What? Love's so not fair…
Erica's POV
(At the mall.)
"Alice! You're hurting me!" I whined.
Damn. For a little pixie, she was really strong.
"Oh, stop whining. Ooooh! Abercrombie! Let's go in there! They have the greatest clothes." Alice rambled.
"What?! No! Abercrombie is a preppy store! I would rather die than go in there! (No offence to people who shop there. I don't like that store at all. O.o) Alice! Look! There's Hot Topic! Lets go in there! Please…?" I gave her my best pout with puppy-dog-eyes, trying to convince her.
She sighed, "Fine… But I'm spending a lot on you!"
"On skinnies, hello kitty, band tees, and bright things?" I asked, stunned. Mom never spent any money on me. I had to earn everything. I already loved Alice. She was kind of like family… Kind of.
"Yeah… Sure… I guess…" She said, looking defeated, "Why doesn't your mom take you shopping? I looked in your closet and you have all of two shirts!" Yeah. That's Alice. Looking in your closet and your clothes…
"Uh… If you've noticed, we live in a crappy house and drive a crappy car. I have to pay for my own-" I was cut off by someone yelling my name.
"Erica!" Brittany yelled.
Brittany was one of my best friends. She is a dork, but she's cool… Kind of…
"Erica!" Kylie yelled, then she stumbled while running towards me.
Kylie is my 'other half' as she says. We are so alike, we are both clumsy as hell.
"Babe!" Andrew yelled. We weren't going out. He was like my boy best friend. But I wish we were going out. He wears kind of skinny jeans and these wicked awesome skull jackets. I'm so in love with him, its not even funny.
"Brittany! Kylie! Andrew!" I yelled. I tried to run toward them and ended up tripping.
I saw the ground rush up to meet my face. I closed my eyes waiting for the impacted, but instead I felt two warm arms around my waist.
I opened my eyes to see Andrews beautiful pale blue-ish/grey ones looking into mine. I found myself blushing.
"Heh.. Yeah. Sorry about that, Andrew." I said. He smiled MY smile, and I felt my heart speed up. Oh, if only he knew what he did to me…
"No, I'll always be there to catch you when you fall, babe." He said.
Oh my GOD! He called me 'babe'! No fucking way!
Alice squealed, "Erica, you are so like you mom. The clumsiness, the falling in love. Hard, might I add."
Andrew's eyes hardened, "Who are you falling in love with?" He demanded- he looked mad and hurt.
"We'll talk about it later," I promised him, "Alice, this is Andrew, Brittany, and Kylie. Guys, this is Alice. She's Edward's… sister…" I explained, uncomfortably.
Andrew- thanfully- sensed that I was uncomfortable. "Who wants to go into Hot Topic?!" He screamed.
A chorus of "Me's!" went around our small group.
We started walking to Hot Topic. Alice was talking to Brittany and Kylie in front of me and Andrew.
"Erica, what do you plan of getting at Hot Topic?" He said wanting to start a conversation.
"Uhm… I need some shirts, jeans, and I want a new bright jacket. Ooh! And maybe some Hello Kitty necklaces. But I only have enough money for… two pairs of jeans and two shirts." Towards the end my voice saddened, "What about you?"
"Well… Your birthday is coming up on August 17th so I'm going to get you something that I see you marveling." He said smugly.
"No! It is your money. Spend it on yourself. Not on me! It's a waste of money if it's spent on me!" I whined. I hated people spending money on me. I got that from my mom.
"Oh shut up."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Grrr. Andrew! You're so stubborn!" I couldn't win the 'fine' game.
"Yeah. I know. But you love me for it." He said in a sing-song voice.
"No dip I love you!" I was telling the truth, but I bet he thought of it as the friend way of love.
"Love you too." He said softly.
"Yeah but- Ooooh! Escape The Fate! No! NEON jackets! AND neon shirts!" I yelled excitedly.
"Erica," Alice said, "you do know I'm rich, right? Buy twenty things, 'cause I heard your birthday's coming up on the 17th."
I took off and ran around Hot Topic buying clothes.
When I was done I had three pairs of black skinnies, four pairs of randomly colored skinnies, five Hello Kitty shirts, five band tees, and three neon jackets.
I was walking past the CD's and saw the new album of Escape The Fate which is called 'This War Is Ours'
"Damn it!" I cried, "Andrew! The new CD's here! And I've already bought my stuff."
I sighed and said, "It's okay. I'm hungry, lets go to the food court!"
We started walking out of Hot Topic when Andrew didn't follow, "Uh… I have to stay here for some fitting. I'll be there in a few. Don't wait up." He called.
"Okay…" I said warily.
Kylie and Brittany were talking about a book and that's when Alice pounced.
"You so totally love him! Oh! He so loves you back! Oh! Have you had sex? He's cute. You should see the way he was looking at that guy who worked at Hot Topic, he had love in his eyes at first then when that dude came over, he had possession in his eyes."
Alice sighed and asked the question I was hoping we could avoid,
"Do you love him?"
"I… Well… I mean… Alice, we're best friends. That's all we will ever be." I said with a sigh.
I wanted it to be so much more than friends.
"I didn't ask if you were not friends. I asked if you loved him." She pressed.
"Ah! Fine! I love him so much. I'm heels over head! It's pathetic!" I hung my head in shame.
"It's not pathetic-" My growling stomach cut her off. "Uh… Lets get some lunch before you decide to eat me. What do you want?"
"Uhm… Subway!!!!"
When Alice came back from the food center place where you pick up your food, Andrew was back.
"I got your present…" He said.
"Oohh! Do I get it now? What is it? Will I like it? Where'd you get it? Is it-"
Alice cut me off, "Andrew, I didn't know what to get you, so I guessed. Here."
She handed us our sandwiches. When Brittany and Kylie came up and gave me a hug.
"Erica, Andrew, Alice… We have to go. See you Mon- tomorrow!"
Ah. Shit. School.
"Kiddies, we better go. Andrew, it's three, can you stay for dinner?" Alice asked shooting a glance in my direction.
"Uh.. Yeah. I can. Lets go."
We walked to Alice's car and got in.
Andrew pulled his phone out and started to text someone.
Then my phone vibrated. (Bold is Andrew. Italics is Erica.)
Hey, babe. Do you want your present when we get to your room??
Fuck yeah! I'm excited. Belch. My tummy hurts. L
Ahw! Do you want me to kiss it better?
Yes. Yes I do. Cuz Ily. J
J Ily2. More than you can ever imagine.
What? What's that supposed to mean?
Andrew didn't answer the text. He just merely shook his head.
"Uh.. Erica? You're kind of moving into the Cullen household… I just found that out, I swear!" Alice squeaked.
I sighed and looked out the window.
Five minutes later, we were there. It was huge! And white.
"Your things are already unpacked. Your room is on the third floor and the farthest away from Rosalie's."
I jumped out of the car with Andrew right beside me.
"I'll race you!" I yelled.
We took off running- at human speed- and Andrew won. When we opened my door, it was my dream room.
Three of the four walls were electric blue and the other wall was neon green and blacked striped.
And everything matched.
"I love it!" I squealed, jumping on my bed, "Okay. Where's my present?"
Andrew laughed and gave me the box.
I opened it and gasped. It was the Escape The Fate CD, a Hello Kitty necklace, an Escape The Fate Necklace, and A locked with Andrew picture inside.
"I hope you like it. The locket, I mean. It took me forever to get it made." He said obviously nervous by my silence.
I looked up, tears in my eyes at his thoughtfulness.
"Andrew, I absolutely love it. Thank you so much. I love you." I said throwing myself into his arms.
He held me tightly and whispered "I love you too. Erica… Uh… Answer one question truthfully, please." "Okay. Anything." I promised, already concerned.
"Tell me if you love me." He said.
"Of course I love you.""No. Like more than a best friend…" He whispered-looking down.
"I love you more than a best friend…" I said. I suddenly found my shoes very interesting.
"Good." He said. Then he pulled my chin up and kissed me.
It was a short kiss but I was on fire from it. I kissed him again, then the door opened.
Revealing my dad- totally ruining the moment. 'Dad! You're ruining my moment!' I mentally yelled at him.
"Erica? Oh! I'm sorry. I just- dinner's ready."
I looked at Andrew, "Stupid dad ruining the moment." I mocked an angry look.
We went down stair hand-in-hand when we heard mom. "Erica Leigh Cullen! I can not believe you!"
Shit. Busted.