Running Scared

Chapter 30

Eric took a deep breath and let it out while he stared up at the ceiling. Last night was a big night. He couldn’t believe he actually kissed Jessica. He smiled just thinking about it. A twinge of guilt twisted in his stomach when he did.

Lucy barely talked to him all night and mainly clung to her friends or some guy from the football team. He didn’t care. He promised himself he would text her as soon as he got up.

He rolled his head over and looked at the clock next to his bed. It was ten in the morning. He clambered out of bed and went to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and hair before walking downstairs. His parents were at the kitchen table, his father reading the paper and his mother decorating cupcakes for the neighbors.

Sarah must have already left for the day. She came to visit for Eric’s senior prom and they were going to stay for a while, her due date was approaching the horizon quickly. So soon it could happen any minute and they were all on edge.

“Good morning,” he called while grabbing a bowl from the cupboard.

He poured his favorite sugary cereal and milk into the bowl. He sat down at the only empty spot at the table where there were no icing tubes, jars, sprinkles, food dye, or cupcakes. Kora was intently creating elegant flowers in all shades of pink, purple, and red. She was making the cupcakes for a ten year olds birthday party tomorrow night. She was only asked to make thirty but she was putting so much detail into them she’d be decorating all day.

“Cupcakes look great, Mom.”

“Thanks, E.”

His father stood up and notified them he needed to head off to work for some emergency thing. Eric watched him leave then went to rinse his bowl. He leaned up against the counter and whipped out his phone. He texted Lucy asking if they could meet somewhere. She replied telling him to come to her house soon.

Eric went upstairs and changed out of his pajamas and into shorts and a t-shirt. He alerted Kora that he was heading over to Lucy’s house for a bit.

A few minutes later he came to a stop in front of her house. Fingers tapping on the steering wheel he procrastinated going in. He knew it needed to be done but he didn’t want to hurt her. He took a deep breath. Exhaled. Opened the door. Walked up the steps.

The doorbell chimed and he took a step back. Lucy answered the door in a simple summer dress and leftover curls from the night before.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Can I come in?” He looked up at her.

“Yeah!” She stepped sideways and closed the door behind him.

He strode forward to her living room and sat down on the couch. She sat down next to him, smiling from ear to ear. He took both her hands in his.

“Okay. Lucy you’re a great person. You are so kind and loving. But over the past month, we’ve seemed to grow apart. That’s what it seems to me. I’m sorry but I think we should break up.” He bit his lip, waiting for her reaction.

She nodded and looked at him in the eyes. “I do, too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, we just aren’t compatible anymore. Besides, you like someone else anyways. I can tell.”

He didn’t want to answer that. “Yeah… uh, I hope we can be friends though. Not in a cliché break up way but in all honesty. I do like hanging out with you and I think we could make it work.”

“I do, too.” She pulled him into a hug. “Thanks for everything, Eric. You are a great guy.”

He pulled back. “Actually, thank you for everything. You were there while Jess was gone.”

“Anytime! I’ll see you around. Now, go to her.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Go to her.”

“Go to who?”

“Jessica. I know that’s who you like. You aren’t as secretive you think,” she giggled.

“Oh,” he turned bright red. “Well, I’ll see you around then I guess.”

She walked him to the door and waved. He returned it then walked to the car.

Like every other Sunday, I lounged on the couch watching CSI. Earlier Mom stopped in to let me know she was meeting someone for lunch. My curiosity peaked but she was quick to reassure that it was just a friend. I don’t believe her.

I took a bite of the cookie dough I stole from the freezer. Sundays were my pig-out days. I tried to work it off during the week but I usually didn’t – you only live once, right? Worse excuse ever. Oh well.

It was noon and I was still in my pajamas. I was totally put together. The episode of CSI ended so I flipped over to a more light-hearted crime show, Psych. It was one of my favorites. It was a comedy/crime show about a man who pretended he was psychic and solved all these crimes. One of the best.

The doorbell rang. I lazily rolled over and groaned. I’d have to get up to get that. I literally fell off the couch and pushed myself up.

“Dammit,” I muttered.

I dragged my feet towards the door. One of the many times I wished we had a peephole was now. James was gone but I was still skeptical about answering the door while home alone. The doorbell rang again and two more succeeding times within a ten second span and I realized it had to be Eric. No one could be that obnoxious at noon.

I pulled the door open and looked at him. “Hey.”

“Hey. You, uh, having a lazy day?”

I looked down at my outfit and immediately felt awkward. Usually it didn’t matter if I showed up in something worse than this, I mean he’d seen me before I brush my teeth before – no one wants to see that – but now I felt the need to change into normal clothes. Maybe a shirt that fit me better not an extra-large and maybe different shorts.

“Uh, yeah. Come in,” I stepped aside.

He walked in and glanced at the living room. At my mess. My cheeks went up in flames. I closed the door and he chuckled. “Nice.”

“I’ll be right back.”

I dashed up the stairs and straight to my closet. I didn’t want to be completely obvious I was changing because he was here but more of an I-meant-to-change-earlier thing. I grabbed a pair of black shorts and my favorite concert t-shirt then hastily threw them on.

In the bathroom, I quickly pulled my hair into a ponytail. Luckily my hair was still in calm curls from yesterday and not frizzy like every other morning. I jogged down the stairs and met him in the living room where he was laughing at Psych.

I plopped myself down next to him. “So what’s the random visit for?” I acted as if everything was normal. Everything was not normal. All morning I thought of the kiss. I couldn’t believe it happened. I watched TV to get my mind off of it and it worked until Eric showed up.

“I broke up with Lucy.”

“Oh. I’m sorry?” Was I supposed to say yay now we can make out again? He didn’t seem sad about it, just very informational.

“No, she took it great. It was a mutual thing.”

I really did not have a reply to that.

He looked at me now, eyes swimming in hope. “She told me to come here. Apparently I’m not very opaque.”

“You were to me,” I whispered. My gaze was still locked in his. “I didn’t know.”

He smiled. “That’s what I came here for. I was going to ask you out on an actual date.”

My eyes widen slightly. “Now?”

He chuckled. “No. Tonight.”

“Oh. Well, I’d love to!”

“Wonderful, I’ll pick you up at seven.” He stood up and walked out the door after that.

“Okay,” I said to the empty room.