The More Boys I Meet

It was still dark when I woke up. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and looked over at Marcus’s sleeping form. He was laid out on his back, one arm thrown across his face, the other dangling off, and a light snore every so often told me was still sound asleep.

I glanced at my clock and saw it was only five in the morning. I sighed. I had to leave in six hours and I was utterly depressed that I wouldn’t be seeing any of the guys everyday anymore. Well at least in person. Thank God they were essentially super stars and I could just look up embarrassing photos or videos to remind me of home.

I tiptoed around the house, getting my clothes together from the night before in the club. After a moment of debating, I decided I would borrow Viktor’s car that was conveniently left here and give Marcus his clothes back later that day.

I went into the kitchen to scribble Marcus a quick note, just in case I didn’t see him later today, which would be highly unlikely, but still. Just in case.

Marcus
Sorry I left so soon, but I still have some things to pack up. Stop by later to get back your clothes....and Viktor’s car. Thank you for letting me stay the night.
xoxo
Ells

I kept it short and to the point before I snuck off with the clothes and the soon to be angry swede’s car.

I tiptoes up to my room and locked it before I continued to pack my boxes of stuff and deciding which clothes to leave behind.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to Pat banging on my door, yelling at me. “Ellie! Stally is looking for his keys! He knows you have them and he’s about to explode!”

“Ah shit!” I threw open the door, keys dangling in my hand. “What was I supposed to do? Leave them in the ignition?”

“Wait for Krugs to drive you home?!” Viktor appeared, bright red with anger, a few veins popping out.

“I filled up the tank?” I tried.

“What?” he looked confused. “It wasn’t even half empty.”

I shrugged. “I barely made it to the gas station, so I filled it up. That’s my story and I’m sure as hell sticking to it. I only drove it here, parked it in the garage and fell asleep packing.”

The anger subsided and he sighed. “Give me those,” he took the keys. “You should send a text or something. You give people heart attacks.”

I scoffed. “It’s just you. Sometimes Pat.”

“Krugs,” Viktor added. “He was running around the house this morning trying to find you.”

“I wrote him a note,” I said slowly. “It was on the counter right where he’d see it when he got up.”

He stopped. “You’re crazy,” he said.

“And why is that Viktor Stalberg?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“You should really make duplicates of your notes,” he said and made a run for it, knowing fully well that I was coming after him.

And I sprinted like my little legs have never sprinted before. “Viktor!” I roared, jumping on his back while he was running down the stairs.

“YOU BREAK HIM ELLIE AND I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL DAMN YOU TO HELL MYSELF!” Jonathan bellowed.

I clung to the Swede’s back as he made his way down the stairs. “Calm down Captain. It’s like extra exercise. And if you kept your players in check, I wouldn’t have to tackle them on the stairs. So in all honesty, this is all your fault,” I concluded.

“Who doesn’t make duplicates of their notes?!” Viktor exclaimed.

Everyone raised their hands. “Dude, it’s just you,” I flicked his nose and he flinched back.

I jumped off his back and got to phone, dialing his phone number, hoping he would pick up.

“Where are you?” he asked on the second ring. If it were anyone else, I would say that this was calm. However, this was Marcus Kruger and although he seemed calm, I could hear the edge in his voice.

“Viktor stole the note I left for you,” I said breathlessly. “God, I am so sorry that he’s an idiot.”

“Oh,” he sighed. “Okay. Just wondering where you are,” he regained his barely lost composure well.

I had to smile at that. He was a calm person and I admired that about him, even if he was faking it. “I have your clothes still. When you come over, you can grab them,” I said.

“Oh um, about that,” he started awkwardly. “Something important came up and I can’t make it over before you have to leave.”

It was my turn to be sort of surprised. “Oh,” I said. “Okay. I’ll give them to Viktor and he’ll bring them back.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he coughed. “Just keep them. I am sorry I can’t see you off,” he admitted.

“Oh it’s fine!” I feigned a happy composure. “I’ll be back before you know it! So um yeah. Have a good training camp and kick ass when the regular season comes around, okay?”

“Ellie. . .” he started, but stopped.

“I’ll see you later Marcus,” I said into the phone before hanging up, sighing at my phone like it was its fault for him not being here.

“What’s the matter?” Pat came up to me.

“What?” I looked up. “Oh, nothing.”

“Krugs okay?” he asked.

“Oh yeah. Great.”

“When will the kid get here?” he asked, leaning against the wall.

“Oh um, he’s not coming actually. Change of plans. Who’s driving me up?” I switched the subject. “You said you can’t.”

Pat looked genuinely guilty. “I know, I’m sorry Ells. But–”

“Why are you still apologizing to me?” I asked. “Your sister is in town. I get it so stop looking like a kicked puppy. All I asked was who offered or am I walking all the way to Wisconsin?”

He smiled sort of. “Stally actually offered. It was either him or Little Leds.”

I gave him a look. “Little Leds has been gone all summer and you would make him drive me four hours just after he got back?”

He grinned. “I think that’s why Stally offered. And it gets him out of Tazer’s hardcore training death camp today.”

“Sounds like fun,” I gave him a thumbs up. “Well thanks Patty for letting me ruin your entire summer vacation by letting me stay here,” I hugged him tightly.

“Please, you made it much more interesting. Can’t wait to see what happens on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break. . . we both love Spring Break,” he reminded me. “We can celebrate our friendship during that week and next summer.”

I laughed. “And you’re still inviting me to come back next summer.”

“This is your home too Ells,” he told me seriously. “You can always come back here no matter what. I put a spare house key in your Blackhawks calendar right on top of your suitcase.”

“I don’t recall having a Blackhawks calendar,” I stared at him.

“Yeah I know. I circled all of the important dates to remember.”

“Like?” I asked.

“My birthday, Crow’s birthday, all of your school’s breaks, don’t worry I checked, Stally’s birthday, Krugs’ birthday, and Tazer’s birthday.”

“Thanks Pat. That will be super helpful.”

“I know,” he smiled and we hugged one last time before I got into Viktor’s car for the first time invited.

We were about halfway there and it was strangely quiet in the car, the music on low, Viktor drumming along.

“Do you know how to drive?” he asked suddenly.

“Um yeah.”

“I haven’t seen you drive all summer long,” he defended his point.

“I drove from your house in your car to my house in your car,” I reminded him of that morning’s fiasco.

“I don’t believe it,” he stated.

I scoffed. “Well okay then. Want me to prove you wrong in your baby?” I challenged him, stroking the dash.

He pulled over alongside the dirt, empty road. “Let’s see what you got sweetheart.”

I slid over into the driver’s seat, making all the necessary adjustments, waiting while he settled in. “I hope you won’t regret this,” I said to him, putting his baby into drive.

“Yeah okay,” he smirked, putting his sunglasses back on his face.

I peeled off and kept up a good speed while taking the sharp Wisconsin turns with ease. He never once looked nervous.

“So any reason why Krugs didn’t show up today?” Viktor asked, admiring Wisconsin’s scenery.

“Said he had something important to do today,” I said through gritted teeth, taking a turn with more speed than I should have. Loose gravel spit up against the car.

“Oh really?” he asked casually. “He lied.”

I glanced over at him, eyebrows raised as he looked out the window at his paint job. “Why would he lie Viktor Stalberg?”

“He didn’t want to see you go,” he said as I took another turn hard, and I knew we were getting close to the town.

“That is ridiculous,” I said, slowing down on the straightaway, about thirty minutes from school.

“You know it isn’t. You guys turned out to be better friends than I or anyone really ever imagined. Opposites attract I guess.”

“Yeah,” was all I could say and we drove the last stretch in silence. Finally, I pulled up to my dorm where I found other upperclassmen piling out their stuff with the help of their friends, roommates, and random kids.

“Come on, we need to unpack your stuff,” Viktor said, getting out like nothing happened. “You don’t really have that much stuff,” he commented as we carried my few boxes up to my room.

“It’s enough to get me through the year,” I said, setting down the last of my stuff. My roommate was already here and set up, having arrived yesterday afternoon. “Thanks Viktor for driving me up here.”

He looked around. “What? Trying to kick me out already? I’m going to help you set up!”

I laughed. “And here I thought you were aiming to get rid of me. Turns out, I can’t shake you,” I winked at him.

An hour later, everything was set up and we stood back, admiring our work to my house for the next yearish.

“It’s still not you,” Viktor said slowly.

“Okay. . .?” I asked.

He rummaged around in my suitcase, supposedly filled with clothes, but he opened it and alongside clothes, I found a barrage of pictures. He started tacking them up and I watched in silence.

“There,” he smiled. “I gotta get going kid if I’m going to make it home by midnight. You take care of yourself and if you need anything and I mean anything you have all of our numbers,” he pointed at my phone on the desk.

“Thanks,” I smiled, hugging him goodbye.

“I’m going to go see if I can replicate any of your moves Speed Racer,” he winked, opening the door to my roommate.

“There you are Reese. Was starting to think you’d never get here. Oh hi. You must be Viktor Stalberg. You have a herd of fan girls waiting to maul you outside,” she said so casually.

“This should be good,” he sighed.

I watched from the window as Viktor snuck out the side door and ran to his car, peeling out, fan girls chasing him down. “So how was your summer Ellie?” Rachel, my roommate asked.

I honestly didn’t have a response.