I'll Be Good

20

I wake up from George and Trina softly walking around and getting ready. I stay in the same position, not ready to get up just yet and have a meaningless day again.

Someone knocks on the door and I hear George getting it.

'Oh... Goodmorning Eric,' he say. My stomach turns and my heart starts to beat faster.

'Where is Ellis?' I hear Eric ask. His voice is rough.

'They're here on the couch,' George answers carefully. I hear Eric pass George and walk towards me. My back is turned to the room, so I can't see what is happening. Why is this so nervewracking?

Suddenly an arm wraps around my waist. The couch bends a bit because of the weight and his chest presses against my back. My whole body shudders and I hope he doesn't recognizes it.

'Uhh... Eric,' I hear George say.

'Leave it,' Tori whispers.

Eric finds my hand and presses a small piece of paper in it. I look down and carefully read the words.

I'll be right here
To hold you when the sky falls down
I will always be the one who took your place
When the rain falls I won't let go
I will never leave you all alone
When I look back now, my life has always been a mess
But you were the happy end in my distress

My eyes fill up again. I put the note down and grab his hand to hold it against my chest. His nose presses against my neck.

'Lets get out of here,' he whispers.

H

e rolls off the couch and I get up too. I try to ignore the stares of George and Trina while putting my shoes on. The note of Eric is crumbled up in my hand and I make sure I don't forget it. We leave the apartment and he takes me to his office. I want to touch him, but I am only doing if he lets me. I am scared of getting hurt again, because he is getting pretty good at that.

He opens the door of his office. His face is unreadable.

'Sit,' he says and I sit down on the chair opposite his. He rolls his eyes. 'Sit on my chair.' He says the words slowly and carefully. I get up and sit down in his big, comfortable chair. He takes a chair and puts it down next to me and presses the on button of his computer screen. His arm is on the back of my chair. I look at him, waiting for him to say something. Something about what happened last night or about the words he so thoughtfully wrote for me. I know they are song lyrics, but its still makes my stomach squirm in a pleasurable way.

When the computer is on he takes his arm from the back of my chair and grabs the computer mouse and clicks a couple things. It isn't hard for me to follow, because he already thought me some things and having a father who is glued to a computer for work helps too. Suddenly something pops up on his screen and a name appears.

Mr. Feather

What? I look at Eric and he smirks.

'What a timing,' he says. He clicks the green button and my father appears on the screen. My heart beats fast. Eric leans back with his arm back on the back of my chair. There is a satisfied smile on his face. My dad isn't paying attention to the screen and is going through some paperwork.

'Ah, Eric, thank you for having this meeting now instead of tomorrow,' my dad says without looking up.

'I forgot we rescheduled,' Eric says. 'I was actually busy doing something else right now.' My heart beats fast. My dad looks up and his mouth falls open.

'Ellis,' he says softly.

'Hi dad,' I say and stick my hand up. My dad frowns and looks over at Eric.

'What do you mean by doing something else? You two didn't-' before my dad can finish his sentence I say:

'NO.'

Eric turns his head to me.

'Would that be so bad?' He asks. He is mocking me.

'Shut up,' I snap at him.

'Ellis, he is a leader. Show some respect,' my dad says and Eric starts smirking and looks at me with a mocking eyes. 'And Eric don't talk like that to my kid. They're too young for you.'

Eric stops smiling and scowls. My stomach turns when my dad says I am too young. I hate that. Why did he have to say that? Look, our age difference isn't that big. I even have had a small crush on this thirty year old guy from amity. He was the teacher of the five year olds. I saw him almost every day when I went to school. So this three year difference is nothing.

'Look, lets just reschedule this,' my dad says then. Eric looks fucking creepy right now. As if he could kill my dad if he was actually in the room. Dad disapears from the screen. We stay silent. It isn't and awkward silence. Silences with Eric are never awkward. And then I feel the tip of his fingers gently stroke the back of my neck and then in my hair. I have no idea what to do.

'Tomorrow is starts the leadership program. I think I am ready,' I say. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to be with Eric. Hang out with him. Do nothing. Or actually do everything. I want to do everything with him.

'Okay,' he says slowly. His voice is dripping with hidden meaning, but I can't figure out what that is. We get up and leave.

-

Eric and I sit on his couch. He is working on something on his laptop and I watch a show about werewolves and other supernatural creatures. I love it. I glance over at his screen and I swear to see my name. I look again. That is my name!

'Eric?' I say.

'Hmm.'

'What are you doing?'

'Filling in forms.'

'Why is there my name?'

'Because it is a form for you.'

'Why are you filling it in? Shouldn't I do it?'

'Why would you? I know all the answers.'

'Can I see?'

'Sure.'

I read it through. It is all very simple. My former faction, former position if applicable, medical history and all that kind of stuff. His answers are all surprisingly correct.

'Are you satisfied?' He asks with raised eyebrows. I nod. I am closer to him now. I scoot a little bit more closer and my arm presses against his side. He turns his head to smirk at me.

'What?' I ask. He doesn't say anything and just slips his fingers in my short hair. I close my eyes and my head falls onto his shoulder.