It's the beginning of October. It's the week following Erin's week-off, two weeks since her near death experience and three weeks since school started. She had no idea why she was in a rush to get back to school. After her dad left last night, she turned into bed early and woke up just as early to make her first class. Now, Erin is sitting in her last class, most of her energy almost completely drained from her body. As she waits for her professor's arrival, she sits her chin in the palm of her hand. Struggling to keep her eyes open, she senses a presence stand beside her, "This seat is taken." Her eyes remain closed.
Tucker frowns, "By whom?"
Erin peels her eyes open, and glances down at her purse in the seat, "…my bag."
Tucker shakes his head, chuckling, he figures she's joking. He picks up her bag and sets it on top of her desk. The 27 year old leans his backpack against his seat, "I'm glad to see you back in class," he leans over and reaches into his bag, "I made copies of my notes for you."
"I don't need them."
He releases the papers, and looks up to face her, "Hey, I was thinking…Did you want to do something this week? We couldn't really hang out last week. We can hang out like we did my first week here."
"…No thank you."
"I…I made a list," he digs into his pocket and pulls out his cell, "on my phone of more places for us to go and hangout.
"…No thank you," her eyes remain close as she tries to block out the noise around her.
"This week we could-"
She interrupts, "I don't have the time or energy to hangout this week."
"What about next week?"
Her eyes open, and she turns to face him, "No. No Tucker. We won't be hanging out this week, next week, the week after, the next month, the next year…we won't be hanging out ever. You make me feel very uncomfortable. I do not want to see you outside of school. I really don't want to see you now but there's not much I can do about that." In her peripheral, she sees her professor walk into the classroom, "We're not friends Tucker. I need you to understand that."
"Erin, I saved you." He's grinning. Her words going through one of his ears and out of the other, "We should be able to hang out. I met your dad. I feel like your dad is starting to like me."
Lindsay turns forward and watches the professor load up his PowerPoint, "You obviously have some twisted interpretation on what liking someone looks like. I hope you don't get that vibe from me because you're obviously mistaken."
The 27 year old followed Erin's line of sight. She was zoned out, but her eyes were focused forward. The professor was currently inserting his USB in order to load up the class lecture notes. Tucker used this extended opportunity to look back at Erin, "Was that your dad who was over your place yesterday?" He speaks up. Tucker had left his laptop at his apartment and didn't know for sure. When Erin doesn't respond, he continues, "Who was there? I happened to drive by your apartment and I noticed someone was there. Is everything okay?"
"Stop showing up at my place," She broke out of her reverie, and immediately turned to face him. Her voice was low and it was serious, "And the teddy bear you left me the other day, it's in the trash. Leave me alone Tucker. Don't…don't show up at my place again."
The professor clears his throat after loading up his lecture's slides. Erin is thankful for it. She managed to get the last word in before he had the chance to rebut. Erin could see his eyes looking at her every few minutes. She ignored it though. Any comment would open the window of opportunity up for him to speak to her. The class time went by pretty quickly. She spent it taking notes, asking questions and participating in class discussion. The moment he dismissed the class –a few minutes early- she grabbed her belongings and left. She left before Tucker could even say goodbye. She left before he could even register class was over. Erin wanted out of there.
Tucker pouts glumly as he decides to give her a call. She didn't say goodbye. He didn't get to really speak with her. Their conversation was unfinished. Tucker called her. It rang and rang until it went to voicemail. He called again, and then again…and again. He wanted her to answer or respond in some way. She had left so fast he wanted to make sure she was alright. That's what he's here for. They're friends. He decides to shoot a follow up text. After her health scare, Tucker needed to know she was fine.
As Erin walked outside, she felt around for her cell. Her phone was usually on silent when she was in class. Once she got out, she wanted to check for any messages from her dad. He promised to cut back on checking up on her, but since it's her first day back, she didn't mind as much. It was a process that was going to take him some time to officially adjust to not constantly checking in with her. As she approaches her car, she spots Tucker's name. Her walk from class to the parking lot served Tucker enough time to text her 27 times, call her 15 and leave 5 voicemails. She's just about to arrive at her car when she abruptly stops. A frustrated grunt erupts from her mouth as she turns on her heel and stomps back towards the classroom building.
Erin sees his name flash across her screen. He's calling again! She quickens the pep in her step as she's basically in a full out run towards the building. Erin slows down as a man holds the door open for her, "Thanks." She's a little out of breath, but it doesn't stop her from hastily walking down the hallway. She had a bone to pick with Tucker. And she wasn't leaving until she got her point across. She was tired of this. He wasn't doing anything illegal, but he was bothering her! Lindsay turns the hallway corner and sees Tucker just now leaving out of their classroom.
The young Voight stomps down the hallway. Bystanders step out of her way as they allow her through. She had one destination in mind and that was to him. She's a few steps away, "Tucker!" Erin approaches him, rips his cell from his hand and throws it across the hallway, "I just convinced my father to leave my place. He was actually considering staying a few more days. I just got him off my back! And now you're constantly on it! I just want to be left alone Tucker, but you don't understand that! I'm tired; flat out exhausted! I'm hungry! I'm angry! And I'm definitely not in the mood for any of this," her arms are flying in all sorts of directions to annunciate her point, "I'm not in the mood Tucker. It literally takes all of the energy out of me when I have to deal with you. What do I have to say or do to convince you to leave me alone?" Tucker's in silent shock as people silently watch from down the hall, "I have no desire to be your friend anymore. And no I don't care how that makes you feel. I don't! I don't care about you. I don't want you calling me. Don't text me. Don't leave me any voicemails. Don't come over to my place. Don't leave me presents. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't even think about me! I want you away from me…for good. I don't want to be anywhere near you…so good riddance and just," she inhales a sharp breath, "just leave me the hell alone!"
Erin doesn't give him the opportunity to respond. She glances at his unbroken phone lying across the hallway, before she turns on her heel to storm off. He watches people resume their conversation. As he drowns out their gossiping voices, he sees Erin's retreating form growing further and further away. He walks to his cell and picks it up. Tucker's frowning. She was not the girl he first met. This Erin was different. She was actually mean. The smile she plasters on her face for people was a lie. The dimples pierced into her smiling cheeks were forged, but for some reason, he still wanted her. She was still his. After pocketing his cell phone, he begins running. He's running in the direction Erin walked off in. He needs to catch up to her. This wasn't over. This conversation was far from over. She had the last word and Tucker didn't get the chance to say anything.
Tucker's outside. He sees Erin in the parking lot as his feet bring him nearer and nearer to her enraged form. She's still pissed. Her phone is gripped tightly in her hand as she uses her free hand to dig through her purse in search of her keys. Tucker is powerwalking, his arms swinging against his side, "Hey!" he shouts, reaching out to grab her shoulder in order to turn her to face him, "This conversation is far from over."
"Oh no this conversation is definitely over…just like this friendship is."
Tucker's voice is high-pitched, "You can't say things like that Erin!"
"I sure as hell can," she pulls her keys out of her purse, "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do. You aren't my father. You are nothing to me Tucker. You're a stranger...so get away from me. We're done talking."
"Don't say that."
"We're done talking," she repeats.
"Stop saying that!"
"Goodbye Tucker," Erin unlocks her car door with the press of a button.
"We're not done."
She's calm as she opens her door, "Yes we are."
"No we're not! Get back here! You don't want to mess with me. I'm telling you Erin."
Lindsay eyes him suspiciously from over her shoulder. She goes into the backseat and tosses her backpack inside. She's not speaking. She already told Tucker they were done talking. Erin was over it. She was ready to move on and pretend she's never even met Tucker Rhodes before.
"Erin, please…don't do this. It's for your safety. You need me on your side. Erin, come on," he steps closer when she gets into the car, "Erin!" The sound of his voice extends higher. He's angry. Her deliberately ignoring him is simmering rage in his core, "I hate being ignored. I've been ignored my entire life. That's the one thing…the one thing I ask you not to do."
"Or what?" She turns to face him, eyes glaring daggers into his, "What are you going to do?"
Tucker smiles. He's relieved she responded. With his hand on her door, he leans against it and smiled, "I don't know, but I'm glad we don't have to find out."
"Tucker-"
"We can be together."
His admission catches her completely off guard. She would have never guessed that the guy who pulled her from that oncoming bike would turn into this. Her eyes almost bulged out. Erin knew he had a crush on her…that didn't surprise her. What surprised her was the fact that literally everything she said to him, every obvious sign of discomfort, he didn't pick up on.
"I'm not afraid to admit it. I was at first, but I'm ready. And I know you're ready too Erin. Otherwise, you wouldn't be pushing me away. You're trying to get rid of me so you can ignore your feelings for me, but you don't have to do that. We can be together."
"I have a boyfriend…a cop boyfriend. And Tucker, I love him…not you."
The 27 year old releases the door and steps back. As she reaches for it, she catches the smile on his mouth, the gleam in his eye and the relaxed expression on his face. Erin was curious, but she wasn't that curious. Before she could slam the door, he grabs it again, "Erin, he may have been your first love, but I have every intention of being your last." He releases the door for good this time. He expected to hear the slamming of a door following his statement, but it never came.
Erin is looking at him in utter disbelief, "You are crazy."
"Don't call me that," he whispers, his eyes focusing on the pavement of the ground.
"You are crazy if you ever think I would leave my boyfriend for you. I would…I could never want you. Ever." Erin finally slams her car door shut, and locks the door. He doesn't leave right away. He stares at her through her car window. She's buckling her seatbelt. She's starting the engine. And now she's rolling down her window, "You know…it all finally makes sense now."
"What makes sense?"
"…the fact that you've never had a friend before," Those are her last words as she pulls out of the parking spot
Erin made plans to go for an afternoon jog around the park. It was still day out, but she'll have to cut her jog short by about an hour because of the late start. She doesn't jog at night. She's careful. Lindsay doesn't put herself –at least not intentionally- in situations that could result in her getting hurt. It's one of the things that were drilled in her head as a child by both of her parents. She's vigilant. She's cautious. However, Erin was very naïve, which didn't mix or balance well with her vigilance and caution. One always outweighed the other.
She was always aware of her naivety. As the daughter of a cop, one usually assumed she was skeptical, guarded and alert about everything. Erin, though, didn't like to look at the bad in people. She knew everyone had bad qualities or has done bad things before; she didn't like to hold that against them. Erin wanted to get to know people without having the added weight of their past dictate how she perceives them. It was a very nonjudgmental thing for her to do, but her father didn't approve. Hank loved that his daughter always saw the best, but he always had to remind her not to ignore the worst. It could backfire on her.
The 24 year old arrives at her house. Tucker is parked across the street, loading the screens up on his laptop. She walks inside her home and types her alarm password onto the keypad. Tucker saw it. He managed to catch the five-digit number. He smiles as he jots it down quickly inside of a school notepad. Tucker knew she didn't want him visiting her, but she never said anything about him visiting her when she wasn't home. She didn't want him calling her, but what if his number doesn't appear on the phone? She'll answer. She won't know it's him. And he'll get to hear her voice. It was a win-win for both of them.
With a blocked number, Tucker calls her after she finishes changing into her jogging suit. It's chilly out and it's not really the best temperature for her to wear her normal jogging apparel. On the computer screen, Tucker watches her grab her phone, and the curiosity in her is what pushed her to answer the blocked call.
"Hello," her voice is hesitant. It's suspicious.
Tucker doesn't say a thing. He just wants to listen. He can sit in the car all day and listen to her say the same thing over and over again. It would never get old and tiring.
"Is anyone there?"
He begins breathing into the phone.
Erin rolls her eyes, "Goodbye." She hangs up.
The brief call wasn't enough. Tucker needed to hear her voice again. With the same blocked id, he calls her number again, and she immediately answers it on the first ring, "Hello?" Her voice is louder. It's less cautious and more irritated. He's breathing just like the last phone call.
"Tucker, is this you?"
He panics. He pulls the phone away from his loud breathing and watches her on the camera screen. The 27 year old's body is rocking back and forth as his free hand erratically tapped along the arm rest. He's waiting to hear what she has to say. He had already made her upset. He didn't want to do it again.
Tucker expects to hear her say something again; maybe a warning, a threat or something, but she doesn't. Erin sighs and hangs up. Her voice is like a drug and he's addicted. He doesn't want to call her back, but he can't seem to physically stop himself from redialing her number. Tucker watches her on the screen and she sends his blocked call straight to voicemail. She was deliberately ignoring him again!
"Stop doing this to me Erin." He whispers as she leaves her apartment.
He stoops low in his seat, being mindful that she's hopping back into her car. Tucker had no idea where she was going, but he was up for the chase. He was ready for an adventure and Erin Voight was definitely going to give it to him. Tucker spots her car driving pass, and he quickly slams his laptop in order to follow her. From her jogging suit, he figured she was going for a run, he just didn't know where.
Tucker keeps a nice distance behind her. She never suspects a thing. When she's driving, he stays at least one car behind her. When she parks, he parks on the opposite side of the street. When she walks, he stays behind a few people heading in the same direction. Erin begins running along the path and Tucker knew that if he wanted to keep his eye on her, he would have to run. The only reason he's here is to make sure Erin stays safe.
With a quick pep in his step, he quickens his pace as her distance gets farther and farther. They're a few people outside. Most people were still at work. It would be getting dark in two hours. He remembered Erin never ran in the dark so her run would be ending sometime before then. Tucker is still jogging. He jogs around people walking along the trail. He's barely keeping up with Erin, but the want and the need to be near her, keeps him as close to her as his nonathletic body would allow.
He had a good visual of her, until he blinked. The blink felt like it lasted less than a second, but it was enough for her to completely disappear. He doesn't stop running. Tucker figured that she sped up to burn more calories since she can't stay out as long, but the moment he felt a shove against his back, he knew he was mistaken. She was no longer running. She was standing next to him, her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted in confusion, "Are you following me?"
"No," Tucker chuckles lightheartedly, "it's probably just fate or something that had us both here at the same exact time."
"I have a limited amount of time to jog so I'm going to get back to that, but just know that I don't believe one word you just said." Erin turns forward and continues her run. Tucker does too.
They're running together. It's like a date. She runs with her boyfriend normally and now she's running with him. Erin quickens her pace and so does Tucker. She stops again, partially out of breath, "Did you forget my dad's a cop?" Her hands are on her hips as she tries to muffle her deep breathing, "If you keep doing this, I'll swallow my pride and tell him."
"Doing what?" Tucker chuckles. He's even more out of breath than she is. His hand is against his forehead, blocking the bright sunlight from his eyes, "This is a public park Erin. I have every right to be here. You think that I followed you here, but how am I supposed to know you didn't follow me here?"
"You're ridiculous." Erin begins walking in the opposite direction, "My run is over. Thanks for ruining it."
"Wait," he leans forward and tries to grab her arm, but she manages to yank it away, "maybe we can run it together?"
"I like to run alone."
"You run with Jay."
"…that's different." Erin continues walking in the opposite direction. She'll just start scheduling her jogs around when Jay does. Her hands are on her hips as she quickens her walk, "Don't follow me Tucker. I'm serious. Follow me again and I'll lead you straight to the precinct."
"Is that a threat Erin?" Tucker is smiling, his teeth beaming in the bright sun, "Is it?"
Erin never answers him. She heard him loud and clear but she doesn't answer. When she said she was done talking to him, she meant it. She just had to remember not to speak. It was a force of habit to speak if someone spoke to her first or if she had to get something off of her chest, but once she remembers to stay quiet, she will.
"Erin, I'm talking to you!" he's shouting, and rocking back and forth on his feet, "ERIN! Erin, answer me! I'm talking to you! Erin please," he's pleading, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt, "I'll see you later." She's too far away to hear him.
Tucker's eyes turn dark. He sees people eyeing him as they either walk or jog pass. He's biting against his bottom lip, "Don't stare at me!" He screams it at the top of his lungs. He's trying to keep calm. He wants to stay levelheaded for Erin. He can't hurt her like he did his last potential friend. He doesn't want her to end up like Valerie did. Tucker thought Valerie was the perfect girl for him, but she proved that wasn't true. She had to pay for that. Now, with Erin in his life, Tucker knew for a fact that she was the perfect girl for him, no matter how hard she played to get.
