Everything's Different Now

“Erica you don’t need to baby me. I’m perfectly fine.” I laugh following Erica into my apartment. She’s been treating me like I have a terminal illness since we left the hospital; in fact she’s been doing it since we’ve been at the hospital. She’s trying to help with every little thing as if I’m incompetent.

“I’m just making sure you’re ok.” She sighs frantically walking around my living room before picking up the cushions on my sofa and plumping them.

“Erica. Stop!” I shout taking the cushion from her and grabbing her arms so she can’t pick something else up. “Stop stressing out.” I smile

“I’m not stressing out.”

Raising my eyebrows and staring at Erica, she rolls her eyes in defeat.

“Ok fine. I’m just worried.”

“About what?” I laugh “The doctor said I was fine, they wouldn’t have released me otherwise.”

“It’s not that. It’s Ashley, what if she does something else. What if she actually does serious damage?”

“I told you she’s gone now. We don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

“What if she was lying? It could be her alibi for when she kills us.” Erica rambled clearing suffering from a case of paranoia.

“It’s not. She was being sincere.”

“I thought she was being sincere when she tried to be my friend.”

“Erica.” I groan

“Fine. But if she comes back I will say ‘I told you so’.”

Pulling her into a hug I rest my chin on Erica’s head as she tightly wraps her arms around me.

“Does this mean we can finally start acting like a couple now?”

“Yes.” I smile lifting her up so she can wrap her legs around my waist. Letting Erica give me a kiss I slowly pull away “Unfortunately it has to wait for tonight.” I sigh

“Why?” She asks placing a kiss on my jaw.

“Because, Justin is on his way over.” Quickly snapping her head up Erica looks at me. Dropping her legs so she can stand properly again I can’t tell if she’s pissed or confused. “He sent me a text this morning saying he was coming over, I can’t say no.” I explain.

“Joe its fine.” She said picking up her bag from the floor where she had left it it. “I’ll come back tonight.”

“Please don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad.” She laughed before giving me another kiss. “I’ll see you tonight.”

------

Stepping out the shower I wrap one towel around me and take another to dry my hair. Jumping at the sound of a noise from outside I quickly turn to face the closed bathroom door.

“Hello” I respond my hand gripping onto the towel in my hand, closing my mouth I roll my eyes.

When did I become one of those stupid girls who hears a noise and responds?

I grab the closest thing to me as the door opens, feeling both shocked and glad to see Joe I sign with relief.

“What the hell are you doing here? You almost gave me a heart attack.” Looking down at my hand I realise it’s still tightly gripping onto a hairbrush.

“So you were planning on brushing me to death?” Joe smiled taking it from me and putting in on the edge of the sink.

“It’s not funny. What are you doing here?” I ask

“I missed you.” He said giving me a peck on the lips

“I was with you like an hour ago.” I scoff “I thought you were hanging out with Justin.”

“I didn’t want to wait to pick up where we left off.” I look down as Joe runs his hand over my arm.

“But I just showered.”

“You’re also already naked.” He whispered with a grin.

Dropping my head so it was resting on Joe’s chest I let him put his arms around me. After a few moments, without really thinking I began unbuttoning his shirt from the bottom working my way up. Once I unclasped the last button I placed my palms on Joe’s chest and kissed his collar bone.

A few seconds later I lifted my head up “How did you get in?”

“You left the door unlocked.” Joe laughed “You should really be more careful, I could’ve been any old pervert.”

“I’ll be sure to take that into consideration.”

Before I can say or do anything else Joe lifted me off my feet, carrying me into my bedroom. As he dropped me onto my bed I clung onto the towel around me to stop it from falling.

“What are you doing? Take that thing off.” Joe said trying to take the towel from me. Shaking my head I laugh as Joe puts his hand on his hips, I scramble to stand on my feet the mattress shifting under my weight.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” I smile. Joe laughed before pulling his shirt off. He stopped and stared at me.

“Your turn.” He said gesturing to the towel.

“I don’t think so. Keep going.”

“It’s not like I haven’t already seen you naked.” He said reaching out to pull me closer but I step back.

“That was five years ago. Now keep going.”

Joe kicked off his shoes and took off his socks mumbling something but I can’t understand what. I can’t help but smile as his removes his jeans; Joe briefly looks up at me and laughs. Again.

--------

“Joe.” Erica whispered as I placed another kiss on her neck. “Joe.”

“What?” I mutter letting my hand tighten around Erica’s waist.

“Can I ask you something?”

Reluctantly I stop and look Erica in the eyes. “Sure, go ahead.”

“How many girls have you actually slept with since I left?”

Crap. I was scared she would ask me this question at some point. It’s nowhere near as high as Justin’s number, but it’s not something I’m proud of, especially when I’m with Erica.

“I don’t know.” I shrug

“Joe come on, just tell me.”

I pause to think of how many times me and Justin would go out and how many of those times would involve me actually hooking up with a girl.

“About sixty, maybe seventy.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth Erica looks shocked but I can tell she’s trying to hide it. Her mouth opens and closes as she tries to think of something to say.

“You don’t have to worry about them. You’re different.” I quickly speak “What I mean is you’re not just another one, you mean something to me.”

“I know. It’s just weird hearing the actual number.” Erica went silent for a moment “Guess this means you have some new moves for me to look forward to.” She joked.

Instantly feeling more relaxed because Erica wasn’t reacting badly, I smile as she traced my jaw line with her finger tips.

“So what’s your number? Three, four, twenty?”

Erica briefly looks away from me and bites her lip. “Actually…. Zero. You were, you are the one and only guy I’ve ever had sex with.”

“Really?” I say my eyes widening to shock which clearly catches Erica off guard.

“Well yea, first I was pregnant and then I was too busy studying while trying to make friends and keep them. I wasn’t trying to hook up with guys or looking for a boyfriend.”

I couldn’t help but laugh a little as Erica explains. I’m not laughing because I’m the only guy she’s been with; I’m thrilled to be honest. It’s the way she’s trying to defend herself that’s funny.

“Don’t laugh at me Joe.” She shouted pushing me off her and pulling herself up

“I’m not.” I smile

“Just because I’m not sleeping around like you doesn’t mean you can laugh at me.”

“I’m not laughing at you.” Seeing Erica get more stressed at each passing second I lean forward and put my hand on the back of her neck “Baby, just calm down.” Pushing my hand away, Erica grabs the sheet and gets out of bed. “Where are you going?” Grabbing my boxers from the end of the bed I put them on as she gathers my clothes from the floor and throws them at me.

“Just go.” She said tightening the sheet around her.

“What is your problem Erica? I didn’t do anything.”

Keeping her eyes on the floor Erica stands there in silence, giving up I put my jeans, socks and shoes on. “You want me to go then fine, I’ll go. Call me when you’re no longer insane.” Grabbing my shirt I angrily leave her apartment slamming the door shut behind me.

I stand in the hallway so I can put my shirt back on. I don’t understand what has gotten into her, one minute everything great and the next she’s yelling at me and telling me to leave. I didn’t do anything wrong.

Hearing the door open behind me I turn around to see Erica still wrapped in a bed sheet staring at me with a look in her eye that I can’t quite explain. I don’t know if it’s anger or if she’s about to burst into tears. Without saying anything she grabs my hand and pulls me back into her apartment pushing the door closed behind me.

“Erica-“ before I can finish she kisses me so passionately that I’m forced up against the door, as I kiss her back I hear the sheet dropping to the floor.