The More Boys I Meet

“You know, they’re all adorable,” Rachel said later in the week, looking at my bulletin board. I usually didn’t have any pictures tacked up; only lists of things I had to do, a calendar, reminders etc. this whole picture collage thing was totally new for me. Actually. . . having a life was a totally new thing for me. Too bad it had to end. . .

I laughed. “They look so innocent and adorable, but really. . . they’re adorable and obnoxious. And crazy. And kind of obsessive over their cars.”

“Most guys seem to have that obsessive car streak,” she agreed, pulling her burnt orange hair into a pony tail.

I stood next to her, admiring Viktor’s quick work of my bulletin board and I was surprised at how many candids there were. “I had no idea they were snapping photos all summer,” I admitted.

There were some of us at the beach, tanning out on the porch, my birthday, the zoo, lounging around the house. “You’re in a lot of pictures with these guys,” she pointed at Patrick, Viktor, and Marcus.

I looked at the picture she was referring to and I smiled. Johnny had gotten bored and started snapping pictures that day. We weren’t even doing anything, just laying around the house talking about how bored we were. “Pat is technically my bestie and it’s house we’re in and his legs sprawled out on me. Viktor is on the other couch and we’ve grown on each other, laughing at me. Next to him is Marcus who looks uncomfortable as per usual.”

“He’s staring at you,” she commented.

I laughed. “It was the day after he found out how Pat and I met. I’m surprised he didn’t just ask for a trade with all the shit he’s put up with.”

“He’s cute,” she said, grabbing her school bag. “I’m going to grab some lunch and then head out for my afternoon class. You want to join me?”

I wanted to. I really did. “I can’t,” I sighed. “I have a shift in half an hour and I still need to finish up this dumb lab,” I gestured at my papers and textbook.

She laughed at me that time. “Have fun with that girlie. I don’t want to find you passed out on the books already,” she gave me a pointed look before leaving and I was left alone with my thoughts and the pictures.

I sat in my desk chair, staring at the photos. There was one that stood out to me. It was in the middle of the board and I couldn’t decide if he had purposefully left it there. It was me and Marcus that one day when the power was out and we ran away to the beach. We were laying on our respective beach towels and I was asleep lying on my back. Marcus was on his stomach and he was facing me, but asleep like I was.

I shook my head of those days and of him and got to work on my dumb lab paper that was due on Friday.

“Hello?” I answered my ringing phone as I walked to work around the corner.

“Hey!” Pat shouted. “What’s up?!”

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for pre-season?” I asked.

“I’m hiding out in the closet of the UC with Crow.”

I looked at the phone. “I’m pretty sure they’re going to notice their star goalie missing.”

“Hey! What about me?!” Pat shouted accusingly. I heard Crow laugh in the background.

“You’re both in full gear aren’t you?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“It’s quite cramped in here with Crow’s fat ass goalie gear!”

There was rustling and the goalie man came on. “It’s terribly boring without you here. And I’ve been complimented on my tan several times already.”

I laughed. “I told you tanning was the way to go!”

There was the sound of the door opening. “We gotta go. Captain found us and he isn’t happy,” Corey said.

“Well I wouldn’t be too happy either if my goalie and key player went rouge and hid in the closet.”

“It’s just a temporary thing,” he laughed. “Bye Ells!”

“Bye guys,” I smiled and instantly my day was better.

I couldn’t wait to see them over Thanksgiving break.