The More Boys I Meet

I woke to the smell of food. I opened my eyes and found myself in my bed at home, still engulfed in Marcus’ blanket. I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I was starving as I realized I hadn’t eaten a real meal in days, but I still didn’t want to go downstairs.

But my stomach betrayed me and I poked my head down the stairs to see who was there. From what I could see, Johnny, Corey, Marcus, Viktor and Pat. The usual crew. And I was pretty sure Viktor was still mad at me. I had trouble blaming him for being mad. He was the only one who had legitimate reasons to be mad with me.

I crept downstairs, avoiding the creaky stairs and ducked into the kitchen, drooling at the food displayed before me. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruit, waffles, milk, and hash browns.

“Hungry?” Viktor asked as I filled a plate. I jumped at the sound of his voice and didn’t dare to turn around. Or even answer. I just stayed frozen, hoping he’d forget me and leave.

He didn’t.

“Ells?” he asked, walking up to me and coming into my line of sight. I cringed at the lingering cut above his eye where the skate cut him two weeks ago. When I didn’t come home because I was so busy. It still looked pretty bad.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to my plate.

He took the plate from me and hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry for being a total jerk about you having friends that aren’t me. It was dumb and you shouldn’t have to come home for every injury.”

“But I do,” I said quietly still. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home for you,” I still couldn’t look at him. Viktor was the only one who I wasn’t totally angry at. Because with him, I had done something wrong. I couldn’t be spiteful at him.

“Hey now,” he tipped my chin up, forcing me to look at him. “Ells, I get it. You had finals and work and a life. I’m not mad at you, I promise. I mean I’m sure your new friends aren’t as cool as I am, but they’re probably okay people if you’re friends with them.”

I let go of a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Okay.”

My stomach rumbled and he laughed, handing me back my plate. “Do you want to come out and watch a movie with us?” he asked.

I shook my head no and went back to my room. I still was upset over the fights with my closest friends and I was having trouble with the whole forgetting part of forgive and forget. I didn’t do well with fighting or confrontations and they were all confrontations waiting to happen.

I laid in bed all day. Finally, Alice called. “Hi,” I said.

“Please tell me they have finally seen the error in their ways and begged for forgiveness.”

“They all apologized,” I said.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I said.

“Liar.”

“I guess I’m still hurt. I mean they left me on Christmas Alice. It really hurt being alone. I have spent one too many Christmases alone and they just kind of left me there. What kind of friends do that?” I asked.

“Really jealous ones,” she said simply.

I sighed. “Obviously.”

“Where are you now?”

“Back in Chicago.”

“Where in Chicago?” she pressed further.

“In my bedroom alone, under the covers,” I said.

“I’m surprised they haven’t bothered you yet,” she said.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Usually they would have. Maybe they’re just letting me chill out.”

“Maybe you should just put this entire thing behind you and start Christmas all over again?” she tried.

“Christmas is over Alice and I don’t exactly want a repeat.”

“Anything would be better than Christmas. Go be with your boys. They miss you and I’m pretty sure they don’t know what to do with an upset Ellie.”

“Yeah okay. I’ll see you in two days,” I told her.

“Only if you have to. You can stay until the twelfth Ellie. I’m sure they all want you to.”

“We’ll see,” I said and hung up.

Someone knocked on my door and I thought it would be Pat. Instead it was Marcus. “Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” I said back, burrowing back under the covers.

“Can we redo this entire break?” he asked, still looking miserable.

I shook my head. “No. It’s too late for that one. It’s New Year’s day and I don’t feel very well.”

He sat next to me. “Maybe coming downstairs will make you feel better?” he asked.

“Maybe,” I said. “But I’m a mess,” I gestured to myself.

“So? We’re your best friends. We don’t care what you look like so long as you’re here.”

“You dragged me here,” I reminded him.

“You didn’t really object after you fell asleep,” he smiled.

I cracked a smile too because I couldn’t help it. When Marcus smiled, I smiled too. “I was asleep Marcus.”

He held out his hand to me and I looked at it, debating on whether or not to take it. In the end, I did and I went downstairs with him. The tree was lit up and I saw that there were a lot of presents unopened under the tree. “You guys didn’t open up any of your gifts,” I noted. “Why not?”

“You weren’t here. Duh,” Corey said. “Though Pat may not have disclosed the entire story. I would have come and picked you up,” he said, glaring at the blonde.

“No, it’s okay,” I said. “What’s done is done. It can’t be changed. Let’s move on.”

“Really?” Johnny looked surprised. “You still look like you’re upset.”

I shrugged. “I’m tired I guess. Haven’t really slept. And I think I might still be a little hungover.”

Marcus and Pat made room for me right in between them and they turned on Avengers. “I’m sorry,” Pat squished me in a hug. “I miss you too much and I’m sorry so please forgive me.”

“I do,” I said, muffled by his shirt.

He smiled and hugged me harder. “Thank you.”

“Can’t breathe. . .”

“Oh!” he said and let go and we watched the movie.

“Do you want to open up presents?” Pat asked when it was over.

I ran upstairs and brought back down a bag. I passed them out and they looked impressed. “I could have sworn you would have burned them,” Viktor shook his.

I shrugged. “Yeah well I didn’t.”

And we all sat there, opening up our presents, one week late. “Just so you guys know,” I said afterwards. “You guys will always be my best friends. No matter what happens. No matter who I meet. I love you guys too much,” I said and I meant it. I did love them too much and I did forgive them. Because that’s what best friends did. They fought and forgave.

“Group hug,” Corey said and before I knew it, everyone was piled on top of me and I felt better than I had in days.

That night, after another giant feast, I went upstairs to shower and to crawl into bed for some much needed sleep. I came out of the bathroom to see Marcus looking through some of the books I left there.

“What’s up?” I asked, drying my hair in a towel.

“Oh. Nothing. Just here,” he said awkwardly.

I couldn’t help but laugh and he looked relieved. “Just standing in my room looking horrified? Yeah like always. Viktor already go home?”

He nodded slowly.

I got into bed and he stared at me. “Well are you going to sleep here or are you just going to stare at me all night?” I asked.

He smiled and crawled in next to me, having already changed into a pair of shorts and a tee shirt earlier. “Do you remember when I had that concussion last year? And we fell asleep on the couch and you woke me up from that nightmare?” he asked.

“Yeah. Why?” I turned over to face him.

He was staring up at the ceiling. “I never told you what I dreamt about that night, did I?”

“No you didn’t,” I said.

“It was about you,” he said. I waited for him to go on. “You left Chicago and never came back. You never answered any phone calls or wanted to see me ever again.”

“That was your nightmare,” I said softly.

He nodded. “It sounds dumb, I know, but it felt so real. Like you really just got up and left and didn’t care about me, any of us anymore.”

I laid my head on his shoulder. “Well that’s not going to happen. Ever. And maybe it wouldn’t have happened had you came and picked me up for Christmas.”

He sighed. “You’re never letting that one go, are you? You know, why didn’t you go to your parent’s house?” he asked.

“My mom died back when I was a freshmen in high school. My dad remarried my senior year to this god awful peppy, way too young, too blonde girl and it’s not really my home anymore. He’s way too engrossed in her and I couldn’t stand being alone in a house full of people.”

“I am so sorry,” he whispered in my ear.

I shrugged and pulled the blankets up. “Yeah, it’s fine. Then I met you guys and it got better. So it’s okay now.”

I turned over, away from him and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. “I hope we never fight again,” he said and to those words, we both fell asleep.