Kesler: Lets make a pact @MayRay21 @Burrows14 no more talk about anything in Van. From now on its Australia 24/7
@Burrows14: Deal @Ryan_Kesler
@MayRay21: @Ryan_Kesler Deal!!!
“We eating, daddy?” The little girl asked in an accent.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Then we’ll go swimming. How about that?” The man answered.
“I like that.” She smiled excitedly.
“Cute kids. How old are they?” Alex found himself asking.
“Macie there is five and Jillian is six months.”
“I have a little girl at home, Victoria. She’s just four months,” Alex pictured his little baby girl, but the ding of the elevator interrupted his thoughts.
“Quite a handful, huh?” The man laughed. “See you around.”
“Yeah, see you around. Bye Macie,” Alex waved to the girl and she shyly waved back. When Alex turned around Ryan and Mason stood in front of him.
“Don’t you think she’s a bit young?” Mason laughed at his joke.
“That’s sick bro, Makayla is around that age.” Ryan glared at his team mate.
“Trying to lighten the mood.” Mason put up his hands in defense. “We were just looking for you.”
“Here.” Alex shrugged and made his way through the lobby to get to the breakfast buffet. He ate in silence while Mason and Ryan watched him.
“Okay, I know the situation you guys are in but seriously? Lighten up, let loose a little bit. We’re here for two more weeks, two more hockey free, press free, family free weeks.” Mason tried to reason with his older team mates, “How about we go snorkeling today?”
“Maybe Mase is right…” Alex thought out loud.
“Eh, Burr knows I’m right.” Mason nudged Ryan.
“Yeah I guess, you’re setting everything up though Raymond.”
“Deal,” he shook Ryan’s hand and walked away from the table.
“I am going to sit on the beach,” Alex told Ryan.
He nodded in return, “I’ll come get you if we go anywhere.”
“Thanks,” Alex said politely before sauntering off to the beach, it was a short walk down from the hotel. When he found an available lawn chair, Alex sat down and stared out into the water. He spotted a couple in the water, splashing each other in the waves. He instantly thought of how in love he and Nancy once were.
“Alexandre! Stop it!” Nancy laughed loudly as her fiancé splashed her with water from their pool.
“Please get in,” the left winger pouted.
“No,” Nancy taunted.
“Baby…”
“Alex, no!”
“I do not want to do this…but if I must,” Alex pulled himself out of the pool with the muscular arms he gained from many years of hockey.
“Don’t want to do what? What don’t you want to do? Alex!?” Nancy pulled her feet from the pool and stood up, but it was too late. Alex had already wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into the pool with him. “Asshole!” she screamed when she resurfaced.
Alex laughed loudly and pulled her into him, “sorry, but you wouldn’t get into the water.”
“Mon dieu,” she rolled her eyes.
“Je t’aime mon Cherie ,” Alex whispered.
“Je t’aime aussi, Alexandre.” Nancy wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a small kiss on his lips.
The memory burned him like the hot Australian sun. It hurt to think about her, yes she was the mother of his beautiful baby girl but the tension in that house was not healthy for the baby. It was too much work to try to work things out.
-----
@Burrows14: Something inside me just kills.
@Ryan_Kesler: Definitely need this vacation though Burr, come on. Meeting you on the beach in 20 @Burrows14
@MayRay21: Quit sulking you guys! We are going snorkeling today!!! CHEER UP! @Burrows14 @Ryan_Kesler
-----
While in mid thought, four girls in their early to mid 20’s gathered at the group of chairs next to Alex’s. The only blonde tried to open a bottle of champagne but struggled to do so. Being the nice person that he is, Alex offered to help, “do you need some help with that?”
“Oh, yes! Thank you!” She replied. Ayla turned around as he opened the bottle and winked at the single girls, “Ayla Tanner, thanks again,” Ayla shook his hand after he handed her the opened bottle.
“Alex Burrows,” he shook her hand politely.
“That name sounds so familiar,” Kai squinted her eyes, trying to remember why his name sounded so familiar.
“Honey, you have a fiancé, stop trying to pick up more men,” Ayla joked.
“You watch hockey perhaps?” He laughed.
“No, but my fiancé does…wait! You play for the Canucks?” Kai snapped and pointed her finger.
“That would be me, number 14,” he smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Kai Tobyn.”
“Jessa Samuels.”
“Pearson Smitts.” All of the girls introduced themselves, though Pearson took a little more interest in the NHLer than the rest. “Care to have a glass?”
“I’m on vacation, why the hell not,” Alex smiled slightly. He wanted to enjoy himself but somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.
“So is there some kind of NHL thing here or something?” Pearson asked.
“No, I needed a vacation before the season starts.” He nodded.
“It’s Kai’s bachelorette trip.”
“Oh okay, figures you girls are taken,” he laughed nervously.
“Just cause I’m with her doesn’t mean I’m not single,” Pearson said smoothly.
“Burr!” Alex heard Kesler call.
“That’s my team mate.” he explained to Pearson. “Over here!”
“Care to introduce us to your friends here buddy?” Mason glanced to the girls, he certainly did not have a problem with the annulment now.
“Girls, these are my team mates Ryan and Mason.” Alex said simply.
“Hey,” all of the girls said in unison.
“So we need to head to the marina in fifteen, the boat tour is there,” Mason explained.
“Okay, what do we do till then?” Ryan put a hand up to his face to block the sun.
“Have a few drinks with us! There’s plenty.” Jessa smiled and winked at Ryan who returned a crooked smirk.
“You heard the lady, they have plenty.” Ryan reached for the glass of champagne.
As the group mingled, Alex sat on a lawn chair by himself looking off into the water. He pulled out his phone and opened the twitter app.
“Are you going to come talk?” Pearson sat next to Alex.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket, “uh, I think I’ll sit out for a while.”
“Were you tweeting?” Pearson smirked.
“Maybe…I like to express my feelings in 140 characters.” Alex chuckled, Pearson did too.
“You should follow me,” Pearson suggested.
“What’s your twitter name?”
“@CheckYesJuliet,”
“I thought your name was Pearson?” Alex furrowed his eyebrows.
“My full name is Pearson Juliet and there is a band called We the Kings that I love and my favorite song by them is Check Yes Juliet.” Pearson blushed when Alex smiled at her.
“Alright, followed.” Alex held up his phone.
-----
@ CheckYesJuliet: Finally in Aussie-land and already made new friends :)
@Burrows14: Opening my mind to the idea of having fun.
@MayRay21: On the beach chilling with some bachelorettes before snorkeling? Hell yeah to this vacation!
@Ayceee: Kinda wish I was still single at this point, hot Canucks, hell yeah.
@Trent_Anders: Excuse you? @Ayceee
@Ayceee: Only kidding, love you! @Trent_Anders
@Ryan_Kesler: Lets make a pact @MayRay21 @Burrows14 no more talk about anything in Van. From now on its Australia 24/7
@Burrows14: Deal @Ryan_Kesler
@MayRay21: @Ryan_Kesler Deal!!!
♠ ♠ ♠
Alright, this is the first chapter and it is a lot longer than I intended!First of all; Aly, Diana, and I want all you readers to know that all these tweets are false. This is a fictional story.
Second of all, this first chapter is more story than tweets because I had to lay out the atmosphere. There will be more tweets as the story moves forward.
Third of all, we (the authors) want you guys to have fun with this story! Speak up if you have a comment! We love to hear from you all!
That's it from me for now! Enjoy!!!
Peace. Love. Hockey
-Amy