Chapter 6
The phone rang twice before Topanga picked it up. "Hello?"
"Just a second," she held the phone to her chest.
"Corey, you out of the bathroom yet?"
Corey walked out of the bedroom to where his wife sat.
"Yup, but I wouldn't go in there for at least a day, maybe two."
"It's your dad, he wants to talk to you." Topanga handed Corey the phone.
"Hello?... I don't know where he is and I don't think he'll be coming back here anytime soon... Yeah… we know... It didn't go so well here either. Dad, how do you think I reacted? I was embarrassed and angry! I know… and when we see him, we're going to apologize… Dad, we love Eric, that's why we were so upset... Alright, love you too. Bye." Corey replaced the handset on the cradle and plopped down next to Topanga.
"Eric talked to your parents?"
"Yeah, seems my parents didn't react as well as Eric hoped either. They can't find him."
"It's late, you don't think he'd do something stupid, do you?"
"It's Eric, when wouldn't he do something stupid…" Topanga slapped Corey on the chest.
"Hey! He's your brother. We were wrong to be so cold to him. What kind of parents are we going to be if we can't handle a problem like this?"
"I know, I know. It's just hard to think one way your whole life and then just change your mind about it and…"
"No more excuses. Let's just try and fix this the best way we can… we should start by trying to find Eric. It's late and who knows where he'll go or what he'll do."
"Alright, let's go." Corey stood up and walked into the bedroom to grab some shoes and a coat for the both of them.
Eric only had time to down a couple of drinks before a handsome, tall, dark-haired man with extremely sexy brown eyes sat next to him at the bar. Eric was feeling a bit buzzed since he never drank. Ever.
"How are ya?" He eyed the stranger suspiciously.
Eric finished swallowing, "Good, how are you?"
"I noticed you sitting here alone, you waiting for someone?" Eric now noticed that the man was extremely well built. He could see the outline of the guy's chest as his tight-fitting white shirt hugged the curves of his pecs. Eric started noticing other things too, like the way his sleeves strained to contain his biceps… and that six-pack, oh man…
"If you're waiting for someone, I'll leave you alone…"
Eric quickly regained his composure, "No, I … no. I'm just… Hi, I'm Eric." Eric reached out to shake his hand.
"Hi, I'm Jack," he laughed as he extended his hand to Eric. Eric laughed at the irony as Jack took Eric's hand in a strong grip and shook it. They both sat there, looking at each other for a few moments, smiling.
"So, I haven't seen you in here before."
"Yeah, and you never will again, I don't drink." Eric took another sip.
"Just comin' out?" Jack turned a little to face Eric. Surprised by this, Eric unconsciously did the same.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Isn't going too well though." Jack reached over and rubbed Eric's leg. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Eric was surprised by the physical contact and at the same time excited by it.
"You're hot," Eric blurted out. Jack smiled.
"Thanks, you're pretty cute yourself," Jack chuckled. "Wanna dance?"
Eric thought for a moment then grinned, "Sure."
Jack led Eric by the hand out to the middle of the dance floor. Faith Hill was singing 'Breathe' in the background. Jack put Eric's arms around his waist, then put his own arms around Eric's neck, looking deep into each other's eyes.
'…I watch the sunlight dance across your face, and I've never been this swept away…'
They slow dance for a few minutes before Eric boldly kissed Jack deeply.
'…caught up in the touch, slow and steady rush, baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be…I can feel you breathe…just breathe…'
Eric's hands moved down from Jack's waist to his butt, rubbing, squeezing Jack's tight curves. Jack eagerly kissed him back. They unknowingly stop dancing, standing there, kissing and groping. Jack broke the lip-lock and looked at Eric who blinked dazedly a few times. "You wanna get outta here?"
Eric hesitated, "Yeah… No… I have to go to the bathroom, I'm sorry, I can't." Eric rushed off the floor to the bathroom, leaving Jack standing there alone.
Eric found the end stall empty and hovered over the toilet, not sure if he was going to throw up or pass out. He looked at his reflection in the water, just staring. After a few moments, he turned around to find Jack standing right behind him.
"You didn't think you'd get away that easy, didjya?" Jack closed the stall door and locked it behind him. Eric took a couple of steps back, straddling the toilet. "I said I can't. I'm in love with someone else and it wouldn't be right… I'm… I'm not like that…"
Jack stepped forward, standing face to face with Eric, looking at his sad brown eyes. Jack cupped Eric's face in his hands and whispered to him, "It's alright, baby, I understand your scared… It's your first time." Jack kissed Eric long and hard, Eric doing little to fight him. Jack's hands moved slowly down Eric's neck, over his shoulders and down his back, grabbing Eric's ass and pushing his pelvis into his own. Eric was paralyzed by Jack's forwardness, feeling Jack's hands on his chest. They slowly moved down to his stomach and found his jeans, quickly unbuttoning them. Jack's hands nimbly reached inside.
"STOP IT!" Eric had gathered enough strength and coherence to pull away from Jack's lusty face-suck and pushed him back into the stall door.
"What!? I want you… I want you bad and I want you now…" Jack took a step forward. Eric drew his fist back with the intent to deck Jack in the face. Jack stopped and shrugged. "Fine, have it your way." Jack turned around and opened the stall door and left. Eric dropped his defensive stance and noticed that he was shaking horribly. He turned and vomited into the bowl and flushed it. Quickly, he left the bar.
"So where do you think he is?" Rachel asked Jack. Jack shifted uneasily on the couch.
"I don't know, but it sure is nice of you to come over… in spite of last night." Jack looked at Rachel, watching her face turn a little sour.
"Well, Eric's my friend too. Besides, I think it's cute that he's in love with you. I can't blame him." Rachel looked back at the TV. "You know, I wouldn't mind if you broke up with me if it was to be with Eric… just so you know, I'm not prejudice or anything. I think you would both be a handsome couple." Rachel studied Jack's face, waiting for his reaction. Jack stood up and walked to the television and turned it off. "Rachel, he's my best friend, and I didn't break up with you to be with Eric. I didn't know until the morning after I talked to you." Rachel couldn't help but think how cute Jack looked in his Rugby shirt and his khaki pants.
"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't bother me if you had feelings for Eric and you wanted to pursue them."
"I'm not gay, Rachel. I love Eric as a friend, nothing more." Jack stood in front of the TV, arms folded across his chest.
"So you've thought about this. Eric I mean." Rachel leaned back into the couch.
"Well, of course, we all have to deal with this now, it's not just Eric's burden anymore. I'd do anything for him, but I can't return a feeling that I don't really have."
Rachel sat up. "Don't really have? I would think that you either don't have it or you do have it… how do you not really have it?" Jack stood there thinking about Rachel's words. [Eric's a guy, I don't think that guys are attractive in that way… Eric isn't an ugly guy by any means, but…]
"So there IS something there, some element that you haven't considered!" Rachel looked triumphant in her assessment of Jack.
"What? No… I don't know. What do you care anyway?" Jack suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
"Well, from MY perspective, I would much rather be dumped for Eric than for some other girl. It's kinda like closure for me." Rachel said smiling. She stood up. They both turned and looked at the door as they heard the key in the lock and watched the knob turn. Eric walked in and stood there, staring back at Rachel and Jack.
"I'm home…" he said as he gently shut the door behind him and walked to his bedroom.
"Maybe I should let you two talk," Rachel bent over to pick up her purse.
"Uh, you sure, cause if you wanna talk to Eric…" Jack fidgeted nervously.
"No, no, you two have much more to talk about, I'm just glad he's home and o.k." Rachel put on her coat. "Bye, Eric! Glad you're alright! Call me if you wanna talk!"
"Thanks Rach," Eric called from the bedroom. Rachel smiled at Jack, "Call me if you need anything."
"I will. Thanks." Jack opened the door for Rachel and locked it behind her.
Eric lay on his bed looking at the ceiling, half believing that all the events transpired today really occurred. "I'm just glad today is over," he whispered.
"What was that?" Jack walked into the bedroom and sat down on his bed across the room from Eric. Eric sat up and looked at Jack apprehensively.
"Look, Eric, I broke up with Rachel last night. We went out to a sushi restaurant and whatever I ate made me sick. I threw up because of what I ate last night, not because of you." Eric shifted uneasily and let his eyes drop to the floor.
"Eric, you have nothing to be embarrassed about, I am a pretty good lookin' guy," he smiled. Eric looked up, hearing the smile in Jack's voice. He didn't know how to take that so he sat, waiting. Jack stood up and walked over to Eric's bed and sat next to him.
"Look, I am your friend. One of your best-friends, and I don't want you to feel awkward or uncomfortable around me, nor I around you." Eric nodded slightly.
"Let's not have this change anything between us, we are still buds and we will always be." Jack put his arm around Eric's shoulders and gave him a rough, friendly hug. Eric responded by turning to Jack and slipping his arms around Jack's torso and hugging him tightly, sobbing, "…I'm sorry, Jack…"
Jack was startled, hesitated, and finally put his arms around Eric's shoulder and cradled his head against his chest. "Shhh… it's all right, man. We'll get through this, it's gonna be alright…Everything's gonna be alright…" Eric continued to sob. He hurt so bad, so deeply, he thought his heart would burst within his chest. He was both relieved that Jack wasn't treating him like a leper, and torn to know that Jack didn't return his affection. Eric cried for another few minutes and Jack continued to just hold him before they turned in for the night.
The phone rang twice before Topanga picked it up. "Hello?"
"Just a second," she held the phone to her chest.
"Corey, you out of the bathroom yet?"
Corey walked out of the bedroom to where his wife sat.
"Yup, but I wouldn't go in there for at least a day, maybe two."
"It's your dad, he wants to talk to you." Topanga handed Corey the phone.
"Hello?... I don't know where he is and I don't think he'll be coming back here anytime soon... Yeah… we know... It didn't go so well here either. Dad, how do you think I reacted? I was embarrassed and angry! I know… and when we see him, we're going to apologize… Dad, we love Eric, that's why we were so upset... Alright, love you too. Bye." Corey replaced the handset on the cradle and plopped down next to Topanga.
"Eric talked to your parents?"
"Yeah, seems my parents didn't react as well as Eric hoped either. They can't find him."
"It's late, you don't think he'd do something stupid, do you?"
"It's Eric, when wouldn't he do something stupid…" Topanga slapped Corey on the chest.
"Hey! He's your brother. We were wrong to be so cold to him. What kind of parents are we going to be if we can't handle a problem like this?"
"I know, I know. It's just hard to think one way your whole life and then just change your mind about it and…"
"No more excuses. Let's just try and fix this the best way we can… we should start by trying to find Eric. It's late and who knows where he'll go or what he'll do."
"Alright, let's go." Corey stood up and walked into the bedroom to grab some shoes and a coat for the both of them.
Eric only had time to down a couple of drinks before a handsome, tall, dark-haired man with extremely sexy brown eyes sat next to him at the bar. Eric was feeling a bit buzzed since he never drank. Ever.
"How are ya?" He eyed the stranger suspiciously.
Eric finished swallowing, "Good, how are you?"
"I noticed you sitting here alone, you waiting for someone?" Eric now noticed that the man was extremely well built. He could see the outline of the guy's chest as his tight-fitting white shirt hugged the curves of his pecs. Eric started noticing other things too, like the way his sleeves strained to contain his biceps… and that six-pack, oh man…
"If you're waiting for someone, I'll leave you alone…"
Eric quickly regained his composure, "No, I … no. I'm just… Hi, I'm Eric." Eric reached out to shake his hand.
"Hi, I'm Jack," he laughed as he extended his hand to Eric. Eric laughed at the irony as Jack took Eric's hand in a strong grip and shook it. They both sat there, looking at each other for a few moments, smiling.
"So, I haven't seen you in here before."
"Yeah, and you never will again, I don't drink." Eric took another sip.
"Just comin' out?" Jack turned a little to face Eric. Surprised by this, Eric unconsciously did the same.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Isn't going too well though." Jack reached over and rubbed Eric's leg. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Eric was surprised by the physical contact and at the same time excited by it.
"You're hot," Eric blurted out. Jack smiled.
"Thanks, you're pretty cute yourself," Jack chuckled. "Wanna dance?"
Eric thought for a moment then grinned, "Sure."
Jack led Eric by the hand out to the middle of the dance floor. Faith Hill was singing 'Breathe' in the background. Jack put Eric's arms around his waist, then put his own arms around Eric's neck, looking deep into each other's eyes.
'…I watch the sunlight dance across your face, and I've never been this swept away…'
They slow dance for a few minutes before Eric boldly kissed Jack deeply.
'…caught up in the touch, slow and steady rush, baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be…I can feel you breathe…just breathe…'
Eric's hands moved down from Jack's waist to his butt, rubbing, squeezing Jack's tight curves. Jack eagerly kissed him back. They unknowingly stop dancing, standing there, kissing and groping. Jack broke the lip-lock and looked at Eric who blinked dazedly a few times. "You wanna get outta here?"
Eric hesitated, "Yeah… No… I have to go to the bathroom, I'm sorry, I can't." Eric rushed off the floor to the bathroom, leaving Jack standing there alone.
Eric found the end stall empty and hovered over the toilet, not sure if he was going to throw up or pass out. He looked at his reflection in the water, just staring. After a few moments, he turned around to find Jack standing right behind him.
"You didn't think you'd get away that easy, didjya?" Jack closed the stall door and locked it behind him. Eric took a couple of steps back, straddling the toilet. "I said I can't. I'm in love with someone else and it wouldn't be right… I'm… I'm not like that…"
Jack stepped forward, standing face to face with Eric, looking at his sad brown eyes. Jack cupped Eric's face in his hands and whispered to him, "It's alright, baby, I understand your scared… It's your first time." Jack kissed Eric long and hard, Eric doing little to fight him. Jack's hands moved slowly down Eric's neck, over his shoulders and down his back, grabbing Eric's ass and pushing his pelvis into his own. Eric was paralyzed by Jack's forwardness, feeling Jack's hands on his chest. They slowly moved down to his stomach and found his jeans, quickly unbuttoning them. Jack's hands nimbly reached inside.
"STOP IT!" Eric had gathered enough strength and coherence to pull away from Jack's lusty face-suck and pushed him back into the stall door.
"What!? I want you… I want you bad and I want you now…" Jack took a step forward. Eric drew his fist back with the intent to deck Jack in the face. Jack stopped and shrugged. "Fine, have it your way." Jack turned around and opened the stall door and left. Eric dropped his defensive stance and noticed that he was shaking horribly. He turned and vomited into the bowl and flushed it. Quickly, he left the bar.
"So where do you think he is?" Rachel asked Jack. Jack shifted uneasily on the couch.
"I don't know, but it sure is nice of you to come over… in spite of last night." Jack looked at Rachel, watching her face turn a little sour.
"Well, Eric's my friend too. Besides, I think it's cute that he's in love with you. I can't blame him." Rachel looked back at the TV. "You know, I wouldn't mind if you broke up with me if it was to be with Eric… just so you know, I'm not prejudice or anything. I think you would both be a handsome couple." Rachel studied Jack's face, waiting for his reaction. Jack stood up and walked to the television and turned it off. "Rachel, he's my best friend, and I didn't break up with you to be with Eric. I didn't know until the morning after I talked to you." Rachel couldn't help but think how cute Jack looked in his Rugby shirt and his khaki pants.
"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't bother me if you had feelings for Eric and you wanted to pursue them."
"I'm not gay, Rachel. I love Eric as a friend, nothing more." Jack stood in front of the TV, arms folded across his chest.
"So you've thought about this. Eric I mean." Rachel leaned back into the couch.
"Well, of course, we all have to deal with this now, it's not just Eric's burden anymore. I'd do anything for him, but I can't return a feeling that I don't really have."
Rachel sat up. "Don't really have? I would think that you either don't have it or you do have it… how do you not really have it?" Jack stood there thinking about Rachel's words. [Eric's a guy, I don't think that guys are attractive in that way… Eric isn't an ugly guy by any means, but…]
"So there IS something there, some element that you haven't considered!" Rachel looked triumphant in her assessment of Jack.
"What? No… I don't know. What do you care anyway?" Jack suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
"Well, from MY perspective, I would much rather be dumped for Eric than for some other girl. It's kinda like closure for me." Rachel said smiling. She stood up. They both turned and looked at the door as they heard the key in the lock and watched the knob turn. Eric walked in and stood there, staring back at Rachel and Jack.
"I'm home…" he said as he gently shut the door behind him and walked to his bedroom.
"Maybe I should let you two talk," Rachel bent over to pick up her purse.
"Uh, you sure, cause if you wanna talk to Eric…" Jack fidgeted nervously.
"No, no, you two have much more to talk about, I'm just glad he's home and o.k." Rachel put on her coat. "Bye, Eric! Glad you're alright! Call me if you wanna talk!"
"Thanks Rach," Eric called from the bedroom. Rachel smiled at Jack, "Call me if you need anything."
"I will. Thanks." Jack opened the door for Rachel and locked it behind her.
Eric lay on his bed looking at the ceiling, half believing that all the events transpired today really occurred. "I'm just glad today is over," he whispered.
"What was that?" Jack walked into the bedroom and sat down on his bed across the room from Eric. Eric sat up and looked at Jack apprehensively.
"Look, Eric, I broke up with Rachel last night. We went out to a sushi restaurant and whatever I ate made me sick. I threw up because of what I ate last night, not because of you." Eric shifted uneasily and let his eyes drop to the floor.
"Eric, you have nothing to be embarrassed about, I am a pretty good lookin' guy," he smiled. Eric looked up, hearing the smile in Jack's voice. He didn't know how to take that so he sat, waiting. Jack stood up and walked over to Eric's bed and sat next to him.
"Look, I am your friend. One of your best-friends, and I don't want you to feel awkward or uncomfortable around me, nor I around you." Eric nodded slightly.
"Let's not have this change anything between us, we are still buds and we will always be." Jack put his arm around Eric's shoulders and gave him a rough, friendly hug. Eric responded by turning to Jack and slipping his arms around Jack's torso and hugging him tightly, sobbing, "…I'm sorry, Jack…"
Jack was startled, hesitated, and finally put his arms around Eric's shoulder and cradled his head against his chest. "Shhh… it's all right, man. We'll get through this, it's gonna be alright…Everything's gonna be alright…" Eric continued to sob. He hurt so bad, so deeply, he thought his heart would burst within his chest. He was both relieved that Jack wasn't treating him like a leper, and torn to know that Jack didn't return his affection. Eric cried for another few minutes and Jack continued to just hold him before they turned in for the night.