Ch. 10. Thank you Superman

Here you see the softer side of Sears...or Kent whatever lol :P

Ch 10 Thank you Superman

 

Four days had passed since Erica saw Kent, and from what she heard he was still in the hospital recovering. It made her upset that he wasn't out yet, especially when the doctors had made it seem like he'd be out soon, but obviously he was still sick and had to stay.

 

Erica had to resist asking Marcus about him every five minutes, afterall he had caught her kissing Kent. It wasn't something they talked about, it was as if Marcus didn't really want to know, which was a good thing. Erica still didn't know what that had been all about, but thankfully she was out of that spell, and it was back to the real world. Well for some.

 

Erica informed Marcus that she had to work late at the law office, when in fact she was working her normal night shift at the restaurant. Thankfully the manager had let her keep her job, probably because he enjoyed being perverted towards her, but hey, whatever worked.

 

"I asked you to take out the trash two hours ago," Lewis, the restaraunt manager repeated.

 

Erica huffed frustrated. He sounded more like an annoying parent than a boss. The whole power trip about generously letting her keep her job had gone to his head, and he'd been working Erica extra hard, making it more and more difficult to lie to Marc. Thank God the shift was almost over.

 

"Alright I'm doing it now," Erica replied rolling her eyes, which thankfully he wouldn't see. She gathered the two huge overflowing trash bags and dragged them across the linolium floor. She pushed the door open with the weight of her shoulder, and flopped the bags on the ground to catch her breath. Inhaling the evening air felt amazing, although it was paticularly foggy for a summer night. Knowing that Lewis would probably b***h that she was taking too long, she picked the trash bags back up, and made her way to the dumpster. Just as she was about to swing it up over her shoulder, she dropped it at sight of someone leaning against the wall.

 

Immediately she recognized his cocky stance, and couldn't have been more overjoyed to see it.

 

"Kent!" she exclaimed walking quickly towards him, but couldn't help and speed up to a quick run.

 

"Miss me or something?" he smirked. He looked refreshed as ever, like he hadn't been sick at all. His black hair was neatly slicked back, and he had a crisp long sleeve pale green shirt on, making his eyes pop more than usual. He was in his usual slacks, standing formal like he always seemed to.

 

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders giving him a hug. It felt so good just to feel him breathe. She wanted to look at him, to make sure this was really happening.

 

He tucked his lips in to keep from smiling, but it could still be seen in his eyes.

 

"They finally let you out? So you are ok now?"

 

"Yeah, I never thought I'd come out of there."

 

"I knew you would. I am glad you are alright. It got me in a lot of trouble with my boss, but I guess it was worth it," she teased.

 

"Yeah because I mean you don't want to miss out on this," Kent said pointing at the garbage bags.

"Wow that's embarassing. Look, I have to get back inside, um I didn't even ask, but why are you here?"

Just as Kent was about to open his mouth, both heard, "Erica! What the f**k are you doing out there?" from her stupid manager inside.

 

Kent glared, hating the way he spoke to her.

 

"Hey if you came here to thank me don't worry about it, I'll see you around," she waved and quickly ran back in.

 

"Want me to throw these away?" he called after her picking up the trash bags.

 

"Oh! Yeah! If you could?" she had her doubts if he even could, but he effortlessly swung them over his shoulders into the dump. Erica quickly thanked him and ran back in.

 

There were still two hours left until her shift ended, but suddenly the work night had been improved. She floated from table to table lightly, knowing that he was finally back to his old self, she wasn't sure when she'd see him again, but at least she knew now that he wasn't alone in a creepy hospital.

 

After eleven thirty finally came, Erica clocked out, and walked out with Margot so she could give her a ride home. Both girls stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Kent sitting on top of his silver Porsche Carrera.

 

"Kent, have you been waiting here this whole time?"

 

"You already have a ride?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

 

"Oh no she doesn't," Margot shoved Erica forward.

 

"Margot," Erica hissed. " I can go with you."

 

"I just forgot I have to be home, and right away! I guess you'll just have to go with him," she shrugged.

Erica pouted her lips angrily, and slowly walked to his car. "I can take the bus."

 

"Come on," he rolled his eyes flashing her a white grin and opening the door for her. Without anymore fuss Erica gave up and stepped inside. The breeze from the heater made her toes tingle. She'd never been in a car like this where the heat came from all around. She leaned back against the leather seat taking in the aroma of the new car smell. The whole car was filled with unfamiliar lit up gadgets that Erica had to resist touching.

 

"So where to?" Kent asked, quickly getting inside and slamming the door.

 

"Oh, um I was actually thinking you could just drop me at the bus stop."

 

"You don't want to go anywhere first?"

 

"No I'm pretty tired, I've been at work all day," Erica replied with contempt. Working all day was something he probably knew nothing about.

 

"Alright then just give me the address to your house, the GPS can find it."

 

"I said the bus stop is fine."

 

"You are already in the car, I want to drive you home," Kent argued.

 

"It's way too far, and there is probably traffic."

 

"At midnight? Bullshit Erica. Come on I'm not going to judge you, I don't care about what it looks like."

Erica took a deep breath in thinking that they were both too stubborn to ever get along, but she finally gave up yet again and told Kent the address. As the creepy GPS voice navigated them through the fog, Erica began looking more and more nervous.

 

"It's alright," Kent assured when they were at a red light. He stroked the small of her back comforting her.

"I can't have you see this," Erica said leaned over her knees having what seemed like a full blown panic attack. Her face was bright red and body began trembling. She didn't even seem to feel Kent touching her.

 

The light turned green and he had to take his hand off to drive. "We're almost there," he whispered. Kent looked around to see several gang members and homeless people through his tinted windows. His first time in East Compton was definitely a wake up call.

 

"Are we going to die cause I'm driving this f*****g thing?"

 

"Probably", Erica muttered muffled with her head still between her knees.

 

Kent parked on the street and stopped the car. He looked down at the row of apartments which were built inside what looked like a large ditch, very bad city planning Kent thought. If there was a flood the whole poorly built looking complex would be destroyed. It must have been bad enough when it rained, well at least they were in California where it didn't do that much.

 

"We're here," Kent said softly.

 

"Yeah I know, just a second." her hands were tugging at the roots of her hair, her face still leaned downwards. She breathed quickly in and out, trying to slow it down.

 

"Actually, you don't need to come in do you?" she sprung up happily.

 

"If you want me to explain why I came then you have to let me in."

 

"I don't think I can Kent."

 

"You can," he said reaching for her hand. He raised it to his lips and delicately kissed her fingertips.

Erica slowly looked up, feeling calmed by his soft lips.

 

"You saved my life. Do you think I care about where you live?" he waved his other hand at the crappy apartments. "I know that you are so much more, that you are above all that, so come on."

 

His lips soon moved to her cheek, dancing around what was considered messing with his best friends girl. He removed a strand of hair from her eyes, and held her face close his.

 

Erica gulped her nervousness away, then finally agreed and got out of the car.

 

"That's my girl," he whispered still in the car, inaudible enough for Erica to miss.

 

Through the fog Kent followed Erica down a long falling apart staircase, down the rabbit hole he thought. It was like another world to him, well not exactly one with cute rabbits and caterpillars, but ones with drunks cussing in the background, and police sirens sounding off in the distance. He thought Erica seriously had some guts to brave this place by herself every night.

 

They finally made it down the staircase, then it was up another one to her unit. An odd and not so pleasent smell came from one of the buildings and Kent held his breath so he wouldn't have to breathe it in. Eventually he had to inhale again, and when he uncontrolably gagged.

 

Erica turned around at the noise, to see his nose twitching and his face filled with disgust. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him trying to be polite, and wanting to throw up at the same time.

"I'm...fine," he said his eyes quickly watering. "What is that?"

 

"It's Indian food, just my neighbors cooking."

 

"That's food? It's not like a plumbing leak or something?"

 

"You are such a brat," she commented continuing up the stairs.

 

"No, I've just never smelled anything like that before," Kent replied apologetically while beginning to feel his stomach churn.

 

They finally reached her place. Erica fished keys out of her pocket, then turned around to face Kent who looked adorably uncomfortable.

 

"It's not too late to turn back," she dangled the key in front of her.

 

Kent was about to answer, but turned to sneeze twice into his arm.

 

"Bless you," she laughed. "I don't think your rich little behind can handle this."

 

"Oh it can," he said sniffing back anymore sneezes. "Lets go in," he said hurriedly.

 

She unlocked the door and they both entered a very dark room. Kent heard Erica's footsteps move forward but couldn't see a thing when the door shut behind him.

 

"Is this the part where you kill me?"

 

"No hold on," Erica replied rustling around with something.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Quickly Kent's questions became answered when a dark golden glow illuminated through out the room, then another, and another as Erica lit several candles. After she finished lighting them all she looked at Kent self conciously.

 

"I told you that you didn't want to come up here, I don't even have electricity."

 

"Oh, I thought you were just trying to seduce me," Kent teased. He looked around the place, in which there wasnt much to see. It was just a small flat with an uncomfortable looking cot for a bed, shoved into the corner, and a toilet, not a bathroom, because bathrooms usually have walls seperating them from the rest of the room. Actually the entire place was smaller than one of Kent's bathrooms, but of course he wasn't about to mention this. He promised himself he wouldn't but as he looked around he began feeling more and more sorry for her. Someone as pretty as her didn't deserve to live like this. No one deserved to live like this.

 

"This is so humiliating," Erica replied observing his reaction in the darkly lit room.

 

"It's not that bad," Kent lied.

 

"Right. Now tell me, why are we here? Why did you come to my work? I'm glad you are alright but, I never wanted anyone to see this far into my world."

 

Kent became distracted by the way the candle light flickered through Erica's eyes, which normally looked hazel, but from the bright yellow flame they appeared amber.

 

"I want to see everything though," Kent whispered unaware that he was thinking out loud.

 

"Look, all I did was call an ambulance and then stay a couple days at the hospital. It's nothing to be...," her voice trailed off as she tried to think of the appropriate words.

 

"Thankful for? Wondering if you care about me more than just your fiance's best friend?" he answered growing closer and closer. By now he was face to face with Erica, but he didn't want to touch her, he wanted to let her think about this, even though he knew she had been already.

 

"But that's exactly what you are. My fiance's best friend," she said backing up. "I admit there is something, I can't put my finger on it, but God do I feel something," she said making a fist, and clutching her shirt, the spot where her heart was.

 

Kent moved forward and placed his arms around her waist. It felt so good, but once again Erica had to back up, she couldn't let it go anywhere.

 

"We're not supposed to find out what it is, we need to leave it alone," Erica stumbled on her words.

 

"Why?" Kent challenged.

 

"Because it's not right. You're best friend Marcus, think of him."

 

"Jesus," Kent sighed taking a step back. "You're right, I'm not thinking of him at all."

 

"You know this can't go anywhere, so just go back with Tenille or Camille or whoever. What good is it sitting in the dark with me?" she asked plopping down onto the wood floor. Kent realized that she didn't even have a chair or a couch, and joined her on the ground.

 

"In the hospital you said you cared about me. Well see, I care about you too, that's why I'm here," he said putting one knee up and resting his arm on top of it. "Remember? I just, care," he quoted her from the hospital stuttering how she did in a high pitched voice and began to laugh.

 

"Shut up!" Erica exclaimed. "I didn't mean to sound like a complete dork when I said that, I was just worried."

 

"Yeah I know," he said growing more serious. "And you are right about how we shouldn't let it get too far, but I did get you something," he said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small light blue box, and Erica read Tiffany's across it.

 

"Are you kidding me? Kent you don't owe me a thing, why did you do this?"

 

"I wanted to, here just open it."

 

Erica hesitantly opened it, and hoped that she could turn it down when she saw it. She gasped when she saw the beautiful craftsmanship. Inside lay a silver watch with a light blue dial surrounded with diamonds. It was small and stylish, and the most beautiful thing she had seen in her life. Everything in her mind told her to take and put it on, and then possibly resell it for some cash, but she couldn't bring herself to even take it out of the box.

 

"I can't," she said handing it back to him.

 

"Oh come on, it's just a thank you gift."

 

"This is too much, I really can't Kent."

 

"Why not?" he stood up growing frustrated.

 

"Because I don't deserve this. I don't want to take a present from you. It's nothing I deserve, even though it is beautiful."

 

"Fine," he loudly snapped the box shut and put it back in his pocket. "I'll just go then."

 

"Wait," she said taking his hand, stopping him in mid-walk. "Dont be mad please, I just feel uncomfortable taking it. I don't want you to feel like you need to pay me back for anything. I think you need to learn that you can have someone be nice to you with out having to owe them anything."

 

Kent looked thoughtfully down at the ground, then back up at her reluctantly. "I just wanted to get you something," he shrugged.

 

"You are here and alive, that's more than I could ask for," she said tilting her head around, resting her cheek against his shoulder. His hand floated to the back of her head, stroking her long hair, taking in the scent. He wanted to kiss the sweet smell so badly, but let go of her so he wouldn't be tempted anymore.

 

"Can I try to give you something else?" he asked hopefully.

 

Erica crossed her arms and shook her head like a little kid asked to go to bed.

 

"Please?" he looked up at her with enormous puppy eyes.

 

"You have another present?"

 

"Well sort of. I've had it for years, since I was a kid," he said reaching into his other pocket.

 

He pulled out what looked like another watch, but this time it wasn't so fancy. It was bright blue, definitely a kids watch, and had "Superman" printed across the dial, with the cartoon graphic flying on the side.

 

"What in the world?" she smiled widely.

 

"My mom got it for me. She'd always call me Superman, or Clark Kent, you know how Marc does? Anyway, it was the last thing she got me before she left. I used to wear it non stop, but unfortunately my wrists are too big to wear it now."

 

"Otherwise you'd still be wearing it huh?" Erica teased. "So do you just carry this thing around all the time?"

"Only sometimes," Kent lied. "But I want you to have it," he said wrapping it around Erica's skinny wrist adjusting it.'

 

"It looks great," he said holding her arm up to the light.

 

Erica laughed heartily at the rediculous looking thing, but she loved it nevertheless and admired it turning her wrist in and out.

 

"Wow, a girl that would rather wear some old little kids watch than fine jewelry. You are one odd chick."

"You're the one that carries a Superman watch with you everywhere," Erica accused, and giggled as Kent's face turned red. "This is very sweet of you though, thank you Kent," she said and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

 

"You're welcome. Man it doesn't feel right to leave you living like this," he said wrinkling his nose at a cockroach crawling up the wall.

 

"It's better than the streets trust me."

 

"Jesus Erica, why don't you just stay at my old condo? No one is living there right now, most of my stuff is still there, and I can buy anything else you need."

 

"As you can see I don't need much," she said pointing to her cot, the only piece of furniture in the place.

"Alright, well I'll go then," Kent sighed feeling defeated and opened the door.

 

"Goodbye. I'm so glad to see you are better now, Superman," she added.

 

He tried not to smile at this, but the handsome grin spread across his face uncontrolably, like it was the best compliment he ever received.

 

"Bye," he made his way down the stairs, thankfully the smell had gone away. He looked back up to see Erica staring out the window at him. Taken aback by being caught, her mouth partially opened, she gave a quick wave, and blew out the candles leaving the window dark.

 

Kent chuckled, shook his head and jogged back up the stairs to his car.

 

Erica watched in the darkness as he drove off. She looked down at her engagement ring, then to the Superman watch, now knowing that no matter how horrible her living situation was, that it wasn't about finding a nice place to live, like she could with Marcus. It was about feeling so loved that her horrid flat felt like a castle. It was just too bad that she had turned down the hero to make her feel that way, but at least she knew his secret identitiy now, his good character couldn't have stayed hidden forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Too cheesy or gay just tell me please haha :)

Reviews

[Bhavya Kaushik]

I guess it is niether chessy or gay!
It made me smile and laugh throughout the read.

I will surely read the previous chapters of it now :D :D

[ape domenigoni]

I'm glad to see Erica's learning that money isn't the most valuable thing. Kent sees her completely and still loves her, that's something every woman dreams for. Now if she'll just get over Marcus... Another good chapter...

[Evil_Angel]

Funny you say it felt rushed cause I worked like 5 hours on this...grr

[Loribeth215]

Very cute and funny. I laughed several times reading this. good work! :)

[Jason Young]

Not necessarily cheesy or gay- but I do think it sounds a bit rushed. Like you just did a "Open Blank Document" and then just wrote. Nothing wrong with that, but I can definitely see that in your writing. Not exactly meandering either, but I think the plot (so far) lacks direction.

Not trying to be an a*s or anything, but... That's just how I see this at the moment. Overall though, the story's coming out great.