I Spy With My Little Eye

Chapter 14

Eli:

“Do you think this’ll work.” I could have sworn it was Cammi talking but knew it couldn’t be. She was safely tucked into her hotel in Fort Collins with Izzi to keep all those college boys away. I couldn’t help smiling to myself at the thought. Cammi was always more trusting than Iz and I. She would honestly pull over to pick up a guy with an ax if she could drive. Her excuse would be that he might have candy, or money to buy candy. I loved my little sister, but I honestly wondered how she would manage when she was on her own, or when Izzi left the house to go off to college. I would make sure she went to college, even if it killed me.

“Oh hush, this is Eli we’re talking about.” I swore that was Izzi speaking but once again knew it couldn’t be. I was just having a really weird dream. Waite I was asleep?! This was new. Note to self, don’t sleep at night, it causes weird dreams.

“Maybe we should let him sleep.” And that sounded like Grace. Yup this is definitely a dream. “He didn’t get to sleep till really late last night and even then, he tossed and turned so bad it’s a wonder he was sleep at all.”

“he’ll be fine.” I could almost picture Izzi shrugging as she spoke, “The boy runs on two hours of sleep.”

“I still don’t think it’s very nice.” Grace said. This dream was really weird, I needed to wake up now.

“Psh, stop being a pansy and bring the chili.” Izzi said I heard rustling that sounded like a chip bag. Yum, chips and chili. Why did my dreams have to sound so delicious?

“This is will be so funny!” Cammi squealed.

“This is so against the rules.” d**k said. Waite d**k was in my dream?! It wasn’t good anymore! Okay, wake up Eli.

“Rules are made to be broken.” Izzi said.

“Yes beautiful.” d**k replied. As creepy as it was, d**k had a huge crush on my little sister. I didn’t condone such action but Izzi hated his guts so, he could keep liking her as long as she hated him back. I had been lucky when it came to Iz dating. Boys didn’t approach her because they believed she would eat them. It only made me love her more. Yes, I was the overly protective big brother who killed the boys who looked at my sisters the wrong way. I couldn’t help it. It wasn’t like we had a dad around to do the job, and mom was a mom. She was protective but she wasn’t about to stop her girls from dating. Even though I wasn’t there most of the time I could still be intimidating.

“Shut it Dick.” Izzi said. I heard a smacking sound and d**k yelp. That’s my girl. This dream might not be so bad.

“Okay, on the count of three.” Cammi said I could imagine her holding up her fingers. Suddenly I smelled chili and Cheetos. God this wasn’t a dream! I sat bolt upright my hand seeking the bag of cheesy goodness that called me. I didn’t even process who all was surrounding me as they collapsed in a fit of giggles as I dipped the Cheetos in the chili. Don’t bash it, it’s amazing!

After my taste spuds were satisfied for a few moments I looked around. Izzi was grinning up at me, along with Cammi as she held out a bag of Cheetos. Grace was smirking as she leaned against the couch. d**k was grinning happily at my sister who had her arms crossed and was giving everyone else the “told ya so” look.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked around a mouthful of food. I snatched the bag of Cheetos from Cam and continued to shovel them into my mouth along with the chili before Grace became wise to the fact that this totally went against her favorite rule. It didn’t take long. She reached over Cam as she snapped the bag out of my hand along with the chili. Stupid bossy people.

“Our hotel got jumped.” Izzi shrugged and got up from her seat beside me. Iz was tall. Not taller than me, but taller than Cam and Grace by a mile. She may only be seventeen, but she knew how to intimidate people to get what she wanted. She marched over to Grace as I choked on my food and held out her hand, “Give it.” Grace bit her lip and her eyes focused on me.

“Eli, you’re turning red!” she said loudly as she shoved the food into Izzi’s hands and ran over to me, “Levi do something!”

“He doesn’t know what red is!” d**k said smacking my back, “You should have told him he was turning a darker shade of grey than normal.” I managed to swallow and sat gasping for breath looking at him in bewilderment. He was an i***t.

“Can you be more stupid?” Izzi asked him walking over to the kitchen and getting me a glass of water.

“Are you okay Eli?” Cammi asked leaning her head against my shoulder and looking up at me. She knew I was mentally freaking out about what Izzi had said. I patted her cheek and accept the glass of water Iz handed me.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I said after I took a very long drink of water. She bounced back up and smiled at me.

“Great!” she chirped.

“So… what happened?” I asked again cautiously. I didn’t want to be hit with any more surprises.

“Someone broke down the hotel door this morning.” Izzi shrugged like it was no big deal, “Totally freaked Cam out. Thank goodness for the self-defense you taught us.” Cammi cuddled closer to me and pulled my arm around her. She was easily frightened. I hugged her close to me and planted a kiss on top of her head.

“Are you guys okay.” My eyes quickly scanned over Iz trying to detect any signs of pain. I knew my sisters well. She may be putting up the “I don’t care front” but I could tell by one look she was freaked out. She kept fiddling with her hair and she couldn’t sit still. Cammi was clearly a mess too. Upon closer inspection I could see she had been crying and was visibly shaken. Iz nodded curtly.

“I just didn’t want to stay in a room with a broken door.” She shrugged.

“They called early this morning.” Grace said sitting down next to me, “I was in your room and I heard your phone ringing.”

“Why were you in my room?” I asked narrowing my eyes at her. We had fallen asleep on the couch.

“It was closer.” she looked down at her hands, “and you kick in your sleep, and I was tired.” I smiled to myself. I had been told I was a restless sleeper.

“She came and got us.” Cam shrugged under my arm, “Levi came too but we made him sit in back.”

“Good girl.” I smiled down at her and she smiled back, “How long are you staying?” I asked looking over at Izzi.

“Not long, a couple days, I have a game Friday and then we’ll head home.” Izzi picked at her nails. I looked around and noticed all of their stuff was piled by the door, “we’ll just get another room.” she said flashing me a smile.

“Nonsense!” Grace exclaimed jumping up, “You’ll stay here!”

“That’s right!” I said squeezing Cammi’s shoulders. She giggled, “One of you can have my room, and the other d**k’s. him and I’ll stay out here.” I glanced between my sisters.

“We don’t have any other rooms?” Grace asked confused.

“No, there’s a hot tube in the back.” I said standing up and grabbing Cammi’s bags. “Who’s room do you want to stay in sweetheart?” I asked her.

“Yours.” she said with a smile, “That was Izzi has to sleep in Levi’s bed.” I sighed and sent a warning glare over to d**k. He flashed me a smile and wiggled his eyebrows. Ever sense Cam found out d**k liked Izzi that way she has been trying relentlessly to get them together. She was a hopeless romantic. It was something I was trying to deal with rationally, instead of locking her in a convent, or a windowless room.

“We’ll change the sheets, okay Kiddo?” I said to Izzi who looked like she was about to blow a fuse and kill both d**k and Cammi.

“Relax Iz.” Cammi smiled at her. She was still cute and childish, even if she was 15 already, “Levi is a very nice boy and you should give him a chance.”

“No, she shouldn’t” I mumbled at the same time d**k yelled, “Exactly!”

“Thin ice Cam.” Izzi said narrowing her eyes and I quickly ushered Cammi down the hall into my room.

“You know better.” I said warningly shaking a finger at her. She smiled up at me and swayed back and forth. Izzi and I worked hard to keep Cammi this innocent.

“I’m sorry Eli.” she said wrapping her arms around me as she hugged me, “I just think you should have more faith in your friends.”

“I don’t care.” I said hugging her back and kissing the top of her head, “Neither of you are allowed to date until you’re married.”

“But Eli you date.” she pouted up and me and I looked up at the ceiling.

“Yes, but I’m not you, or Izzi now am I?” I said with a smile as I pushed her out the door, “and I’m also the oldest and a boy.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Her voice was a pitch higher. I was really hopping she didn’t turn on the water works.

“It means I don’t have someone looking out for me.” I said squeezing her shoulders, “to protect me from all the bad people in the world.” We walked into the living room. Izzi was sitting on the couch with her arm crossed pouting. d**k looked like he had won the lottery even though she was going to be staying in that room alone. Grace was messing around in the kitchen getting breakfast ready.

“Eli please get dressed before breakfast.” she said trying to reach a bowl above her head. Even though I didn’t want a repeat of last time I made my way over to help her. I grabbed the bowl down as both Cam and Iz turned to me like wolves who had just found a newborn baby moose who was helpless and an easy catch.

“Thanks.” Grace mumbled her cheeks darkening and she added eggs to the bowl.

“Come on Eli, you need to get dressed.” Izzi said dragging me away from the kitchen with an evil smile on her face while Cammi bounced along beside us.

“Lucky bastard.” d**k mumbled rolling his eyes. I shot him a look. He knew about my rule.