Timing Is Everything
July 4, 2012
“Part 5: The Trade aka The Fight aka Shit Went Down aka I’m a Shit Fuckboy.” Tyler tells the camera.
“I haven’t heard that last one before.”
“Candace called me a ‘Shit Fuckboy’ when I eventually told her about what happened between us.”
"The biggest fight the two of us had and we weren't even dating." I grumble to the camera. "It was rough."
Tyler takes a big gulp of his drink. "July 4, 2012, that fateful day."
We both took a long drink.
-------------------
"So what are your plans for America's birthday?" Tyler asked me over the phone.
"Spending the day with family, a few of my cousins from New York are coming over. What are your plans then Canadian boy?"
"Fourth of July party of course! Freddy and I and a bunch of other people are gonna party it up at this house. I'm pretty sure Mike will be stopping by too."
"Studsy? I miss him, tell him I said 'Hello!'"
"What, you don't miss me?"
"Eh, you're not as cool as he is."
I could practically hear him rolling his eyes as he replied back to me. "Gee, thanks."
“I’m kidding. What time is your party later?”
“Eh, around 7-8? I don’t really know. I was gonna just head over whenever Freddy tells me that people are coming over.” He laughed. “Marshall, come here boy!”
“Marshall! I miss that puppy, tell him I miss him!”
He laughed into the phone, “He’s definitely not a puppy anymore, Aud. He’s a big dog now, aren’t you boy?”
“Marshmallow will always be a puppy to me.”
“So the two of us will forever be your puppy dogs?”
“Of course!” I laughed.
“Good. So am I seeing you this summer?”
“Ummm, I think I have some free time before my classes start. So maybe sometime around mid-to-late August?”
“I should be free around then before preseason training. You can stay at my place.”
I hesitated slightly, thinking back to the last time I made plans to stay at his place. “We'll figure out details later. I gotta go with my mom to pick up some last minute stuff for the barbecue tonight. I’ll talk to you later yeah?” I asked while slipping on my shoes.
“Yeah. Talk to you later!”
--------------------
The sky was a mix of purples and pinks, with wispy clouds slowly drifting by. My cousins, brothers, and I were outside in the backyard, surrounding the fire pit as we finished the barbeque from the grill. Laughs filled the warm air and stories filled our ears. I wiggled my toes as they warmed by the bonfire and noticed a bruise forming on my knee.
“Chris! You suck! Now I have a bruise on my knee from your fat ass.”
Chris looked over at me with a rib hanging from his mouth. “You knew it was bound to happen when we play soccer. I’m pretty sure Dad almost knocked out Tito Leo mid game. It’s not my fault your ‘delicate flower' skin bruises easily. You should be grateful, it makes you look tough.”
“Yeah, because everyone is gonna see this ‘tough’ bruise that’s on my knee.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“So Audrey, your mom tells me that you’re seeing some famous guy.” My cousin Layla stated as she opened another beer for herself. “He’s some Canadian athlete.”
“Oh an athlete, huh?” My other cousin, Melissa, commented. “Does he have any single friends?” She laughed, high fiving our other cousin, Dana.
I rolled my eyes at my cousins. Of course my mom would gossip to her sister, my Tita Eleanor. And of course all my cousins would know. “Tyler Seguin, he plays hockey. And we’re just friends.”
“Just friends? That’s what they all say. Does your dad know about him?” My older cousin, Dante asked.
“Actually the two of them have met.” I laughed as I thought back to when they met two months ago. “Tyler nearly shit himself when he saw dad.”
“I don’t blame him, you’re dad sometimes scares me and we’re related.” Keith, another cousin said.
“Wait, you said he’s a hockey player?” Victor, another cousin, questioned. “You’re not switching teams are you?”
I laughed at his scared expression. “No, of course not. I love the Penguins too much. They were my first team and they will forever be my team. Plus, Crosby gives me life.”
“His ass makes me feel some kinda way.” Dana muttered next to me, causing me to burst out laughing.
I took a sip from my lemonade as I reached for my phone. The screen lit up to display a stream of texts from my group message with Chloe, Olivia, and Vivianne. As I tried to read through all of the texts, a new one would appear, bringing me to the end of the conversation. With my frustration rising, I told everyone to hang on until I was up to date and read all their texts from the beginning. Confusion filled my mind as I read on. What was Olivia freaking out about? And why is she panicking in the group text, how does this make a difference to the rest of us? Why is she now apologizing?
Wait, why did she mention Tyler? Did something happen? What’s wrong with Tyler? What did she mean that he’s no longer in Boston? How would she know that?
I left the message and went straight to the internet. My eyes scanned page after page until I unfortunately accepted the news.
My breath caught in my throat. Tyler was traded.
Tyler was traded to Dallas.
“I haven’t heard that last one before.”
“Candace called me a ‘Shit Fuckboy’ when I eventually told her about what happened between us.”
"The biggest fight the two of us had and we weren't even dating." I grumble to the camera. "It was rough."
Tyler takes a big gulp of his drink. "July 4, 2012, that fateful day."
We both took a long drink.
-------------------
"So what are your plans for America's birthday?" Tyler asked me over the phone.
"Spending the day with family, a few of my cousins from New York are coming over. What are your plans then Canadian boy?"
"Fourth of July party of course! Freddy and I and a bunch of other people are gonna party it up at this house. I'm pretty sure Mike will be stopping by too."
"Studsy? I miss him, tell him I said 'Hello!'"
"What, you don't miss me?"
"Eh, you're not as cool as he is."
I could practically hear him rolling his eyes as he replied back to me. "Gee, thanks."
“I’m kidding. What time is your party later?”
“Eh, around 7-8? I don’t really know. I was gonna just head over whenever Freddy tells me that people are coming over.” He laughed. “Marshall, come here boy!”
“Marshall! I miss that puppy, tell him I miss him!”
He laughed into the phone, “He’s definitely not a puppy anymore, Aud. He’s a big dog now, aren’t you boy?”
“Marshmallow will always be a puppy to me.”
“So the two of us will forever be your puppy dogs?”
“Of course!” I laughed.
“Good. So am I seeing you this summer?”
“Ummm, I think I have some free time before my classes start. So maybe sometime around mid-to-late August?”
“I should be free around then before preseason training. You can stay at my place.”
I hesitated slightly, thinking back to the last time I made plans to stay at his place. “We'll figure out details later. I gotta go with my mom to pick up some last minute stuff for the barbecue tonight. I’ll talk to you later yeah?” I asked while slipping on my shoes.
“Yeah. Talk to you later!”
--------------------
The sky was a mix of purples and pinks, with wispy clouds slowly drifting by. My cousins, brothers, and I were outside in the backyard, surrounding the fire pit as we finished the barbeque from the grill. Laughs filled the warm air and stories filled our ears. I wiggled my toes as they warmed by the bonfire and noticed a bruise forming on my knee.
“Chris! You suck! Now I have a bruise on my knee from your fat ass.”
Chris looked over at me with a rib hanging from his mouth. “You knew it was bound to happen when we play soccer. I’m pretty sure Dad almost knocked out Tito Leo mid game. It’s not my fault your ‘delicate flower' skin bruises easily. You should be grateful, it makes you look tough.”
“Yeah, because everyone is gonna see this ‘tough’ bruise that’s on my knee.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“So Audrey, your mom tells me that you’re seeing some famous guy.” My cousin Layla stated as she opened another beer for herself. “He’s some Canadian athlete.”
“Oh an athlete, huh?” My other cousin, Melissa, commented. “Does he have any single friends?” She laughed, high fiving our other cousin, Dana.
I rolled my eyes at my cousins. Of course my mom would gossip to her sister, my Tita Eleanor. And of course all my cousins would know. “Tyler Seguin, he plays hockey. And we’re just friends.”
“Just friends? That’s what they all say. Does your dad know about him?” My older cousin, Dante asked.
“Actually the two of them have met.” I laughed as I thought back to when they met two months ago. “Tyler nearly shit himself when he saw dad.”
“I don’t blame him, you’re dad sometimes scares me and we’re related.” Keith, another cousin said.
“Wait, you said he’s a hockey player?” Victor, another cousin, questioned. “You’re not switching teams are you?”
I laughed at his scared expression. “No, of course not. I love the Penguins too much. They were my first team and they will forever be my team. Plus, Crosby gives me life.”
“His ass makes me feel some kinda way.” Dana muttered next to me, causing me to burst out laughing.
I took a sip from my lemonade as I reached for my phone. The screen lit up to display a stream of texts from my group message with Chloe, Olivia, and Vivianne. As I tried to read through all of the texts, a new one would appear, bringing me to the end of the conversation. With my frustration rising, I told everyone to hang on until I was up to date and read all their texts from the beginning. Confusion filled my mind as I read on. What was Olivia freaking out about? And why is she panicking in the group text, how does this make a difference to the rest of us? Why is she now apologizing?
Wait, why did she mention Tyler? Did something happen? What’s wrong with Tyler? What did she mean that he’s no longer in Boston? How would she know that?
I left the message and went straight to the internet. My eyes scanned page after page until I unfortunately accepted the news.
My breath caught in my throat. Tyler was traded.
Tyler was traded to Dallas.