The Walls Caved In

Eric didn't contact me. I didn't necessarily think he would, but it was still a thought in my head. I figured he would call, ask if I got home, and act like I hadn't seen him follow me. Maybe he didn't know I had seen him, and maybe he did. Maybe he wanted me to call.

That wasn't going to happen.

I continued to replay everything in my head. I didn't understand why he had called my mom. I didn't understand why he followed me home. Eric is a nice guy, I finally realize.

We were friends before we dated. Of course he would care about if I got home safely, right?

"Joy!" Eric called, and I couldn't find myself turning around. I just kept walking, pushing one foot forward, pulling it back, and letting the other repeat its partner's movement. I could feel Alli's eyes on my face, but she continued to walk beside me, bags of groceries in our hands.

It wasn't until his hand was on my shoulder, that Allison stopped walking. I held all intentions to keep moving, but I couldn't leave my sister. She was confused; she'd never met Eric before, and here he was following me. God only knew what she was thinking.

"What do you want now?" I asked, turning towards him. Allison moved closer, the wrinkle above her brow smoothing out little by little.

At first, he said nothing, only staring at my face, his eyes twitching over my features. "I need to borrow something," he said finally.

"Oh, really? Because the last time you needed something, I fell into a huge mess of you and me, and honestly, I don't think I want that to happen again."

"Joy, seriously." He sighed. So did I.

I bent down, placing the grocery bags I held in my hands on the ground. Then, I pulled my bag off my shoulder, already opening it, the sooner to give him what he wanted and for him to go away forever.

That's what I want. I don't want to see Eric ever again. He hurt me, stealing my kisses and bruising my lips. Causing me pain that I would have never felt, had I never met him. Meeting him was a mistake, and it was all his fault.

"What?"

His hand rested on my arm again, pushing my gaze from my bag to his face. "Your heart," he said. I looked at him, his words a whisper in my head. The words were so childish and immature, but they brought back the whole summer. All the great days I spent with him, the moment I'd walked away, the rain, and all the emotion I felt now.

"No."

Hurt was clear on his face. His green eyes huge, and his mouth a strict line. "Why not, Joy? Why do you always look at the bad side of this? I can fix this.. we can fix this! C'mon, why can't you give me another chance?"

"Eric, you don't understand," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. He looked at me, waiting for an explanation. He was so confused, but it was all clear to me now. I had been wrong, so so wrong. "What if I don't want it back?"

He stared at me, as usual. It took a moment, before his fingers twitched around my arm. The edges of his lips moved up, then down, before up again. The biggest smile I'd ever seen on his face- considering all the smiles I had seen out of him. "Are you serious?" He spluttered, his other hand gripping the arm he wasn't holding. His hands shook slightly. My head moved, up and down. "Oh, Joy!"

His hands moved around me, pulling him into his chest. I couldn't explain it, exactly, but a huge relief filled over me. Just being there, with his arms around me. His smell filling my nostrils. The outline of his smile pushing against my cheek. His lips kissing my nose, my forehead, my cheeks, my lips. A laugh rose from my throat, and he laughed with me, placing another kiss to my face.

"You two have gots some 'splaining to do." Allison. My head turned towards her, and she was smiling. I couldn't not smile; I just couldn't. Eric continued to hug me, our cheeks pushed together as we returned my sister's stare.