Disclaimer: A big emphatic 'NO'! I do not own or even have these characters on loan!
Pairings: Caitlin and Eric
Author's notes: Long time no see, eh girls? Well this has been sitting on my desktop forever. Just couldn't think of a way to finish it until now. The CW reruns helped inspire though. :D
Chapter Forty Two
"I don't know if I should come over," Eric hedged as Griffin's old beater neared the familiar ranch. "It's going to be awkward."There was snow on the ground and Christmas lights aglow down the long stretch of grid road. Christmas break could not have come sooner, Eric had thought, when he was knee deep in exams. But now, as they approached his second home, he knew that the sentiment had passed.
"It's going to fine," Griffin said reassuringly. "From what I've heard from Caitlin, she's not really that that mad anymore. I'm sure you two can handle being two mature adults for a few hours."
"Look who you're talking to, Griff." Eric glared at his best friend. He had not managed to make a mature decision since he graduated high school. No one would confuse him for an adult. "I'm not that confident," he added, running his fingers through his hair.
Things had gone sour pretty quick after he broke up with Caitlin. Griffin had been livid, not understanding why he had broken up over something that 'didn't sound like her fault' - as Griffin had put it. It took weeks before he finally convinced Griff that he wasn't going to change his mind. In fact, it took his dating a girl from his Calculus class for his best friend to stop ragging on him for what seemed like every moment of every day. Now at least Griff had managed to accept what he felt was the right course of action at the time. Whether he felt the same way now was another matter.
"Dude, don't worry."
"How can you say that?" he exclaimed. "Even you haven't seen her yet." Eric imagined the kind of horribly awkward situation, which would most likely arise from his unexpected arrival. "I don't want to ruin anyone's Christmas break."
"It should be fine."
"Heck," Eric cried, slipping out of the car. "I don't even know if your parents still like me after all of this."
"They're fine with you."
"Mark my words, I wouldn't be too sure about that."
"Besides, she's got a friend coming with her."
Friend?
"What kind of friend?" Eric frowned as they entered the ranch-style house.
&--
"Griffin?" Caitlin heard the front porch door slam and assumed it was her cousin, since he was the only one they were waiting on. Excited, she jumped off the kitchen stool and headed towards the living room. It would be good to see him. "Where have you..." The rest of her question left her as she saw the boyish grin belonging to her ex. Clearing her throat, Caitlin plastered a smile on her face. "Where have you been?" she choked out.
"Look who I ran into downtown!" Griffin exclaimed over-enthusiastically.
"Eric." She managed to keep the bitterness from lacing her words, which was something she did not think she could have done two months ago.
"So how was your flight home?" Griffin said, interrupting the awkward silence that had fallen upon the former trio of best friends. "I heard you were bringing a friend home? Perhaps a girl, you know, for your wonderful cousin?"
Caitlin glanced at Griff, who had the same old grin on his face whenever he tried to crack a joke. "Uh, yeah." She was flustered; she had no idea Griffin could be such a loser as to invite Eric over the day of her return. "Jake," she said distractedly.
And as if on cue, the tall curly-haired freshman she had met at NYU poked his head around the corner. "Yo." He smiled with a crooked grin and saluted with his index finger. "Someone mention my name?" he asked.
Eric could taste the bile rising from his throat. She had brought home a guy. He closed his eyes, attempting to restrain the desire to get up in the goofy looking guy's face. Taking a deep breath, he smiled politely, as if his presence did not phase him. What right did he have in the first place?
He had no right to feel protective or even possessive about Caitlin. They were over. It had been his decision.
"Hi Jake," he said hesitantly, offering his hand to the stranger. "I'm Eric. A friend of the Griffster here."
Caitlin furrowed her brow. Eric was being civil and it was unexpected behavior from the boy who had always managed to get up in the face of any guy who paid attention to her. It's what happens when someone is over you.
I'm mature. I'm mature. Eric ran the chant over and over in his head as he tried to remember he was in college now and should not overreact in a situation like this.
"And this is," Caitlin pointed to her still stick-framed cousin, "Griffin."
"Hey," Jake nodded in Griffin's direction, with him following suit.
"Hey."
Caitlin really wished this awkwardness could end. She wracked her brain trying to think up conversation starters between the three guys and herself. Nothing. I got nothing.
"Griffin and Caitlin!" Dori yelled from the kitchen. "Supper's ready."
Saved by the bell.
-&-
"So you're an actor, are you, Jake?" Dori had been trying to keep the mealtime somewhat civilized. "I heard a Midsummer Night's Dream was a production that you were in recently," she said, resting her utensils on the side of her plate.
"Uh, yeah. It was an intense production."
"So you were a fairy?" Eric asked casually, glancing over at Griffin who choked at the subtle insinuation.
"Nah, not that lucky," he chuckled. "I played Lysander."
"And he was awesome," Caitlin blurted out, glaring at Eric. "It was sold out every night."
"You don't need to promote me," Jake laughed uncomfortably. "That's what an agent's for."
"I want to." Caitlin knew what Jake was thinking; and he was partially right. She was saying these things to spite Eric; but she also believed the things she was saying about Jake as well. "You were great when I went to see you during the last night."
"It must be hard though," Griffin said curiously. "With everyone aspiring to be an actor and all."
"It's a tough business." Jake nodded. "But it's something I've always loved. Plus, I've had a lot of encouragement. I have a great support system."
"Yeah, hundreds of adoring girls knocking down your door?" Eric commented, smiling politely.
Caitlin could have throttled Eric. So much for mature. Instead of acting on her feelings, she just ignored him. "Thanks for letting him stay with us through Christmas break, Dori and Jim."
"Yeah, that was nice of you," Jake agreed. "A lonely sad waif taken in my a kindly family. It's much appreciated, especially after that wonderful supper." He patted his stomach.
"It was take out," Eric stated.
"But she did a great job of putting it out on the plates and everything," he deadpanned. "And that's what counts."
Oh brother. Eric rolled his eyes. This was just too much. "Well," he sighed, glancing down at his watch. "Look at the time. I better be getting home or my parents might send out the reinforcements."
"But you haven't had dessert yet," Dori frowned. "And it's your favorite. Molten Chocolate Surprise."
"Maybe another time," he declined, pushing back his chair. "Thanks for the grub, Mrs. Lowe."
"I'll walk you to the door," Griffin said, placing his napkin on the table.
"Nice to meet you, Jake," Eric said distractedly, pausing in front of Caitlin. "Later, Caitlin."
"Yeah, right." Caitlin didn't even bother to glance up at him. "Later," she breathed, while poking at a french fry.
He had a lot of gall to make those rude backhanded comments about Jake. She didn't like it. Even though he was still obviously upset, Jake had done nothing to him.
'Oh you can't really expect him not to react?' a quiet voice scoffed.
Caitlin bit the inside of her cheek, upset at the silent accusation.
&-
"What was that?" Griffin frowned, as he closed the door behind him. "Dude, that was so uncool."
"What are you talking about?" Eric cried out in disbelief. "I didn't do anything."
"The off-handed digs that you were spitting out?" Griffin got that Eric had been thrown at Jake's presence, but it didn't give him a right to say those things, when the guy had been nothing but nice.
"What? A guy couldn't inquire as to whether the guy was a fairy or not?"
"No the other stuff." Griffin shook his head at his best friend. "I'm all fine with your decision to break up with Caitlin, even though I think it was completely bogus. But you can't be freakin' out about it when she decides to move on."
"And so she's moved on for sure?" asked Eric. It hadn't been made specifically clear that she was dating the guy. Part of him hoped...
"Dude what does it matter? You're over her, right?" No reply. Sighing, Griffin chuckled, "You're lucky she didn't kick your butt for saying those things."
"Oh there's still time," Caitlin said drolly, slipping onto the porch.
"Oh, hey Caitlin," Griffin coughed awkwardly. "What are you doing out here?"
"Griffin leave me and Eric alone for a minute."
From her tone, Griffin knew it was more of a command than a request.
"Uh, right." He shuffled towards the door. "Sorry Eric," he called. "You're on your own on this one."
&--
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Eric folded his arms across his chest, head hung low, unable to look her in the eye. "Um, making conversation?"
"Eric..." She was at a loss for words. What right did he have? "You...you suck."
Eric's head perked up at this. "Suck?"
"Shut up," she sighed, knowing it sounded lame. "That doesn't excuse your behavior."
"You know you sounded like Dori, just then?" he teased.
"No, I didn't," she protested, waving her hands in the air.
"Yes it did."
Eric swallowed, trying to figure out exactly what he was doing with Caitlin right then. Was he flirting? What the heck was he doing?
Caitlin bit the bottom of her lip, as she turned and locked gazes with him. Suddenly neither seemed to have anything to say. The whole situation seemed so familiar...so comfortable.
But you're not together anymore. He broke up with you.
"Well, that's not the point., Caitlin said slowly, finally breaking the silence. "You were rude to Jake and that's not okay."
"I wasn't trying to be."
"Yes you were."
Eric paused. "Okay, maybe a little," he admitted. "But really. An actor?"
"What's wrong with that?" Caitlin shrugged. "He's good at it and it's something he loves to do."
"But acting?"
Caitlin rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're hopeless."
"True," Eric nodded, closing the distance between them. "But that was part of my charm."
"Sometimes," she breathed, trying to keep her cool as he drew nearer.
Stopping a few inches in front of her, Eric searched her eyes, wanting the truth. "So you're with him?" he asked hesitantly. "L-like really with him."
Caitlin felt herself lean in towards him, the familiar scent of soap and hay filling her senses. Closing her eyes, she gritted her teeth as the memory of that loud dial tone echoed through her head. She wouldn't let him do this. She couldn't.
Suddenly she pulled away from him, stepping back from him, like he had done something to offend her.
"You know what, you really don't get to know that," Caitlin said, a mixture of anger and pain in her eyes. "Because you're the one who walked away."
"C-Caitlin," Eric stammered. "Wait..."
"No," she said, shaking her head, knowing tears threatened to fall. "This time I get to walk away."
With that, he watched her slip through the screen door without another word. It was like his heart broke a second time - except this time it wasn't his decision.
