Status: On-Going
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Chapter 2
I woke up the next morning to an incessant banging on my door.
“Come on, Riley! I’m hungry!” I heard Ellie call out.
“Why are your eyes all swollen?” Addy asked once I finally pulled open the door.
“It’s nothing, Addy. Just come in and let me put some clothes on, yeah?”
We made our way to the dining hall to grab some breakfast. “Are you guys going to come to the library with me this afternoon and actually help me with this group project or am I in this one alone
too?”
“I’ll come with you,” Ellie replied.
“I’m hanging out with Marc,” Addy said with a huge grin. “I know it’s in good hands anyway.”
Ellie and I glanced at each other at the exact moment I felt someone tap me on my shoulder.
“Are you Riley Garrison?” I turned to see a girl that lived in my dorm that I had never spoken to.
“Um, yes? Do I know you?”
“No. This is completely random and complicated but I have a message for you. See, I was friends in high school with a girl named Julie. Who is now dating Tyler Brown. Who is best friends with Tyler Seguin. And this huge web has led to a Facebook message that I received from Julie today basically telling me to find you – Riley Garrison – and give you Seguin’s number. So, here.” She handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it and walked away.
I looked up from the piece of paper to see Addy staring at me open-mouthed. “What?” I asked.
“That girl just gave you TYLER FUCKING SEGUIN’S PHONE NUMBER!!!” she exclaimed.
“Shut up!” I whispered, noticing people looking at us. “That was a whole clusterfuck of random right there. This probably isn’t even his number. I only told him my fucking name! How would he even find me?”
“Well really, how many girls have you met named Riley Garrison?” Addy said.
“And weren’t you wearing your Boston University sweater?” Ellie chimed in.
“Well, yes, but… That doesn’t necessarily mean I GO here… And God. If it is his number I don’t know if I should be creeped out or flattered. It’s pretty impressive if he found me that quickly. And I’m not interested anyway!”
“Okay, look at me,” Addy cut in, waving her fork in my face. “From what I’ve heard of Tyler Seguin, he doesn’t exactly put work into finding girls. He takes what’s there. So be flattered goddam it! Also, of course you’re interested. You’re young, single, and have the phone number of one of the hottest NHLers of right now. Trust me. You’re interested.”
“The NHL thing isn’t even a thing with me, Addy. That’s not fair. That makes me sound like a puck slut!”
“No. Being attracted to someone who happens to play hockey does not make you a puck slut. Being interested in someone BECAUSE they play hockey makes you a puck slut. Listen, send him a text message saying hi and you got his message. What harm will that do? Truthfully.”
“Fine. But not today. It’s too soon. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Good. But if you don’t do it then I’m taking his number,” Addy replied with a wink. “Anyway, tonight. I think I’ve found the perfect way for you to meet new people away from Scott.”
“Oh, this’ll be good,” I heard Ellie mutter next to me.
“Shut up,” Addy cut in quickly. “So, I found someone who makes really good fake IDs and for 20 bucks a piece he’ll make us some. Then we can go downtown and party with a whole new crowd.”
“I don’t know, Addy…” Ellie said skeptically, glancing over at me. “Club scene isn’t really my scene.”
“That actually could be fun…” I said quietly. “Come on, Ellie. We’re turning 20 this year anyway. It won’t be that far off base to believe we’re 21. If nothing else, it’ll be a good story. I really cannot handle going to another party that Scott is at. Now that he’s single he’ll be all over girls more than he already was.”
“Listen, I’ll pay for it and get the fake. I’ll decide tonight if I’m actually going to go with you.”
“Awesome!” Addy exclaimed excitedly. “You losers head off to the library. I’ll get Marc to pick us up some booze for pre-drinking. I’ll meet you guys in Riley’s room to get ready around 7?”
“Sounds good,” I said as I stood up. “Let’s go do this project, Ellie. It’s a lot of work for only two people,” I added, shooting a fake glare at Addy.
“Stop it,” she said with a wink. “I’m a girl. I have needs that extend outside of the school realm, unlike you.”
“So…” Ellie said slowly as we sat down at the library. “You think you’re going to use that number?”
I scoffed and looked down at the table. “Not likely.”
“And why not?”
“Ellie, shut up. You know as well as I do why not.”
“I know all of your stupid reasons that you always give us. I know that you ‘aren’t interested in dating right now’ or you’re ‘too busy with school work’ or whatever reason you’re giving us this week. It’s bullshit Riley. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for people like Addy. Addy is every guy’s type. I use this number we MAYBE go out ONCE and then it’s over. There’s not a chance in hell he’ll like me, Ellie. I’m nobody’s type. I’m sure as hell not Tyler fucking Seguin’s type. I can’t give him what he’s going to want.”
“Oh come on, Riley. He met you. You had a conversation with him and you stuck in his mind. Right there, he’s already interested. What harm is it really going to do? Even in your worst case scenario, all that happens is you ONLY go on one date. That’s not a big deal. Nothing develops after that? Too bad but nobody’s hurt. You have to go. Just humour me.”
“I’ll think about it, Ellie. Can we drop it now? We have work to do.”
“Fine,” she responded, opening her book and rolling her eyes.
“Come on, Riley! I’m hungry!” I heard Ellie call out.
“Why are your eyes all swollen?” Addy asked once I finally pulled open the door.
“It’s nothing, Addy. Just come in and let me put some clothes on, yeah?”
We made our way to the dining hall to grab some breakfast. “Are you guys going to come to the library with me this afternoon and actually help me with this group project or am I in this one alone
too?”
“I’ll come with you,” Ellie replied.
“I’m hanging out with Marc,” Addy said with a huge grin. “I know it’s in good hands anyway.”
Ellie and I glanced at each other at the exact moment I felt someone tap me on my shoulder.
“Are you Riley Garrison?” I turned to see a girl that lived in my dorm that I had never spoken to.
“Um, yes? Do I know you?”
“No. This is completely random and complicated but I have a message for you. See, I was friends in high school with a girl named Julie. Who is now dating Tyler Brown. Who is best friends with Tyler Seguin. And this huge web has led to a Facebook message that I received from Julie today basically telling me to find you – Riley Garrison – and give you Seguin’s number. So, here.” She handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it and walked away.
I looked up from the piece of paper to see Addy staring at me open-mouthed. “What?” I asked.
“That girl just gave you TYLER FUCKING SEGUIN’S PHONE NUMBER!!!” she exclaimed.
“Shut up!” I whispered, noticing people looking at us. “That was a whole clusterfuck of random right there. This probably isn’t even his number. I only told him my fucking name! How would he even find me?”
“Well really, how many girls have you met named Riley Garrison?” Addy said.
“And weren’t you wearing your Boston University sweater?” Ellie chimed in.
“Well, yes, but… That doesn’t necessarily mean I GO here… And God. If it is his number I don’t know if I should be creeped out or flattered. It’s pretty impressive if he found me that quickly. And I’m not interested anyway!”
“Okay, look at me,” Addy cut in, waving her fork in my face. “From what I’ve heard of Tyler Seguin, he doesn’t exactly put work into finding girls. He takes what’s there. So be flattered goddam it! Also, of course you’re interested. You’re young, single, and have the phone number of one of the hottest NHLers of right now. Trust me. You’re interested.”
“The NHL thing isn’t even a thing with me, Addy. That’s not fair. That makes me sound like a puck slut!”
“No. Being attracted to someone who happens to play hockey does not make you a puck slut. Being interested in someone BECAUSE they play hockey makes you a puck slut. Listen, send him a text message saying hi and you got his message. What harm will that do? Truthfully.”
“Fine. But not today. It’s too soon. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Good. But if you don’t do it then I’m taking his number,” Addy replied with a wink. “Anyway, tonight. I think I’ve found the perfect way for you to meet new people away from Scott.”
“Oh, this’ll be good,” I heard Ellie mutter next to me.
“Shut up,” Addy cut in quickly. “So, I found someone who makes really good fake IDs and for 20 bucks a piece he’ll make us some. Then we can go downtown and party with a whole new crowd.”
“I don’t know, Addy…” Ellie said skeptically, glancing over at me. “Club scene isn’t really my scene.”
“That actually could be fun…” I said quietly. “Come on, Ellie. We’re turning 20 this year anyway. It won’t be that far off base to believe we’re 21. If nothing else, it’ll be a good story. I really cannot handle going to another party that Scott is at. Now that he’s single he’ll be all over girls more than he already was.”
“Listen, I’ll pay for it and get the fake. I’ll decide tonight if I’m actually going to go with you.”
“Awesome!” Addy exclaimed excitedly. “You losers head off to the library. I’ll get Marc to pick us up some booze for pre-drinking. I’ll meet you guys in Riley’s room to get ready around 7?”
“Sounds good,” I said as I stood up. “Let’s go do this project, Ellie. It’s a lot of work for only two people,” I added, shooting a fake glare at Addy.
“Stop it,” she said with a wink. “I’m a girl. I have needs that extend outside of the school realm, unlike you.”
“So…” Ellie said slowly as we sat down at the library. “You think you’re going to use that number?”
I scoffed and looked down at the table. “Not likely.”
“And why not?”
“Ellie, shut up. You know as well as I do why not.”
“I know all of your stupid reasons that you always give us. I know that you ‘aren’t interested in dating right now’ or you’re ‘too busy with school work’ or whatever reason you’re giving us this week. It’s bullshit Riley. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for people like Addy. Addy is every guy’s type. I use this number we MAYBE go out ONCE and then it’s over. There’s not a chance in hell he’ll like me, Ellie. I’m nobody’s type. I’m sure as hell not Tyler fucking Seguin’s type. I can’t give him what he’s going to want.”
“Oh come on, Riley. He met you. You had a conversation with him and you stuck in his mind. Right there, he’s already interested. What harm is it really going to do? Even in your worst case scenario, all that happens is you ONLY go on one date. That’s not a big deal. Nothing develops after that? Too bad but nobody’s hurt. You have to go. Just humour me.”
“I’ll think about it, Ellie. Can we drop it now? We have work to do.”
“Fine,” she responded, opening her book and rolling her eyes.