Knockout Girl

by Natasja Eby

  I turn and find Cherry right next to me. I haven’t talked to her since last week, and now I can’t help but notice the rain boots. Also, her hair is pink now and it startles me at first. Then I decide it looks kinda good on her and offsets her green eyes nicely. I really want to know how it is that Jules and Cherry ended up with a date together.

  “No, not really,” I say. “I just thought it was…interesting that your school has a boxing team.”

  Cherry lets out a guttural laugh. “Oh, it’s more than that. They’re obsessed with boxing here. Probably because it’s the most violent administration-sanctioned activity they can get away with at a school. Our team almost always wins in those big competitions. Not that I keep up with that kind of stuff.” She shrugs.

  “That’s alright.” I look at her again, taking in the bright hair, red lips, and dark eye makeup. She’s actually kind of pretty; she really makes her style work. “Your hair is pink,” I say. I should have complimented it, I can see by the look on her face.

  “Yeah, it is.” She reaches up and touches her short spiky hair. She seems self-conscious.

  “I like it,” I say with a smile.

  Her eyes flash in a way that makes me glad I told her that. “Thanks. So what are you really doing here? No one actually reads this stuff.” She gestures to the board.

  “I’m looking for a job,” I admit. “See, I want to go back to Hawaii, and I can, if I can get the money for the plane ticket, but I need a job to do that, and well…”

  “There’s not much, eh?” she says. She studies me for a second then says, “So you’re escaping us, are you?”

  “What?” I ask. Then I realize she’s referring to what I said. “Oh! No. I mean, I’m only supposed to go for a visit. I can’t really leave leave.”

  Cherry half-smiles at me. “You don’t owe me an explanation. If I could leave for a place like Hawaii, I’d never want to come back.”

  A crazy thought crosses my mind that almost makes me want to invite her to come, too. But I don’t even know her that well and that would be weird. So I don’t say anything.

  “I think I can help you out though,” she’s still saying. “My parents own, like, a thing, and I can get you a job there if you want.”

  A thrill of excitement runs through me, but I’m a little put off by her wording. “What kind of a thing do they own?”

  “It’s a…okay, well it’s the skating rink downtown,” Cherry says, putting her hands into her pockets like she’s embarrassed. “I didn’t want to tell you because you don’t seem like you’re a big fan of ice. But like, I can get you a job at the snack vending place. Sometimes you get tips.”

  “Really?” I say, my voice high-pitched with the excitement of it.

  “Yeah sure,” Cherry says, surprised and slightly amused at my reaction.

  “Why would you do that for me?” I ask. I don’t mean to sound sceptical, but as soon as I say it, I realize how it could come off.

  Cherry shrugs. I’m starting to get that this is her catch-all response. “Because…that’s how you make friends, right? By doing nice things for other people.”

  Her answer catches me off-guard. I’d never really thought of it, but I guess the fact that Julian and Cherry out of all the people here at this school are the only ones who bother with me is pretty awesome. And that’s just their way of being a friend to me. Why, I don’t know, but I’d rather not question it.

  “Thanks, Cherry, I would really appreciate that,” I say.

  She winks, and then the bell rings and she’s gone. Maybe I should invite her to Hawaii after all.

  CHAPTER seven

  True to her word, Cherry got me a job and now I’m the new snack girl at the skating rink. Which is totally weird. I mean, I’ve had jobs before, even one scooping ice cream on a beach. But like, people actually willingly come to this frozen indoor place for entertainment and throw tons of money away for a hot dog. It’s crazy. Even crazier is that we actually do sell ice cream here too, but thankfully few people seem to be interested this time of the year.

  I’ve had a few training shifts so far and my parents actually don’t seem to mind taking me there and picking me up. They said they’ll sign me up for driving lessons soon, but I’m not so interested right now. I just want to go home. Like, home home.

  I’m almost done my shift and I couldn’t be happier. Mostly because it’s so hectic working here. Between the stuck-up figure skaters and their tight little outfits, the horribly obnoxious hockey players, and the parents of all these kids, I feel like I’ve had enough. Not only do they treat me—and my coworkers—like the scum of the Earth, but I am also struggling a lot with giving back change. Every time I look for a one-dollar bill, my mind blanks out. The person at the counter usually either gives me a weird look or demands their change.

  Loonies and toonies are not my friends. Neither are the people that frequent the rink. My coworkers are okay though, since they go through the same things I do. And Cherry’s parents were actually super cool when I met them. But like, it’s not cool to tell your friends that their parents are cool, so I didn’t mention it to her.

  I finish my shift just in time to scoot past the hungry hockey players who just finished their practice. They look about my age and I recognize some of them from my classes, but I kind of don’t want them to see me so I duck my head and race to the front door. As soon as I go outside, I’m relieved at the thought of getting into a nice warm car.

  Except there is no car. Actually, there are plenty of cars, but none of them are mine. I get my hopes up thinking that maybe Mom or Dad is behind another car, but as I skim past them, I realize they’re not there at all. This is it. They’ve finally forgotten me. I should have known it would happen eventually.

  With a sigh, I take out my cell and dial home with cold fingers. If they’re home and seriously forgot about me, I’ll be so mad. But it just keeps ringing. It almost goes to voicemail but then I hear someone pick up.

  “Finally!” I say in my most annoyed voice. “I’ve been done work for like fifteen minutes. Where are you guys?”

  There’s a beat, and then… “Elli?”

  “Who’s that?” I say, just before it occurs to me. “Uncle Daniel? Do you know where Mom and Dad are?”

  “Uhhh.” That’s not a good sound. “I think your dad’s working late and your mom went grocery shopping or something.”

  Or something. “Well that’s great,” I say to him, just as I feel a few snowflakes land on my cheeks. “Yeah, can you just tell them that I died in a blizzard because they forgot about me?”

  My uncle has the nerve to laugh out loud.

  “Why is that funny?”

  He stops laughing and says, “Sorry, kiddo. You just have a dry sense of humour, that’s all.”

  “I was serious,” I almost shout. I have to refrain from sounding stupid because some of the hockey players are coming out now.

  He laughs again, but at least not as much as before. “I’m sorry about Rob and Shauna. But I’ll come pick you up if you want.”

  I’m slightly ashamed that it never occurred to me that he might want to help out. Relieved, I say, “Yes please. That would be great.”

  “Where are you?” he asks.

  “At the skating rink,” I tell him. Someone whips past me and I almost fall over.

  “I see you’re fully immersing yourself in the culture,” he says dryly as I glare at the person who was almost my demise.

  “Yeah, yeah,” I say, not bothering to even explain. I’ve lost my vocabulary because I realize I’m looking at Adrian. It was hard to tell at first because he’s wearing a ridiculously large hat with flaps on the sides, but his gaze is unmistakable.

  “Be there in two shakes,” he says.

  “Thanks,” I mumble and the line goes dead.

  I’m staring at Adrian who is staring at me with a half smile. When he realizes that I’m finished my conversation, his smile grows and he comes back toward me. What do I do, what do I do, what
do I do?

  “Hey,” he says so smoothly I’m lost. “Sorry, I always seem to be knocking you over. Once you get into a hockey mindset, it’s hard to get back out.”

  I have no idea what he means by that, but I manage to come up with the appropriate response to an apology. “That’s okay.”

  He waves at a car behind him then turns his attention back to me. “We never really properly met. I’m Adrian.”

  He sticks out his hand and I shake it, because what else is there to do? There’s a surprising amount of warmth emanating from his glove and it’s all I can do to pull my bare hand away from it.

  He lifts an eyebrow and says, “And you are…? Or should I just keep calling you Hawaii?”

  Cute pet names aren’t my thing, so that finally brings me back to myself. “I’m Elli.”

  A car horn honks and Adrian waves at his ride again, saying, “Yeah, yeah,” even though they can’t possibly hear him from here.

  “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Elli,” he says. “I mean, after all those times I caught you staring at me, I figure I might as well have a name to put to those eyes.”

  My eyes narrow and I cock a hip with one hand on it. “Excuse me, but you’re the one who’s been staring at me.”

  “Hm, yeah, I guess you’re right.” He smiles again, all dimples, and I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with him. I also can’t believe he’s coming on so strong or that I was able to have such a quick answer.

  The car honks again and Adrian sighs audibly, for my benefit I’m sure. “Alright, I guess that’s my final call. My brother’s so impatient sometimes. Brothers, eh?”

  I smile in what I hope is a cheeky way. “I wouldn’t know, I don’t have any.”

  “Must be nice,” he says.

  Then, he suddenly takes off his hat and puts it on my head. I try not to let it show that I’m freaking out, but I’m definitely freaking out. I know from movies that boys will offer sweaters to girls when they’re cold, but that’s not something that really happens back home.

  “Stay warm, Hawaii,” he says as he starts walking backwards away from me.

  Finally he turns and I get a good look at his adorably messy hat head. I have no idea what just happened, but I pull the hat tighter onto my head, and press the fuzzy flaps against my cheeks. Maybe pet names aren’t that bad.

  My uncle arrives a few minutes later, and I gratefully climb into the car. It’s hot inside, but I don’t want to take the hat off yet.

  “Nice hat,” he says.

  I shrug, not quite wanting to tell him where it’s from. “Thank you so much for the ride.”

  Uncle Daniel nods and gives me a sideways glance. “Look, I wasn’t going to say anything, but just as I was leaving your mom got home. I waited until she started carrying her groceries out to tell her I was picking you up. She looked like she felt bad and got into her car immediately and we basically raced to get here. I obviously won, but she’s probably not happy about it. But don’t say anything alright?”

  “So, you don’t really care about me, you’re just competing with my mom?” I ask him.

  He practically slams on the brakes at a stop sign. He’s not usually a bad driver, so I must have caught him off guard. “That’s not it at all, Elli. I wouldn’t have come to get you if I didn’t care. I was just telling you that your mom probably hates me even more now.”

  “Relax, Uncle Daniel, I was just kidding,” I say to him, since it’s mostly true anyway. “Dry humour, remember?” He just nods and I feel a little bad, like I’ve offended him. I twiddle my thumbs for a few seconds then ask, “So, why do you think Mom hates you?”

  “Because she does,” he answers simply.

  “Why?” I’m not sure why I want to know so badly, but I do. I mean, he seems like an okay guy to me, and Mom doesn’t usually have such strong feelings about other people.

  He grunts, in a conceding sort of way. “I guess it might have something to do with showing up to their wedding slightly drunk.” I barely have a chance to show my surprise, when he adds, “But I gave a fantastic speech, no one can deny that.”

  “How old were you?” I ask. It’s probably rude to ask, but we’re family so he’ll just have to get over it.

  “19,” he says.

  I do the math quickly and blurt out, “You can’t possibly be 36.”

  I lean forward and study his face a little closer than I did before. Yes, I see some grey hairs and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, but still. Wow. He could totally pass for a lot younger than that.

  As we pull into the driveway, I ask before we can get out, “Was your speech really that great?”

  He hesitates a moment before turning the ignition off. There are no cars in the driveway, which I guess means Mom really did go to find me at the rink. “No. It was terrible. I cried through half of it and confessed my love for Shauna right there in front of both our families.”

  My eyes widen. I can’t imagine what a guy like Daniel would see in my mother, and I probably shouldn’t even ask, but I say, “You didn’t!”

  He purses his lips and nods. “I know, hard to believe. But she was different back then. Thankfully, my brother got over it, but she never did. I think she’s always thought I ruined her wedding or something.”

  “Do you still…?” I can’t even finish my question, because I know I really shouldn’t ask.

  He frowns in such a deep and comical way that I have to laugh out loud, because the idea of him still liking my mom is way too creepy.

  “Ugh, no,” he says. “Happy for my brother, but I’ve had several successful relationships since then. I was just so young… Well, look who I’m talking to. You’re young too, but you don’t have a boyfriend. Do you?”

  My mind briefly flits to Kai, but I don’t think that counts. I shake my head.

  “Good,” he says as he finally opens his door. “Boys are trouble, Elli.”

  I think he’s joking. But that still doesn’t mean I’m going to tell him that the hat I’m wearing is from a really cute Canadian boy that I barely know, who has the most gorgeous eyes, and the most fun personality ever. That doesn’t mean that I like Adrian, though, so don’t get any ideas.

  Mom pulls into the driveway just as we reach the front door. I’m afraid to see what will happen next as I hear her door slam shut, followed by the sound of her heeled boots clicking against the asphalt.

  “Elli, I’m so sorry,” she says as soon as she gets inside, sounding genuinely repentant.

  “It’s okay,” I say sincerely. “Uncle Daniel came and got me.”

  Mom throws a glare his way, as if he’s done something wrong, when really she’s the one at fault. I feel bad for him, now that I know.

  “Don’t worry, Mom,” I say, giving him a little smile. “We only hit two moose and three beavers along the way, but I’m still alive.”

  Daniel bursts out laughing, and I’m glad that I could diffuse that situation. Mom watches him walk away with a perplexed expression on her face.

  I start up the staircase just as she asks, “Hey, where’d you get the hat?”

  Ugh, what, is everyone going to mention the hat now? “Nowhere,” I say cryptically as I continue to my room.

  I check my email and find five emails from friends back home. None of them are from Kai, which disappoints me, but I’m happy to hear from my friends. Lily’s got a new boyfriend named Devin, Sarah has to sit next to Anderson in math class (he’s this super annoying preppy kid), Andrea got food poisoning from that sushi place we love but know we really should not go to. It’s so much fun to hear about the antics they’re up to, but it makes me miss them so much that it feels like someone punched me in the gut. Still, I get a little thrill when I tell them I’m coming for a visit as soon as I make the money. And then of course I have to tell them about my new job.

  I consider emailing Kai, but my mom always says that I should let boys come to me. Ugh. So much waiting in my life.

  CHAPTER Eight

&nbs
p; Okay, I am really starting to get ticked off at school. I mean, school itself isn’t that bad. People have actually started treating me like a normal person and having conversations with me. But I still always eat with Julian. Partially because I actually enjoy being with him, and also because I think I may be his only friend. I think Cherry would probably make a good friend for him too, but they never talk to each other and they barely acknowledge the other’s existence. Which is a shame, because I’m really curious about what might have happened if they’d actually gone on their date.

  Where was I going with this again?

  Oh yeah. I’m getting really annoyed at school because there’s this one big guy that likes to push Julian around. Actually, I’ve seen him do this to other people, too. And the worst part is that no one, especially not Jules, does anything about it! I’m pretty sure even a couple of teachers saw it happen once. (I can’t say I’m blameless either, but the guy is at least six feet tall. I am 5’3”, to put it into perspective.)

  Today at lunch, I’ve finally decided to confront Jules about it.

  “So, what’s with the meathead?” I ask.

  Julian’s brow furrows above his glasses and he quickly glances at the jock table. “Which one?”

  He probably thinks I’m referring to one of Adrian’s friends. Yes, I told Jules about my little conversation with Adrian. I wouldn’t have normally confided that kind of thing in a guy, but I didn’t really know what the protocol with the whole hat thing was. Julian said that basically giving it back means I’m not interested in him and keeping it means that I’m definitely head over heels. No middle ground, whatsoever. I’ve been kind of on the fence about it, so I haven’t given it back. But I don’t wear it either. Not in public, anyway.

  I drag my mind away from Adrian—who I haven’t talked to in like a week, by the way—and back to the conversation at hand. “You know,” I say, “the guy that thinks you’re his punching bag.”

  “Not again, Elli, please,” Jules says as he starts his usual habit of working on his homework. I can tell he’s being extra serious because he called me “Elli” and not “Ella.”