In Another Life... by PersianFreak
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.
Rating: M
Spoilers: None
A/N: I don't know how much longer this story is going to be. I have at least another 2 or 3 chapters in me, maybe more, but at the same time I don't want to drag it on for too long, because I feel like it's already quite long and I've been neglecting OMDB and NC, which I should have finished ages ago. Regardless, I guess I'll just play it by ear. Also, I know that there isn't a Plaza hotel in Shreveport. Alsoalso, 12 pages. I have never written this much for anything; school assignments included.
Let me know what you think, because reviews are very much appreciated.
"Mom?" Sookie asked from where she was perched on a highchair, chopping lettuce for a salad.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to prom with Eric."
Sookie's mother smiled, "Oh, really, now?"
Sookie raised her eyebrows, "Yeah, really."
"Huh," the older woman nodded, "Honey, I know you're a teenager and all, and you're probably going to be scandalized when I ask you this, but you're being safe, right?"
"Mom!"
"Oh, Sookie, don't act like I don't know what you two do when you 'fall sleep studying'!" Sookie's mom sighed exasperatedly, "I know I can't do anything to stop you two, but at least tell me you're not being stupid."
"I'm not an idiot, mom," Sookie mumbled, feeling the blood rush to her face.
"You promise? Don't be coming to me telling me that you're pregnant and-"
"Mom!"
She sighed, "Alright. Good. Are you done the salad?"
Sookie nodded and pushed the large bowl towards her mom, relieved to be done with the topic.
"And I'll give you some money for your dress; you're going shopping with Amelia?"
"Yeah, we were thinking of going on Monday. Thanks, mom." Sookie's mom smiled and nodded before asking Sookie to set the table.
***
"So, are you coming shopping with us after school?" Amelia asked Tara, biting into her sandwich.
"I guess so," the second girl shrugged.
"What do you mean, you guess so?" Arlene gasped from across the table, scandalized, "You don't have a dress yet!"
"I'm not going to prom, Arlene," Tara rolled her eyes.
"You can't not come to prom, you're a senior! Everybody goes to prom!" Amelia frowned.
Tara scoffed, "I have no interest in dressing up like an idiot and suffering through the assholes in our grade getting drunk off of the vodka they snuck into the gym."
"You're just bitter 'cause nobody's asked you," Arlene smirked, somewhat insensitively.
"Arlene," Sookie chastised.
"What, maybe if she wasn't such a-"
"Arlene!"
"You're such a bitch, Arlene," Tara scoffed.
Arlene rolled her eyes and gathered the remainder of her lunch. "Oh, whatever. I already have my dress anyways. You guys have fun." She exhaled angrily and stalked away, making sure to swing her hips and catch the eyes of any males who happened to be looking in her general direction.
"Just ignore her," Sookie smiled at Tara. "But you're coming to prom, even if I have to personally drag you kicking and screaming into the limo. You're not missing the last night of the best years of our lives."
"What a depressing thought," Tara grumbled.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that!"
"Why not? You're both going to same university on the other side of the country!" Sookie and Amelia exchanged a quick pleased glance, and Tara continued unaware, "And I'm going to be in fucking LSU."
"We'll still see each other!" Amelia insisted, though they all knew what the chances of that were. "At the very least during the holidays and stuff." Tara sighed, but let it go.
"Uh, Tara?" An uncertain voice asked, and the three girls looked up questioningly at Benedict "Eggs" Talley, the good-looking, albeit dumb-as-a-rock pitcher of the West Shreveport High baseball team.
"Yeah?" Tara cocked an eyebrow.
"Um, can I talk to you for a second?" A nervous smile appeared on his lips, his blue eyes warming as he took in Tara.
"Sure," she shrugged, but made no move to get up, causing Eggs to shift restlessly on his feet before giving up and deciding to go ahead with whatever he wanted to say.
"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to be my date to the prom?" His smile turned hopeful and Amelia and Sookie exchanged a nervous glance, holding their breaths and awaiting Tara to let loose on the poor boy. Tara's eyes flicked briefly down the length of Eggs' body before returning to his eyes.
"I'd love to," she smiled softly, and the other three let out the breaths they hadn't realized they were holding.
"Great," he grinned, "Uh, great! I'll talk to you later, then. Bye Tara. Bye." He waved quickly at the other two girls and hurried away, clearly grinning as he did.
"Wow," Amelia commented.
"What," Tara smiled, surprisingly mellow. "He's cute. I have calculus with him."
Sookie raised her eyebrows, "I didn't think he was your type."
Tara shrugged, "Me, neither."
***
Sookie studied her reflection in the massive mirror of the clothing store fitting room.
"I dunno. What do you think?"
Tara lifted her head from where she had been resting it on a hand, slumped in a chair, "I don't know, Sook. They all make you look amazing; I don't even know why you're thinking so hard."
Sookie smiled at the compliment, "Hey, you found your dress. Let me find mine." Tara did not have the time to respond, because Amelia burst out of her fitting room, dressed in her tenth dress.
"Right?" Amelia nodded knowingly at the expressions on her friends' faces.
"Get it!" Sookie ordered, staring at the way the navy blue dress made her friend look like a movie star. Amelia twirled, her skirt flaring out and the faint sparkles on her dress twinkling like the night sky.
"Oh, I will." She grinned at her own reflection before glancing at Sookie. "I liked the black one better."
Sookie bit her lip, "I did too, but I feel like this one is more fun."
"It makes you look like a bride," Tara commented, her voice somewhat distorted thanks to the way her cheek was resting on her hand.
"Yeah, might scare the bejesus out of Eric." Sookie smiled.
"Then get the black one!"
"You think so?" Sookie turned to face her friends, and found them both nodding vehemently. "Alright. Black one it is, then."
"On to shoe-shopping!" Amelia exclaimed once they had both changed back into their clothes, their dresses draped over their arms.
"Yay, shoe-shopping," Tara muttered unenthusiastically, earning herself simultaneous slaps from the other two.
***
"Is it okay if I got a pink tux?" Eric asked absently, flipping through a magazine.
"What?"
He shrugged, "It was the only colour left. I figured a tux is a tux-"
"Eric!" Sookie gaped at her boyfriend, who burst out laughing.
"Relax, I was kidding!"
"That was not funny!"
Eric smirked, "I don't know, your expression was pretty hilarious for a second there." Sookie scoffed and walked over, taking the magazine away from him. "What? Oh, come on, it was a joke!" Sookie shot him a dirty look and returned to her desk, refusing to look at him even when she felt him standing behind her. The next moment, however, Sookie was somehow slung over Eric's shoulder, letting out a small yelp when he dumped her unceremoniously on the bed and straddled her hips, clasping her wrists above her heads. Sookie giggled when he lowered his mouth to her neck, mouthing lazily at her skin.
"Alright, alright, if that's your way of making it up to me, then we're even." She smiled, stroking absently at the skin under the hem of his shirt when he let her hands go. Eric lifted his mouth, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"Do you want to-"
"No!" She laughed softly, "My mom's totally on to us."
Eric cocked a brow, "How?"
"She asked me if you and I were being safe," she murmured, an amused grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"We are, aren't we?" His lips brushed her jaw before he rolled off of her to lie on his side, his fingers drawing patterns on her stomach.
Sookie nodded, "I'm on the pill. But I don't know, it was awkward that she just looked me in the eye and told me that she knew you and I are having sex."
"Huh." Eric commented, "So I should stop with the good boyfriend routine?"
She laughed, "Yeah, she knows about the debauchery."
Eric's voice was muffled thanks to the way he was talking into the skin behind her ear, "I guess we're gonna have to be celibate from now on."
"You're tickling me," she murmured sweetly.
"You know I love you, don't you?"
Sookie squeezed her eyes shut at the longing that shot across her stomach and she nodded, "I love you." His hand tilted her head towards his and he kissed her, not letting the kiss deepen until she rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his form.
"We need to stop," she pushed his hair back and fleetingly wondered what he would look like with it shaved off. He groaned unhappily but pulled back, giving her a dirty look once he had. Sookie smiled, tracing the lines of his gorgeous lips.
"You should probably go. It's getting late."
"What, you want me out of here?" He teased.
"Yeah, my other boyfriend's going to be here soon, so you need to-" He silenced her with another kiss.
Eric smiled at her, his faint eyelashes throwing shadows on his skin, "I'm going." He got up, throwing a cursory glance around the room to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind. "See you in the morning?" Sookie nodded. "Don't be late; I got in trouble for being late to homeroom the other day." She smacked him but smiled, following him down the stairs.
"G'night," his lips brushed against hers.
"Night," she hugged Eric, watching his easy stride across the lawn and to his own house. She fought the urge to dramatize the vision of him walking away, towards some unseen military monster that was going to take him away from her. She closed the door quickly, taking a minute to shake off the ominous feeling before walking into the living room.
"Hey, sweetheart," her dad smiled from where he was sitting on the couch, watching the Discovery Channel. Sookie plunked down the couch next to him.
"Eric leave?" He asked, returning to the television.
"Yeah, just now."
"Are you guys doing okay? Is he good to you?"
"Daddy!"
Mr Stackhouse smiled, "What, I'm not allowed to ask about my daughter's boyfriend?"
"Not when you're waiting for me to give you the signal to kick his ass," Sookie grumbled lightly and her dad shook his head, laughing. "I mean, butt."
"Right."
Sookie grinned, "Where's mom?"
"Shower," he muttered absently, then glanced up at the clock. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?" Sookie grumbled incoherently but got up from the couch, making her father laugh when she glared at him and stomped away to her bedroom. Twenty minutes later, she crawled under her covers and prepared herself for another night of military-inspired nightmares starring Eric.
***
"No-no, you need to wear the Sparkling Champagne," Amelia shook her head and grabbed the blue eyeshadow out of Sookie's hand, replacing it with a gold palette of some ridiculously expensive brand. The three were already dressed, their shoes lined up on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub in Amelia's parents' master bathroom.
"Where did you even get this?" Sookie eyed the fancy case, "And I liked the blue! It shimmered."
"It's her mom's," Tara rolled her eyes and fluttered her lashes at her mirror, smiling at their ridiculous length and the way they framed her dark eyes.
"The blue would have outshined your eyes." Amelia remarked sagely, "The gold brings them out."
Tara stood back from the massive mirror and straightened her dress, "This whole eyeshadow-colour-bringing-out-eye-colour crap is bullshit anyways."
"Shuddup," Sookie smiled brilliantly at her friend, dabbing experimentally at the shimmering champagne-coloured shadow on the palette before applying it to her eyelids.
"Would you two hurry up?" Tara complained, perched on the edge of the tub beside her shoes.
"You look pretty!" Amelia offered as means of distracting her, and Tara smiled reluctantly.
Sookie turned around, "I'm ready. I think. How do I look?"
"Like you're getting laid tonight," Tara offered.
"Oh, I am," Sookie grinned devilishly.
Amelia chuckled, "Am I still covering for you guys?"
"Yeah, if that's still okay?"
"Of course," Amelia nodded, "And you, too," she added, turning to Tara who smiled appreciatively.
"I still can't believe Eric booked you two a hotel room," Tara remarked.
"Yeah, me neither." Sookie shook her head, "He's probably been saving up forever, to be able to get a room at the Plaza."
"The Plaza?" The other girl's eyes widened, and Sookie nodded, clearly thinking the same thing.
Amelia checked the time on her cellphone, "They should be here soon. Come on, you guys." She grabbed her clutch and the other two followed her down the stairs just in time for the doorbell to ring.
"Ohmigod," Amelia squealed and Sookie watched her swing the door open, her expression brightening to match Amelia's when Eric appeared, his eyes darting around the inside of the house before settling on her and widening.
"Hey," she greeted, walking over to put her arms around him, but he held her at a distance.
"You look amazing, Sook," he murmured before finally leaning forward to kiss her forehead and her lips.
"You don't look that bad yourself," she responded with a teasing smile, though in reality he looked fantastic. His tux was plain and classic, his vest and bowtie both white, his hair gelled to the side.
"Oh, that's it, huh?" The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.
Sookie put her arms around his shoulders, " 'Not that bad' in the 'you're absolutely beautiful' sorta way."
"Beautiful in a manly way though, right?"
"Oh, of course," she pressed her lips to his.
"I have something for you," he murmured, pulling back to show her the translucent plastic box that he had been clutching in his hand the entire time. He opened the box and tossed it onto the floor, retrieving the flowers and fastening them to her wrist.
"Aww, thank you. That's very traditional of you." She smiled and kissed him again.
"Love you," he whispered in her ear and she held him tight for a long time before finally releasing him at the sound of Tara's annoyed voice.
"Save it for later, you two!"
"Sorry," Eric apologized insincerely, and for the first time Sookie noticed her friends' dates, both dressed in crisp tuxes.
"You guys look good," Sookie observed with a smile, and Tray and Eggs both nodded their thanks.
"You girls ready to go?" Tray asked, his arms around Amelia, and the others nodded, following the two of them out to the limo waiting for them. The conversation flowed surprisingly smoothly in the limo, and it was no time before they were at the school, greeted by the tacky banners and balloons announcing the graduating class of 2009. Ten minutes later they were inside, gaping at the silver ribbons and cut-out silver stars that were the continuation of the decorations outside.
"This is ridiculously tacky," Eric muttered.
"Oh, come on," Sookie smiled, clasping his hand, "We're graduating. This is the last night you'll ever spend with some of these people," she continued before being struck by the fear that it was their last night as well.
"It's not our last night, Sookie," he told her as if he could read her mind.
"I know," she responded, albeit too quickly, earning herself a disbelieving noise from Eric.
"Dance with me," he dragged her onto the dance floor as the music changed to a slow song, pulling her close.
"We can leave early," she promised him and he chuckled.
"We'll stay as long as you want us to," he kissed her hair and she nodded into his neck.
Sookie lifted her head a little later, "So, I was thinking..."
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to come with me to Stanford? Y'know, help me settle in before going to Pendleton?"
"And stay with you for a few days?"
Sookie nodded, "They had some extra single rooms that no second-years signed up for, so they opened them up for first-years and Amelia and I each managed to get one." Eric considered that for a moment.
"We could drive out together," he suggested, "maybe ahead of your parents?"
"I'd like that," Sookie smiled, and Eric smiled in response, leaning his forehead against hers.
***
Sookie unlocked the door with a card key and pushed it open, flicking on the lights. Her mind barely had enough time to register the modern furniture before Eric turned her around to face him and kissed her. She moaned and pushed his jacket off of his shoulders. He broke away, tugging impatiently at his bowtie before moving on to his vest and shirt while Sookie yanked off her heels. He pulled her close again, his fingers deftly unzipping her dress and draping it over the back of some conveniently-placed couch. Sookie's hands fumbled with his belt buckle before she succeeded at taking his pants off, making a pleased noise as she did. Eric kicked them aside, taking a second to rip off his loafers and socks before he bent his head to her breasts, mouthing at her skin and sucking roughly on her nipples.
"Eric," she moaned, her fingers tangling in his hair.
"Wanted you all night," he moaned in response, momentarily returning to her lips before dropping to his knees and sliding off her panties. She grabbed his hand when he began kissing her stomach and led him to the modern, low bed, leaving him standing while she sat down on the edge and reciprocated with his boxer-briefs before taking him into her mouth.
"Shit, Sookie," he hissed. She relaxed her throat and took as much of him as she could, her hands lightly teasing his balls. When he came, his entire body jerked and he moaned when she swallowed and looked up at him, cocking a brow suggestively.
"Jesus," he dropped to his knees and kissed her, licking at her mouth like he would die without it. Eric leaned her back, not breaking away as she scrambled backwards to the center of the bed and pulled him back down on top of herself.
"Your hair's wet," Eric murmured sleepily several hours and a shared shower later.
"I'm too tired to blow-dry it," Sookie smiled in response and snuggled closer to him, giggling when he brought her body flush against his and kissed her neck.
"You looked beautiful tonight," he whispered.
She grinned, " 'Looked'?"
"You always look beautiful. You are beautiful."
"I like how you talk after we have sex," she cooed.
"Incentive for you to constantly have sex with me." He smiled with his eyes closed.
"Like I needed more incentive," she chuckled.
"Oooh," he leered, opening his eyes.
Sookie traced his lips with her fingers, "I love you. I know that we're just kids and we probably don't actually know what it feels like to love someone, but I've known you for thirteen years and I've loved you for as long as I can remember, so it feels real. As real as it can be, I mean. I guess."
Eric kissed her fingers and moved her hand to his chest. "Did you know I had a crush on you when we were kids?"
"You did? When?"
He nodded, "Yeah. In grade 7, the year that you liked that kid Dylan."
"Oh yeah!" Sookie chuckled, "God, he was such a jerk to me."
"But you thought he looked cool and smelled good," he finished for her, "That's when I started putting on my dad's cologne everyday just so you would think I smelled good, too."
"You did?" Eric nodded sheepishly. "I never knew that. I liked you in like, grade 9 and 10." She offered with a smile and he looked at her in surprise.
"Even after I stopped being your friend?"
"Yeah," she bit her lip in embarrassment, "That's why it was so hard for me without you. It was hard watching all these girls be all over you, and you looking like they were all you needed. Them and the football team."
"I'm sorry." He stroked her hair back from her face.
"It's nothing to be sorry about," she shrugged. "I just always had this little fantasy that we would be each other's first time, y'know? It was ridiculous and idealistic, but it's how I always imagined things."
"It's not ridiculous," he propped his head up on one hand. "And I was your first time, wasn't I?"
Sookie smiled, "Yeah, but I wasn't yours."
"You were the first girl I loved," he told her seriously and was clearly taken aback when she burst out crying. "Sook, what-"
"I'm sorry," she wept into him, "I don't know what..."
Eric moved closer to her, "Sookie, don't. Don't cry." Sookie tried. She tried her hardest to hold back the tears that had been threatening to fall all night, but she couldn't. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, that she was terrified of losing him, that she wanted him to herself for ever, but she couldn't. Instead, she buried her face in his chest and clung to him, taking solace in his warmth and his comforting words. "I love you. I love you so much, Sook, and I wish things didn't have to change just as much as you do, but they have to, alright? They have to, and they will, and the best way to deal with it is to adapt. So we will adapt. Okay, sweetheart?"
"You love me?"
"Yeah, you knew that already."
"Yeah, but it feels so strange every time you say it. You just don't look like a guy who would say 'I love you'."
"It's a facade," he told her quite sombrely, "Inside, I'm just a big old softy. I wept when Friends ended."
"Awww, do you watch old reruns every Friday night?"
"Yup," he sniffled and wiped away an imaginary tear, causing Sookie to laugh out loud and pull him close again.
***
Sookie taped shut the last cardboard box and rummaged around for a sharpie before scrawling "books" on it.
"Is that the last one?" Eric asked, walking into her bedroom and Sookie nodded.
"Yeah," she took a step back and pulled her hair into a ponytail. "It's heavy, though." Eric rolled his eyes and picked up the box as easily as he had the other ones and disappeared once more. Sookie walked over to the window, watching Eric put the box into the little aerodynamic cargo trailer that would be connected to the back of his Camaro. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it, looking up and nodding at his girlfriend. "You sure your car can pull it?"
Eric scoffed, "My car's not that crappy!" He called, his eyes flicking down to what turned out to be Mrs Stackhouse who handed him a glass of lemonade. Eric smiled gratefully, their conversation faint to the ears of Sookie, so she turned away from the window and surveyed what had been her room for all of her life. Her shelves were empty, with all of her belonging either in boxes to be taken to Stanford or down in the basement where they would be stored indefinitely. Her bed was untouched, in preparation for the last night Sookie would spend in it, and a duffel bag sat in the corner, filled with a few changes of clothes and the rest of the things Sookie would need during the week-long drive to California. Sookie fought back the rising wave of sadness and joined her parents and boyfriend downstairs.
"Everything is packed?" Mr Stackhouse asked.
"Yeah, I'm good to go." Sookie nodded, standing beside Eric who was now sitting in a highchair in the kitchen.
"You should go get cleaned up, then," her mother suggested, eyeing the two sweaty teenagers in her kitchen. "Eric, will your dad be joining us?" Sookie bit her lip and awaited his reply. Eric shook his head.
"No, I don't think so."
"Does he know you're leaving tomorrow?" Sookie asked gently and was slightly taken aback when she saw the faint hostility in his eyes.
"Yeah, I told him. How much he remembers, I don't know."
"Oh, okay," Sookie looked down at her feet, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.
"I'm gonna go get ready," he said into the sudden silence, and when Sookie looked up, he was gone.
"Oops," Sookie's dad remarked, looking amused.
Sookie sighed, "I'm going to take a shower."
An hour later, Sookie emerged from her room, wearing a simple black strapless dress and matching flats, her hair falling down her back in casual waves.
"Mom, I'll be right back, okay?" She called towards the kitchen, from which she could smell delicious scents wafting out.
"Don't take too long, Sook. Your friends will be here soon!"
"I won't," she promised and slipped out the front door, literally walking into Amelia.
"Jesus, Sook, watch it!"
"Sorry, sorry," Sookie bit her lip in an attempt at not laughing at her friend. "You look really pretty."
"Thanks," Amelia grinned, brushing off imaginary dust from her own dress.
"Um, go on in, I just need to go talk to Eric for a second," she pushed the door open.
Amelia waggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Oh, really?"
"Really! I said something about his dad and... yeah. Anyways. I'll be right back." Sookie shook herself, "Mom! Amelia's here!" She called into the house and pushed her friend in, ignoring her protests and closing the door behind her. She hurried to Eric's house, and raised her fist to the door just as he opened it.
"Oh, hey!" Sookie greeted breathlessly, wondering how many times she was going to run into people tonight.
"Hey," he raised an eyebrow, "I was just about to come over. What's up?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you weren't still mad at me," Sookie babbled.
"Ah," Eric's eyes cooled ever-so-slightly.
"A-are you?" Why was she so nervous suddenly? He wasn't a stranger, he was her boyfriend, for crying out loud.
Eric shrugged, "It's not a big deal." He made to walk past her but she grabbed his wrist.
"Eric," she looked down and almost laughed at how small her hand looked clutching his, "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realize I was being-"
"You weren't, Sookie." He insisted, "I just don't like talking about my dad. You know that. I don't like being reminded of how fucked up he is."
"I know, I'm sorry," she dropped her head, "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's okay," he laughed lightly and pressed a kiss into her hair.
"You sure?" She looked up at him and he smiled the smile that he reserved for her, bending down to kiss her. The kiss became far too heated far too quickly, and Eric pressed her body into the house, his mouth exploring hers even as he stopped his hands from pushing up her dress.
"I want you," he groaned into her neck.
"Sneak into my room tonight?" She murmured and he nodded, kissing her one last time before leading her across the grass and into her own house. Mrs Stackhouse had scrubbed the entire house clean while Sookie had been packing, and as a result all flat surfaces were gleaming. The dining table was already set, the good china and the fancy wineglasses reserved for Christmas and Thanksgiving ready for use. Amelia was transferring soup from the pot into one of Mrs Stackhouse's favourite bowls (because she had favourite bowls), but looked up when they walked in.
"Had a good talk?" She leered, and Mrs Stackhouse appeared out of the pantry and shook her head at Amelia.
"Yes, we did, thank you very much," Sookie scowled at her friend, and set to helping with dinner while Eric settled down on the couch with her dad, striking up a conversation about God-knows-what. Tara arrived not long after, and dinner was served. Mrs Stackhouse was a fantastic cook and she had truly outdone herself with Sookie's good-bye dinner. Apart from the soup, dinner consisted of stuffed chicken breasts and garlic mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and creamed corn. Sookie's dad even offered them wine, stating that a little alcohol couldn't harm them, considering the circumstances. Conversation flowed naturally, to Sookie's relief, and everyone felt comfortable participating, though later Sookie suspected that it was in part due to the wine. The suspicion was confirmed when Mrs Stackhouse teared up when the topic of university was brought up.
"Alright, honey, that's enough of that," her father smiled, gently taking away her wineglass. Dinner was cleared up within minutes, and the group moved to the couches in the adjoining room.
"So, Amelia, are you getting ready to fly out?" Mrs Stackhouse asked, the effects of the wine having worn off sufficiently.
"Yeah, I'm going through my stuff and packing things for storage."
"What day are you leaving?"
"Thursday morning?" Amelia offered uncertainly and then nodded to herself, "Yeah, Thursday morning. My parents are leaving Thursday night."
"Oh, we're going on Wednesday and leaving that night," Sookie's mother smiled at her daughter.
"It'd be easier if I didn't have a car I needed," Eric sighed, also looking at Sookie, "Then we could just fly, too."
"Yeah, lucky I don't have a car of my own," Amelia rolled her eyes amidst general laughter. At some point during the evolution of the conversation topic from getting to university to being in university, Sookie got up quietly and made her way out to the front porch. She stood by the railing and looked up at the sky, watching the occasional cloud against the sky, and the full moon casting eerie shadows on the ground.
"Are you hiding?" Eric came up behind her, his hands resting on either side of hers on the railing.
"No," Sookie closed her eyes and leaned back into him, "I just got tired of all the university talk."
"I thought you loved getting to go to university," his breath blew against her bare shoulder and she shivered slightly.
"I do, but it's all anybody talks about. It's all we've talked about since the end of junior year." Eric's arms abandoned the railing and wrapped around her waist.
He chuckled, "You actually like it and you're tired of talking about it. Imagine how I feel!"
"That's a good point," Sookie smiled, "How long did you listen to me ramble on about applications and shit knowing that you didn't even want to go?"
"A long time." Sookie smacked his hand and he laughed, "What, you asked!"
"I wish you'd told me sooner."
"Why? What difference would it have made?" Sookie turned to put her arms around his shoulders.
"It would have changed things," she insisted.
"How? You were going to dump me after graduation anyways."
"I didn't want to! I had just accepted it as inevitable."
Eric made a barely discernible noise and sat down on the porch steps, Sookie joining him after a slight pause.
"Don't be grumpy." She nudged him playfully, but his glare let her know that he was in no mood to be playful. "I'm pregnant."
"What?"
"Kidding!"
"We need to have a discussion about the things you're allowed to joke about!"
"Sorry, sorry," she pursed her lips in an attempt at not smiling, a part of her unclenching in relief when she saw the unhappy look leave his eyes. Putting an arm around her waist, Eric pulled her close and lightly kissed her hair, letting her lean into him.
"You smell good," she smiled with her eyes closed.
"Thank you." Sookie absently drew circles on the inside of his leg, and Eric groaned.
"Sookie," he complained, pulling her hand to the top of his knee.
"Oh, sorry," she leered, "Was that too close for comfort?"
"If you don't watch yourself, I'm going to have to throw you back onto this porch and make you scream until your lungs give out," Eric growled threateningly in her ear, and she turned quickly to trap his mouth with hers.
"Whoa there, cowboy," Amelia commented, the light from the inside of the house spilling out onto the porch, "Save some for the road-trip."
Eric sighed and pulled away, entirely ignoring Amelia as he turned back to face the deserted street.
"Hey, Mel," Sookie greeted meekly, taking Eric's hand as Amelia made herself comfortable beside her friend.
"Tired of all the university talk?"
"How could you tell?" Sookie snorted, smiling briefly when Eric began drawing circles on the back of her hand.
Her friend grinned and glanced at her watch, "I should get home soon. You guys leaving early tomorrow?"
"We're going to try," Eric told her with a sly smile, glancing pointedly at Sookie.
"What, I can get up early!"
"Who said you couldn't?" He smiled innocently and Sookie elbowed him in the ribs, the three laughing.
***
Sookie lay on top of her covers, wearing one of Eric's old t-shirts and just panties as she thought back to the evening with closed eyes. Tara had gotten teary-eyed as they had said good-bye, hugging Sookie and making her promise that they would keep in touch, while Amelia smiled and told her she would see her in a week. She smiled as her mind wandered further back to her last year in high school. So much of her time had been spent with Eric; perhaps why she had enjoyed it so much. She thought back to October and Amelia's party, and the horrible day when her mother had suffered her heart attack, remembering that night and how safe she had felt with Eric laying next to her. She rolled onto her side and curled up, wondering if Eric was coming over soon as her mind continued flipping through her memories of the past year.
"I feel like a stalker watching you from outside your window," Eric commented as he hoisted himself over the sill.
"Who said you had to watch from outside?" Sookie smiled, sitting up to kiss him.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Just reminiscing," she murmured as Eric ducked down to push up her shirt and kiss her stomach.
"About what?"
"This past year," she smiled, lifting her hips and allowing him to slip off her panties.
"It was a good year," he agreed, relieving her of her shirt as well. "Is this my shirt?"
Sookie bit her lip playfully, "Yeah. You left it here a while ago."
"It looks good on you; keep it." He stood up to take off his own clothes and got under the covers with her. They kissed for the longest time, Sookie's hands memorizing the ripple of the muscles of his back while Eric's hands played with her nipples until they were perfectly erect. Sookie whimpered quietly at the growing warmth between her legs and she squirmed restlessly, wanting more than just his mouth and hands, but the latter were the ones that moved to her core to test her wetness, making her breath catch in her throat at when he rubbed at her folds.
"Eric," she breathed, clutching at his hips as he buried himself between her legs. He paused only a moment before he began moving, his thrusts deep and slow. "Jesus," Sookie gasped, tilting her hips up to get the most friction from him.
"Fuck," he gasped when her fingers dug into his skin, no doubt leaving red marks, but he began thrusting faster and faster, grinding into her so fast that she moaned a little too loudly. Eric paused, shushing her.
"Eric, don't stop," Sookie hissed in response and he obliged, grinding even harder into her so that she climaxed, her chest heaving with the rush of endorphins. Eric hid his face against her neck and came as she was still experiencing aftershocks, making a choked noise as he did. Putting her arms around him, Sookie closed her eyes and kissed his hair.
"That was so worth being sleep-deprived tomorrow," she mumbled, making Eric laugh.
"I should go, though," he kissed her jaw and she whined unhappily. "I'm going to fall asleep and that won't end well when your parents find us in the morning."
She grumbled incoherently, "Okay, fine. If you must."
"I must," he kissed her and somehow extricated himself from her embrace, quickly dressing himself. "Wait, I have something for you." He crawled on top of the covers this time, having retrieved a box from the pocket of his shorts. Sookie accepted the box, shooting him a curious look.
"What is this?"
"I guess you could call it a graduation present."
"But I didn't get you anything!"
He gave her a quick kiss and put his arms around her, "I don't want anything. Open it." Sookie obliged, untying the light green ribbon and opening the box.
"Oh my god, Eric," she whispered, retrieving one stud earring.
"I wanted to get you something that lasted, and diamonds last forever, so..."
"They're actual diamonds? You got me actual diamonds?"
Eric shrugged with a smile, "Do you like them?"
"Jesus, Eric, of course I love them, but you're spending way too much on me, with the hotel room and then these!"
"Technically, the hotel room wasn't just for you," Eric grinned, "I got to enjoy it, too. Very much, if you recall."
"I know," she grumbled, "But you work two different jobs, and I feel bad when you splurge on a room at the Plaza and diamond earrings."
"I save up most of what I make, and I have a big chunk of money that I no longer need, Sook."
"Your college fund?" He nodded. "Oh. What about your dad?"
Eric's fingers entangled with hers, "We inherited a shitload of money from my great-aunt a few years ago. Half of it was supposed to cover for university, and the other half I left for my dad."
"You really have this all figured out, don't you?"
"Yes. Yes, I do." He grinned, "Which means that once in a while, I can afford to splurge on my girlfriend."
"I love you – you know that – which means that I don't need fancy rooms and gifts."
"I know," he inclined his head. "I know you're not that shallow, Sook. I'm not giving you these to keep you interested; I got you them because I thought you'd like them. And you would, if you weren't so hung up on the price tag."
Sookie looked down at the way the gems caught the moonlight and reflected it, "You're right." She met his gaze with a smile, "I'm sorry, I do love them. And I love you. But not necessarily in that order."
Her boyfriend laughed, leaning forward to kiss her, "That is good to hear." Sookie shut the box and placed it beside her so she could turn and fully immerse herself in his kiss, breaking away only when she could no longer put off breathing. He trailed kisses on her jaw and cheek.
"I should go," he sighed into her hair.
"Okay," she smiled, "I'll see you in a few hours."
He kissed her one last time, "Yes you will."
"G'night, baby." She smiled sweetly and he squeezed her hand, returning the sentiment before climbing out of the window and disappearing.