Running Scared

Chapter 3:

Jersey Shore was playing on the TV as I laid in bed trying to fall asleep. I didn't really understand this show. No matter how stupid, it was addicting to watch. Drama, drama everywhere. It wasn't as bad as some people make it out to be but it isn't as good as others claim it to be.

I folded an arm behind my head and reached for my phone with the other. Out of habit, I clicked on the Facebook app and the freaking pictures were still the hottest thing people were talking about. People got a kick out of my wild acts. I rolled my eyes and scrolled down, laughing at the funny pictures.

Beep beep. I looked at the top of my screen. Eric iMessage. I clicked on his message.

Still awake? – Eric.

Yep. – Jessica.

Happy Birthday! Its midnight so its officially ur birthday! – Eric.

Thanks – Jessica.

Feel different? – Eric.

Nope. Tired, mayb. But I cant sleep. – Jessica.

That sucks. – Eric.

Yep. – Jessica.

I only stayed up to say nite so I'll see u l8r. – Eric.

Nite, dorkface. – Jessica.

I went back to stalking Facebook for nearly an hour before it became hard to keep my eyes open. My charger was still draped over my dresser so I hooked my phone up and pulled the sheets up to my chin and curled into a ball. Finally, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday sweet Jessica... happy birthday to you!” Mom sang softly.

I opened one of my eyes and spied the small cake in her hands. I sat up completely and gave her a bright smile. “Mmmm! Cake! Do I get to make a wish?” I asked excitedly as I stared at the candles.

“Of course! Careful what you wish for.”

I rolled my eyes at her warning then closed them. I thought real hard about what I wanted and then blew out the candles. Mom smiled at me, all teeth showing. She handed me a fork. I took it with a smile on my face.

“Thank you for the cake!” I took the first bite and moaned in pleasure.

“Your welcome. I have to go into the office for a little while. Not yet but I'll be out of here by eleven.”

“Okay.” I stuck my fork into the ice cream portion of my cake – yum! – and shoved it in my mouth.

With one last, quick good-bye she closed my door behind her. Balancing the cold cake in my lap, I grabbed my phone and the TV remote. I checked the time, ten AM. Hopefully, hopefully, if I'm lucky Spongebob will still be playing on Nickelodeon. Luck seemed to be with me because my favorite Spongebob episode of all time was playing.

My phone started ringing playing We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus. Mel must have changed my ringtone, again. I answered the phone without glancing at the picture.

“Hello?”

“Hey birthday girl! I'm surprised you're up!” Eric was all bright and cheery.

“My mom brought me cake,” I said like a little kid would. “What's up?”

“Want to go shoot some hoops?”

“But... my cake...”

“Your cake will be there when you get back. I'll even take you out to lunch. Come on! Don't you want to spend the day with me?”

“Well... when you put it that way...” I teased.

“Oh whatever. Come on! I'll even pick you up.”

“What time would this be?”

“I'll see you at eleven.”

“But!” I tried to get him to go later but he hung up before I could argue. Smart kid.

Groaning, I rolled out of bed and took my cake to the fridge. I reluctantly put it in the freezer with one last bite.

“No good?” My mother asked as she looked up from her cup of coffee.

“No, delicious! Eric is going to be here in an hour to pick me up for some basketball.”

“Sounds like fun!”

“Yeah... Anyways, you'll probably be gone before I leave.”

“Yes I will. I'm leaving in a few anyway. But since it's your birthday I figured we could do dinner? Say... seven?”

“Sounds good.” I turned to leave.

“Oh, and I have bad news.”

I turned back to face her with my heart in my throat. “What?”

“I have to leave for another business trip. I was supposed to leave today but now I don't have to but I'll be gone about a week... maybe more. No more than two. I'll be in Chicago though. So I won't be out of the country.”

“Awh, that sucks. But Chicago is only halfway across the country, better than halfway across the world.”

“Exactly, see the brighter side. I love you and I'll see you tonight.”

“Love you too!” I called as I jogged up the staircase.

Within thirty minutes, I showered, changed, and grabbed a couple water bottles with enough time to spare to wait. With only fifteen minutes until he should be arriving, I sat down on the couch and watched the rest of the episode I fell asleep watching the other night.

Eric walked in exactly fifteen minutes later, using his spare key I gave him a few years ago. “Watching TV, really?”

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no. No lazy comments.” I stood up and turned the TV off. I walked towards the door, grabbing the water bottles and bumping his hip as I walked by. “Let's get out of here.”

He followed behind me and I climbed into his Focus. He always leaves his car unlocked, one day he'll learn his lesson. As he drove I took our CD we made years ago from the compartment and shoved it in the CD player. Eric gave me a smile and started singing to She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5. He knows he is very bad at singing but he sings this song anyway. It always puts a smile on my face.

I sang to him Hey Jude and he pretended to tear up. We laughed and sang the entire way to the courts. When we got there I grabbed the ball from the backseat.

"Lets get this game going!" I said running out of the car with the ball in my hands. He laughed and chased after me.

We walked out to the middle of the court and bickered on who was able to start the game. Eric pulled a quarter of his pocket, his lucky quarter I gave him when we were little, and flipped it. I quickly claimed heads and he was left with no choice but tails. We both watched it fall to the ground with watchful eyes. Heads.

“Yes!” I cheered.

“You got lucky.”

“I sure did!” I bounced the ball and quickly shuffled past him on his left while he was picking up the quarter.

He growled and went after me and successfully blocked my shot to the basket. I glared at him and tried to keep him from making a shot.

He mocked me and made a perfect shot.

Eric 1 Jessica 0.

I could practically hear him saying it in his head. I stole the ball from him and jumped up to dunk the ball in the basket.

Eric 1 Jessica 1.

Eric took the ball back but I quickly took it and made a long shot.

Eric 1 Jessica 2.

“I'm so going to beat you.” I proclaimed.

“Whatever.”

He grinned and made a backwards shot, the ball rolled around the rim and carelessly fell into the hole. It's going to be a long game.