Could Tell a Love

I awoke from a nudge to my shoulder. I smiled a little, still half asleep. "Eric, not now, it’s still early..."

The nudge turned into a hit. I jumped awake and sat up, forgetting that I was only in boxers. Miranda was standing over me, crossing her arms, only in a skimpy tank top and short shorts.

I relaxed a little and yawned. "What do you want?"

"Come see this." She pulled me out of bed, out to the couch, where Eric and Sarah are laying, sleeping, bare-ass naked. I was in shock. "How could he have done that? We fell asleep at 3 in the morning."

All she did was shrug.

I started feeling anger rising in my chest. I shed my tears for him and here he is, laying next to Miranda’s best friend?!

My phone starts vibrating on the night stand. I run to get it. Thank god it was only a text.

"Who’s it from?"

"Jared. Reminding me that we need to practice today, no skipping out." I said, replying with an agreement.

I heard the two on the couch stir. Eric’s arm came out above his head and his eyes opened, piercing me with pure shock.

"Eric. What is this?" I asked, feeling my plan becoming switched. I caught him cheating.

"I can explain, Beau, really, I–

"Eric, who are you talking to...?" Sarah said, rolling over and waking up as well. The same look of shock came over her face. "Shit."

"She made me. I was coming out to use the bathroom and she pulled me into it."

"So you’re saying that you let her win?" I said, my anger becoming more obvious every time I spoke. "I know you better than that, Eric. You wouldn’t let anyone do that to you."

"I didn’t let her do that to me–"

"You did that to me, and it was wonderful!" Sarah said, stretching and crawling over Eric to use the bathroom.

"Busted." Miranda smirked.

Eric sighed, frowning, and looked at the floor. "Beau. I didn’t mean for this to happen. At all."

"Oh? Well would you be able to explain those texts then? From all those different girls? Telling you to meet them some place and that they fucking love you?" I raised my voice. I saw him cringe. I felt no remorse. This was the last straw. "Eric. It’s over. I can’t be in a relationship that can’t be trusted." I felt more tears coming to my eyes as I was doing this. "How could you have done all that to me last night and then go off and fuck someone else as if we were nothing?" Tears fell from my eyes. "I thought we were something."

I looked at the ring he gave me on our three month anniversary through blurry tear filled vision and took it off. I set it on the table and stalked off to my bedroom, getting my clothes and taking a shower. I sat on the bottom of the tub and let the water hit me in the back. My knees were tucked to my chest and I just stared, my tears blending with the water dripping down my face. Once the water started getting cold, I slowly made my way out and dried off, shivering. I slipped on my black skinny jeans and a black Glamour Kills v-neck. I ran my brush through my hair, not really caring what it looks like today. I looked at myself in the mirror, eyes red and puffy, bloodshot from the tears. I didn’t think I could cry anymore, but the water works started again, but it was only a single, insignificant tear compared to the ones that fell just before.

There was a knock at the door. "Beau? Can I come in?" It was Miranda. I didn’t know if she could see me like this, the emotional wreck that I am.

"Yeah, come in." I said quietly, voice cracking from the lack of me using it. I sat on the toilet and looked at the floor.

The door opened a crack and she peeked in, probably seeing if I was naked or not. She opened it the rest of the way and shut it again. "Are you alright?"

"Does it seem like it?" I asked sarcastically, hiding my sadness behind the sarcasm. "How long have I been in here?" I asked, not even thinking about that before.

"Over an hour. I thought you’d drowned yourself or something." She said, trying to make a joke.

"I was thinking about it." I said in all seriousness.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you did the right thing?" She crouched down to my level.

"I know. I know I did. But you don’t know how this feels. How heartbroken I am. It’s tearing me apart, and it’s only the first day. I can’t even begin to imagine what the next days are going to be like.." I looked at the ceiling, thinking that by doing that the tears wouldn’t fall.

"Then don’t. Just take them as they come. Don’t think about him." She got up and sat on my lap. "Think about me." She leaned in and kissed me. My hands held onto her waist and I didn’t resist. Maybe she would be my cure. She could steer my mind away from Eric, what he did, what I was going to do. It was working now.

She parted from my lips and got up, offering her hand.

I smirked and grabbed it, walking with her out of the bathroom. I had to go to my room to grab shoes and a sweatshirt. She came with me and sat on my bed while I dug in my drawers for socks. Once I finally found a pair that matched, I slipped them on along with my low tops. My sweatshirt was lying on the floor from the night before. I thought about not even bothering with it, afraid that Eric’s scent would still linger on it.

I felt like I was making a mountain out of a mole hill with this whole situation. I felt so pitiful. I just put the sweatshirt on like it was a normal day and walked out of my bedroom with Miranda.

When we got to the living room, Sarah was sitting on the couch, tying her shoes, face expressionless.

"Where’d Eric go?" Miranda asked.

"To the studio." She said, sighing.

I was about to instinctively argue why he didn’t wait for me, but held it back. I’m going to have a hard time getting used to this.

"Want us to drive you there, Beau?" Sarah asked, getting off the couch.

"No, I’ll go myself. I need to think things through, get myself together." Thinking things through meaning sitting on the side of the road, and getting myself together meaning breaking down while sitting on the side of the road and beating up my steering wheel, resulting in being late to practice because my vision would be blurred by my tears.

"Are you sure you don’t want anyone to come with...?" Miranda asked.

"No. I need to be alone. Please." I looked deep into Miranda’s eyes. Even though she was showing pity, I could tell she was jumping for joy. She’d gotten what she wanted. I was separated from Eric, and available to her. I didn’t know about him, but I was pretty miserable.

"Alright, then we’ll see you there?" Sarah said, linking arms with Miranda, car keys jingling.

I nodded and watched them leave. As soon as the door slammed, I stormed into my room. I felt like destroying something. I looked atop my dresser and saw a picture of me and Eric at his 19th birthday party last Valentine’s day. I always thought his birthday was the cutest thing. We weren’t really into each other back then, well at least I wasn’t...

The tune of happy birthday rang through the whole room while Jared and I carried the cake out. We managed to fit 19 candles on it. On the last cord of the song, we busted through the swinging door and set it on the table, lighting the candles.

"Come on Eric, make a wish." Mike said.

There was a pause of utter silence. I almost broke out laughing. Once he blew out the candles a round of applause started and we dug into the cake. Craig made me the designated cake cutter, unfortunately.

"I’m not gonna get any good pieces." I complained, dishing the first piece to Eric.

"Suck it up, you’ll get a good piece when it’s your birthday." Jared said, smearing frosting on my nose.

I jumped in surprise and shock spread all over my face. I dug my finger into his cake and smeared it all over his face.

"Now now, we don’t want to start a food fight, do we?" Eric said, standing between us. I looked down at him, smirking. I never really realized how good looking he was.

Jared smacked his ass and made Eric jump a foot in the air, out of our way. We got face to face again.

"Lick it off." Jared said, less than an inch from me.

I didn’t say no. I started at his chin, worked around his mouth, up towards his nose and eventually made it to his lips. Our arms wrapped around each other. His tongue still had traces of frosting on it, making the kiss even more enjoyable. We almost forgot other people were there until I felt a tap on my shoulder. We parted and turned to see Craig looking at us in disapproval.

"Oh, hey Craig. What’s up?" Jared said, sounding slightly awkward.

"Hey." He said, sarcastically peppy. "We’re opening presents now, so you two should probably get off each other." He cleared his throat. "Uh, Beau. You got a little something right here." He pointed to his nose. Jared looked and laughed. "Oh, I guess it’s my turn." He kissed my nose, getting the frosting off. I heard Craig sigh.

We both gave him slight smiles and separated before everyone else came in carrying wrapped boxes and decorative bags, most decorated with hearts, honoring the fact that it was also the day for love and compassion towards your special someone: Valentine’s Day. I sat on the floor, Jared following my actions, sitting on my lap.

"Ooff! Jared! I can’t see!" I said, trying to move him off my lap. I squeezed his sides and he jumped off, giggling. I knew his weak spot. He gave me an evil glance that didn’t last long. He was soon smiling at me. He kissed me on the cheek quickly before Eric started opening presents.

Jared’s present was in a pink heart covered bag with ribbons for handles.

"Did you go girlie enough when you were looking for a bag, Jared?" Eric asked, digging through the pink and white tissue paper.

"I try." He said, flipping his hair like a gay man. I sighed and pushed him a little bit. We were completely open about our relationship. Everyone excepted it, thankfully.

"What the hell?" He pulled out a pink studded belt and some matching pink hair ties. "What can I even say about these?"

"That they’re bitchin’ and you’re totally gonna wear them?" Jared said, sounding too optimistic about this.

He laughed. "Okay. I’ll just say I said that and move on." He put the belt and hair ties back in the bag and went to my gift. It was a gift card for Hurley. It was just in a small black bag that I found in my basement.

"Oh dude! Sweet! Now this, my friends, is bitchin’. Thanks Beau." He said, smiling at me, putting the gift card back in the bag.

None of the other presents mattered after that. I just stared into space, mostly at Jared. The point of Valentine’s Day was soaking in and I wanted him more than ever, even if it was in a bed that wasn’t mine or his. I wondered if he was feeling the same. He sighed and turned his head, noticing that I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He waved his hand in front of my face. I jumped slightly and came out of my zone, my vision unblurring to see into Jared’s amazing sky blue eyes. I could tell he wanted the same thing I did. I laid down and rested my head in his lap.

"Wanna leave early?" I asked, looking up at him.

"No, I think we can wait it out." He said, stroking my hair.

I smiled and closed my eyes. It was so relaxing when he did that. I opened my eyes again, worrying that I might fall asleep. I looked at Eric, who was opening his last present. He looked back. I felt like he was staring into my soul with those green eyes. Those amazing, deep green eyes...

Wait. No, I don’t like Eric that way. He’s just my best friend. Nothing more.

"Alright, this party would be a lot better with booze, but seeing as how Eric over here still has two years to go.." Jared said.

"Ha ha, very funny." Eric said, getting up and picking all the garbage off the floor. I found myself staring at Eric’s ass, which was very nice. I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me.

"Hey Beau, we’re gonna head out, kay?" Jared said, patting my stomach and sitting me up.

"Alright, lets go." I got off the floor and followed Jared to say bye to everyone.

I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through his. Everyone congregated to the kitchen where all the food was.

"Alright everyone, we’re gonna head out." Jared yelled over all the conversation.

"So soon?" Eric asked, walking through the crowd, beer in hand. He didn’t care if he was underage. He still drank.

"Yeah, it’s Valentine’s Day, and I have something special planned for tonight." I said, smiling and blushing.

"That’s cute. Well, thanks for coming. And thanks for the gifts...Jared." He said specifically.

I laughed and hugged Eric, sneaking a kiss on the cheek.

I let go of him and he looked surprised. I blushed a darker shade of red and after Jared hugged him and he said his final goodbyes to everyone, we left.

Jared and I got home and spent the rest of the night in bed, only able to see each other by candlelight.

The next day I went to Eric’s to see how he faired with the mess that we made last night.

"I guess someone sneaked a picture of you kissing me on the cheek last night. You can keep it if you want, I think it’s cute." He said, handing it to me as I helped him with the dishes.

Oh shit. I wonder who saw us.

It’s not that serious though, it’s only a kiss on the cheek. Everyone does it to show affection.

We didn’t speak for the rest of the time I was helping to clean up and I left shortly afterwards. The awkwardness was driving me nuts. The picture stayed in my head all day. I hid it in my night stand drawer inside a book I never read...