Status: completed!
I'm Just a Kid That Tried Too Hard
But Guilt and Anxiety Were Sold to Me
I sit in my art class the next day. We have a free draw period and I find myself drawing the rink. Of course, not the one that is surrounded by fans and the teams. The one that I see. The empty one that’s been glossed over. The one that can be seen with minimal lighting. My rink.
My teacher comes around and looks at my painting approvingly. There’s a lot of black surrounding the white of the rink. He always likes contrast in work. When he walks away, my best friend Ross slides his easel over to me. He’s the sweetest boy ever. He came from Arizona and still hasn’t adjusted to the cold and is always underdressed and freezing.
“So, what has you so fondly painting your work?” I let out a small laugh. He usually ended up being the person who had to deal with my constant complaining about my job and the creepy guys who come with it.
“Well, uh, I met Patrice Bergeron…then he drove me home in the same car as Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand.” After I had gotten home and they drove off I had gone into my apartmant. Turns out the Brad next me was Brad Marchand. I had driven home with the field-trip line up.
Ross chokes on his Dunkin Donutts coffee. “What?!” Ross originally tried to talk to me because he heard about my job and tried to get free Bruins tickets out of me. He did eventually because I took him with me sometimes.
I nod, “Yeah I found his wallet doing my rounds. Then he saw me walking home and asked me if I needed a lift. Him and Tyler seemed really nice. Tyler even had me put my number in his phone…” When I look at Ross I see his eyes have just about popped out of his head.
“You gave Seguin your number?! I thought you were anti anything close to being close to a relationship!! And what about Marchand? Was he cool too?” Ross has my hand clasped in-between his own, leaning forward so he’s almost off his stool, hanging on every word. I pause, trying to gather what to say. “I don’t know…he didn’t say anything. Just moved over so I could have a seat.”
Ross leaned back and eyed me, “Huh. Not interested in a charmer like you huh Dev?” We look at each other for a moment before we both burst into laughter. When I compose myself the best I could, I playfully poke him, “After this, do you want to go get some lunch?” He nods, sucking down the rest of his coffee.
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“I think I’m going to call her.” Tyler says to no one in particular after practice. Bergeron looks up at him, “Who are you talking about?” Tyler rolls his eyes, “That girl Devin!” He states this as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s cute. We’re about the same age. I don’t see a problem.” Patrice looks at his younger friend and nodded. He speaks the truth on both accounts.
Marchand, on the other hand, looks at Seguin like he had grown two heads. “Don’t do that bro. She’s just some random chick. She didn’t seem like anything special.” Tyler stares at his friend, “What? That’s cold.”
Brad just shrugs, “you do what you want Segs. I just don’t want you to waste your time.” Bergeron looks at Brad for a moment, trying to figure out what’s going on in the boy’s head. There’s something else that Brad isn’t saying. Patrice shrugs to himself, knowing better than to push the subject.
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I have the night off so I decided to stay at Ross’s place. We curl up on the couch and watch the new Criminal Minds. We try to catch it every week. Ross nudges me as I start to drift off. I snap up and get up to make a dish of ice cream for the two of us to share.
I walk back into the living room to see Ross talking on my cell phone. He’s up and casually pacing the space between his couch and his coffee table. “…No, no I’m not her boyfriend. We’re just buds. Oh, wait , here she is! Nice talking to you man.” He tosses the phone to me which I fumble to catch.
“Hello?” I ask. I am fearful for what Ross could’ve said to whoever was on the other end of the phone. He is notorious for embarrassing people.
“Hi, Devin? It’s Tyler…Seguin..” He sounds like a child on the phone. “Oh! Hi, how’s it going?” I’m so surprised that he called. Ross is sitting cross legged on the couch in excitement, waiting patiently for details that are soon to come.
“Oh, things are good. Would you like to, after the home game in a couple of days, come out with some of the guys and I? We’re really fun I promise.” I laugh, I can’t help it. This is just really cute. He seems to take it as I’m laughing at him and he tries to back track, “If you don’t want to that’s cool. Or it doesn’t have to be a date or anything, just-“ I cut him off, feeling bad that I laughed into the phone, “No, no! I’ll come. I’d love too. Just shoot me a text after the game where you want to meet.” He agrees and says he’s got to go. I bid him farewell and get off the phone. I don’t even get to take a breath before Ross is basically jumping me for information. “YOU’RE GOING OUT RIGHT?! ON A DATE?! My girl is growing up!” He pulls me into a bone crushing hug.
Honestly, I swear that he is straight.
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I work a Celtics game the next night. People are eager to get back to the game so there isn’t much communication, thankfully. Everyone is in full swing though. It’s incredible how many people show up to sporting events. Some faces are extremely familiar in line. It amazes me that people can afford tickets so often.
I spin around, ready to take the next person when I stop short. The man is looking down, but I instantly recognize him as Brad. I cock my head to the side and clear my throat, making him look up from his phone, “Can I get a…oh, hi.” I smile at him.Oh, sure. Now he wants to say hi to me.
“What can I get you?” He scans the drinks quickly. “Can I get a coke for me and a root beer for Segs?” I nod and work remarkably fast. All the while, I can feel his eyes on me. It’s a bit unnerving. “That’ll be 10.76 please.” He digs out a 20$. I hand him the change. “Have a good one.” He looks at me for a second before answering, “You too Devin.”
My teacher comes around and looks at my painting approvingly. There’s a lot of black surrounding the white of the rink. He always likes contrast in work. When he walks away, my best friend Ross slides his easel over to me. He’s the sweetest boy ever. He came from Arizona and still hasn’t adjusted to the cold and is always underdressed and freezing.
“So, what has you so fondly painting your work?” I let out a small laugh. He usually ended up being the person who had to deal with my constant complaining about my job and the creepy guys who come with it.
“Well, uh, I met Patrice Bergeron…then he drove me home in the same car as Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand.” After I had gotten home and they drove off I had gone into my apartmant. Turns out the Brad next me was Brad Marchand. I had driven home with the field-trip line up.
Ross chokes on his Dunkin Donutts coffee. “What?!” Ross originally tried to talk to me because he heard about my job and tried to get free Bruins tickets out of me. He did eventually because I took him with me sometimes.
I nod, “Yeah I found his wallet doing my rounds. Then he saw me walking home and asked me if I needed a lift. Him and Tyler seemed really nice. Tyler even had me put my number in his phone…” When I look at Ross I see his eyes have just about popped out of his head.
“You gave Seguin your number?! I thought you were anti anything close to being close to a relationship!! And what about Marchand? Was he cool too?” Ross has my hand clasped in-between his own, leaning forward so he’s almost off his stool, hanging on every word. I pause, trying to gather what to say. “I don’t know…he didn’t say anything. Just moved over so I could have a seat.”
Ross leaned back and eyed me, “Huh. Not interested in a charmer like you huh Dev?” We look at each other for a moment before we both burst into laughter. When I compose myself the best I could, I playfully poke him, “After this, do you want to go get some lunch?” He nods, sucking down the rest of his coffee.
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“I think I’m going to call her.” Tyler says to no one in particular after practice. Bergeron looks up at him, “Who are you talking about?” Tyler rolls his eyes, “That girl Devin!” He states this as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s cute. We’re about the same age. I don’t see a problem.” Patrice looks at his younger friend and nodded. He speaks the truth on both accounts.
Marchand, on the other hand, looks at Seguin like he had grown two heads. “Don’t do that bro. She’s just some random chick. She didn’t seem like anything special.” Tyler stares at his friend, “What? That’s cold.”
Brad just shrugs, “you do what you want Segs. I just don’t want you to waste your time.” Bergeron looks at Brad for a moment, trying to figure out what’s going on in the boy’s head. There’s something else that Brad isn’t saying. Patrice shrugs to himself, knowing better than to push the subject.
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I have the night off so I decided to stay at Ross’s place. We curl up on the couch and watch the new Criminal Minds. We try to catch it every week. Ross nudges me as I start to drift off. I snap up and get up to make a dish of ice cream for the two of us to share.
I walk back into the living room to see Ross talking on my cell phone. He’s up and casually pacing the space between his couch and his coffee table. “…No, no I’m not her boyfriend. We’re just buds. Oh, wait , here she is! Nice talking to you man.” He tosses the phone to me which I fumble to catch.
“Hello?” I ask. I am fearful for what Ross could’ve said to whoever was on the other end of the phone. He is notorious for embarrassing people.
“Hi, Devin? It’s Tyler…Seguin..” He sounds like a child on the phone. “Oh! Hi, how’s it going?” I’m so surprised that he called. Ross is sitting cross legged on the couch in excitement, waiting patiently for details that are soon to come.
“Oh, things are good. Would you like to, after the home game in a couple of days, come out with some of the guys and I? We’re really fun I promise.” I laugh, I can’t help it. This is just really cute. He seems to take it as I’m laughing at him and he tries to back track, “If you don’t want to that’s cool. Or it doesn’t have to be a date or anything, just-“ I cut him off, feeling bad that I laughed into the phone, “No, no! I’ll come. I’d love too. Just shoot me a text after the game where you want to meet.” He agrees and says he’s got to go. I bid him farewell and get off the phone. I don’t even get to take a breath before Ross is basically jumping me for information. “YOU’RE GOING OUT RIGHT?! ON A DATE?! My girl is growing up!” He pulls me into a bone crushing hug.
Honestly, I swear that he is straight.
------
I work a Celtics game the next night. People are eager to get back to the game so there isn’t much communication, thankfully. Everyone is in full swing though. It’s incredible how many people show up to sporting events. Some faces are extremely familiar in line. It amazes me that people can afford tickets so often.
I spin around, ready to take the next person when I stop short. The man is looking down, but I instantly recognize him as Brad. I cock my head to the side and clear my throat, making him look up from his phone, “Can I get a…oh, hi.” I smile at him.Oh, sure. Now he wants to say hi to me.
“What can I get you?” He scans the drinks quickly. “Can I get a coke for me and a root beer for Segs?” I nod and work remarkably fast. All the while, I can feel his eyes on me. It’s a bit unnerving. “That’ll be 10.76 please.” He digs out a 20$. I hand him the change. “Have a good one.” He looks at me for a second before answering, “You too Devin.”
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Well, here's chapter two. I'm getting there.. enjoy!