"That's what's up warthogs!" Victoria plastered on a smile to end the show
Eric was so oblivious. Since they'd started working together he'd grown on her. He'd become a close friend. But that's all that they were; and now seeing him only broke her heart, over and over.
"I can't do the show anymore, Eric" Victoria told him
"What? I don't understand" Eric replied
"It's hurts to see you" she admitted, "and I can't do it anymore"
Her voice was beginning to crack and he could see tears about to well over her eyes. She was like a grenade; this explosion of emotion had been in the making for months. Her willpower broke, tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Victoria," he said, "what's happening?"
"How could you not know?" she replied, hurt, "are you that blind?"
"What did I do?" he pleaded with her
"Eric! I'm falling in love with you!" she screamed
He was stunned. He stood wide eyed and still. He didn't know what to do. How could he have missed something so important? She was so important to him.
"You made me fall in love with you," she said quietly, "and you don't even see it"
With that she left.
Eric searched for her in class for the rest of the day. But she wasn't there. He waited at the table with Charlie and Laney, but as they spoke and laughed, he was silent and distant. She wasn't there. He waited outside the school until nobody else was around. She wasn't there.
He was caught in traffic on the drive home. The blaring horns and red lights deafened him. Victoria started to invade his mind. He replayed the scene over and over. Why was he so dense? Anger boiled inside of him. He hated Victoria, he didn't want her and he didn't need her. He'd never wanted her. Sandbox days and play dates were over; they weren't in the first grade anymore. They weren't friends anymore. She had ruined everything. He gripped the steering wheel with intensity, his knuckles turning white.
"Fuck!" he screamed, punching at the dashboard
He grabbed at his hair, closed his eyes as tight as they would go, he kicked at the floor; he let out his rage, but when his fit of anger was over there were tears in his eyes. He needed her, he had from the beginning.
"Fuck" he repeated, but this time he was quiet and defeated