Status: COMPLETE.

The Walls Caved In

feel like i'm living a teenage dream

I'm not as scared as I had thought I would be, when I finally dropped the last of my bags onto my bed. I had already walked my parents and Ali to the car, hugged them all tight, promised them my love and a phone call tomorrow evening. My door is wide open because my roommate, a girl named Ginny from Florida, had left to say goodbye to her parents a few minutes after me.

I sat down on my bed, which I haven't even taken the liberty to sheet yet. I leaned back, grabbing my purse and setting it in my lap. I searched through it, finally finding my phone; I set my bag back somewhere in my mess of stuff.

I look at my background. Stare, really. It's of Eric and I, taken just a few hours ago, when he showed up at my house to tell me bye. He's not smiling; he looks sad, actually. So do I. We're just staring at my phone, faces pressed close together. There are other pictures, after this one. After Eric had looked down at the picture with me, his hand under mine as we both stared at the screen.

"Oh, c'mon. We can take a better picture than that. I'm happy for you, Joy. I want you to be happy for you, too."

At this point, all I could do was stare up at him. I probably looked like a fourteen year old, pissed and pouty, staring up at her mother when she told her she couldn't go to the mall.

"Oh, stop looking like I ran your dog over with my bike. Come here," Eric snatched my phone from my hands, grabbing me by the waist and holding me tight. He held the phone out in front of us. "I love you," he whispered, right above my ear, before shoving his lips on my face and snapping a picture. Before I could respond, he moved his hand to the back of my neck, tracing a finger down the top of my spine, my only tickle spot, making me smile, snapping a picture. Those are both saved to my photo box.

Only those pictures aren't how I feel right now. Right now, I'm not content, but not upset. I'm just here, in my new dorm room, where later on tonight I'll lay and try to sleep but won't be able to because I'm nervous and scared and full of emotions that I wish would just leave me be.

I dialed Eric's number, fast, clicking send and holding it to my ear.

"Hey, this is Eric. Leave me a message and I'll be happy to get back to you."

I thought for a second, wanting more than anything to say "Fuck you, Eric. Answer your God damn phone every once in awhile, will ya?" or "I'm not in a good place right now and you won't answer your fucking phone, what the fuck am I supposed to do when fuck fuck fuck fuck." Only I know anything I would say would come out wrong; angry or depressing or pathetic or forced. Only I'm not any of those things right now. Right now, I'm just here.

I drop my phone somewhere on my bed, between all of my bags and pillows and junk, before climbing on them myself. Just as I finally start to think how odd this would be for anyone to come across, seeing as our door is wide open, Ginny walks in.

"Hey, Gloomy, right? Don't be so blue. I've got some amazing news."

"Yeah?" I say, laughing to myself, at myself, as I pull myself out of my mess and sit on the clean corner of my bed.

"Yes, of my god. I was walking with my parents to the parking lot and I saw the cutest guy. Then, when I was walking back, he was still in the same spot, looking all lost and such. So, being myself, I went over and smiled and asked if he needed any help. He totally did, you know. I helped him find the admissions building and pointed him in the direction of our dorm, you know, just in case." She grinned, winking.

"You are too much," I said, laughing. Ginny shrugged, whatever, before going to close our door.

"Oh my God," Ginny said, turning toward me. "He's out there. He's out there! Come, come, look!"

I sighed, chuckling, but getting up either way. I came toward the door, squeezing behind her, and looking down the hall with her.

I didn't see anyone. Not a soul.

"Ginny, no offense, but did you hit up in the parking lot? Because you're seeing things, honey."

"Oh yeah?" Hot breath in my ear. A hand stroking the back of my neck, just so. A familiar voice.

"Eric!" I yelled, turning around as fast as I could, throwing myself into his arms. I acted like I hadn't seen him in months, yes, but I had just really missed him in that moment.

"Oh my god," I gasped, looking up at him, laughing. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I told you," Eric said, smiling down at me. He tightened his arms around my waist. "I got accepted."

"Here? Really?"

"Yeah," Eric laughed, leaning down to my level. He rested his forehead against mine. "Really. I don't think I could deal with being even a city away from you. Besides, we wouldn't want any college boy stealing you away from me. You're a tough girl to keep my hands on."

"Uh, or you know. It would be tough for girls to keep their hands off of you," Ginny mumbled. I turned my head slightly, staring at her. "Oh calm down, babe. I helped the boy find you, right? I could have simply stolen him away for a few minutes... damn. Let me go browse campus." I turned back to Eric, shaking my head as Ginny walked the other direction.

"I love you, Joyce Bailey."

I looked up to him, watched his face. We'd been through a misunderstanding, a break, lies, insecurities, divorced parents, broken down cars, Isabelle, two proms, South and North, and now here we were.

We were just here.

Holding hands, kissing, whispering.

"I love you too, Eric Jackson." Eric smiled, mumbling some incoherent child of good as he pulled me close, bending down, connecting our mouths.
♠ ♠ ♠
THE END.

So, um, yes. I don't know what to say. This story has been in production since May 3, 2009. I honestly don't know what to think of it ending. My main want for this story was to stray away from fanfictions and write an original story that didn't change too much of the plots I usually write about. Love, et cetera, et cetera. I did that, you know, but I got bored and I feel like I didn't do my best in some parts of the story, but still, I want to thank everyone who read this story and followed Joyce and felt bad for her, who wanted to kick Ali's ass for being such a rotten sister, for falling in love with Eric and wishing you had a boy like him. I think we all do; I think you all deserve your own Erics.

Again, thank you so much. Please, please, please leave a comment. It will absolutely mean the world to me. Thanks again.

xoxo
Casey