Part five

Erica

I sighed as my phone rang for about the fifth time that day. I didn't even need to look at it to know who it was.

'Hi Jason' I said trying to muster as much cheerfulness as possible.

'Where are you?' came his quick response.

'Ehm, out shopping with my mum' I lied. 'We're just getting groceries and stuff'

'Ok, can I still come over tonight?'

'Sure, if you…' I began but was interrupted again.

'Good' he said simply before hanging up on me.

I put my phone back in my bag and continued my walk down through the shopping centre. Being out like this, alone, was really refreshing and I was enjoying every minute of it.

While standing in line at Starbucks I noticed a familiar neck in front of me. I moved a little bit to the side, and surely, there he was, sitting alone at a table not far from me. I froze on the spot and I couldn't look away. Despite still being angry at him, I had missed him so much over the last week, all I really wanted to do was have my friend back, but I really didn't know how too.

As I stood there staring at him he suddenly looked up from his book and moments later our eyes locked. He seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see him, and I will never forget that wave of emotions that showed in his eyes in a fragment of a second.

It's written all over your face

It's such a painful thing to waste

Tell me now, where do we go

Now the future's not so clear

I can't believe we've ended here

Where's the world that doesn't care

Maybe I could meet you there

We remained like that, eyes locked at each other for about a minute before Tom made the first move. He opened his mouth, as to speak, but then didn't. I wasn't really sure why but watching him almost speaking got my hopes up so much, that when he didn't, it felt like someone punched me in the stomach.

All I could think was "please talk to me, please talk to me" over and over again. When I realised that I could actually make the first move and talk first I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Without realising, I had walked over to where he was sat and we were now only a few feet apart.

'I'm sorry' I said quietly not really daring to look straight at him anymore.

'I'm sorry too' I heard him say, and the weight that lifted of my shoulders at that moment left me feeling like I could fly.

Tom

The amount of time I had spent on the phone with Danny over the last couple of days, was, well, ridiculous. It was so much easier to have a complicated life when the only person you could talk to about it lived 3 minutes away.

To think that I had resorted to this, this pathetic person who gets so hung up on simple things is really ridiculous. But the truth was, as easy as it might sound, I missed my best friend. I missed Erica like crazy and even though I didn't regret all the things that I said, I certainly could have said it in an other way. At least that's what Danny told me, over and over again.

I swear, where that boy suddenly got his brains from, I will never know.

To get away from spending too much time dwelling over the past I had managed to get out of the house and was now sat at Starbucks enjoying my coffee and actually managing to focus on the words that I read. For the first time in over a week I wasn't thinking about Erica, but then, the second that I realised that I was actually thinking of her, so, well, at least I got a few minutes without the thoughts.

That was my least favourite part about our fight, how I wasn't completely clear whether I was in the wrong or not. I wanted so badly to be able to blame it all on Erica, but its never only one persons fault, now is it?

Yeah, that was not really my conclusion though. Only yet another one of Danny's "I pull them out like I'm made of them" analysis'.

After enjoying almost my entire cup of coffee I was pondering getting another one. I looked up from my book, to check how long the line was, when my eyes landed on a familiar person. A person that despite everything we'd been through, still managed to put a smile on my face.

I opened my mouth to say hello but oddly nothing came out. I didn't know if it was because I didn't want to be the first one to talk, or for some other strange reason. But, we remained like that for a while, just staring at each other.

Suddenly I heard Erica's faint voice say the words that I'd been longing to hear, 'I'm sorry'

I quickly responded, 'I'm sorry too' and stood up from my seat, facing her for a second before embracing her in a hug.

'I've missed you' she said as she pulled out of the hug with a smile.

'Me too' I smiled back before offering her the chair next to mine. 'Just so you know, I'm not sorry for what I said. I know I could have said it in another way, but that still doesn't change what I think'

She nodded and flashed me a small smile before answering, 'I know, and I don't expect you to change your mind just like that either, it was a stupid thing that got blown out of proportion'

'Can we put this behind us?'

'I'd like nothing else'

'Awesome' I said with a light chuckle.

'What are you laughing at silly?' Erica asked in an amused voice.

'Nothing special, I'm just happy'

'Ok, yeah, you're not weird, not at all'

'Hey, I'm not weird, I'm just special, and that's what you love about me' I said sternly.

'Oh right, damn, I do…typical'

---

After a complete overdose of caffeine we had actually made it all the way over to my house, and were now sat on my bed, and as always talking about nothing.

'Did you see him last night? When he told her that he didn't love her, I so did not see that one coming?' I said excitedly, expecting Erica to join me.

'Huh?…Oh yeah, I totally agree' was he only response.

'Earth to Erica, are you there?'

'What? Yeah, sorry about that' she replied absent-mindedly. 'I've just got a lot on my mind these days'

'Are you ok? I mean, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but you've been really distraught the last hour or so, is there something bothering you?'

Erica looked down at her hands as she seemed to be pondering whether to tell me or not. I had never seen her like this before, there was clearly something troubling her.

'You know you can tell me anything' I said quietly, in an attempt to get her to open up. She had always been the bubbly type, the one who opens up to everyone and makes everyone do the same, and seeing her like this was, well scary. A part of me didn't want to know what it was that made her like this, as I knew it had to be something big.

'Well…'she began but interrupted herself by taking her hoodie off, revealing four round bruises on each arm. 'Its really nothing Tom…'

'Where did you get those?' I asked her as I carefully ran my fingers over them, causing her to flinch.

'Nowhere, I'm just clumsy' she said without looking at me.

'That's bull Erica, so what, you just happened to fall on someone's fingers then? I know what those marks are'

She looked at me with pleading eyes before opening her mouth to speak again, 'He didn't mean to do it'

'What? He didn't mean to…Jason? Jason did this to you?!' I yelled as the realisation hit me.

'Its not his fault, he just got angry and well, it was as much my fault as its his'

'What?! How can it be your fault when he hits you?' I continued not believing what I was hearing.

'We were having a fight and it just happened, its not like its going to happen again'

'How do you know that?' I said, now in a softer voice. 'You have to break up with him, you cant stay with him when he hits you Erica'

'I know that, but its not like its an on-going thing Tom' she replied in a tired voice. 'And if, if Tom, he does it again, then trust me, it'll be over before you know it'

'Promise me' I said seriously, not taking my eyes of hers.

'I promise'

I nodded to show her that I'd understood, but deep inside I wasn't too sure. There was just something about her behaviour and the way she spoke about Jason that wasn't right. I just couldn't put my finger on it yet.

'I've got to go, I don't want to be late' she said a while later.

'Your seeing him tonight aren't you?'

'Tom, please don't start, ok. Can we not talk about him when its just you and me?'

'Fine, but I'm not going to pretend that I support what you are doing here' I replied after deciding to tell her how I felt, our friendship was strong enough to endure that. At least that was what I hoped for.

'You don't have to, its my decision not yours'

'Just take care of yourself, Ok? I'm only saying this because I care about you'

'I know' she replied with a smile. 'And that's why you are my best friend. Don't worry about me, I'll be ok'