The Boys #2

My alarm went off at nine. Poseidon haunted me in my dreams and so did my mother. I woke up sweating with a ponding heart.

Why did I set my alarm? I thought. Then it hit me, Alex, the picnic, and the park.

Was I running away from home? I'm not allowed to go out that's for sure, but something in my nerves twitched. I wanted to rebel. Fuck the rules. Fuck their rules. Fuck their system. I rose from bed and headed towards the bathroom.

I went inside, avoiding myself in the mirror, and took my phone out of its hiding place. I unlocked it, expecting to have a text from Alex. Two notifications from Spotify. I entered the app and pressed shuffle on my shower playlist.

I turned on the hot water and went under the shower.

Does Alex know about Poseidon's visit? Should I tell him? No, Eleanor, I thought. Don't make the wrong move. Poseidon already hates you. Why does he though? He said something weird about making the right choice before he left. What choice? I can't even choose between chocolate and vanilla frosting and he expects me to choose something. And this something has to be right? Oh no no no, I'm not the person for that thing.

I rehearsed my talking with Alex and introducing myself to his friends. ''Hey gang!'' I said facing the wall. ''No. That's stupid.'' I tried again. ''Hey!'' I nodded. ''Yeah, yeah. That's good.'' Then I made up fake conversations and jokes maybe I would use them today.

I banged my head on the wall and said,'' who are you trying to be Eleanor? You know your social anxiety would never.'' I hope I don't tremble in front of them or completely lose it. I inhaled midst the water. ''Just stick to Alex and don't forget to get his hoodie with you.''

I got out of the shower. A sweet song tuned from my phone. It altered my mood. I started dancing around the bathroom using my brush as a microphone to my stage, then the mirror for a model photoshoot.

After many screams and sucking the burns cause by the curler. Then I swiftly combed my tangled curls. They spread out beautifully on my shoulders with strings of honey midst the chestnut color with lovely waves. At ten, I decided to paint my nails. After struggles and screams frustration I tried to get them in the best form possible. I stood still till they hardened. Beauty is pain, I thought.

At ten fifty, I got dressed with the best outfit I could think off. I added a bit of accessories, two silver rings, and the silver necklace grandma gave me. I looked at the mirror, ''Good,'' I said. ''You look amazing. I'm sure he'll melt.'' I sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

I slammed the door, locked it, and inhaled. ''I'll be back at one,'' I said. I held my phone and set an alarm at that time. I tucked it in and moved into the streets of New York.

I took a right and passed tall buildings, coffee shops, and restaurants. People were walking past me, shoving my shoulders, while busily talking into their air pods. No one noticed me.

I saw an ant crawling on the tree midst a thousand legs. I instantly remembered Poseidon. ''Alex.. pfffttt,'' his voice shone in my head midst the buzzing of people. '' The last time I checked on him, he made sure an ant got back to its hill safely.'' I still can't believe that this was true. Gods, demigods, powers, everything seemed to drown my head. The water dropped to my eyes and again filled them with salted water. Eleanor no no no, I thought. I'm sorry anxiety, but not today. I straightened myself and crossed the street.

There it was. Kids were running in the fresh grass, someone was walking his dog; a mother was texting on her phone while swinging her daughter. I sighed. Mom used to swing me like that.

I crossed the park's black gates and entered the green space. I passed the kids, the man with the dog, the playground, and reached to the basketball field. Under one of the trees on the far side of the park, there was a couple. I couldn't see what they were doing, but they were sure enjoying their time.

I quickly walked past that. When I got to the basketball field, I saw a group of teenagers laughing while sitting on what looked like a white rug. I paused to search for Alex. A boy stood up and walked towards me. He was wearing plain black jeans with a white t shirt, and of course the famous Jordans that go with the look.

He waved a hand and said,'' Eleanor. You're here!''

I walked towards him and said, ''Hi!'' with a smile.

He took my sweaty hand and said, '' I got cookies.'' I laughed. Please, I thought, he's cute.

He dragged me to his friend group. I stared at them and waved with a simple, ''hey,'' and sat next to Alex on a white rug that looked like something Mom would pick for her living room. They were sitting around the box of cookies in a circle. A picnic, with only cookies to eat, what the hell? I thought.

I quietly sat uncomfortably studying everyone from top to bottom. Most of them were on their phones or eating cookies. Alex handed me one with a smile. I nibbled at it while staring quietly.

When I say these boys are all multiple versions of hot sauce. I mean it, but of course, they can never beat the original copy.

There was Noah. A guy every girl would be attracted to. Or at least I would, but he made me feel uneasy. He had pitch black eyes, kinda reminded me of Ares, black hair styled in a buzz cut, with a perfect tan, and wide muscles. He was wearing a black sweater underneath it a white shirt with black ripped jeans and black sneakers. His style was on fleek. When I saw the group he instantly caught my eyes.

''So Eleanor,'' Max quietly said,'' how did you and Alex meet?''

Alex and I stared at each other. At the same exact time as I said, ''The trees.'' Alex said,'' In practice.'' We stared at each other again and he burst up laughing with that heartwarming tune. I smiled.

Alex quickly said,'' We met under trees just like this while I was coming back from practice.''

''Ooh,'' Josh said. ''Then what?''

''Then,'' Alex replied. ''I gave her a cookie and we became friends.'' The group exchanged looks.

''A cookie?'' Noah said with a deep tone. ''Really dude?'' We both nodded with a smile while staring at each other. He fired a ''K'' at us, then he lay on the white rug with eyes closed.

Max, was the second guy who caught my eyes. He was like the teenage Poseidon. Wide shoulders, brown skin, blue eyes, but not as intense as Poseidon's. He had the same dark brown, long, wavy hair. He was texting most of the time and spoke very little.

Josh only caught my eyes because he and his girlfriend Eva was a perfect match. The best thing about him was his green eyes. He had curly brown hair, just like Eva's, some acne, and a fine white body. Eva on the other hand, had beautiful brown skin with brown eyes and a lovely smile. She is kind of a bruh girl. She was wearing oversized sweatpants and a band T-shirt. She was really very touchy with Alex's friends especially Noah, who was still lying on the ground with his eyes closed.

Everyone was talking about somethings I could never relate to. Hang outs, roller coasters, horror houses, sleep overs, and many other things. I felt small among them.

Someone else, I noticed, was as quiet as me. Kim, I think. I built up the courage to say,'' Kim!'' I hoped I got his name right. He looked at me as if I was about to arrest him. ''What do like about hangovers?''

Everyone was attentively staring as if he was going to blow up a bomb. '' boys,'' he said with a creepy smile. I gave him a confused look, and then looked at Alex for a hint, but he was too busy testing the tree.

Then it struck me. I laughed. They all looked at me ready to attack. I stretched a hand at him and said, ''You look wonderful sis.''

He smiled at me and shook my hand. He playfully replied with, ''period.'' The group exhaled and the buzzing continued.

Kim had hundreds of freckles on his nose with big shining beautiful honey eyes. He was thin and had red hair. Sometimes a change is good, I thought.

''Hey Eleanor,'' Eva said almost cracking up. ''You're too short compared to me.''

Did she just call me short? My mind snapped. Without even pausing a moment to think, I snapped back,'' it's quality not quantity that matters.'' I shot her a sassy smile. Kim rolled his mouth in an ''ooh'' shape. Noah was now asleep, Max was texting, and Alex was eating cookies. She got back to her phones and so did I.

I smelled smoke, the smoke of nicotine. I looked up from my phone, no one was smoking. I heard footsteps crashing the twigs in the grass. ''Hey ladies,'' a deep heavy chested voice echoed from behind. The body stopped, threw something on the ground, crushed it and continued towards the circles.

Noah bolted up, rising from the dead. ''There's my man.'' He yelled. ''Hey Jack, you brought the goods?''

''I sure did,'' Jack's voice said, as he was running towards us. He got to the sheet and sat next to me. ''Hi,'' he said. ''She new?''

Cigarette smoke almost fused from his body. He had black circles under his eyes. His wrists were thin and he had shaky hands. He had brown eyes under brown curly hair. I noticed a tattoo on his thick right muscle. It said, '' Forever~'' I think these kinda drawings have a connection, another tattoo that completes it. I moved away from Jack and stuck to Alex, knee to knee. He gave me a warming look and held my hand. He's so sweet, I thought. I smiled at him slightly and stared at the white rug.

''Dude.'' Kim replied while he shot him a look. ''That's Eleanor, Alex's friend.''

Alex nodded at him. Jack looked into my eyes and said,'' Eleanor. That's too long. Nice to meet you El.''

El? What the fuck was that? I nodded and said,'' Nice to meet you too.''

''Man,'' Noah chimed in. ''let's spice things up.''

Jack threw a white tied cloth into the center of the circle.