Anyone But You

Chapter 10 - Nate

Erin wasn't in school on Friday..

I really wish that wasn't the first thing I noticed in the morning.

She wasn't there in second period AP English and she wasn't in the library or the newsroom during study hall, morning break, or during lunch.

I finally got up the nerve to ask one of her freshman staff members when the final bell rang if she knew if Erin was going to the newsroom this afternoon.

Despite the fact that I had tried not to seem desperate, I'm pretty sure the girl saw the crazy gleam in my eyes because she was extremely nervous with me. While the poor girl wrung her hands, she stammered out that Erin had called all of her staff to cancel the newspaper meeting this afternoon.

Erin would never cancel a meeting. If she was on her death bed she would find a way to host that meeting. 

That's when I started to get worried.

Part of me wished that I didn't care so much. So far, every time I tried to understand Erin, I just got hurt. That may have to do with the fact that each time I saw her, I could hardly keep my mouth away from hers, but that was besides the point.

She insulted me, and pushed me away, and ignored me. And I couldn't stay away from her. Especially when I knew something was wrong.

 I had football practice today and coach would probably crucify me if I didn't show up, or worse, he might not let me play our first game. But that didn't matter as I ran for the school gym instead of the Fairfield Football Field - yeah, try saying that five times fast.

I shoved people aside mindlessly, uncaring as people swore at my fleeting back.

Not even breathing hard, I ran into the gym and looked around wildly, searching the faces of the boys shooting baskets and running drills. No Dean.

Then I raced for my car.

Mark would probably probably kill me for skipping practice and taking our jeep without telling him, but  angry steam had gathered in my head where good sense should have been instead.

I haphazardly parked my truck on the curb in front of Erin's house and tumbled out of the driver's side door, the engine still running. I flew up her front steps and was about to lay down on the door bell or simply break the door down when I realized that a light was on inside.

From my spot on Erin's front porch, I could see through her front windows that were wide open and allowed me to peer into her living room and kitchen.

And there she was. Just the sight of her, even in her regular T-shirt and cut-off jeans was enough to make my heart go wild in my chest.

But she seemed generally unharmed as she placed grocery bags on the counter casually.

Erin had played hooky? From school? And skipped a newspaper meeting?

No way.

When I found out that both Erin and Dean were out of school, I figured that it couldn't be purely coincidental. And here I was thinking.... horrible things. Things that could have happened to Erin.

That girl was going to be the death of me.

 She wrung me out, pushed me away as I drew closer, and didn't trust me despite all my efforts. She ran away from me after I told her I loved her and she kissed me with a burning passion that I hardly understood. She told me to stay away from her, that whatever went on between us was inappropriate and irrelevant, but I couldn't keep myself away from her. From watching out for her. She wouldn't tell me what hurt her, but I knew something was wrong anyway. Every time I encountered her, I felt like she stabbed another knife in my heart, and yet she was the only thing on my mind.