“She’s still wobbly—she needs a hand,” he’d said. I thought he was stretching things, but let it slide.
Ella walked with me. The trail was barely wide enough for the two-by-four wagon, so she stayed a few steps ahead and talked to me over her shoulder. “We’re lucky you showed up. I thought we were dead.”
Her voice shook. I fought an urge to wrap her up in a big hug. “I’m glad we got there in time.”
“How did you do it? How’d you get rid of the monster?” she asked.
This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to start. “Um, classified. Sorry. But you don’t have to worry. It won’t be coming back.”
“Why you guys, though? I mean, you’re both so young,” she said. “The Army has tons of soldiers, adults, that can take care of this, without leaving it to a pair of teenagers. I can’t believe they’d put you out here alone.”
She stopped short to look at me and the cart banged into my ankles when I pulled up to keep from plowing into her. Her concern was touching, but the “adults” comment still stung.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I snapped and Ella’s face fell.
Me and my big, fat, stupid mouth.
“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling my cheeks heat up under my ski mask. “I…didn’t mean to….The rest of the team is deployed elsewhere. Montana is up to us, they can’t spare any more personnel. But, I shouldn’t have been rude. I’m just tired, or something.”
“It’s okay,” she said, but I saw tears well up in her eyes. “After seeing you both in action, I should’ve….Sorry.”
We walked in uncomfortable silence for a bit, then I asked, “So, why were you two camping in the middle of February? Not exactly the nicest time of year, even if it has warmed up some.”
“It’s not that cold. My dad took us camping at Yellowstone last Thanksgiving. Riding snowmobiles was awesome, but it got down to fourteen degrees one night. Thirty-seven is warm compared to that.”
Ella was tougher than she looked. “No kidding. I couldn’t have handled a fourteen degree campout.”
“You’re a wimp,” she said. We laughed a little, but she still sounded sad. “We’re camping because Alyssa just broke up with her boyfriend. She caught the jerk cheating. Anyway, he hates to camp. He hated to do pretty much everything she liked to do, and she wanted go camping to celebrate her freedom. Seemed like a fun idea at the time.” Ella shuddered. “Who knew?”
We didn’t talk again until we reached the parking lot. Alyssa drove a bright red Mazda sports car that screamed “speeding ticket.” Will detached himself from Alyssa’s side to help me load the trunk and back seat while the girls watched. Sounding really proud of himself, Will whispered, “Dude, this is so weird.”
I glanced at Ella. She didn’t seem as upset now and even smiled a little when she caught me looking. “Yeah. Weird.”
We split up to make our goodbyes. Will acted all manly and strolled over to Alyssa with his chest puffed out. Too bad she was old enough to be his babysitter, because she was buying his act. Ella giggled before turning my way.
“Thank you both, very much. I wish you’d take your masks off, so we could say it face-to-face.”
I wished I could, too—wouldn’t that have rocked? “I can’t. Trust me; it’s enough that you’re both safe.”
I held the car door open for her. Before she got in, she brushed her lips against my wool-covered cheek. I thought I’d spontaneously combust. Secrecy sucked. With a cute smile, she settled into her seat and I closed her door.
Alyssa held her hand out to Will, saying, “Yes, thank you. Who knew a pair of eighteen-year-olds would end up saving our lives?”
We’d graduated from seventeen to eighteen. She must not have met very many tall guys to believe I was a senior like Brent, unnatural growth spurt or not. But Romeo over there had finally broken six feet in the last month and Alyssa only had eyes for Will.
Will took her hand and shook it. “Glad to help.”
Again with the super-hero voice. I grunted in amusement.
Alyssa kept shaking his hand, smiling. “Oh, what the hell. It’s Valentine’s Day.” She threw her arms around Will’s neck and kissed him full on the mouth.
I cleared my throat. With an embarrassed smile, Alyssa pulled free and got into her car. We stood at the edge of the lot, waving as they backed out and drove away.
Once the taillights faded into the distance, I yanked off my mask and punched Will square in the arm. “Dude, are you kidding me?”
Will just grinned before strutting into the woods without saying a dang word.
Chapter Twenty-One
The scratches on Ella’s cheek were already healing by Monday. Her eyes still had a haunted look, but she smiled at me when she took her desk in Algebra.
“Good weekend?” she asked.
I couldn’t even laugh at the irony. “It was okay. How about you? Did you have a…uh…good time with your sister?” I flushed. Was there any hope of talking to her without sounding like a dork unless I had a ski mask on?
She twisted her hands in her lap. “Not really.”
I slid to the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Anything I can do?”
Her lower lip quivered. “No, but thanks for asking.”
The conversation was cut short by the bell. Mrs. Burns handed out a test on positive and negative polynomials. I couldn’t concentrate and blew the exam, but it bugged me to see Ella so upset. Killing the monster for her wouldn’t change the fact they existed.
When class ended, I stood before she could leave. “Let me walk you to class. You look kind of tired.”
Ella blushed a deep pink, but nodded. We reached for her books at the same time and half of them slid off her desk and hit the floor. The corner of her math text landed hard on my foot. Dang thing would’ve broken my toe if I hadn’t been wearing my hiking boots. Both of us bent to pick up the books and we bumped heads. So far, not the coolest attempt. We laughed.
“Sorry, let me get those.” I said, then knelt to grab her math binder and book. The gauze covering my injured collarbone rubbed the scabs funny and I winced when I stood. “Okay, hand me the rest. I’ll carry them for you.”
Ella passed me her books, giving me a strange look. “Have you…been working out?”
Ha! I knew all that hard work would pay off. “Yeah, I go with Will after school a few times a week,” I said, feeling proud my shirt was a little tight through the shoulders. Too bad it was too cold for short-sleeves or I could’ve put on a show.
She stared at my chest, blushing even more. “I, um, I can tell.”
We walked to her next class together, me wearing a stupid smile the whole way. When she turned to get her books, Ella looked me up and down with a dazed expression.
“You’re a lot taller, too. We used to be the same height, almost.”
“Some, yeah.” I stood up straight; the top of her head only came up to my chin now.
“Um, well, thanks for walking me.” She patted my arm before disappearing into her classroom.
I spun on my heel and tried not to dance down the hall.
In history, she stared at me some more. I couldn’t make myself pay attention to Mr. Anderson’s lecture on Pearl Harbor. Ella was staring at me. I kept my arms flexed to give her a better view.
When the final bell rang, she said, “Like your boots.”
I’d spent the last forty minutes showing off my biceps, and she mentions my boots? What was it with girls and shoes? “Uh, thanks.”
“Are they new? Usually you wear sneakers.” She flashed me a little smile.
I melted inside. “I got them last week; birthday present from my mom.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “They’re nice.”
After a little wave, she left me standing there feeling like I’d been knocked over the head. Ella had complimented me twice in one day. She’d even noticed that I wore sneakers most of the time. She noticed. I floated to Brent’s car. He took one
look at me and shook his head.
I walked Ella to second period every day after that. We’d say hi to each other at lunch, then bye at the end of the day in history. The fear in her eyes faded and she started acting like her old self. We even graduated from book-carrying to a quick hug before she went to class. I hadn’t worked up the courage to ask her out again, but I felt like I was getting closer.
“Ask her to the lock-in,” Will said while we ate lunch one Thursday. “I don’t mind hanging with the other guys tomorrow night.”
The Freshman Class overnight lock-in was a tradition at Greenhill. Held on the first Friday night of spring break, everyone turned up for it.
“She’s already going with a group of girls. I missed my shot.” I rested my chin on my hand, wondering if I’d get a date with Ella before I graduated high school.
“Find her tomorrow night and ask her then.” Will finished off a handful of chips. “Simple.”
“Weren’t you the one going on and on about the ‘moment’ a few months ago?” I asked, pointing my pudding-covered spoon at him. “Well, I’m still waiting for my chance. And after getting shot down the last time I asked her out, don’t you think I should take it slow?”
“Slow, not glacial.” He leaned across the table. “Dude, sometimes you have to make your own moment.”
“Kissing a twenty-year-old doesn’t make you an expert on girls.” When he sat up straighter in his chair and got a pissed-off look in his eye, I raised my hands. “Okay, okay. I’ll ask her out at the lock-in.”
I turned and caught Ella watching me from across the cafeteria. She smiled before turning back to her friends.
Maybe this wouldn’t be as hard as it sounded.
* * *
The big lock-in was at the Bowl‘n’Stuff party warehouse. The huge, square building contained a bowling alley with thirty lanes, a laser tag arena, video games and miniature golf. Making it all sweeter, Colonel Black had given me a pass from the sat-phone. I’d left it with Mamie, just in case someone called, but I was beyond thrilled to have a night off. I even dressed nice, in a long-sleeved blue polo. I drew the line at Axe, though, no matter what Brent said. Soap would have to do.
Mom dropped Will and me off at nine. “You two be good, okay? I’ll be back at eight tomorrow morning to pick you up.”
“Sure, Mom.” I let her kiss my cheek.
“Wouldn’t dream of misbehaving, Mrs. Archer,” Will said, leaning his cheek her way. Mom laughed and gave him a peck, too.
“Suck up,” I said.
We climbed out of the car to see what fun awaited. The whole place teemed with activity while a deejay made cheesy comments and played loud music. The bowling lanes were up front. A billiards room, a recessed bank of small, square lockers for jackets, and the snack bar sat directly across from the bowling alley. The arcade, golf course and laser tag room were in the back. The sounds of bowling balls rolling, games ringing, and friends yelling echoed off the walls.
In short, it rocked. And we got to stay all night.
I saw Ella playing miniature golf with a group of her friends and wandered that direction, not sure what I’d do when I got there. There must’ve been some kind of magnetic field leading me her way, that was the only explanation. Ella looked great, though. She was smiling and laughing, happier than I’d seen her in a while. I watched her for a minute. A strand of her hair got caught in her lip gloss when she took her turn to putt and I wished I could be the one to brush it away.
Will huffed out an impatient breath. “Seriously, we walked this far, and you’re stopping here? Dude, get over there!”
“Shut up and let me enjoy the view a minute,” I said. Will shook his head, but didn’t comment.
Ella caught me gawking and waved. My hiking boots suddenly felt cemented to the floor. Any notion I had about talking to her evaporated. Flushing, I waved back, then turned to go. Will grumbled something rude about tearing off a corner of my man card as we walked away.
“Matt, wait!” Ella called. She bounded over to me. Her girlfriends giggled and I broke into a sweat. “Do you and Will want to play golf with us?”
I checked out the five grinning girls standing behind her. “I, uh, don’t want to interrupt your game. I’ll…catch you later.”
Cringing, I headed for the bowling lanes. An eruption of laughter followed us.
Will rolled his eyes. “Chicken.”
“Bite me.” I punched him in the kidney. “Seriously, why do girls giggle about everything?”
“One of those mysteries of life, dude.” Will punched me back. “C’mon. Let’s go find something else to do.”
We teamed up with four other guys from homeroom and bowled. My accuracy had improved a bunch in the last year; I scored in the one-seventies both games.
Will shot me a look. “Guess all that weight-training and other ‘stuff’ helped.”
“Guess so,” I said, staring at the score sheet, pleased, but surprised. “What’s next? Pool?”
“Yeah, that’s good. I’m going for some pizza first, though. Want anything?” he asked.
“Nah, I’m okay. I’ll go get the pool table set up while you’re gone. Oh, ask if any of the other guys want to play a round with us,” I said before heading for the billiards room.
“Midnight disco! Time for glow-bowl!” the deejay sang, sounding way too perky for twelve a.m. The overhead lights went out. Spotlights hit the disco balls and the ceiling danced with white spots. All the bowling lanes were backlit by black lights, making the fluorescent bowling balls glow in the dark. When the deejay cranked up the music, the bowlers cheered.
Pretty awesome, actually.
It was dark in the lobby outside the bowling alley, and my eyes hadn’t adjusted yet. I felt my way along the wall, heading for the neon “Pool Hall” sign. As I passed the lockers, a pale hand reached out and grabbed my arm. I tensed up, wondering if Carter had been lying in wait for at the Bowl‘n’Stuff.
“Matt, relax, it’s me,” Ella murmured.
She pulled me into the back corner of the locker bank. The forward rows hid us from the rest of the building. An emergency exit sign bathed her in red light and her hair spilled down her shoulders, glowing. She acted a little nervous, but excited, too. My heart pumped so hard I thought it would tear through my shirt.
It was finally the “moment.”
“Sorry, you startled me.” Dude, chill. “What’s up?”
She looked down at the floor then back up at me through her eyelashes. I swear, girls must know what they’re doing when they do stuff like that. “I’ve been hoping you’d come talk to me all night.”
“You, uh, seemed busy with your friends. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
Ella cocked her head to one side. “We never seem to get a chance to be alone, do we?”
I flushed hot enough to melt lead. Good thing it was so dark. “So, um, we’re alone now.”
Not smooth. Not smooth at all.
She smiled mischievously. “Yes, we are. What should we do about that?”
“Maybe we should take advantage of the time.” I tried to sound suave. Would’ve worked, too, if my voice hadn’t cracked.
Ella smiled wider. “How?” She took a step toward me, standing mere inches away.
I thought my head might explode. “Why do you always answer questions with questions?”
“Why don’t you shut up and kiss me?”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
I gently pushed her back against the lockers and slid my arms around her waist. Her hair smelled like vanilla. New shampoo. I pulled her so close that I could count every freckle on her nose. Ella wound her arms around my neck. I closed my eyes.
Maybe I should’ve felt awkward, or nervous, but I didn’t. Kissing her was easy. The words “die happy” ran through my head a few times, but mostly I blocked out everything but the feel of her mouth against mine.
Her hands drifted from around my neck and slid down to my shoulders, until she leaned her forearms
against my chest. With fingertips as light as a butterfly, she reached inside the collar of my polo to trace my neck, eventually winding her way down to my collarbone. Her skin felt cool against mine and my heart raced. This thrill was like no hunt I’d ever been on.
Then I noticed she was tracing the same spot on my collarbone over and over.
The same spot the She-Bear had mauled only a few weeks before, where the scrapes had left a raised scar.
Startled, I broke off the kiss and took a step away. Ella nodded slowly. “It was you.”
I didn’t know what to say. “Uh, I’m not sure what you’re talking about?”
“You. In the woods three weeks ago.” Ella put a hand over her mouth, staring into space like I wasn’t there. “I knew it.”
“Ella, I –”
She pointed at my collarbone. “You got hurt that night. I remember the slash marks, right there, on your chest. You winced when you picked up my books the next Monday. And your boots—you have red and black shoelaces on your boots. I recognized them. Plus, you’re the exact same height and size as one of the guys in the woods. The one who pulled the wagon to the car.”
Ella reached out tentatively, like she was scared I’d bolt, to trace the healing scars again. “You saved me and Alyssa. You and…Will! That was Will! I thought I recognized your voices, even when you disguised them. You fought off the monster so Will could rescue us.”
There wasn’t any use in lying to her now. “Yeah.”
A dozen emotions crossed her face, eventually landing on wonder. “You saved my life.”
“Will helped, but yes, I saved your life.” Damn, that sounded awesome. “I couldn’t let the monster get you. I’d try to save anyone in trouble, but you…” I brushed her hair off her face. “For you, I’d do it again, a hundred times.”
Next thing I knew, Ella flung herself into my arms and kissed me hard enough to knock me back a few steps. I must’ve floated off to outer space, because it took me a minute to notice the lights were back on and that we had company.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Will said, his pride at my success plastered all over his grinning face. “Been looking all over for you. Mamie’s here. Says there’s an issue; you may need to roll.”
“Is this about the monsters?” Ella asked, her voice full of excitement. “Does Mamie know, too?”
Matt Archer: Monster Hunter Page 18