The More Boys I Meet
One
“Pat, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” I said, watching as the movers moved in all of my things from my dorm room. . . which wasn’t much. “Us living together could end up to be. . . most interesting.”
His blonde head popped up from behind my box of books. “I agree. I like interesting. The guys should be here in a while to help move the rest of your things in.”
I looked around. “Everything is moved in.”
“Oh and we’re having a pity fest that includes food,” he added upon seeing my face. “You know, being out in the first round and all.”
“Poor babies. You’ll get it again next year. Until then I am going to go make use of your back porch and get a good tan.”
“What?! Seriously Ellie?! Get back here!” Pat started to chase me and we ended up running all over the house, inside and out when I ran right smack into someone and fell on my butt.
I rubbed at my head, wincing. “Jesus Christ Johnny Two Toes. You’re freaking built like a brick wall!” I whined.
Johnny laughed, helping me up. “Sorry Ells. Didn’t realize you and Kaner would already be at each other’s throats five minutes after you moved your stuff in.”
I grinned as Kaner walked up to us. “Hey man. Okay, in case you forgot Ells, here’s Johnny Two Toes, Sharpie, Seabs, Crow, Hammer, Bollie, Krugs, Stalberg, Car Bomb, Hoss, and Little Leds.”
“He’s bigger than you,” I noted, looking at defense man Leddy. “So you’ve no right to call him little and I do know who they are. I do watch hockey, keep track of trades, and all that jazz. Welcome in guys. Make yourselves comfortable and whoever the cook is, the grill is out back.”
“I love it,” Kaner muttered. “She’s here for a day and she’s already taking charge.”
“The price you pay for offering me a house for the summer,” I shrugged, walking onto the back porch, the rest of the guys following. I grabbed a lawn chair for myself and made myself comfortable as the rest of the guys mingled.
As I watched them, I noticed one particular player a little out of sorts. I pulled my sunglasses down onto my nose, watching him clearly. “Marcus Kruger,” I stated and he turned around, and I was surprised. I expected him to look somewhat scared, like a wide eyed doe. No, instead he kept his facial expression somewhat blank, stoic. “There’s a chair here if that’s what you’re looking for,” I gestured to the empty lawn chair next to me.
He pondered it for a moment, as if weighing out the choices before coming and taking a seat next to me.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Swedish?” I asked, pushing my sunglasses back onto my eyes, willing the sun to tan me faster.
He hesitated and I assumed he was nodding. “Yes,” he finally said after a moment of silence.
“That’s cool. You have more of an accent than Mister Viktor Stalberg over there. He keeps claiming he’s Swedish, but I just can’t buy it.”
Evidently, the other Swede heard and wandered over. “Yes Ellie? Still not believing me on the whole Swedish thing?”
I smiled. “I just can’t help but think you’re wrong. Marcus and Nik over there both have prominent accents and then there’s little ol’ you.”
He ruffled my hair. “Sweetheart, I’m Swedish no matter what you’re little brain may think.”
I blew a strand of hair out my face. “Thanks doll,” I said sarcastically.
“And you’re here the entire summer?” he asked.
“I don’t leave until Labor Day weekend,” I smiled wickedly. “Three months of pure Ellie Reese. Exciting, huh?”
“Oh I don’t have any doubts,” he laughed, walking away.
“You know most of the guys here?” Marcus actually started up the conversation.
“Most of them. I still have a score to settle with Car Bomb over there though,” I narrowed my eyes at the violent forward.
He winked at me and strolled up to the two of us. “Rumors say that you have an issue with me.”
“I happen to hold grudges,” I crossed my arms.
“Bitter now, are we?” he joked, ruffling my hair.
“I will always cheer for Kopecky, just so you know. Always,” I stated.
“I like you. Loyal to old teammates. I can respect that.”
“Good,” I said, uncrossing my arms. I turned back to Marcus. “Well then it’s settled I guess. I now know everyone here.”
“How did you meet Kaner?” he asked. I noticed he was still sitting straight and tense, the only sign that he was nervous.
“Hm,” I made an involuntary noise. “Food’s ready,” I stood.
Kaner and I made a pact that morning after we met to never discuss to anyone what happened. If we were to be friends, we had to have a cover story and he used his a lot, considering his reputation. I however, never used it once. I simply dismissed the subject and moved on with my life. What else could I do? I didn’t regret that night, but I also didn’t want anything more from that boy except the friendship we had now. And I wasn’t going to spoil a future friendship because we were both drunk and lonely.
Nope, most definitely not. No one would know the truth of how Patrick Kane and I came to be.
His blonde head popped up from behind my box of books. “I agree. I like interesting. The guys should be here in a while to help move the rest of your things in.”
I looked around. “Everything is moved in.”
“Oh and we’re having a pity fest that includes food,” he added upon seeing my face. “You know, being out in the first round and all.”
“Poor babies. You’ll get it again next year. Until then I am going to go make use of your back porch and get a good tan.”
“What?! Seriously Ellie?! Get back here!” Pat started to chase me and we ended up running all over the house, inside and out when I ran right smack into someone and fell on my butt.
I rubbed at my head, wincing. “Jesus Christ Johnny Two Toes. You’re freaking built like a brick wall!” I whined.
Johnny laughed, helping me up. “Sorry Ells. Didn’t realize you and Kaner would already be at each other’s throats five minutes after you moved your stuff in.”
I grinned as Kaner walked up to us. “Hey man. Okay, in case you forgot Ells, here’s Johnny Two Toes, Sharpie, Seabs, Crow, Hammer, Bollie, Krugs, Stalberg, Car Bomb, Hoss, and Little Leds.”
“He’s bigger than you,” I noted, looking at defense man Leddy. “So you’ve no right to call him little and I do know who they are. I do watch hockey, keep track of trades, and all that jazz. Welcome in guys. Make yourselves comfortable and whoever the cook is, the grill is out back.”
“I love it,” Kaner muttered. “She’s here for a day and she’s already taking charge.”
“The price you pay for offering me a house for the summer,” I shrugged, walking onto the back porch, the rest of the guys following. I grabbed a lawn chair for myself and made myself comfortable as the rest of the guys mingled.
As I watched them, I noticed one particular player a little out of sorts. I pulled my sunglasses down onto my nose, watching him clearly. “Marcus Kruger,” I stated and he turned around, and I was surprised. I expected him to look somewhat scared, like a wide eyed doe. No, instead he kept his facial expression somewhat blank, stoic. “There’s a chair here if that’s what you’re looking for,” I gestured to the empty lawn chair next to me.
He pondered it for a moment, as if weighing out the choices before coming and taking a seat next to me.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Swedish?” I asked, pushing my sunglasses back onto my eyes, willing the sun to tan me faster.
He hesitated and I assumed he was nodding. “Yes,” he finally said after a moment of silence.
“That’s cool. You have more of an accent than Mister Viktor Stalberg over there. He keeps claiming he’s Swedish, but I just can’t buy it.”
Evidently, the other Swede heard and wandered over. “Yes Ellie? Still not believing me on the whole Swedish thing?”
I smiled. “I just can’t help but think you’re wrong. Marcus and Nik over there both have prominent accents and then there’s little ol’ you.”
He ruffled my hair. “Sweetheart, I’m Swedish no matter what you’re little brain may think.”
I blew a strand of hair out my face. “Thanks doll,” I said sarcastically.
“And you’re here the entire summer?” he asked.
“I don’t leave until Labor Day weekend,” I smiled wickedly. “Three months of pure Ellie Reese. Exciting, huh?”
“Oh I don’t have any doubts,” he laughed, walking away.
“You know most of the guys here?” Marcus actually started up the conversation.
“Most of them. I still have a score to settle with Car Bomb over there though,” I narrowed my eyes at the violent forward.
He winked at me and strolled up to the two of us. “Rumors say that you have an issue with me.”
“I happen to hold grudges,” I crossed my arms.
“Bitter now, are we?” he joked, ruffling my hair.
“I will always cheer for Kopecky, just so you know. Always,” I stated.
“I like you. Loyal to old teammates. I can respect that.”
“Good,” I said, uncrossing my arms. I turned back to Marcus. “Well then it’s settled I guess. I now know everyone here.”
“How did you meet Kaner?” he asked. I noticed he was still sitting straight and tense, the only sign that he was nervous.
“Hm,” I made an involuntary noise. “Food’s ready,” I stood.
Kaner and I made a pact that morning after we met to never discuss to anyone what happened. If we were to be friends, we had to have a cover story and he used his a lot, considering his reputation. I however, never used it once. I simply dismissed the subject and moved on with my life. What else could I do? I didn’t regret that night, but I also didn’t want anything more from that boy except the friendship we had now. And I wasn’t going to spoil a future friendship because we were both drunk and lonely.
Nope, most definitely not. No one would know the truth of how Patrick Kane and I came to be.