Summer Hearts

Chapter 2

So, now we've come to Chapter 2.  I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.  Eli's family is going to be a big part of the story so pay attention :)  See you at the end

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Eli stared at Kayla’s window for a few moments longer before turning to Joey, who was still trying to catch his breath after being winded by Eli’s elbow.  “What the hell, man?”

                “Hey, I was just being honest.  You were the one who got all violent.”

                “Get over there and get our ball back,” Zeke suggested.  Sounds of agreement broke out form the other guys.  Zeke walked forward and pushed Eli into the fence.

                Eli’s jaw tightened and his hands balled up into fists.

                “Elliot?”

                He glared at Zeke once before turning around to face the young girl who had spoken.  He intertwined his fingers with the links on the metal fence.  “What do you need, Aubrey?” he asked, rather impatient.  His eyes flicked to Kayla’s windows again.

                Aubrey looked over her shoulder to see what he was looking at.  “Did you do that?” she questioned once she spotted the broken window.  Eli shrugged.  “Mom’s gonna be really mad when she hears about that.”

                “She won’t hear about it because you’re not going to breathe a word about it.  Got it?”

                She pursed her lips for a moment.  “Fine.”

                “Now, why did you really come?”

                “Mom wants you to come home for lunch.  I helped her make it,” the eight-year-old explained, smiling widely.

                “Careful, man, you may die from eating that,” Zeke muttered.

                “Shove it, Zeke,” she replied angrily, earning an eruption of laughter from every one of the guys.

                “Well, I’ve just witnessed Tough Guy Zeke being told off by an eight-year-old girl.  My day is officially complete.  I’m out,” Eli chuckled.  He climbed the fence and landed on his feet on the other side.  He held his fist out to Aubrey.  “Pound it.”

Aubrey grinned and slammed her fist into his, probably hurting herself more than him, but he shook his hand out and acted like it was painful regardless.

                “See you guys later.”  The two of them started walking off the way Aubrey had come from.  After walking down the street and turning the corner in silence, Aubrey stopped in front of Eli and put one hand on her hip.

                “Why are you so quiet, Elliot?  You’re never this quiet.”

                Eli shrugged.  He’d gotten used to being called Elliot by any family he was introduced to.  So rarely had he found people he liked enough to let them call him by his nickname.  “I’m always this quiet.  You usually talk right through the silence.  Come on.  Let’s get home.”

                Aubrey shook her head.  “I don’t want to walk.”

                Eli grinned and picked her up, throwing her on his shoulder.  She squealed and giggled, causing him to smile even wider.  They walked the rest of the way to the house like that, with her laughing and telling jokes and him chuckling along with her.