Eric. This was all a joke to him wasn’t it?
I snapped. Jumped out of my chair, bumping the table on the way up, geez. “I could leave right now, you know,” I said. “I could just walk out—even scream if you try to grab me. I’ll bit your hand again! Don’t think I wouldn’t, Grant.”
He stood up as well, “You wouldn’t do that.” He said simply. “Not a chance.” But I knew he wouldn’t try to stop me, he meant something different. He didn’t appear ready to bolt after me—no. He had his two feet planted firmly on the ground.
“No?” I asked, teasing. “Give me one reason to stay.” I held up a finger wagged it in his face.
A smile lit up. “I’ll give you two.” He took my hands in his before saying. “You love me and I love you.”
Without any warning, he placed his lips, bitter with coffee, to mine. Coffee on him tasted amazing—my hatred towards coffee was waning. His mouth sweetened it.
In just seconds he was able to make me forget everything. Like the fact that this is totally considered cheating on my boyfriend. And how wrong this situation was. And maybe the fact that Shannon and Gloria are in the next room right now looking through the blinds. Hell, even Macy could have woken up and peaked on through the window.
But the thing was I didn’t care anymore. I just kept on kissing him because it was the only thing I wanted to do. Our mouths were moving in synch with each other. This felt so right. Everything else didn’t matter. And he was such a great kisser!
Eric pulled back, whispering, “Calm down.”
I was in a daze.
He smiled softly. “You were kissing me like it was our last.” I could see the emotion in his eyes, because he thought that it to be true. We couldn’t be like this forever. It was unnatural. I had a family back at home that’s probably on the verge of thinking I’m absolutely dead, all his doing.
No. What was I thinking? It’s because of me too—because I’m in love with him. He said it himself: I wouldn’t leave because of that reason. I couldn’t leave because he loved me. And now we’re both screwed.
So I said, “Sure feels like it.”
We heard a click. Eric and I quickly glanced at the door to see Shannon grinning brightly, waving one hand for us to come inside. He held up a his index finger and Shannon nodded, sincerely, and let the blinds fall as she walked away from the door.
He spoke in a low voice. “I have to ask—what did you think of me?” By the emphasis, I knew he was implying the time when we were just sitting next to each other in English. When we never spoken one word at all and I was to wrapped up on Kade to think of anything else. Eric was always quiet and never looked at me besides having to pass me old assignments I turned in. Other than that, he was just a simple mystery boy in my life.
I’ve never given much thought about him until we were English partners. But the truth was I think I’ve always wondered about Eric. Sure, it was stored away in the back of my mind, but that had to be because of Kade, because of Janaki, my sister, and school-related things. Eric was someone I’d never thought I’d be with in my entire life. Well here I am.
“You were someone I’d want to get to know, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would.” I searched for a changing expression in his face but there was none. “And Eric… you are certainly unique.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Dorothy,” He kissed my lips lightly, “Because you’re more interesting that I though you would be.”
I scrunched up my face and he laughed. He led me inside, holding my hand, while Shannon yammered on about school gossip. We sat down silently, while the lights went off and the TV came on.
Child version of Shannon and Eric appeared on the screen. They were setting up a home stage for a puppet show at their elementary school. Shannon was yelling at whoever was filming. Apparently she doesn’t like to be on tape unless she was ready. The person (a man) holding the camera was chuckling while shaking it.
“Shannon seriously?” Eric looked at her.
Shannon giggled. “Oh, come on! I haven’t even seen this and I’m in it!”
“You were there. We don’t need to relive the past.”
“Shut up and let me have my home movies,” she said, tone indifferent.
Eric sighed, defeated, and I arched an eyebrow to him. He only shook his head.
The video continued on, raising my question of Shannon and Eric’s sanity. So far, Shannon shouted at the whole class to shut up, getting herself a time-out after the presentation. Eric took most of the time making everything perfect and refused to start at all, until every single thing was in place. And after five minutes in the movie, they were ready.
“Finally,” Aaron sighed.
They went behind the cut-out-box stage, making sure they weren’t seen behind the velvet-red curtain. Thirty seconds of coughing and random arm stretches from audience members, a sock puppet sprung up. Its gray body and black-button eyes were pretty average looking for a sock puppet, except the outrageous pink hair. I suspected that to be Shannon’s hand.
The other one had a tan body, same button eyes, and lightning blue hair. Yeah, that had to be Eric’s. They did a short skit on the Declaration of Independence. Wow, they had to be in like the second grade in this video. Usually, they don’t introduce much of that stuff until later elementary school.
Even though this was supposed to be about the Declaration of Independence, all they were really doing was whacking the puppets around. Shannon made a movement of her hand to make it look like the sock puppet was doing the talking.
“The Declaration of Independence…” And some more info heard from little Shannon’s voice. They obviously didn’t know what they were talking about, because Eric ended up talking about the invention of waffles. But they kept the whole class entertained.
Shannon burst out laughing, “Do you remember what we got on our presentation?”
“We got a D+,” Eric chuckled too.
“And the plus was for good effort.” Shannon added. “Waffles were so not important.”
“Well, they were to me, I ate them that morning.” He recalled. “I feel like a waffle now. Thanks for playing the video.”
“No problem!” Shannon exclaimed, ignoring the fact that Eric said that in total sarcasm. Or maybe she did notice and just went along with it. The video stopped playing and Shannon went over to the old VCR to rewind the tape. “You know, I found your camera Eric!” She turned swiftly over, showing us this old camcorder in her hand.
“That must have been so hard to look through the cabinets of the VCR,” he rolled his eyes.
Shannon pressed the on button, and the red light came on. “Still freaking works too and it’s recording!” She put her eye up to the eyepiece and moved around the room to get a shot at everyone.
“Smile! Dottie! Eric,” Shannon said when she finally came to us. I buried my head in Eric’s chest and he put his hands in front of his face.
“C’mon.”
She smirked. “Seriously, Eric. I already whipped out the camera and videotaped you guys during your make out session out in the patio.”
I yanked my head up. “You what!?”
“Yup. It was like one of those moments you just had to get on tape.” She pushed the off button and dropped the camera in Eric’s hand. “I think we should all leave.”
She looked up at my face. “Not you. And not Eric. But Aaron is welcome to come.”
“Nah. Really?” Aaron teased.
Shannon realized what she said, “Never mind.”
“Shannon. Everything’s okay.” Eric said.
“Truthfully? Because I still feel so much tension around you two.” She made these bizarre movements with her hands.
“I think there’s always going to be tension around us,” I mumbled. Eric put his arm around me, and I leaned my head against his shoulder.
“Adorable.” Shannon squealed. She stood up, dragging Travis, who barked back a comment before leaving out the door.
“You better b
e hitting that.”
Smack.
“Ow… you better be loving that.”
Another Smack.
“What do you want me to say?” Travis complained.
Carter held Gloria’s hand as they walked past us. But she turned her head and had her eyes narrowed on me. It was like she was pleading with me. “Please go back. You’re hurting everyone.” She reminded me the thing I needed to remember. I couldn’t forget.
Aaron cleared his throat. We both snapped our heads his way; he just stared at us, wide-eyed.
“Do you guys need like… alone time?” He said.
“Don’t worry,” Eric said quietly. “We’ll be in my room.” He grasped my hand and we headed upstairs.
“Well, don’t be loud.” Was all Aaron said.
I shot him a nasty look. “We’re not doing any of that!”
When we were back in his room, I sat on his bed while Eric messed with his computer. It’s funny how being with Eric is still felt awkward, but a good kind of awkward. The kind of one where you know you’re doing something weird, but the other person will be perfectly fine with it.
So I thought about doing something weird.
“Why are you such a good kisser?” I blurted out. Wow. Did I really just ask that?
He looked at me, surprised. “Are you serious?”
I opened my mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “I was just wondering.”
“Shannon taught me,” he said simply. My jaw dropped. And then he laughed to reassured me, “No. I was joking.” He shrugged. “I really don’t know. But I’ve gotten quite a few compliments.” Then it hit me that Eric had to