Chasing Ellie

19. Stress Sweat

Darren Hannigan

My hands are instantly slick with sweat as I step out onto the back deck, the air crisp as fall turns to winter.

I spotted Ellie pacing the deck boards, face flushed with anger as she shouted to no one outside.

Clearing my throat to try and steady my voice even though I know it's pointless, I gather up the minuscule courage I possess, mostly from alcohol at this point, and force the words out of my mouth with a pounding heart. "Are you having fun?"

Immediately I know it's the wrong question. I'm not an idiot I can see she's not having fun. Not right now.

She turns to face me, throwing her hands in the air with frustration as she barks "this party sucks!" And then she turns away grumbling under her breath adding "why did I think this would be a good idea."

I don't know what to say. But I did see Savannah race through the house with James on her tail, calling her name with panic in his voice. And I also saw Wes take notice of them too only to leave Peter's side moments later and disappear down the hallway. Wes never came back out but Ellie did and she didn't look happy.

"I'm sorry." She says suddenly, coming to a stop.

My heart slams in my chest as I realize I have her undivided attention. Sweat racing along my skin in a instant as my nerves ramp up and my thoughts start to panic.

The human body has 2 to 4 million sweat glands. For those that don't know, the majority of these glands are called eccrine glands and are mostly located in you palms, soles, armpits and forehead. These glands aren't my problem though. The other type of glands are called apocrine glands, they happened to be larger than eccrine glands and produce the majority of stress related sweat.

Great right?

It gets better. They're also found in areas where you have a greater number of hair follicles, like armpits or genitals. And apparently your armpits secrete more than 30 times more sweat when you're under stress versus at rest.

Gross.

So not only do I have to worry about making a damn fool of myself but I also have to worry about whether or not I smell.

"The party doesn't suck. I mean, it does but not because it's yours or anything." She rambles, my mind still stuck on the amount of sweat my body is producing.

I need to look up how far smells can travel, specifically body odor.

"It's just." She tips her head back and groans just before both of us startle at someone slapping the window that separates us from the party.

Someone's drunk face is pressed against it, their features distorted leaving behind a streak of body oil and saliva on the window.

"God people are annoying." She mutters.

I have to agree, parties aren't really my thing but this party managed to do what I was hoping it would. It got Ellie here.

And I have the perfect solution. A used-to-be safe haven of sorts. Deserted and quiet most definitely.

"Follow me."

I head into the yard, a tree looms in the far corner, dark and a little foreboding. But maybe that's just for me. It holds a lot of memories, memories of happier times.

"Watch your step." I tell her over my shoulder.

In my head I stretch my hand out to help steady herself as we navigate the dark terrain but the moment I think about taking the thought into fruition I panic and clamp my fingers into a ball.

"Where are you taking me?" She asks.

But I've already reached the base of the tree, reaching up to grab a rope ladder that hangs from a nail. It unravels, swinging beneath the branches.

"A quieter place." I say, gesturing up at the dark tree house that sits in the branches.

Her eyes twinkle in the light the shines from my full house. It's almost serene watching everyone through the windows, seeing the moment pass by in the quiet even though I know it's a stark contrast to what it's actually like inside my house. Sort of like a movie playing on mute.

Ellie studies me for a minute, probably questioning whether it's safe to climb the tree house ladder with a kid she doesn't know. I'm not naive enough to think that the shy kid leading her to a dark tree house isn't at least a little weird.

Creepy maybe by Caitlin's standards.

But Ellie doesn't call me on it, muttering a "what the hay" before her hands clamp around the rope. I hold the bottom as steady as I can to make it easier on her before I hoist myself up and through the small square that's cut into the floor.

It's been a long time since I've been in the tree house, all of its contents are long gone unlike what the movies want you to think. It's just an empty box, dead leaves piled in the corners blown in through the open window.

Ellie tucks herself against a wall, I keep my distance, feet dangling through the hole we came up. I'm almost certain I smell B.O. even though I have a hoodie on.

"It is quiet." She comments, her head rests on her knees, arms wrapped around making herself look even smaller than she is.

"Yeah." My contribution to conversation is startling, I know.

But Ellie doesn't seem to mind that my voice shakes with nerves and I can't come up with small talk. She lets out a sigh and as she does she starts filling all the silence around us.

"I just wanted to experience one high school party, just so I knew, ya know? I hate not knowing." Her head shakes, the finer features lost to the darkness. "It was stupid though. I should have just stayed home."

I'm glad she didn't. That's selfish, but if she had stayed home, this wouldn't be happening.

And for me, this is everything.

——————————

19 chapters and Darren and Ellie finally are together!