Status: Contest Entry! Let me know what you think!
Rose Garden
Everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool...
It was an early fall morning that Andrea had met Tyler. She was out on her daily run through Biel before classes started for the day and Tyler was experiencing his first Swiss morning. He’d gotten into town the previous day and immediately had gone to the apartment the team had rented for him and crashed.
It seemed he did a lot of that over his first few hours in Biel. Waking up, he’d been disoriented and instead of walking through the door that would usually take him to the bathroom in his Boston condo, he ran into a wall. And of course, there was him meeting Andrea.
She’d done nothing wrong, only following her normal route from the apartment she shared with Taylor. Down the block and to the left, past the radio station she would work in later that day, three blocks past the little café she and Taylor frequented, past their favorite bar and performance venue, and through the little rose garden that was just beside her favorite coffee vendor.
Tyler was stumbling along, trying to familiarize himself with his new ‘home’. He was ambling through the now rather bare flower beds, in the direction Andrea was coming from. Not paying attention, his arm collided with her shoulder.
“Hey!” she jerked around, pulling white ear buds from her ears. “Watch it, yeah?” He would soon find that Andrea was rather assertive.
“Oh, sorry,” he was rather surprised to hear someone speaking such fluent English. All he had heard that day was jumbles of whatever people were speaking around him. “I-I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Yeah, I could see that,” she cocked her head to the side. “You lost?”
He looked around. “You could say that. I was trying to find some good coffee. I just moved in and haven’t really had time to go shopping.”
Andrea, always looking to pimp out her favorite spots, grinned wide. “You just passed up the best place for a morning coffee.” She jerked her thumb behind her. “Anfang’s the best for that.”
“Oh, thanks,” he peered around the corner at the short line around the stand.
“Don’t mention it,” she was much kinder now that she knew he was a bit lost. And who couldn’t put on a happy face when a star NHL player was smiling at you? “Oh and Tyler?” she turned back around and his ears perked up at the mention of his name. “Welcome to Biel.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
That wouldn’t be the last time he saw Andrea that day. In fact, after becoming acquainted with his new teammates-all of whom spoke passable English- he’d been convinced to go out to a bar with them to celebrate his arrival in their city.
They led him to a bar that was filled with patrons. Usually, in Boston, the team would have had a private seating area all to themselves. But not here. No, in Biel he and his teammates walked right up to the bar, finding empty stools and tables surrounding it and ordered themselves some pints.
“She’s playin’ again tonight,” one of his teammates with better English murmured to the group. “That girl with the dark hair.”
“Who?” Tyler asked. He was curious; after all, it was only his second day in Biel.
Before an answer could be given, the strumming of a guitar could be heard from a small stage in the corner. Talking in the room quieted, nearly ceasing all together. Shifting his gaze from his teammates around him, Tyler looked towards the source of the music.
And there she was.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Andrea played more than she usually did that night. Instead of her scheduled, 30-minute set, she played for a full hour, throwing in more covers of her favorite songs and a few new ones she had written since her last appearance at Belle’s.
With Taylor by her side, they approached the bar and picked up their usual drinks for a post-show celebration.
“That was great, Andy,” Taylor smiled to her tall friend. “Didn’t think you would do the last one.”
Andrea shrugged, ignoring the usage of her childhood nickname that she hated with a passion. “Thought I might try it out.”
Sipping her beer, Taylor looked around the crowded room. “I’m going to use the bathroom before all these drunk chicks have to pee. Watch my drink?”
Andrea willingly took her friend’s bottle and settled herself onto a stool, propping her feet up on another to save it for Taylor. Belle’s was certainly very crowded tonight, even more so than it usually was on a Friday night. Looking around the room, she found a large part of the source of the influx of people. Sitting on the other side of the counter and at surrounding tables was a multitude of hockey players. Growing up in Toronto, Andrea was an avid hockey fan, loving the sport, even though her team wasn’t…fantastic. If they could spare the money and had the time, she and Taylor would take in a game in downtown Biel. It wasn’t quite the same as the NHL, but it was a nice thing to make you feel at home.
Studying the large group of men, her eyes were drawn to a new addition to the group. Tyler Seguin.
She followed him on Twitter, among many other hockey players and had made it a point to mention him in a message when she heard about his decision to come to Biel.
‘@AndreaDarlingMusic- Heard @tylerseguin92 is making a move to Biel. Excitement!’
She hadn’t cared that it was a little fangirlish. It wasn’t like she would be meeting him anytime soon. But of course, that came and bit her right in the ass.
And just to make matters worse for her reddening cheeks, Tyler’s eyes locked with hers. A smile slipping across his lips, he said something to his friends and got up, beer in hand.
‘Please don’t come over here,’ she chanted in her head. ‘My voice probably sounds terrible after being at the station and singing and oh my God I probably look terrible and sweaty and sweet Jesus, there he is.’
“So Andrea?” he smiled. “Nice to know the girl who ran into me this morning has another talent.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, already slipping into her sassy attitude. “If I remember correctly, you ran into me, my friend. And I was nice enough to send you the best coffee place in all of Switzerland. You should be thanking me.”
“Well then, Andrea,” he emphasized her name. “How about another beer for a lovely lady and your number?”
“I’ll take the beer,” she smiled. “But how is me giving you my number thanking me?”
“So that I can take you out,” Tyler smirked before calling the bartender over.
It seemed he did a lot of that over his first few hours in Biel. Waking up, he’d been disoriented and instead of walking through the door that would usually take him to the bathroom in his Boston condo, he ran into a wall. And of course, there was him meeting Andrea.
She’d done nothing wrong, only following her normal route from the apartment she shared with Taylor. Down the block and to the left, past the radio station she would work in later that day, three blocks past the little café she and Taylor frequented, past their favorite bar and performance venue, and through the little rose garden that was just beside her favorite coffee vendor.
Tyler was stumbling along, trying to familiarize himself with his new ‘home’. He was ambling through the now rather bare flower beds, in the direction Andrea was coming from. Not paying attention, his arm collided with her shoulder.
“Hey!” she jerked around, pulling white ear buds from her ears. “Watch it, yeah?” He would soon find that Andrea was rather assertive.
“Oh, sorry,” he was rather surprised to hear someone speaking such fluent English. All he had heard that day was jumbles of whatever people were speaking around him. “I-I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Yeah, I could see that,” she cocked her head to the side. “You lost?”
He looked around. “You could say that. I was trying to find some good coffee. I just moved in and haven’t really had time to go shopping.”
Andrea, always looking to pimp out her favorite spots, grinned wide. “You just passed up the best place for a morning coffee.” She jerked her thumb behind her. “Anfang’s the best for that.”
“Oh, thanks,” he peered around the corner at the short line around the stand.
“Don’t mention it,” she was much kinder now that she knew he was a bit lost. And who couldn’t put on a happy face when a star NHL player was smiling at you? “Oh and Tyler?” she turned back around and his ears perked up at the mention of his name. “Welcome to Biel.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
That wouldn’t be the last time he saw Andrea that day. In fact, after becoming acquainted with his new teammates-all of whom spoke passable English- he’d been convinced to go out to a bar with them to celebrate his arrival in their city.
They led him to a bar that was filled with patrons. Usually, in Boston, the team would have had a private seating area all to themselves. But not here. No, in Biel he and his teammates walked right up to the bar, finding empty stools and tables surrounding it and ordered themselves some pints.
“She’s playin’ again tonight,” one of his teammates with better English murmured to the group. “That girl with the dark hair.”
“Who?” Tyler asked. He was curious; after all, it was only his second day in Biel.
Before an answer could be given, the strumming of a guitar could be heard from a small stage in the corner. Talking in the room quieted, nearly ceasing all together. Shifting his gaze from his teammates around him, Tyler looked towards the source of the music.
And there she was.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Andrea played more than she usually did that night. Instead of her scheduled, 30-minute set, she played for a full hour, throwing in more covers of her favorite songs and a few new ones she had written since her last appearance at Belle’s.
With Taylor by her side, they approached the bar and picked up their usual drinks for a post-show celebration.
“That was great, Andy,” Taylor smiled to her tall friend. “Didn’t think you would do the last one.”
Andrea shrugged, ignoring the usage of her childhood nickname that she hated with a passion. “Thought I might try it out.”
Sipping her beer, Taylor looked around the crowded room. “I’m going to use the bathroom before all these drunk chicks have to pee. Watch my drink?”
Andrea willingly took her friend’s bottle and settled herself onto a stool, propping her feet up on another to save it for Taylor. Belle’s was certainly very crowded tonight, even more so than it usually was on a Friday night. Looking around the room, she found a large part of the source of the influx of people. Sitting on the other side of the counter and at surrounding tables was a multitude of hockey players. Growing up in Toronto, Andrea was an avid hockey fan, loving the sport, even though her team wasn’t…fantastic. If they could spare the money and had the time, she and Taylor would take in a game in downtown Biel. It wasn’t quite the same as the NHL, but it was a nice thing to make you feel at home.
Studying the large group of men, her eyes were drawn to a new addition to the group. Tyler Seguin.
She followed him on Twitter, among many other hockey players and had made it a point to mention him in a message when she heard about his decision to come to Biel.
‘@AndreaDarlingMusic- Heard @tylerseguin92 is making a move to Biel. Excitement!’
She hadn’t cared that it was a little fangirlish. It wasn’t like she would be meeting him anytime soon. But of course, that came and bit her right in the ass.
And just to make matters worse for her reddening cheeks, Tyler’s eyes locked with hers. A smile slipping across his lips, he said something to his friends and got up, beer in hand.
‘Please don’t come over here,’ she chanted in her head. ‘My voice probably sounds terrible after being at the station and singing and oh my God I probably look terrible and sweaty and sweet Jesus, there he is.’
“So Andrea?” he smiled. “Nice to know the girl who ran into me this morning has another talent.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, already slipping into her sassy attitude. “If I remember correctly, you ran into me, my friend. And I was nice enough to send you the best coffee place in all of Switzerland. You should be thanking me.”
“Well then, Andrea,” he emphasized her name. “How about another beer for a lovely lady and your number?”
“I’ll take the beer,” she smiled. “But how is me giving you my number thanking me?”
“So that I can take you out,” Tyler smirked before calling the bartender over.
♠ ♠ ♠
I decided I'm not going to wait. I'm just going to post it all over the next few days. Let me know what's on your minds, lovelies!