The More Boys I Meet
Ten
I sighed, wide awake at seven in the morning. It was the middle of August, my birthday to be precise. And I was starting to pack up stuff for college. I was actually kind of disappointed that summer was coming to a close. I really did like hanging out with the guys.
I rubbed at my leg which was aching again. I had recently taken up the whole running at night habit and it was killing me. Especially trying to keep up with the guys. One of them had to run with me every night. Last night it was Johnny, the worst of them all. He was literally out to kill me before summers end.
I bopped along to the music on the radio, deciding if I was going to leave anything here. Pat said that this was my house too and that I was coming back on long weekends, holidays, anytime I could. So maybe I could leave some of my winter stuff here until Thanksgiving. . .
“Ellie!” someone, sounded like Seabs shouted frantically from downstairs.
“What happened? Burn your hand off? Wait. . . why the fuck are you here at seven in the morning?!” I walked to the edge of the stairs. No one was there.
“Must be hearing things,” I chalked it up to insanity before going back to my difficult decision about what to pack and bring with me. I was still rooming with the same girl I roomed with the past two years. She was easy to live with and went home twice a month on the weekends. Unfortunately my friends at college weren’t quite compatible with me living wise so they roomed in a suite downstairs.
“Gotcha!” someone laughed evilly before a blindfold was tied around my eyes and someone tied up my hands.
“What the–” I was cut off and thrown over someone’s shoulder. I sniffed them and rolled my covered eyes. “Viktor!”
“Can you really tell it’s me by sniffing my shoulder?”
I paused. “Yes. You smell girly.”
“I will drop you on your ass,” he warned.
“Hey!” I tried to defend myself. “You look like a model, why not smell like one too, right? I get the logic, don’t worry.”
“Yes,” sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Because that’s what I’m worried about.”
“Where are we going?” I asked after a few moments.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said truthfully.
“I don’t know what to say to you.”
“Well I’m supposed to keep you occupied today.”
“For the surprise birthday party later, right?”
“I didn’t tell you,” he said.
“I overheard Patrick talking to Seabs last night on the phone. He forgets I’m not deaf sometimes,” I explained.
“Okay good. So no games.”
“Yet I’m still blindfolded and slung over your shoulder, probably getting looks from passerbyers.”
“Oh yeah. So any ideas?”
“I’m not supposed to know, remember?” I said, returning the sarcasm.
“I know. Let’s go find Krugs.”
“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see us.”
I almost fell asleep during the ten minute walk back to their house, but Marcus’s startled voice woke me up.
“What the. . .Stally?”
“Hey Krugs. We gotta keep Ells here occupied all day and then she’s going to be surprised at her surprise party tonight. Isn’t that right Ells?”
“He kidnapped me,” I said. “I don’t really have a choice.”
“Put her down already before the cops get here,” he said and I just knew he was rubbing his forehead.
Sure enough after Viktor dropped me and he untied me, I removed the blindfold to find the Swede doing just that.
“So. . .” I snapped my fingers. “What are we doing today?”
“Whatever you want Ells,” Viktor was sprawled out on the couch. “We have the day off from training camp and it’s your birthday.”
“Ah I see. Well I’ve got no idea.”
“I’m surprised you’re not dragging us to the beach,” Marcus smiled.
I waved him off. “I’m taking a two day break and then I’m just going to live there until I have to go back to Wisconsin.”
“Don’t worry Ells, I understand your logic,” Viktor threw at me.
“Oh can it model boy. Let’s go to the Zoo!” I shouted, jumping up.
The two Swedes eyed each other and shrugged. “Seems safe enough,” Marcus reasoned.
“Safe enough?” I questioned him.
“Have you ever hung out with yourself? Well I have and let me tell you something, you’re one of the most danger prone people I’ve ever met,” Marcus answered.
“Well I’m glad I got your approval then,” was all I could say.
“Marcus approved!” Viktor shot me a thumbs up. “We’re good to go.”
I rubbed at my leg which was aching again. I had recently taken up the whole running at night habit and it was killing me. Especially trying to keep up with the guys. One of them had to run with me every night. Last night it was Johnny, the worst of them all. He was literally out to kill me before summers end.
I bopped along to the music on the radio, deciding if I was going to leave anything here. Pat said that this was my house too and that I was coming back on long weekends, holidays, anytime I could. So maybe I could leave some of my winter stuff here until Thanksgiving. . .
“Ellie!” someone, sounded like Seabs shouted frantically from downstairs.
“What happened? Burn your hand off? Wait. . . why the fuck are you here at seven in the morning?!” I walked to the edge of the stairs. No one was there.
“Must be hearing things,” I chalked it up to insanity before going back to my difficult decision about what to pack and bring with me. I was still rooming with the same girl I roomed with the past two years. She was easy to live with and went home twice a month on the weekends. Unfortunately my friends at college weren’t quite compatible with me living wise so they roomed in a suite downstairs.
“Gotcha!” someone laughed evilly before a blindfold was tied around my eyes and someone tied up my hands.
“What the–” I was cut off and thrown over someone’s shoulder. I sniffed them and rolled my covered eyes. “Viktor!”
“Can you really tell it’s me by sniffing my shoulder?”
I paused. “Yes. You smell girly.”
“I will drop you on your ass,” he warned.
“Hey!” I tried to defend myself. “You look like a model, why not smell like one too, right? I get the logic, don’t worry.”
“Yes,” sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Because that’s what I’m worried about.”
“Where are we going?” I asked after a few moments.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said truthfully.
“I don’t know what to say to you.”
“Well I’m supposed to keep you occupied today.”
“For the surprise birthday party later, right?”
“I didn’t tell you,” he said.
“I overheard Patrick talking to Seabs last night on the phone. He forgets I’m not deaf sometimes,” I explained.
“Okay good. So no games.”
“Yet I’m still blindfolded and slung over your shoulder, probably getting looks from passerbyers.”
“Oh yeah. So any ideas?”
“I’m not supposed to know, remember?” I said, returning the sarcasm.
“I know. Let’s go find Krugs.”
“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see us.”
I almost fell asleep during the ten minute walk back to their house, but Marcus’s startled voice woke me up.
“What the. . .Stally?”
“Hey Krugs. We gotta keep Ells here occupied all day and then she’s going to be surprised at her surprise party tonight. Isn’t that right Ells?”
“He kidnapped me,” I said. “I don’t really have a choice.”
“Put her down already before the cops get here,” he said and I just knew he was rubbing his forehead.
Sure enough after Viktor dropped me and he untied me, I removed the blindfold to find the Swede doing just that.
“So. . .” I snapped my fingers. “What are we doing today?”
“Whatever you want Ells,” Viktor was sprawled out on the couch. “We have the day off from training camp and it’s your birthday.”
“Ah I see. Well I’ve got no idea.”
“I’m surprised you’re not dragging us to the beach,” Marcus smiled.
I waved him off. “I’m taking a two day break and then I’m just going to live there until I have to go back to Wisconsin.”
“Don’t worry Ells, I understand your logic,” Viktor threw at me.
“Oh can it model boy. Let’s go to the Zoo!” I shouted, jumping up.
The two Swedes eyed each other and shrugged. “Seems safe enough,” Marcus reasoned.
“Safe enough?” I questioned him.
“Have you ever hung out with yourself? Well I have and let me tell you something, you’re one of the most danger prone people I’ve ever met,” Marcus answered.
“Well I’m glad I got your approval then,” was all I could say.
“Marcus approved!” Viktor shot me a thumbs up. “We’re good to go.”