Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Eric and I met in preschool. Not even kidding. Preschool. I knew we were going to be best friends the day Cindy Little made fun of my Barbie t-shirt and Eric dumped glue in her hair. He got silent lunch for a month. But we didn't care. Cindy's mother had to cut all her hair off and Eric and I had both found a new best friend.

Over our elementary and middle school years, we went through a lot together. Of course, back then, "a lot" was a pet passing away or getting a "D" on a test and not getting to go anywhere that weekend. The beginning of our tenth grade year, I learned from one of my few non-Eric friends that Eric thought he might have feelings for me. Words can not express how excited I was to hear this. As a tenth grader, the prospect of having a boyfriend was unheard of for anyone but the beautiful people. I wasn't ugly, just not beautiful. He asked me to be his girlfriend during a slow song at the homecoming dance that year. I agreed and we dated for two fabulously awkward months until I broke it off because it was just that:  too awkward.

After that, we didn't talk or hang out near as much. He stopped calling, I stopped writing him notes. A month before summer break, I learned from Marie that his parents were getting divorced and he had to move to Kentucky with his dad. As soon as I found out, I rode my bike to his house and apologized for everything and asked him not to leave. He said he had no say in the matter, but that he would go to the college of my choice when we graduated. With his exemplary grades and multiple extracuriculars, he could waltz into a college that I would have to beg to get into.

Marie ushered my parents into the kitchen and started serving coffee. My sister, Alicia, had fallen back asleep as soon as my mother had stopped crying.

"Eric, what are you doing here?" I asked, still gripping his shoulder in fear that he might evaporate into thin air.

"Did you not get my email? Brandon is a junior at UNA and Dad suggested that I come with him this fall. You know, get use to being away from home?"

"When did you move in?" I asked.

"A little over a week ago."

"So you have been in Florence for over a week and you didn't come visit?" I asked, mildly irritated.

"Anna," Eric said, putting on a comforting smile.  "I was on my way here when Marie called me to tell me what had happened. And I haven't left since."

My head was rushing with the weight of this statement. Eric, my best match. For years and years. He had stayed here and waited for me. Only he would know that the best thing to do for me was to wait it out. When provoked, rushed, or crowded, it tends to only intensify my emotions. I started tearing up again and Eric pulled me closer.

"Shh..." he whispered in my ear. "I know it hurts, but it gets better over time."

"How would you know?" I yelled as I pulled away from him. "How many people have you loved that died? Because I did love him. With everything I had. And now he is gone."

Eric sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit next to him.

"Maybe," he began, "maybe if you checked your e-mail every once in a while, you would know what has been going on with me." He paused briefly, smiled a mournful smile, and continued.

"My first day at high school up in Kentucky, I met this girl. Her name was Evangeline, but everyone called her Eve. It was love at first sight for me, and she said she felt the same way. We started dating only two weeks after the beginning of junior year. I was in love. So far in love that I never realized how one-sided the relationship was. It wasn't until about three months ago that I started noticing when I said, 'I love you,' she would say something along the lines of, 'I know!' or, 'Who doesn't?'  For her birthday I bought her an expensive ring, necklace, and earring set with her birthstone cut in a heart shape. On my birthday I got a card with a cartoon dog on the front wearing a goofy birthday hat and a ten-dollar bill. Then one month ago, I confronted her about it. I wasn't meaning for this to break us up because I was deluded into thinking that our relationship was stronger than that. She pretended to be insulted and hurt by what I was saying. I found out from her best friend that she had been dating her ex-boyfriend behind my back for months but didn't have a reason to break it off with me. The last thing Eve ever said to me was, 'I'm dead to you.'"

Eric slumped over in his chair, looking as though telling me this drained all of his energy. I took a minute to compose myself. I knew that releasing all of the rage that I felt at that moment would not have helped Eric's bruised heart. I did the best thing I could think to do. I slid over and gave Eric the best bear hug I could. His muscular build made that difficult. When I pulled away I quoted one of his favorite movies, "What is her name and social security number?"

(Eric always had a crush on Angelina Jolie.)

This brought a smile to he face. As he turned away and wiped at his eyes, I wondered which would hurt worse. Having Cody leave me like he did with practically no choice in the matter, or having him do to me what Eve did to Eric. Before I could decide, Eric pulled me to my feet.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat."

*  *  *

We sat outside Sonic, eating our banana splits on a breezy August night. Apparently Sonic is the only place open at four in the morning.

"So, Lil' Lady. How's things been goin' down here in good ol' Huntsvegas, Alabamer?" asked Eric in a mocking Southern accent I despised.

I playfully punched him on the arm. "Not too bad. Very boring, though. The highlight of every year is still the Big Spring Jam."

"You must admit," he spluttered through a mouthful of ice cream and banana, "that is one heck of a highlight."

I smiled and nodded.

We didn't get back to the apartment until eight o' clock. I offered Eric my bed but he refused and said he was content with the couch. As I was getting ready for bed, my eyes landed on a picture Marie took of Cody and I running on the beach. I crawled under the covers and let the tears fall onto my pillowcase. Overwhelming guilt washed over me as I realized that I hadn't given Cody a thought all night.

Reviews

[Kurt Gargis]

Muy excellente! I feel like there's a bit more depth here, and it reflects itself...I guess that makes sense...Hmm..