Chapter 2

I woke up to my alarm beeping. 8:30 a.m. Slowly, I walked into T's room to check if she was awake. She was still in bed, so I threw a pillow at her.

"Tory! It's time to wake up. Get out of bed."

"Ugh! 10 more minutes."

"Don't even make us late. Just remember the later you start to get ready, the later you're going to see Jon. That means you'll have less time to spend with him." With that she rushed out of bed and I started laughing.

"That's what I thought. Do you want me to take a shower first or you?"

"I think it would be better if I took it first: you know, to wake me up."

"Sounds good. I'll go ahead and start breakfast. Try to be out in less than a half of a hour."

"Okay, what are we having for breakfast?"

"Pancakes and fruit. Is that okay?"

"Of course. I just was wondering what we are having.:

"Alright. Well I'll be downstairs if you need me."

I went downstairs and got the ingredients to make the batter. This recipe was one of Tory's favorite dishes I made. I got the pancake batter and poured it on the frying pan. Five minutes later, the pancakes were ready. I quickly put them on a hot plate and went upstairs. I knocked on her door and told her they were ready. I then went back downstairs and got the fruit out. Thank goodness they were already sliced. I didn't need another cut on one of my fingers. I got them out and then put in on the table.

"It smells good."

"Thanks. Do you think these will be enough?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, good."I said and started making ones for me. She ate in silence so I decided to turn on the radio. "Now don't start dancing. We need to finish eating so we can get ready." I then sat down and started to eat. Within ten minutes I was done and I collected the plates.

"I'll do those. You go take your shower."

"Thanks."

I rushed back upstairs and then went in to take a shower. I quickly got in and out and then got dressed. I walked into Tory's room to see if she's ready but she wasn't there.

"Tory?"

"Downstairs."

"Okay, you better not be watching TV. We don't have time to relax and take our sweet little time." I said as I went into the living, shocked to see Tory, all dressed, watching TV.

"Gosh! Why do you always have to assume that I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do?"

"I'm sorry. It's just that most of the time, you're not even dressed when I'm ready."

"It's okay. And I'm just really excited for later on."

"You? Excited to go furniture shopping? Does a guy have anything to do with it?"

"Maybe."

"Well, then. I guess you need to hang out with him more often."

"Ha Ha Ha! Very funny! So are you ready?"

"Yeah, I just need to get my bag together. Do you know where we should probably go?"

"I don't know. Maybe Ashley's Furniture? We should ask the guys when we leave. After all, they know the town better than us."

"True. Well I'll be upstairs if you need me."

"'Kay. And I'll be down here."

I grabbed my bag and walk back into my room. I grabbed my keys, wallet, make-up bag, lotion, and coupons and shoved them into my bad. I looked at the clock which read: 9:45. I had time to go to the restroom and check my email. I quickly logged on to Yahoo and saw that I had no new messages. I then logged off and went to the restroom. Once I was finished, I went downstairs.

"Tory, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me shut off the TV and then we can go."

"Alright. I'll be outside. Oh, wait do you have the keys?"

"Yup. Go ahead and let them know that we're ready."

"Alrighty." I went out to the gargage, and opened the big door. I texted Eric saying that we're ready. He quickly responded and said that they'll be out in a minute. In less than a minute, I saw Eric and Jon heading out the door.

"Hey!" I said and waved at them. We met halfway and said good morning.

"Where's Tory?" Jon asked.

"She is locking up the place. She'll be out in a second."

"Oh, okay. Do you know where you guys want to go?"

"We weren't really sure what is over here. We figured you guys might know more of what's around here."

"Okay, well I know there's an Ashley's about 10 minutes from here."

"And there's a Living Spaces out here too."

"Okay, well I guess we can decide when Tory gets out here.

As if it was her cue, Tory came outside, and walked towards us.

"Sorry. I had to use the restroom."

"It's okay. So there's an Ashley's and a Living Spaces close by. Do you want to check any of those out?'

"Yeah, I guess we can start by going to Ashley's."

"Alright. Do you guys need help with directions?"

"Is it the one off of the 75 on Main Street?"

"Yup. Do you know how to get there?'

"Yeah. So I guess we'll see each other in ten?"

"Okay."

Tory and I got into our car and went to the furniture stores. On our way back, Eric and I went home in a rented U-haul truck while Jon and Tory drove our cars. We got home a while later than them, since we had to go back to the stores for our new furniture. Once we arrived in front of T's beach house, we started to unload. It took us an hour to unload everything and another 30 minutes to load all of our old furniture off at Ashley's. Since it was so hot outside we decided to go to Coldstone Creamery; the best place that sells ice-cream with different candy toppings. I got my usual: Cake-batter ice-cream with Kit-Kat's and brownies. Eric got vanilla ice-cream with butterfingers and sprinkles. He let me try his and it was really good, but I thought mine was better. Then he tried mine, and he liked it. We went outside and sat in a table covered in shade.

"Should we have gotten any for Jon or Tory?"

"No. They didn't go driving everywhere in a small, claustrophobic truck for hours. We deserve a little break outside of the truck."

He laughed and continued eating his ice-cream. I thought it would be funny to pull a little prank on him.

"Hey, you have a little something right here." I said as I pointed to my nose.

"Are you messing with me?" he asked, raising his brow.

"No, but now I am." I said as I put his ice-cream filled cone to his nose.

I quickly got up and gathered my things. Then, after taking some napkins, I ran towards the parking lot. I looked back and saw him wiping his nose. I rapidly looked forward and kept on running until I was at the U-Haul. I searched the inside of my purse, in a hurry to find the keys. Then I realized that Eric had them in his pocket the whole time. I'm screwed, I thought. Then I heard footsteps walking and I had a feeling it was him. I looked to my right but nothing was there. I turned to my left and there he stood, leaning against the truck, eating his ice-cream.

"Uhh.. Hi!" I said, nervous to think what he would do next.

"Hi."

"Look, I understand if you're mad at me. I was just playing around."

"I know, and it was funny. You didn't have to run away. "

"But you would have done something worse."

"You don't know that," he said and walked closer. I started to back away but then stopped, shortly.

"Are you scared of me?"

"I'm scared what you're going to do with your ice-cream."

"Ahh, well I just want a napkin."

"Oh, okay. Here you go." I held the napkin far away from me as possible.

He laughed and took the napkin. "Can we go now? My face feels very sticky and it would be nice to wash it off."

"Yeah, sure. I'm sorry I did that. I went too far."

"You don't have to apologize. It's fine. Now come here and give me a hug now that my hands are less sticky."

"I know what you're going to do; pretend to hug me and pour ice-cream on my hair or down my back."

"Here hold it then." I took it and then carefully hugged him. "See that wasn't that bad."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Okay, let's head home."

"Okay, but wait. One more thing." He dipped his finger in his ice-cream and then touched my nose. "Now we can go."

"I knew you were going to do that. But it's not that bad, so I won't complain," I said and he laughed at my reply. He then took a clean napkin and carefully wiped it off my nose.

"There, it's all gone. Now let's go home."

"Can we try to get there as fast as you can because I don't really feel well."

"Do you feel like you're going to throw up?"

"Not really. My stomach just hurts."

"I'll try my best. Maybe after we get there, Jon and Tory can drive this back up."

"Okay, thanks." He opened my door and I got in. Then he closed it and walked to the driver's side and did the same.

"I'll call Tory and tell her we're on our way."

"Good idea. You should tell them we should be home in less than 10 minutes. "

"Alright." I called Tory and told her when we should be home. The rest of the ride was quiet. I fell asleep a couple times but within a few minutes. When I woke up last, I was in Erics' arms.

"Why am I in your arms?"

"Well you were asleep when we got here. I didn't want to wake you so I thought I would carry you. Do you want me to put you down?"

"Yes please." He gently put me down and I had to walk carefully so I wouldn't fall.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel very dizzy," while trying to find the way to my room.

"Please don't tell me she's drunk," Tory said once she saw me.

"No, she's not drunk. She's feels dizzy and has a stomach ache," Eric replied.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story. I'll have Tiffany tell you when she feels better. Before she falls, I'm going to carry her to bedroom. Would you mind getting our cars at the U-Haul place?"

"Yeah, let me go tell Jon."

"Where is he?"

"He's out back."

"Okay, well I'll be upstairs with her.

"Alrighty."

"Tiffany, I'm going to carry you to your bedroom, okay?"

"Okay," I said which sounded like a whisper.

He picked me up and brought me to my bed. After I was under the sheets, I went cold.