This is the last time I'll fall. Fall for you.
You're leading me on.
“Hey Erika,” my boyfriend, Ashton Parker, kissed me on the lips. My stomach made small flips and my lips tingled with a sensation. Ashton Parker was the most popular boy in school. He was hot with his shaggy blond hair and blue eyes. He had all the girls around his finger with his impressive body and attitude. I guess he was the “It” boy, invited everywhere and being amazing.
I was glad I was with Ashton. Ever since I laid eyes on him, I loved him. I couldn’t stop thinking about him once he invaded my mind. He asked me out about a month ago, and we’ve been attached to the hip ever since. Football season has been getting rough though this past week and so he isn’t with me at all times but we’re with each other whenever we can be.
Everything is perfect between me and Ashton. I cheered for him during his football games, he bought me flowers, we both had so many late night conversations, and were just perfect for each other. Even though I wasn’t head cheerleader, Ashton loved me as the decatholon dork I was. It didn’t matter we were from different clicks, I fell in love with him and he fell in love with me. It was as simple as that.
“I have to talk with the football coach during lunch. So I’ll be a little late, okay E?” he said. I nodded with a smile on my face and he kissed my forehead before he left me in front of my classroom. I walked in and sat in my regular assigned seat.
Alexis sat in her seat next to me and crossed her legs in her cheerleading outfit. She popped her gum loudly and leaned over to me. “Hey Erika. Guess what?” she spoke in a stage whisper. Alexis was always dramatic and theatrical; at times it got irritating.
“What Alexis?” I asked politely, opening my notebook and writing the date neatly on the corner of my paper.
“Ashton Parker is cheating on you,” she whispered, looking into my eyes, waiting for a reaction.
I laughed.
“That’s silly. It’s some rumor people spread when they have too much time on their hands. Ashton and I are doing fine. He’s not cheating on me.”
“Yes he is!” she shrieked.
I looked in her eyes as I spoke, “Ashton would not cheat on me. He loves me. He wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Whatever you say,” she sang as the teacher strolled in. Alexis popped her gum one more time before the teacher began her lecture.
***
“Babe, I can’t see you today. I’ve got a longer football practice and then Ms. Hanson piled homework on me like crazy. I’ll see you tomorrow though, ok?” he said.
“That’s fine,” I sighed, not hiding the frown on my lips. We didn’t see each other as often because he was always practicing football since he was the best player on the team, the starting quarter back, and they’ve got a game against our rivals, the Manchester Bulldogs, in a few weeks.
“I’ll be thinking about you baby. Love you Emilie,” he said, making a kissing noise into the reciever and hanging up.
My name isn’t Emilie…
I chose to not let it bother me. I mean Erika, Emilie: they’re similar. Maybe he has a family member he’s close to whose name is Emilie and he said it by accident. Ashton wouldn’t be doing anything I wouldn’t approve of.
I went outside and sat on my steps. After at looking at the clouds for five minutes, my neighbor Darren pulled up into his driveway. He got out holding his duffel bag with his football uniform and supplies. I looked a little confused. I thought Ashton told me practice was longer today…
“Hey Darren!” I yelled.
“Hey Erika!” he yelled back, smiling. “What’s up?” he said, coming to my steps and sitting next to me.
“Nothing, just bored. Finished all of my homework. I thought you’d have longer practice today; Isn’t the game against Manchester in a few weeks?”
“It’s in a month. Coach says we won’t be staying longer until a week before or so because his schedule is full. So our practices are actually shorter. Also I think this is the first day that Ms. Hanson hasn’t given me homework. I believe she’s started up her sex life again. You want to hang out? Or do you have plans?” Darren asked me.
Why did Ashton…lie?
“I will hang out with you, I promise. We’ll bake brownies. But can I borrow your car? I need to go somewhere and see someone. It’s kind of important.”
“Sure,” Darren smiled, giving me the keys. “Be careful with my baby though.”
“I will,” I smiled to him, giving him a hug. “Be right back,” I said before sprinting to his car. I didn’t even bother adjusting my seat or the rearview mirror; I put on my seat belt and raced to the school’s stadium.
***
I sat in a dark corner of the bleachers. I’ve been sitting here for only about a minute. I was going to sit here for another two minutes. If I couldn’t find Ashton here, I’d just question him the next day.
The two minutes passed and I was going to get up and go home when I noticed Ashton walk out of the boy’s locker room and onto the school’s football field. Out of a dark corner also, Emilie—head cheerleader—emerged. They met in the middle of the field and Ashton hugged her. Emilie immediately dove for his lips and Ashton obliged, giving in, kissing that slut!
I decided I’ve seen enough. I was going to get up quietly and just break up with Ashton at school. I’ve realized at this moment I never really loved Ashton Parker. He was a boy. A popular boy that noticed me and liked me. But that’s all he’ll ever do. Like. He’d get bored and move on; which he has already done. He moved on to Emilie Vakings.
I got up and was going to go underneath the bleachers and escape quietly but my iPod fell out of my pocket and it made a big thud against the metal bleachers. Both heads moved up in alarm, and Emilie squinted trying to see who it was but Ashton already looked up into my eyes and recognized me.
“Erika, wait!” he called, running away from Emilie and towards me.
“Oh screw the iPod,” I cursed, holding my cellphone and Darren’s keys tightly as I prepared myself for a hard run. Ashton was a quarterback, of course he could run fast. I was hoping adrenaline would kick in and I’d leave him behind in the dust. Unfortunatley, life isn’t Burger King and it never lets you get it your way.
Ashton Parker grabbed a hold of me and turned me to face him. I looked him straight in the eye. I didn’t feel anything. Seeing him kiss her with no regrets made me realize I don’t love him. He’s been history ever since his lips met Emilie’s.
“It isn’t what is looks like,” he gasped.
I laughed. “Way to be cliché,” I chuckled.
“I’m being serious Erika. I don’t love Emilie. I love you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kiss her.”
“Sure didn’t look like it a couple of minutes to go,” I scoffed. I pulled away from Ashton Parker. “I’ve got things to do. Bye Ashton Parker,” I said with a small wave.
Before I looked away I saw remorse, regret, sadness in his eyes. I ignored it. He wasn’t worth pursuing. He was just like all the other fake people out there. God, I was so hypnotized by his stupid looks. I thought I actually loved him. Joke of the year.
“I’ve realized what I’ve done Erika. I love you. I don’t love Emilie. I want you. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I regret it. Don’t leave me.”
“I’ve moved on. I‘m done falling for you,” I whispered, turning away and not looking back once.
Time to bake those brownies…
As I drove home I concluded my relationship and this story with about ten sentences. Here it goes:
This story began and now ends with two words. Two words that created a name. A name that belonged to a boy. A boy that grew up with high hopes and high standards. A boy who wanted to impress and be impressed. A boy that believed being yourself wasn’t enough.
Ashton Parker. The boy every girl wanted. The boy every boy wanted to be. And he was all mine. Or so I thought.
I was glad I was with Ashton. Ever since I laid eyes on him, I loved him. I couldn’t stop thinking about him once he invaded my mind. He asked me out about a month ago, and we’ve been attached to the hip ever since. Football season has been getting rough though this past week and so he isn’t with me at all times but we’re with each other whenever we can be.
Everything is perfect between me and Ashton. I cheered for him during his football games, he bought me flowers, we both had so many late night conversations, and were just perfect for each other. Even though I wasn’t head cheerleader, Ashton loved me as the decatholon dork I was. It didn’t matter we were from different clicks, I fell in love with him and he fell in love with me. It was as simple as that.
“I have to talk with the football coach during lunch. So I’ll be a little late, okay E?” he said. I nodded with a smile on my face and he kissed my forehead before he left me in front of my classroom. I walked in and sat in my regular assigned seat.
Alexis sat in her seat next to me and crossed her legs in her cheerleading outfit. She popped her gum loudly and leaned over to me. “Hey Erika. Guess what?” she spoke in a stage whisper. Alexis was always dramatic and theatrical; at times it got irritating.
“What Alexis?” I asked politely, opening my notebook and writing the date neatly on the corner of my paper.
“Ashton Parker is cheating on you,” she whispered, looking into my eyes, waiting for a reaction.
I laughed.
“That’s silly. It’s some rumor people spread when they have too much time on their hands. Ashton and I are doing fine. He’s not cheating on me.”
“Yes he is!” she shrieked.
I looked in her eyes as I spoke, “Ashton would not cheat on me. He loves me. He wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Whatever you say,” she sang as the teacher strolled in. Alexis popped her gum one more time before the teacher began her lecture.
***
“Babe, I can’t see you today. I’ve got a longer football practice and then Ms. Hanson piled homework on me like crazy. I’ll see you tomorrow though, ok?” he said.
“That’s fine,” I sighed, not hiding the frown on my lips. We didn’t see each other as often because he was always practicing football since he was the best player on the team, the starting quarter back, and they’ve got a game against our rivals, the Manchester Bulldogs, in a few weeks.
“I’ll be thinking about you baby. Love you Emilie,” he said, making a kissing noise into the reciever and hanging up.
My name isn’t Emilie…
I chose to not let it bother me. I mean Erika, Emilie: they’re similar. Maybe he has a family member he’s close to whose name is Emilie and he said it by accident. Ashton wouldn’t be doing anything I wouldn’t approve of.
I went outside and sat on my steps. After at looking at the clouds for five minutes, my neighbor Darren pulled up into his driveway. He got out holding his duffel bag with his football uniform and supplies. I looked a little confused. I thought Ashton told me practice was longer today…
“Hey Darren!” I yelled.
“Hey Erika!” he yelled back, smiling. “What’s up?” he said, coming to my steps and sitting next to me.
“Nothing, just bored. Finished all of my homework. I thought you’d have longer practice today; Isn’t the game against Manchester in a few weeks?”
“It’s in a month. Coach says we won’t be staying longer until a week before or so because his schedule is full. So our practices are actually shorter. Also I think this is the first day that Ms. Hanson hasn’t given me homework. I believe she’s started up her sex life again. You want to hang out? Or do you have plans?” Darren asked me.
Why did Ashton…lie?
“I will hang out with you, I promise. We’ll bake brownies. But can I borrow your car? I need to go somewhere and see someone. It’s kind of important.”
“Sure,” Darren smiled, giving me the keys. “Be careful with my baby though.”
“I will,” I smiled to him, giving him a hug. “Be right back,” I said before sprinting to his car. I didn’t even bother adjusting my seat or the rearview mirror; I put on my seat belt and raced to the school’s stadium.
***
I sat in a dark corner of the bleachers. I’ve been sitting here for only about a minute. I was going to sit here for another two minutes. If I couldn’t find Ashton here, I’d just question him the next day.
The two minutes passed and I was going to get up and go home when I noticed Ashton walk out of the boy’s locker room and onto the school’s football field. Out of a dark corner also, Emilie—head cheerleader—emerged. They met in the middle of the field and Ashton hugged her. Emilie immediately dove for his lips and Ashton obliged, giving in, kissing that slut!
I decided I’ve seen enough. I was going to get up quietly and just break up with Ashton at school. I’ve realized at this moment I never really loved Ashton Parker. He was a boy. A popular boy that noticed me and liked me. But that’s all he’ll ever do. Like. He’d get bored and move on; which he has already done. He moved on to Emilie Vakings.
I got up and was going to go underneath the bleachers and escape quietly but my iPod fell out of my pocket and it made a big thud against the metal bleachers. Both heads moved up in alarm, and Emilie squinted trying to see who it was but Ashton already looked up into my eyes and recognized me.
“Erika, wait!” he called, running away from Emilie and towards me.
“Oh screw the iPod,” I cursed, holding my cellphone and Darren’s keys tightly as I prepared myself for a hard run. Ashton was a quarterback, of course he could run fast. I was hoping adrenaline would kick in and I’d leave him behind in the dust. Unfortunatley, life isn’t Burger King and it never lets you get it your way.
Ashton Parker grabbed a hold of me and turned me to face him. I looked him straight in the eye. I didn’t feel anything. Seeing him kiss her with no regrets made me realize I don’t love him. He’s been history ever since his lips met Emilie’s.
“It isn’t what is looks like,” he gasped.
I laughed. “Way to be cliché,” I chuckled.
“I’m being serious Erika. I don’t love Emilie. I love you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kiss her.”
“Sure didn’t look like it a couple of minutes to go,” I scoffed. I pulled away from Ashton Parker. “I’ve got things to do. Bye Ashton Parker,” I said with a small wave.
Before I looked away I saw remorse, regret, sadness in his eyes. I ignored it. He wasn’t worth pursuing. He was just like all the other fake people out there. God, I was so hypnotized by his stupid looks. I thought I actually loved him. Joke of the year.
“I’ve realized what I’ve done Erika. I love you. I don’t love Emilie. I want you. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I regret it. Don’t leave me.”
“I’ve moved on. I‘m done falling for you,” I whispered, turning away and not looking back once.
Time to bake those brownies…
As I drove home I concluded my relationship and this story with about ten sentences. Here it goes:
This story began and now ends with two words. Two words that created a name. A name that belonged to a boy. A boy that grew up with high hopes and high standards. A boy who wanted to impress and be impressed. A boy that believed being yourself wasn’t enough.
Ashton Parker. The boy every girl wanted. The boy every boy wanted to be. And he was all mine. Or so I thought.