Broken

• Chapter 106 •

"Oh. You're here," I say as I step out of the shower.

"Hey. Yeah," Eric shrugs as he sits up on my bed. "Your mom let me in," he tells me.

I take a seat beside him with my back against the bed frame. I cross my legs and lean into his shoulder, inhaling his scent. "So what happened, during the break?" he asks.

"Well. Adrien and I broke up," I tell him.

"Why?"

I sigh, "He found out about me."

"Shit..."

"Yeah..."

"Are you okay?" he asks.

I shrug, "Yeah. I just feel bad for lying to him."

"Mhm. So I guess I'm not the only one who knows about you, eh?" he teases.

I cringe, "Er, actually. Ashton knows, too."

Eric pulls back, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Wait, you told him?"

I shake my head, "No no. He found out a while ago, it's a long story."

"I've got time."

I go on a short rant about Ashton.

"Well, damn."

"Mhm..."

"Speaking of Ashton, what's going on between you two?"

I sit up straight, brushing my hair behind my ear and looking down at my palms. "What? Nothing."

Eric rolls his eyes and raises his eyebrows at me, "Really?"

"Drop it."

He nudges me and gives me puppy dog eyes. "Puppy dog eyes, nice touch," I mumble.

"I try. Come on, now. Out with it."

I let out a heavy sigh, what if he gives me the same advice mom did? "I um, well I don't even know where to start..."

Eric sits silently, patiently waiting for me to speak. "Okay, well. He told me he has feelings for me, then he got mad and accused me of lying about not having feelings for him after he and Kate broke up. I got mad and defensive, told him I didn't like him—"

"Deja vú much..." he mumbles under his breath.

I narrow my eyes, "What?"

He shakes his head, "Nothing."

I roll my eyes. "Anyway. Then I just... Went out by myself to think and I realized that I do like him. A lot. And I'm scared I'm being delusional and blind and none of this is real," I tell him truthfully.

He sighs and takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers together. I look up at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You're not going to repeat her mistakes," he whispers.

My heart drops. Am I that transparent? "You're different. You're not the same person. You're stronger than your mom was when she met Derek."

I clench my jaw and swallow at the memory of him. "I say you should tell him how you feel," he tells me.

I shake my head, "But what if I fucked it up? What if he doesn't want me anymore? What if it was just hormones and the alcohol talking? What then? I would've ruined a perfectly good friendship."

Eric laughs and shakes his head, "If that was the case, then he already ruined your friendship."

I frown.

"He told you he liked you, didn't he?" I pause and think about it. "You make a valid point," I mumble. "But still, I—"

"Come on. What's really scaring you?" he interrupts.