the ways we love.

five.

-

Yesterday felt like a blur.

Erin woke up half an hour before her alarm was set to go off.

She felt this strong minty taste in her mouth as if she just chugged a gallon of mouthwash.

Unable to go back to sleep, she decided that it wouldn't hurt to get ready early.

When she walked through the bathroom door, everything from last night came back to her as soon as she saw the shattered glass all over the floor and the scale thrown across the room.

She spent the last thirty minutes cleaning up her mess, full of guilt.

The alarm went off as soon as the last glass piece made its way into the trash.

Once she was dressed up in her faded green hoodie and mid-washed denim jeans, she met with her sister downstairs.

Jayden looked up from her breakfast when she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"My god, your bruise looks awful," Jayden said, giving her a look of pity.

Erin hated when Jayden gave her that look. That expression she saw every time her dad came home drunk, meaning something bad was waiting to happen.

Confused, Erin brought her hand up feeling around her face and winced from the sharp pain.

She went to the nearest mirror she could find and was caught by surprise when she spotted the bruise on the side of her neck.

Though her dad was drunk, he was always careful. He knew what area he could hit where the bruises wouldn't be seen to others.

But last night, he was too angry to care.

Erin quickly pulled out foundation and concealer from her backpack and covered the bruise as best she can.

"We leave in five minutes, I'll wait in the car."

Jayden reached a hand out towards Erin, offering her waffle. "Eat something, you never eat breakfast."

Erin turned down her offer and began running to the door before Jayden could argue.

But before she could leave, the waffle was thrown at her head.

"I'm not hungry!" Erin yelled as she closed the door.

"You just wasted a waffle!" Jayden yelled back, finishing the last remains on her plate. She threw her backpack over her shoulder and went to the car.

School went by a lot slower than Erin thought it would. By the time it was her free period, she was worn out.

Erin dragged her feet across the hallway on the way to her locker to put her textbooks away.

She was startled by the white piece of paper that flew out of her locker as she opened it.

She bent down and picked up the paper that fell to her foot.

"Meet me in the library.

-Bitter Coffee"

Erin smiled at the note.

His handwriting is nice.

She put the note in her pocket and headed towards the direction of the library.

As she is about to make her way in, she pauses in front of the door and places her hand over her chest.

Her heart is beating fast.

Why am I so nervous?

Taking in a deep breath, Erin walks in, and her eyes scan the library until her eyes meet with Reese sitting at the window seat.

She's still frozen by the door until he spots Erin and is looking directly at her, waving with a smile on his face.

Erin feels as if her heart were about to explode out of her chest any second from their eye contact.

She doesn't know why, but the sight of Reese excites her. And as she started to calm down, she returns the smile and walks towards him.

Reese moved aside to leave room for Erin to sit down. "Hey, Erin."

"You know, you make it really hard to believe that you aren't stalking me." She hesitated to sit down, but she did.

"I may have had to ask an entire hallway for your locker."

Erin covered her mouth after letting out a laugh, forgetting they were in a library. Reese laughed from the multiple stares they received.

They both continued to laugh from the fact of how stupid they look right now. Their laughter finally died down minutes later.

"Let's play 20 questions," Reese suggested, "I ask ten questions, you ask ten."

Reese could tell Erin was confused by her expression.

"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to know you better, Erin."

Erin sat up from her seat. "Okay, you ask first."

"What's one of your biggest regrets?"

"Going to a library to meet a stranger just because a letter told me to." Reese scoffed from her answer.

"What about you, what's one of your biggest regrets?"

"Probably sitting down at a table just because a stranger told me to." Erin rolled her eyes and bumped her shoulder into his.

After many questions, laughs, and weird stares, it was down to Erin's last question to ask.

"What is your goal in life as of right now?"

"To get Erin Davidson's phone number." Erin looked at him in the eyes, hoping he couldn't see what she was feeling right now.

"10 questions isn't enough for me, Erin. There's something about you that makes me want to know more."

Erin hadn't realized their legs were touching until they brushed against each other, and it sent chills throughout her entire body.

She tried her best to ignore it and her eyes lock with his again.

"I'm drawn to you, but not in a creepy way if that's what you're thinking."

"Fine, but only if you promise me you won't fall in love with me, or kill me." she teased.

"I promise I won't fall in love with you, but only if you promise you won't fall in love with me."

"You're crazy if you think I'll fall for someone that is probably my stalker," Erin laughed.

They stood up from their seat after hearing the school bell. Reese took a step closer to Erin, only leaving a few feet between them.

Reese reached his hand out for Erin to shake, "Do we have a deal? If not, I'll kill you right now in this library," He smirked.

"I promise I won't fall in love with you, Reese Matthews." Erin smirked back as she shook his hand.

Erin had already left before they could exchange numbers, leaving Reese upset.

Once she was out of sight, he noticed something fell out of her pocket.

It was the note he had put in her locker earlier.
But there was something else written on the back when he flipped it over.

"Until we meet again, stalker.

-Erin"

And written on the bottom was her phone number. Reese scoffed at the nickname, and he took his phone out to save her number.

New contact
Erin <3

Putting his phone in his pocket, he sat back down at the window seat.

I'm going to make you fall in love with me, Erin Davidson.