First off, I just want to apologize for the extremely long wait. I could give you a million reasons as to why I haven't been writing, but the fact of the matter is that I just haven't wanted to in a while. I just had the busiest school year of my life and now I've started another one a couple months ago that's even busier. I tried writing a few times while I was away at college last year, but it just never worked out. I want to write again and I have a few things I'm working on in the Sookie Stackhouse fandom. But first, I wanted to update A New Day.

As I've gone back and read my story so far, I'm a little disappointed in myself. I had so many things planned out, but I just got so eager to get my happy ending that I skipped ahead and never really gave Sookie the closure she really needed. So, this story is gonna make a complete 360. I'm not going back and changing anything though. I'm just gonna work with what I got. Anyway, sorry for this ridiculously long author's note, but I just had to get all that out. I would like to make a shoutout to Texanlady for her wonderfully kind reviews. They really kicked me into gear and reminded me what it was I wanted to convey in this story. Without further ado..

Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris.

SPOV

I decided not to spend very much time with Eric that day. After breakfast with him, I was on a bit of an Eric overload. Amelia ran down stairs a little bit after he left.

"Sookie, I'm starving." I smiled feeling strangely melancholy.

"I've agreed to go on a date with Eric." She opened her eyes really wide and gasped melodramatically.

"Sookie, that was not apart of the plan. You know I support you in whatever, but I think you're being hypnotized by his beautiful baby blue eyes. I mean let's get real Sookie."

I sat back down into the kitchen chair. "I know.. and now I feel like I've ruined the game altogether."

She sat down as well and grabbed an old piece of bacon. "That's absolutely not true."

"I'm pretty sure it is," I mumbled.

"I think I may know just what to do."

"And what is that?"

"Jealousy."

"Huh?" I asked.

"There is nothing that affects a man more than jealousy."

I stood up and walked from the table.
"Amelia, I don't know what you have in mind, but I don't think I'm up for it."

She hopped up and came around the table to me.

"Think about it Sook. He thinks that he's won you. He thinks he deserves you even after everything."

I sat back down and started to think. Amelia was right, after all. Most men go crazy because of jealousy. I was sure that Eric would be no different.

"You never committed to him. All you agreed to was a date." Amelia continued.

"Amelia.. you may be right.. but I would have no idea what to do to make him jealous."

"Duh!" she hollered. "Start seeing another man. One that's just as attractive as him."

We both looked at each other and busted out laughing.

"Yeah you're right," she continued through her laugh, "Someone that's almost as attractive as him."

"You know, as much as I'm attracted to Eric, I'm not even sure that he's what I want." I paused and Amelia just looked at me, waiting for me to continue.

"It's just, like, when I was a kid.. well it's a different story. It was my first real crush. Your first real crush has so much power over you. Too much power over you. I mean Eric was able to control how happy or sad I was at any given moment- and he didn't even know."

"No one should have that much control over a person. And as sad as it is.. and pathetic, I think he still has some of that control. And Amelia, I just don't think that's fair."

Amelia looked at me with a sad smile because she understood. He first love was a boy named Tray Dawson. They met in sophomore year though me. He was in one of my religion classes and he was very nice to me. One time, he saw me in the dining hall and came over to say hi. I swear the second he saw Amelia, it was like his eyes lit up. They had slept together by the end of the week and were dating by the end of the month. They only broke up because Tray joined the peace corps after graduation and would be moving the Guatemala. Amelia decided with much heartbreak that she couldn't be in a long distance relationship.

"But that's love Sookie. You completely lose yourself. You forget who you are. It's pathetic, but it's love."

I smiled and wondered to myself if it was possible that I was in love with Eric when I was a kid. I had always thought that it was purely infatuation, but maybe it could have been more than that. I thought to myself that maybe that's the reason I was having such trouble purposely hurting Eric. Maybe this just wasn't in the cards for me.

Amelia and I spent a long day together, watching movies and painting our nails. Around 7 o'clock I realized we should start getting ready.

"Well I'm gonna go hop in the shower. I guess we should go out and.. find me a man," I spoke nervously.

Amelia squealed. "Yes, indeed!"

I took my time in the shower because for me, showering had always been a place where I did my big thinking. I remember my Gran would always scream at me because I had used up all the hot water, just standing there, thinking about things.

I washed my hair with a new shampoo that Amelia had brought me, shaved, and got out.

I got ready carefully, curling my blonde hair into a 50's style, as I decided I would go for the bombshell look that night. I applied winged black eyeliner, red lipstick and blush. I went to my recently unpacked closet and found my favorite dress. It was a

tight red wiggle dress with cap sleeves and a sweet heart neckline. It was the most flattering thing I owned and I usually got a lot of attention when wearing it out. I put on some black pumps, spritzed some perfume on myself and headed over to Amelia's room to see if she was ready.

"Come in," she called when I knocked.

"Sookie, oh my god, you look amazing! This is perfect!"

"Thank you!" I said excitedly. "You look great too!"

She chuckled, "I know."

She was wearing a long yellow dress, with green and orange flowers, and had her hair waved out. She looked beautiful.

"So, where are we going?"

"I have absolutely no idea.. it just occurred to me that we need somewhere to go. What is wrong with me?" I laughed.

Amelia looked like she was in deep thought.

"Okay, I know you're probably not going to want to, but why don't we go to Eric's bar? It would be perfect! He'd see how hot you look and you could easily make him jealous just by letting some cute guy buy you a drink! That way you'd never actually have to go out on date with them! Oh god, I'm brilliant."

I made a nervous face and Amelia's spirits seemed to fall.

"Amelia, I don't know about that. Don't you think that would be really obvious?"

She shook her head violently. "No! It's perfect. We're going!"

I smiled at her, defeated, knowing it was a great plan.

I grabbed my bag off the bed.

"Welp, ready to go?"

Amelia smiled a devious smile.

"Yes" she spoke and we were out the door.

I know this is super short, but I have more coming for you guys and I wanted to ease myself back in. As always, please review and give me your thoughts and critiques as I really like to take what you guys want into account! Again, much love and thank you so much if you're still with me in this story.