Memories, Scars and Survival: High School Years

Chapter 34 - Einar

Once home, I texted the guys asking for book suggestions. I also looked online for great books with amazing narrators. Charlie and Joey both responded, telling me to read anything by Kevin Hearne, Jim Butcher, and Simon R. Green. In a separate chat, Charlie told me to listen to a great series by TJ Klune. It had gay main characters, and he said it was the best and funniest book he's listened to.

Crawling into bed, the sheets were freezing. I love the soft, cool feel of the polyester against my bare chest and legs. My face sank into the silk pillow case and the cold caressed my face, filling me with a great contentment.

When I woke in the morning, I had more suggestions from Simon to listen to anything by Vince Flynn or Tom Clancy, if I liked spy thrillers. Looking online for more LGBT novels, my list of books to buy and read was getting quite long. I worried I wouldn't ever be able to read or listen to them all.

Mom came in and told us to pack. Even though mom bought me new polo shirts, I borrowed some of Eirik's button-up shirts instead. I also packed two swimsuits and a beach towel, hoping there was a pool and hot tub. Finished, I dragged my case down and put it in the trunk.

We removed the middle row of seats so Eirik and I would have more leg room. Eirik put his hockey bag in front of the back seats so we could use it as a leg rest. Back inside, I packed the portable DVD player and all the cords to connect it to the hotel television.

Eirik helped choose some movies. Mom didn't want us to bring too many, since we should spend the time hanging out with our friends instead. Before going to bed that night, Charlie texted me good night again.

It made my heart soar, knowing someone other than family was thinking of me. In the morning, after showering and brushing my teeth, I packed that stuff and threw it in the car. Mom made breakfast, but I didn't want to eat since I was nervous about the drive.

Even having new glasses, I wasn't sure how they would work on this long a drive. Maybe if I don't eat, I'll have less to throw up on the side of the road. Once in the car, I stuffed my pillow against the window beside me and rested against it.

Putting on my headphones, I turned on the book Charlie told me to listen to and tried to fall asleep. As mom pulled out of the driveway, I tried to fall asleep. Can't get sick if I'm asleep.

I didn't sleep at all. The book was amazing. I was so caught up in it; I didn't realize when we passed into Wisconsin and then Illinois. We stopped at one of Illinois' oasis overpasses for lunch and mom filled up on gas.

We've driven through many states and this is the only I've seen that has a building from one side of the freeway to the other with a large food court. Even though you could walk into the building on one side of the freeway and walk out on the other side, you cannot drive across.

Since I didn't eat breakfast, I was starving and ate some Chinese food. Mom and Eirik went to different places. Mom wanted a fish sandwich and Eirik bought pizza.

As we ate, we looked out the windows open to one side of the freeway. We watched hundreds of cars driving under us. It surprised me to see several of Eirik's teammates come in while we were there. Traveling to the same place, I still didn't expect to see any on the road.

It took us less than two hours more to find the hotel. I thought we would stay in Chicago, but we were actually staying in Elmhurst. Mom checked in while we stayed in the car. Eirik noticed some of his teammates arriving and got out to talk to them.

Soon enough, mom was back and told us where our two rooms were. Oddly, they were on different floors. We parked and asked Eirik to grab a luggage cart inside the hotel. We loaded up the cart and went up to our room on the third floor.