Falling on Dead Ears

Maybe you should wake Hubert… Ellie mused gently as she watched everyone look into the bus engine. The group frowned at her before looking back at what they’d already done.

Rolling her eyes Ellie glanced around the flat lands with tall whisking grasses just off the sides of the road, a few trees sticking up here and there randomly, beautifully. With the cerulean blue sky, fluffy cotton ball clouds, and gentle warm summer breeze a surreal feeling relaxed its way into her muscles.

Her eyes drifted back to the group peering into the back of the bus at the large engine. They’d waited for it too cool off and now nearly two hours later still hadn’t fixed it, probably only ruined it more.

“Come on wonder boy, you fix your car all the time!” Tommy stated, waving his bandaged hand. He was the reason they’d waited for it to cool down. Tommy had reached inside to check something simple and burned his hand. It got laughs and worried looks before the group decided to play football on the side of the road for an hour to let the engine cool.

“This isn’t like my Rally car okay!” Travis gasped, peering into the darkness of the engine bay.

“It is diesel right?” Special mused gently. The group nodded as Ellie watched them. “So it’s like your truck.” He pointed out.

“Yes, I drive a big rid truck to and from town all the time.” Travis grumbled gently. The engine he had in his truck wasn’t this big or awkwardly placed into its engine bay. “and it potentially sits sideways.” He added tipping his head sideway. “Are the pistons facing that way…” he asked pointing to his left. The group and leaned to the side staring at it confused.

“Is that even physically possible?” Jim questioned.

“I don’t know.” Travis slowly choked out; utterly confused at that he was looking at.

“You’re a bushel of help.” Tommy sighed.

“If you don’t stop using the word bushel, I’m going to beat you.” Jolene growled at the rounded man. Bushel was clearly his word of the day and it was dragging on her nerves by the bushel full. “and I think this,” she reached in tapping a piece. “is a piston, I think that’s just…random crap.”

“Yeah Jo, its random crap that makes it run.” Erik laughed. Her fist collided with his shoulder seconds later.

“Shut up!” She snapped. “You don’t even know how an engine works!” She added as the skier rubbed his sore shoulder.

Clearly neither do any of you. Ellie teased even thought no one saw it. Rolling her eyes she looked back at the area and away from them, letting their comments fall and deaf ears.

Smiling she climbed over the metal barrier and down into the grasses, letting them rub and tickle her exposed claves and mid thighs, as her bare feet sank into the sun warmed dirt.

With a glance over her shoulder she wandered out into the grasses a few feet, but staying close enough to the bus she wouldn’t miss anything too important – like the group leaving – and they wouldn’t miss her in any way.

She raked her hands through her long hair and pushed it to the side, letting the sun dance over her skin as she played with the tall grasses that almost met her hips and consumed her legs in their amber and yellow abyss.

“Focus lover boy.” Andy snapped gripping Travis chin and making him look into the engine bay once more and away from Ellie.

“Some one go wake Hubert, for the love of god.” Jolene grumbled. The men simply waved their hands at the idea muttering and mumbling things along the lines of: we got this, to her. “Travis… please?” Travis glanced up at her and rolled his jaw lightly thinking over the possibilities.

“He told us not to wake him…” Travis sighed gently. “So…” He shrugged slowly not sure how to finish that sentence. He needed the back-wooded Tennessee redneck at the moment but didn’t want to admit it like the others.

Ellie sighed, twirling a piece of grass around her finger as she watched the bus door open slowly. Nodding her head she giggled lightly as the overall covered man slowly made his way towards the back of the bus.

The giggle caught Travis attention. His head had barely turned to look at Ellie before Andy and Jim made him face the engine bay again. Simply shifting his gaze he jumped from Andy’s proximity to him.

“Eyes on the problem Wonder Boy!” Andy huffed annoyed they hadn’t fixed it yet.

“I thought it was ‘Eyes on the prize’” Jeremy muttered slowly as he munched on a sandwich, supervising with Tommy.

“Yeah.” Special pointed.

“My prize is that weh…ow damn it!” Turning he glared at Jolene. “What was that for?” He growled annoyed, rubbing the back of his head.

“Don’t treat her like an object!” Jolene huffed, arms crossed and dark glare on her features.

“I wasn’t!” He gasped, startled. Jolene’s glare only grew darker. “I’m serious!” He gasped.

Ellie turned to the group as Travis stood up right, facing Jolene hands in the air.

“I swear on my grandmother’s grave!” He yelled. Ellie frowned at the movement of his lips. He shouldn’t be swearing on anyone’s grave or their lives at this point if he hadn’t already fixed the bus and still didn’t know how to, it was bad luck to lie and draw in another life or passed life into a situation.

“Wha yeew fightin’ ‘bout now?” Hubert asked, placing his hands into his pockets. Travis kept his hands raised. He was ready to either face the bus and spread-um or lay face first on the ground with his hands on the back of his head. “Or don’t answer meh.” Hubert shrugged. “Wha yeew guys mess up so fa?” he asked walking over and pushing Travis out of his way. “Why’d ya mess with the S-belt?” he questioned.

“We didn’t.” Travis stated with several others, barely glancing over his shoulder at his mechanic before back at Jolene as if she was some kind of wild animal about to attack.

“Yah, yeew did.” Hubert pointed out reaching into the engine bay. “It shouldn’t be off.” With that everyone was leaning over Hubert’s shoulder watching what he was doing.

“How the held we miss that?” Erik gasped surprised.

“You’re a shitty mechanic.” Special pointed out as he glanced at his cousin.

“Shut up or I’ll make you walk.” Travis pouted.

“Why would yah…” Shaking his head Hubert reached in once more. “Get off meh!” he snapped brushing the group away from him with a laugh.

Ellie laughed as the guys moved away from him looking upset and clearly pouting that they hadn’t been able to fix it. Just a simple thing as an expert telling them they were doing it wrong quickly deflated and bruised their ego’s to the point of public childish pouting.

Her eyes shifted over to Travis and Jolene still fighting, the small woman with her finger pressed into his collar bone as he slowly tried to back away from her hands raised.

“I’m not lying!” Travis gasped. “Why would I Jo? Seriously why would I do that?” he asked truthfully.

“Because you’re a brain dead, sack of skin.” He blinked started at her. Ellie frowned at Travis sudden shocked expression, having missed Jolene’s words. Jolene’s back faced Ellie. “I swear to god, if you hurt her, I’ll kill you.” With that Jolene stocked back to the bus and slammed the door as she vanished inside.

“Some one forgot to take their Midol.” Andy grumbled before looking over at Jim and patting the man on the back. “Have fun sharing a bunk with that tonight.” Travis snorted with laughter as Jim groaned as let his head fall back in defeat. “Aw the wonder of relationships.” Andy smiled. “Speaking of…ow you little prick.”

Ellie jumped as Travis punched Andy in the arm with a blank stare pointed at the man.

“I wasn’t going to go down that road.” Andy hissed. “I was going to point out pretty soon both girls are going to end up on the same cycle and then we’ll have two demon bitches at the same…ow!” Andy yelled turning and punching Travis back this time.

Ellie covered her face at the two glaring at each other.

Why did boys have to fight? She hadn’t caught anything other than the punches and the steady glares, their lips moving too quickly for her to read at her distance.

Sighing she turned facing the sprawling land behind her and sank down into the grass, laying in it and smiling up at fluffy clouds drifting over her head. One looked like a small rabbit as it drifted by.

“Don’t call my girlfriend a demon bitch…” Travis huffed.

“I was just pointing out that sooner or later both girls are going to both be PMSing and the same time.” Andy waved his hands as if trying to make a point. The other guys groaned at the thought of both girls’ cranky, angry, craving chocolate they didn’t have, and slowly eating the souls of small children at the same time.

“Yeah well she doesn’t turn into a psycho demon bitch like Jo.” Travis waved his hands to make a point. The others paused watching Travis. “You’ll know she’s on the rag when all she wants to do it sleep all day.”

“Really?” Travis nodded slowly. The first time he witness Ellie going through her period he thought she was sick. She didn’t really eat and she slept the whole time. If he hadn’t seen the open box of tampons in the cabinet after a few days of pestering her he would’ve never figured it out.

“Yeah she basically hibernates for a week.” Travis shrugged. “Besides she only has her period every three months.” He waved his hand as the words leaked off his lips absent mindedly.

“Wow.” Special licked his lips. “I can’t believe you know that.” He finished, the others nodded slowly.

“How’s the even physically possible?” Jeremy asked confused.

“Birth control.” Tommy stated simply. The group looked at him confused as Travis simply pointed at the answer. “What?” He asked surprised. “Maria’s between Jo and El.” He shrugged. “She only goes psycho demon every three months!” He gasped. Travis waved his hand as if to make a point.

“You guys are so fucking whipped!” Erik laughed loudly.

“Fuck yeeehh…where’d Ellie go?” Travis gasped nervously, his eyes scanning the surrounding area carefully for the small woman that had been there moments ago.

“Probably on the bus…duh.” Special laughed heading towards the bus. Travis groaned gently, climbing over the barrier walking through the grass.

Ellie smiled up at Travis as he looked down at her, nearly stepping on her. Laughing he sat next to her in the tall grass with a smile.

“’EY! Get outta da grass before we leave yeew.” Hubert yelled. Travis turned and craned his neck. “We’re leavin’” he smiled.

“You’re done?” Hubert simply nodded. “You’re a fucking magician!” Travis laughed. Ellie frowned at his floundering jaw and sat up, leaning forward to try and catch his words. “Okay.” He spun back to her. “Lets get the hell outta here.” Smiling she nodded and stood up. “Help me.” He teased lifting his arms at her.

Her mouth dropped open. There was no way she could help him stand up. He was a foot taller and she could barely lift a weight over fifty pounds. Pouting Travis made grabby hands.

If I die, I blame you. she stated before grabbing his hands and standing on his toes as she leaned back as she pulled.

“Oh shit!” Travis laughed as he got an inch of the ground. He hadn’t expected her to actually get him off the ground. “Oh my god!” He yelled as they toppled over. He braced himself above her, catching himself before he crushed her.

Ellie stared up at him with a blank look.

I blame you. she stated simply. Laughing Travis leaned down kissing her.

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about I didn’t kill you.” He laughed gently. “But I am amazed…” She raised a brow at him, clearly not amused that he’d almost crushed her. “I didn’t think you’d be able to get my fat ass off the ground.”

“Stop fucking in the bushes and hurry the hell up!” Andy yelled out one of the bus windows.

Travis cheeks tinted bright red as Ellie watched him confused till he uttered once simple sentence under his breath she wouldn’t have caught if she could hear but her near perfect ability to read lips caught every syllable he uttered.

“Fucking Andy.” He hissed gently, glaring to the right of him embarrassed.