Devoted To You

Chapter 5: Maxton

Leaving the ice after a two hour practice, we all head to the locker room. Coach worked us hard today. Maybe it's because our first game of the season is on Friday or it could be because half the guys showed up hungover. Let me tell you though, it was brutal. 

Dropping down on the locker room bench, I close my eyes as tiredness consumes me. Peeking open one eye, I see that everyone seems to feel as shitty as I do.  

Feeling a nudge on my side, I turn to face an equally tired Dylan. "Is E sleeping at our place tonight again?" He asks as he takes off his gear. 

"Not sure man. I guess we'll find out when we get to the house for supper." I answer with a shrug. I live with my three childhood best friends, Dylan, Matt and Tristan. Our house is a lot bigger than it needs to be but we like it. Because as much as I love those assholes, sometimes I just need some peace and quiet.

After taking a quick shower, the guys and I hop into my car to get home. It takes everything in me to hold back my laughter and concentrate on driving when Matt is terribly singing his heart out just to piss off Tristan and Dylan who still happen to have a hangover from yesterday night. 

"And I know we weren't perfect

But I've never felt this way, for no one

And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay 

Now that I'm gone

Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me

You said forever now I drive alone past your street"

"Dude, shut the fuck up!" Dylan grumbles at a very smug looking Matt. 

"I don't know if I should be yelling at you or questioning why you know the lyrics to 'Drivers License' by heart." Tristan pipes in without lifting his head from where it's laying against the passengers window.

At this point, I can't contain my laughter any longer. "Gotta agree with him there Matt. Why do you know all the words to that song?" I question, looking at him through the rear view mirror with a raised brow.

My eyes make contact with Dylan's and a smirk slowly makes it's to both of our faces. Oh this is going to be fun.

"Yeah Matty, why do you know all the words to this song? Do you listen to her music when your laying in bed alone at night crying?" Dyl asks with an innocent voice.

Matt scoffs. "Shut up dickwad. E has played that song so many times that it's permanently stuck in my head." 

Dylan gives him an unconvinced look before letting out a low "Sureee." That earns himself a hit in the back of the head by the dickwad sitting beside him.

When I pull into our driveway beside a familiar black Honda Civic, the four of us quickly get out of the car and head to the house. The heavenly scent of McDonald's fills my nose as I walk in. We all follow the smell until we finally find it in the middle of the kitchen table. My sister is also at the table but she hasn't noticed us yet because she's too busy laughing at whatever is on her phone. 

I narrow my eyes at her in suspicion before turning to look at the other guys. We all give a small nod in agreement before Tristan walks over to pick up a wrapped cheeseburger from the table. He then comes back over to stand beside me before launching the burger straight to my sisters face. That seems to catch her attention because she turns to send us a glare. I stifle a laugh when I realized that a piece of lettuce managed to fly out of the wrapper and land in her hair. 

"Hey El Bel." Dylan says trying to use his childhood nickname for her to get on her good side. 

"Don't 'El Bel' me, Fatty." Her glare is solely on Dylan now. 

The dumb ass smacks a hand to his heart and feigns hurt. "Did you just call me fat?" 

E rolls her eyes at his dramatics. "Just sit down and eat before I take it all away." That gets all of us to rush over to sit.

It's silent while we all dig into our food until Ella gets a text and starts doubling over in laughter. I stare at my sister as she pants to regain her breath, small tears leaking from her eyes from laughing to hard. Curiosity fills me as I try to figure out who could be making her laugh so much. 

"Who are you texting?" I finally ask.

She doesn't look up from her phone as she answers me. "My new roommates. I think they're the funniest people I've ever met." She then reads something on her phone making her body shake from silent laughter. 

Roommates? As is plural? 

"Roommates? I thought you only had one?" Matt asks, reading my mind. 

"Oh yeah. I met some girls today and we spent the day hanging out. We got along so well that they asked if I wanted to move in with them since they've got an extra room." She exclaims excitedly. 

I can't help but be skeptical about their intentions. Unfortunately, it's happened multiple times where people have befriended Ella so that they can get close to one of us. 

As if she can read my mind, Ella immediately shakes her head. "No, trust me when I say that it had nothing to do with you guys. We didn't even talk about you. All they know is that I have a brother and three other guys that are practically my brothers." 

"We just don't want you to get hurt again, E." Tristan says with a sad smile. 

She smiles softly at him, "I know T. I'll tell them soon because I honestly do trust them. I don't know what it is but spending time with them today was as if we'd hung out all our lives. I felt with them how I feel when I'm around you guys." I search her eyes, but all I find in them is truth. 

I give her a small nod and a smile. "Okay baby sis." 

She rolls her eyes at me but I can easily spot the slight smile on her face. She then goes on to tell us that we have to move her stuff into their apartment tomorrow. We all groaned at that but agreed anyways when she gave us her puppy dog eyes.

It was my turn to choose the movie for tonight so I put on '21 Jump Street', ignoring the whines from the other four. Okay, so maybe I choose this movie every time it's my turn but what can I say, it's a fucking good movie. Nobody can tell me otherwise. I smile in satisfaction as the opening scenes plays on the screen. We spend the rest of the night arguing over the popcorn bowl, laughing at stupid scenes and just being in each others presence.