by Kelly Oram
“El-lie,” he sang. “Come out, come out, wherever you are! The cat’s finally away. Time for the mouse to come out and play.”
Instead of opening the door, as slowly and as silently as I could manage, I locked it. Then I crept back up to my room hoping to catch a glimpse of his face as he went back home. I peeked out the side of the shade and waited for him to cross the street, but instead a dark shadow appeared in front of my window. I leapt back and flattened myself against the wall just as Seth knocked on it.
“Ellie,” he called, without the playful singing this time. “C’mon, I know you’re in there. I also know you have a weakness for ice cream. Come hang out with me and we’ll go to Dairy Queen. My treat.”
My mouth watered at the thought of a Heath Blizzard and I nearly opened my window. Except… How did he know about my ice cream addiction?
“At least tell me you found my note.”
Note? What note?
Seth sighed and then, as if reading my thoughts, said, “Look at the high scores on Skateboard Pro 2000.”
Of course I checked. How could I not?
I was admittedly relieved when I saw my score still at the top of the list, but the next score was only one point below it and the following eight each one point lower than the next. As baffled by the impossibility of the scores as I was, I was even more surprised by the names claiming them—or words, rather. The top ten names on the high score list now read:
1. Ellie
2. You’re
3. The
4. Only
5. Reason
6. I
7. Don’t
8. Hate
9. Living
10. Here
I blinked. Then I read the message again. Then I had to sit down. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me, and definitely the closest thing to a romantic gesture I’d ever received. I could feel the flush in my cheeks, but while my heart was thumping my brain was only processing fear. How had he done this? And when? Those scores had been normal the last time I played this game, and that was after the day I’d waken up to find him in my room.
“Ellie?”
Startled, I quietly went back over to my bed, sat there, and just waited. After a minute more I heard Seth get up and leave. I peeked out the window and watched him scale himself down the big tree next to my house.
He went back home and as he walked past the punching bag in his garage he took an angry swing at it. He started to go inside and then turned around and punched the thing again with his other hand. Then, suddenly, he was beating that bag to a bloody pulp. He pounded it for a solid five minutes with punches so fast I swear I couldn’t even see half of them. When he finally stopped to catch his breath he shook his hand and examined his knuckles. After that, with one last glance my direction, he disappeared into his house.
The next day I went to the park to get in on a pick-up game and I noticed Seth watching me from a distance. After that, I spent the rest of the week in my room and I was really starting to go crazy. I was lying on my bed reading a Spiderman comic when I heard a car start up. It sounded too nice to be any of my neighbors’ minivans. I looked out my window just in time to see Seth drive off in his BMW.
I didn’t waste a second of this opportunity. I threw my window open, cranked up my stereo, and put on my skates. I’d pulled out my hockey net and had just sailed my first ball through it when a voice behind me said, “I knew you were avoiding me.”
I was so startled I nearly fell on my butt. “Where did you…?” My voice trailed off as I searched for the BMW I never heard return.
“I drove around the corner and parked,” Seth said, understanding exactly why I was confused. “I knew you wouldn’t come outside unless you thought I was gone.”
I tried not to blush. I’m not sure how well it worked. “I’m not avoiding you,” I said. Lying through my teeth of course. I looked down and slapped another ball into the net.
“I’m not mad at you, you know,” Seth said.
“Mad at me?” I asked, startled. “Why would you be mad at me?”
“Oh, let’s see. You called me gay. You stomped on my foot. And you’re avoiding me for no reason?”
“You deserved to get your foot stomped, and I did not call you gay,” I said, but my cheeks were burning again. “I called you pretty.”
“You’re still avoiding me.”
“I am not avoiding you.”
Seth clearly didn’t believe me.
“You make me uncomfortable,” I blurted before I could stop myself.
“Because of the intense attraction between us,” Seth said, one hundred percent serious. “That’s natural.”
My mouth gaped.
“You’d get used to it if you’d quit avoiding me.”
Seth took a step closer to me, and my breath caught.
“I am not attracted—” I stopped. He was giving me that look again, not believing a word I said.
If he was trying to make me angry, it worked. I shoved him back and shot another ball into the net. Seth watched with a frown. “Aren’t you supposed to be using a puck?”
“When you’re on the ice,” I explained. I couldn’t help my eye roll. Apparently I was right about him not having any game. “But a puck won’t exactly sail down asphalt. In street hockey we use these.” I smacked the last orange rubber ball and it flew directly into the center of the net.
“Teach me how to play,” Seth said suddenly.
“You?” I asked doubtfully. I looked him over. Even now he was clean, his hair styled, not a single wrinkle in his clothes. “You want to learn how to play hockey?”
Seth shrugged. “It seems to be a prerequisite for making friends around here.”
“Angela and her friends don’t play.”
Seth smirked. “Teach me to play,” he said again.
“I don’t think so.”
“I’ll make it worth your while,” Seth said. “We could trade.”
“What do you mean, trade?”
“Trade services. You teach me to play hockey and I teach you something in return.”
I didn’t want to know what he meant by that, but the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Teach me what?”
The wicked grin that flashed across his face confirmed my suspicions. “I can think of a million things I’d like to teach you,” he said in that dangerously silky voice of his.
He reached up and tucked a wild strand of hair behind my ear. I trembled beneath his fingertips. He looked satisfied to have made me shudder and that stab of fear returned in my chest.
“I’m not interested in learning anything you have to teach me.”
“How about self-defense?”
Even though the thought of self-defense training seemed like a wonderful idea—especially with Seth living across the street now—I was sure it involved a lot of physical contact. Not something I was particularly interested in getting into with him.
“I’m not your average wimpy girl. I can take care of myself,” I said and then skated away from him.
I quickly picked up the balls I’d shot and as I reached for the net I was yanked off my feet. Seth grabbed me so forcefully it nearly knocked the wind from me. I gasped and then started to shout. “What are you doing? Let me go!”
I struggled as hard as I could, but he had my feet off the ground and my arms locked at my sides. Unlike the last time he’d held me, his muscles didn’t feel soft. His body felt like steel against mine and I couldn’t break free from the cage his arms created.
“Let me go!” I screamed again.
“Calm down, Ellie,” Seth whispered in my ear. “I’m just trying to show you something.”
“That you’re a psycho?” I yelled. “I’ve already figured that out!”
I kicked my legs behind me, but it didn’t seem to have any affect on his shins, not even with the added weight of the skates.
Seth’s mouth was soft on my ear but his grip didn’t give an inch. “You’re so te
mpting.”
His lips pressed against my neck in the smallest of kisses. The goose bumps it rose on my skin infuriated me. “Stop it!” I demanded, throwing my head back. “Get your creepy pervert lips off me!”
My headbutt attempt failed and Seth whispered in my ear again. “Look at you right now. I could do anything I wanted to you, and you couldn’t stop me.” He kissed my neck again just to prove his point. “Do you like feeling so helpless?”
I really didn’t. I was more terrified than I could ever remember being. So terrified that water welled up in my eyes. And I. Do. Not. Cry.
“Let me teach you how to defend yourself,” Seth said.
“Put me down!” I demanded, horrified when my voice broke.
He released me then, and I shoved away from him as hard as I could. I blinked away the moisture in my eyes before it became actual tears. No way was I going to let him see just how much he’d scared me.
“You’re insane!”
“I was just trying to prove a point. You need me Ellie.”
“Stay away from me you freak!”
A look of anger swept across Seth’s face, but he didn’t lose his cool. He opened his mouth to say something, but Angela came out the front door. “Ellie, what are you screaming at? Oh, hey Seth! You ready to go?”
Go? I was confused.
Seth shot me a look I couldn’t read. Then, like a light switch, he flipped on a bright smile for my sister. “I’m ready whenever you are. And might I add, you’re looking particularly ravishing this afternoon.”
Seth took Angela’s hand and kissed it. I would have protested the gross flirting going on before my eyes except that Seth had never acted like that toward Angela before. His sudden odd behavior toward my sister creeped me out.
“So how far away is this place?” Seth asked. After another quick glance my direction he added, “I hope it’s a ways. I’m looking forward to having you all to myself for a while.”
Angela could barely string a sentence together she was so overwrought with ecstasy. “Actually, it’s almost two hours away.”
“Is that all? Well, we may just have to take a detour—get lost along the way.”
At this point, if Seth wanted to attack Angela she’d probably want him too. She had no idea that he was secretly deranged. I may hate my big sister, but I’m not about to let some psycho have her.
I watched Seth open the door to my dad’s car and help Angela into the driver’s seat. After he shut the door for her he walked past me with a wink. “Enjoy the rest of your day, Ellie,” he said with a hint of danger in his voice. “I’m certainly going to enjoy mine.”
Seth opened the passenger door and before he slid into his seat I was already in the back buckling my seatbelt. Both Angela and Seth turned around at the same time to look at me. Angela looked incredulous but Seth was smiling like he just got what he’d wanted. I was beyond freaked, but I didn’t trust him alone with my sister, so I didn’t have a choice.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Angela finally asked, breaking Seth and I from our staring match.
“Coming with.”
“I don’t think so.”
I turned my anger on my sister. “Try and stop me.”
Angela didn’t know how to respond. I think she was more surprised by the fact that I wanted to come with her than she was horrified by the thought of having to bring me. Her eyes narrowed as she looked me over and then she huffed. “Well, you’re not going like that.”
“Like what?”
“It’s a Lake party and you’re in ratty jeans and a baggy jersey.”
“Your point?”
“Lake party? You’re supposed to dress in swimwear.”
“Tough nuts. I don’t even own a swimsuit.”
Seth snickered and I glared at him so nastily that he actually threw up his hands in apology and wiped the smile from his face.
“All right,” Angela said, sighing. “Seth, we’ll be five minutes.”
Angela dragged me from the car and up to her room. “You’re lucky we’re close to the same size.” She threw me an olive green wad of fabric. “This will probably be a tiny bit too small on you, but close enough that it will work to your advantage.”
I had no idea what she was talking about. “What is it?” I asked looking at the lump in my hand.
“A swimsuit, moron.”
I pulled the two tiny pieces apart. “Where’s the rest?”
“Just go put it on,” Angela sneered. Then she threw me the tiniest pair of jean shorts I’d ever seen and a tank top. “You can wear that over the top of it. And go get your flip-flops bigfoot. You can’t go the lake in Dickies.”
“I’m not wearing—”
“Two minutes or we’re gone,” Angela said and then went to join Seth in the car.
I knew my sister. I knew she would leave just as she’d threatened, and part of me really wanted to let her. But then I thought of the way Seth had used the word ravishing while looking at her.
With a sigh I put on a bikini for the first time in my life. Suddenly I was grateful for the shorts and tank top even if they were meant to fit a Barbie-doll.
I didn’t look in the mirror as I left the house—I was better off not knowing. But I could imagine how ridiculous I looked when Seth laughed under his breath as I got in the car. “Oh, stuff it, Abercrombie!” I snapped.
Seth burst into wild laughter, and I could hear Angela muttering something to herself as we pulled out of the driveway. This was bound to be a crappy night.
Angela made quite the entrance with Seth in tow. And I do mean literally in tow. I hadn’t said a word the whole drive no matter how much Seth tried to involve me in conversation, so about half way there he gave up and started being overly attentive to Angela again. She ate it up, and when they got out of the car she latched on to him so quickly you’d think he was a six million dollar designer purse.
The introductions started with my sister’s best friend, and the party hostess, Rachel. Within seconds a crowd of interested girls swarmed. I stepped back, eager to escape, but then one of Angela’s other friends, Brooke, caught my arm. “And who is this?” she asked Angela. She looked at me asking, “Are you new too?” then turned to Seth before I could respond. “Is this your sister?”
Most of Angela’s friends aren’t exactly Ivy League material, but that comment was blond even for Brooke. Not only was she one of my sister’s best friends, but she sat right behind me in home economics all last year.
Angela and I exchanged a glance and Angela was the one to say, “Brooke, that’s Ellie.”
Brooke looked startled, and then gave me a once-over. Before she could say anything, some senior I didn’t know said, “Who’s Ellie?”
“My sister!” Angela snapped, frustrated.
The guy smiled at me in a way that shocked me. “I can see why you’ve kept her locked up.”
I wasn’t impressed with the cheese-ball line, just stunned. It was quite a relief when this guy Dave, who I play hockey with sometimes, walked past and went “Westley?” even if he was standing with Vince Kowalski and staring at me like I’d grown a third eye.
“What’s up, Dave?” I said, trying to nod casually.
“Me, that’s what.” Dave looked me up and down with exaggerated slowness and then said, “Damn girl.”
I flipped him off, but we were laughing at each other and then Vince snorted. “All this time Westley, I never knew you were a chick.”
“That’s funny,” I said thoughtfully. “I always knew you were.”
When Vince took a step toward me, Dave held him back and to me said, “Frisbee football. You in?”
I nodded. “Sure, in a while. I owe Kowalski a broken nose.”
Vince grabbed himself rudely and I flipped him off, too, but this time I wasn’t laughing.
I turned back around and Angela’s entire popular posse was staring at me. When I braved a glance at Seth his eyes were burning with wicked amusement. He was doing everything he could
not to laugh.
“Let me know when it’s time to leave,” I grumbled to Angela and then stalked off to find a soda. I grabbed a Dr. Pepper and a hot dog and then found a spot to sit where I could keep an eye on my sister without being bothered.
Seth stuck like glue to Angela for a while, going out of his way to touch her or tease her unnecessarily, but I cold tell when he got bored with it. Apparently he had no intention of hurting Angela or taking advantage of her. He was just messing with me. He knew I’d only come because of him just like he knew I was watching his every move.
He’d been manipulating me from the moment Angela found us in the street, and I was totally acting the sucker. When this became obvious, I was mad at myself for letting him get to me. I refused to humor him a second longer.
Hoping that ignoring him completely would piss him off, I went to join the game of frisbee football that was still going on. When I approached, I was met with a few low whistles—all coming from guys I’d played against with the J’s. “I may be in a swimsuit,” I growled. “But I will still whoop anyone who doesn’t shut his pie hole right now.”
“We need one more over here,” someone said. It was the senior who’d fed me a pick-up line earlier. I couldn’t believe he was looking at me like he was really interested. No guy, other than my psycho neighbor, had ever shown interest in me before. Especially not someone who looked like him.
The guy had short sandy blond hair and pale grey eyes. He was a little too muscley for my taste, but still, he was pretty hot. I didn’t know whether to be thankful to Angela for making me show up half-naked, or annoyed. I did everything in my power not to blush as I went to stand by him, but was able to lose myself in the game rather quickly.
It was just a fun, friendly game of frisbee football to everyone playing except Vince Kowalski, who apparently thought it was the NFL. And also thought I was a tackle dummy. He tried to hit me several times and failed, but the third time I didn’t see him coming and he plowed me right into a group of girls who’d been watching on the sidelines.