Chapter 1

Careful when you open, it's easy to be broken
In the strangest fashion you start a chain reaction
When you look my way, something's pounding away
And I wonder if I ever felt this before
And All this time, oblivious to what you make so obvious
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

You are reaching for something that is beating
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
Over and again, racing out of my skin
I can't believe I've never noticed my heart before

At least it was never until I noticed…
You and your ways capture what I've misplaced
In the perfect fashion, Just watch my heart's reaction
This point of view is nothing that I'm used to
But I won't close my eyes cause they're on to you
And all this time it was staring me blind
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

The only time I ever noticed my heart was when I noticed you…

That's the only time I ever noticed my heart before.

Noticed - MuteMath

Ch 1

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me Biz!” I squawked as I walked into the bathroom of the club and ran smack into Paul, all hot and heavy with some tramping looking slut pressed up against the bathroom wall.  The blonde haired, pencil thin, drunk girl was greedily clawing her hands up and down Paul’s shirt while they were locked in a sloppy kiss.  Her shirt was lying on the dirty bathroom floor, leaving her in just a mini jean-skirt, some obnoxious pink push-up bra, and stilettos that could have easily punctured through someone’s skin.

Somehow Biz answered me without the use of his bottom lip that was presently being sucked on.  “I’ll be ready to leave in a moment, Py.  Go ahead and gather up the troops!”  His nonchalant-ness made him sound like he was just taking a piss and not in the middle of a porn make-out session.

I just shook my head and walked back out of the bathroom.  I hesitated for a moment when I realized that I really did have to take a piss, but I promptly decided I’d just have to hold it until I got home since there was no way I was going back in there.

“Hey! Have you seen Biz?” Marty Hanzal yelled to me in his broken Czech accent as I strolled uncomfortably back over to our table.

“Um, yeah,” I said slowly trying not to wince as I thought about the ugly scene I just witnessed and the fact that my bladder was really full.  “He was in the bathroom taking care of some business and said he’ll only be a minute.”

“Okay, cool, I’m going to use the wash room,” Marty said as he quickly downed the rest of his beer and proceeded to push back his chair in an attempt to get up.  I quickly thwarted his endeavor and pushed him back down into his chair, as I growled something about it being out of order for the moment.  He just looked at me confused, but didn’t ask any questions as Upshall and his girlfriend Melanie approached us.

“You guys ready to go?” he asked as he handed Melanie her purse and threw down a tip.

“We are waiting on Biz,” I said through my teeth as I motioned with my head over towards the bathrooms and raised my eye brows with a look that said, don’t ask.  An understanding look crossed over Scottie’s face as Melanie scowled.  I looked back over my shoulder to watch Biz strut out of the bathroom while he smoothed his shirt and puffed out his chest.  His shirt of course was only buttoned up halfway, effectively showing off his defined chest, getting reaction from the ladies that he passed.  Biz seems to think he is either an Italian Mobster or part of the Jersey Shore cast.  Luckily, the girl he had been making out with was nowhere to be found, giving us time to get out of the club before she could make a scene.

“So you guys ready?” he asked with a shit ass smirk on his face as he winked at me.

“Ugh, let’s get the fuck out of here before your bathroom date comes out and plays drama queen,” I muttered as I pulled him along out the door and into the cool Phoenix desert night.

Paul and I had essentially joined the team around the same time and were put together as roommates on the road.  After a year I was quite accustomed to his mannerisms of always wanting to be the center of attention and his antics of being a player.  Whether it was through his pictures and comments on Twitter or Facebook, running around pool-side in Speedos, or chirping at the opponent out on the ice, Biz always knew how to get people to notice him and make them laugh.  As for his track record with women, he was a bit of a man whore who used his “fame” to get chicks.  I really don’t think the guy has ever had a serious girlfriend for more than a couple months.

Despite his extracurricular activities, Biz really was great medicine for me and I was grateful for his friendship.  He was also very much into helping other people and we did a lot of charity work together over the past year.

“So, Py?” he asked, pulling me from my thoughts as he drove through the city, towards our homes.  “What time do we have to be at this school reading thing you set up with this chick?”

“First of all this chick has a name and it’s Ari.  Second, I will pick you up at 9am.  We are going to read to the kids first and then we are having an assembly where the kids are hosting a question and answer session,” I said, making sure I said it slowly so that his ADD could follow me.

“Do I need to wear anything fancy?” he asked as he looked over at me, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Um, dude, you are going to an elementary school, so pleeeeaassee make sure that whatever you wear is kosher,” I pleaded with him as I rolled my eyes, trying not to think about the vulgar things he might actually choose to wear.

“How did you get us this gig, anyway?” Hanzal asked from the back seat of the truck.

Before I could even answer the poor kid, Biz begins chirping, “Wait?! You are having him read to elementary school kids that most likely speak better English?!”

I actually hadn’t thought of this before and ended up busting up laughing as it sank in, realizing that Biz had a good point.

“Shut the fuck up, bastards!” Marty yelled, attempting to be serious and upset about it, but failing miserably in his attempt.

Once the laughter died down and I could get my words out in some sort of order that made sense, I answered Marty.  “Um, actually my friend Ari is a 2^nd grade teacher at the school, and she said that they were trying to plan something to get the kids excited about reading week.  So one thing led to another and I got this set up for tomorrow,” I said, smiling about the fact that Ari had told me yesterday that the kids were so excited about it.

“So, this Ari, is this the chick you met at Doan’s picnic last summer?” Biz inquired with a sly smile on his face.  I knew right away what he was getting at, but I wasn’t going to let him pull my chain too hard.

“Yes, Ari is my friend that I met last summer,” I answered, emphasizing the word, friend to get my point across.

“What’s Ari short for?” he probed some more.

“It’s short for Arianna and believe me buddy, she is not your type.”

Marty snorted in the back as Biz’s jaw dropped.  “Wait what?!  Every woman is my type, unless they are ugly like some of those female comedians,” he yapped back.

“She’s not ugly,” I said, feeling a little protective of her.  “She’s beautiful actually, but she very smart and intellectual and definitely not into the whole party scene that you like to be involved in.  Besides, she is basically a widower, like me.  She lost her fiancé to cancer a year and a half ago.  Andre, Shane’s wife, actually had hired Ari as a baby-sitter several years ago while she was still in college.  When she graduated, Andre and Shane helped her and Steven find a house in the neighborhood when they got engaged, so that they could still be close to them and the kids.  Steven died from Hodgkin’s lymphoma when he was 25.”

“Oh man, that sucks,” I heard Marty breathe out.

I expected some sort of rebuttal from Biz, but every now and then he knew when to shut his mouth and stay quite.  Of course this quiet spell only lasted for a minute until he burst out, “Well, I can be intellectual, I will have you know!”

Another snort came from the back seat as Marty laughed, “Yeah, okay man.  You are probably the least intellectual person I know, except when it comes to your taste in music.”

I looked over at Biz to see the wheels once again turning in his head and shrugged my shoulders as I said, “The Czech does have a point.”

Paul just looked over at me with a furrowed brown and chewed on his lip as he pulled into my driveway; obviously plotting his next course of action that I could only imagine was going to be trouble.

I was so excited when I arrived at work today.  The kids were stoked and were fidgeting in their seats all through morning announcements.  They had insisted at the beginning of the week to make decorate the classroom for the players.  Plus, the 1^st and 2^nd grade hallway was covered with maroon and white streamers, welcoming the guys.

I was ecstatic when Taylor said he’d be on board for my reading week idea and even more thrilled when he said about getting some of the guys to help.  Of course I knew Shane would be game, but I didn’t really know any of the other guys, so I hoped they would be as open as Shane and Taylor were.

Andre had introduced me to Taylor at a summer picnic, soon after he transferred to Phoenix.  We instantly bonded with our similar story lines of losing a loved one.  His quiet, almost shy personality mirrored mine and I was happy to find a friend who didn’t take energy away from me.  There was no drama, and that was something I was desperately trying to stay away from with everything I had been through in the last year and a half.  Our relationship was purely platonic, something I was more than okay with, mainly because I was still healing and the same for him.  I enjoyed the fact that he treated me like the protective bigger brother that I never had growing up as an only child.  Of course I can’t deny his beautiful blue eyes and his adorable baby face.

As I was helping staple up the last of the posters around the room, I heard a soft knock on the door.  Luckily the kids didn’t notice, so nodded to my aid and then quickly opened the door and closed it behind me as I stepped into the hallway and into the attention of some large muscular men.

“Hi!” I exclaimed anxiously as my eyes darted around to the strange faces with Shane and Taylor.  Taylor instantly pulled me into a friendly hug, his familiar cologne filling my nose.  He was dressed in his normal preppy style of a plaid button down shirt and khaki shorts. His short hair was easily spiked and his striking blue eyes smiled softly down at me, putting me at ease.  He quickly passed me onto Shane who scooped me up into his normal, tight hug.

“So, um, did you guys practice your reading aloud skills?” I asked as I smiled and nervously rubbed my hands together, despite the fact they were not even chilly.  I looked up to observe the younger guy of the crew looking over his Dr. Suess book apprehensively.

The tall, dark guy that I noticed staring at me as soon as I walked out into the classroom spoke up and said, “Hanzal here has been practicing on the way over.  He should be set by lunch time.”  I watched as Hanzal looked up at me with a scared smile as the dark guy slapped him hard on the shoulder, almost knocking the poor kid over.

“Ari, meet Marty Hanzal,” Taylor said with a reassuring smile to the kid.  I reached out my hand and greeted him with a big smile, receiving one back in return.  I was then introduced to Wojtek Woliski, who informed me that despite being Polish, he would have no problem reading in English to the kids.  Of course this made poor Marty blush even more as we all proceeded to laughed at the expensive of him.

“And this is Paul Bissonnette or Biz.  Don’t mind him, we don’t,” Taylor said with a laugh as Biz scowled at him.  Biz quickly recovered as he took my hand, leaned down and pressed his lips to the back of my hand.  His warm breath sent a small shiver up my arm and a warm feeling quickly ran through me as he looked up at me with sincere, liquid brown eyes.  I can’t say that he was the most handsome man I had ever seen, yet something was alluring about his darker skin tone, chiseled facial features, and a nose that was probably broken several times.  His short cropped hair and prominent eye brows added to his almost foreign look.  He had a 5’oclock shadow that I imagined was present even after he immediately shaved and I noted that at least half of his left arm was covered with a tattoo sleeve.  I couldn’t help but observe his strapping physique with the grey, form fitting t-shirt and black cargo shorts.  He had killer calf muscles that I would probably never achieve, even after running everyday for 5 years.  

However, every bell in my head began going off, screaming that something about this guy spelled a ton of trouble.  I pulled my hand back and turned to Scottie, who I had met on a few occasions, taking a big mental breath.

I knew I got to her as soon as I looked up into her hazel eyes.  She was stunning with raven colored hair that was long, thick and straight.  It shined in the sunlight that was peaking through the hallway windows.  Her skin was tan but I was certain it was not from the sun.  If I would have to venture a guess, she was probably of Spanish decent and I was hell bent on making her my Señorita.  She was petite and stood almost a whole foot shorter than me.  She wore flip-flops that showed off her perfectly manicured toes that were polished in a delicate shimmery neutral colored.  Her long khaki skirt had a subtle slit up the middle, allowing free movement and it hugged the curves of her hips and ass.  Her breasts looked larger than they probably were in the fitted, white polo shirt and right away I noticed a thin silver chain around her slender neck holding a simple diamond ring.  There is definitely a sentimental side to this one…

I could tell she was shy and nervous around all of us, so I hoped my little antic of kissing her hand would loosen her up a bit.  Instead she seemed to become quite flustered as she blushed and looked over at Scottie to be rescued by familiarity.  Woliski elbowed me hard and raised his eye brows as we turned to follow her down the hallway to meet the principal.  Like me, he was enjoying the view of her ass as she unintentionally sashayed down the hall.  I’m usually drawn to women who are scantily clad, but something about this one made me want to undress her slowly and find out what secretly hid underneath her conservative layers.

“Dr. Green, these are the gentlemen that have volunteered to help us today,” she said with a sincere smile to the old lady who had met up with us.

“Thank you for coming out today.  As you can tell, the kids are all excited for your visit,” the principal said as she motioned to the decorations covering the hallway.  It reminded me of high school when we decorated for homecoming or big games against rival teams.  “I have assigned each of you a class to read to,” she continued, holding up a piece of paper.  “Mr. Bissonnette, you will be assigned to Arianna’s class…”

I didn’t hear anymore of the assignments because I’m pretty sure my heart stopped as I looked over at her to watch as she looked over at me shyly, then quickly looked down at her feet.  I wasn’t sure if I saw relief or anxiety flash across her face.  Either way, a sly smile broke across my face, which was quickly noted by Taylor who sent me a warning look.