Can You Keep a Secret

-Eric's Point of View

"How's everything going?" I asked casually as Ray handed my cellphone back. 

He let out a sigh. "I hate seeing her so stretched thin. I can tell there is more on her plate than what she's telling me, but just being in Raleigh alone after your house got robbed would be unnerving to me. I don't know how she isn't breaking down."

My heart aches at his words. I wanted to be there for her. I wanted to help her through all this. I knew I was that weight on her shoulders she wouldn't tell Ray about, though. I wished she would get a break. 

"What's going on besides the break in?" I asked. 

Ray gave me a confused look. "You two haven't talked about it?" he asked. 

I hesitated. "N-no... We haven't really talked since I left," I mumbled. 

He shrugged it off. "Some woman at her work has it out for her because she and that Max guy are friends. That Max guy sounds like he isn't helping her. She sounds like she's on the fence with whether or not she feels like he's a decent friend. And I guess she called out some of his friends," he added with a smirk. 

"His friends? When did she meet them?" I asked. I didn't like the idea of her being around his friends. I didn't like the idea of him. He still rubbed me the wrong way. 

"Maxy Pad invited her to a game party with his friends, I guess. Apparently they sat there talking shit about us and then brought up rumors about her. She got pissed," Ray explained with a laugh. 

I smiled a little. That sounded like the Ricky I knew. I turned back to packing up my suitcase. 

"You guys really haven't talked since we left?" he questioned after a few minutes of silence. 

I nodded my head. "Yeah..."

"Why? Did you get in a fight?"

I shook my head. "I'd be apologizing a long time ago if that was it," I commented. 

"What is 'it', then?" Shit. Way to word things, Eric. 

"Oh, uh... Nothing. I just meant, um... If there was a reason we weren't talking, a fight wouldn't have lasted this long," I quickly lied. 

"You suck at lying, Eric. You always have, too," Ray stated with a laugh. 

I groaned before sitting down on the edge of the bed, facing Ray. How was I supposed to say this to my best friend? 

Ray gave me a confused look as he sat up straighter in his chair. I think he could tell the mood in the room had changed dramatically. 

"First off, I'm sorry. You can beat the shit out of me, but please wait until the summer time when I'm not playing, for the team's sake," I began.  

Ray frowned. "Okay..." I could see the protectiveness coming out for his sister. 

I sighed. "So..." I began. I was such a bad best friend. This wen against the bro code so much. I was pretty sure this even broke a promise we had made when we were like eight, too. 

"I, uh... Um..." I glanced away to my hands. "I like your sister," I blurted out. It had to be said anyways. In the end, it would come out somehow. It was better he found out from me, anyways. 

I was nearly scared shitless when Ray burst out laughing. "Oh my God, that's it? That's all?" he asked. When I slowly nodded, his laughing picked up. "My God, dude. I thought you were going to say you were a dick to her or something. Fuck. That's hilarious," he continued. 

"What's funny about it? How are you not trying to put my dick in a blender right now," I demanded. Was he high or something?

Ray's laughter finally calmed down. He stood up and patted me on the shoulder. "It's about time you realized you liked her. Everyone knew you would end up liking her at some point. Hell, your mom even knew it!" he exclaimed as he walked to the fridge to pull out some of the snacks he had brought with him. God forbid Ray was ever without any food. 

"You aren't pissed?" I questioned. I paused. "Wait, my mom?" I asked. 

Ray rolled his eyes as he started to put cream cheese on his bagel. "Bro, everyone. You two just have chemistry or however your mom put it. You two were bound to have a thing at some point."

My eyes fell to the carpet. "It's more of just a one way thing..." I mumbled out. 

Ray was silent. "Did you say something to her?" he asked. 

I ran my hands over my blonde hair. Ricky has reminded me to make an appointment to get it cut, but I still forgot to last week. "I might have told her I had wanted us going to the movies to be a date.. And... I might have kissed her?"

Ray sighed. "You probably scared the living hell out of her," he mumbled as he took his food to the table to eat. 

"You don't think I know that? We haven't talked in four days. Regardless, that's odd for us as of lately," I commented in frustration. 

"Just talk to her when we get home. She feels bad enough about everything at your place being stolen," he suggested. "She won't care about it after you talk to her. She'll be more focused on you stuff missing."

I shook my head. "I could care less about all of it. She wasn't there when it happened and I'm just thankful for that. It could have been worse. I don't care if my ring and medal are missing. It's all material stuff."

Ray watched me for a few moments. "You've got it bad for her," he stated before laughing again. 

I rolled my eyes. "Eat your bagel, you fatty."

"They're called curves and my girlfriend happens to love them!"