Can You Keep a Secret

-Eric's Point of View-

A few days before New Year's, Ricky was called in to have a quick meeting with her boss. She had left about two hours ago and still wasn't back yet. I was a little suspicious as to why they would need her in the middle of her vacation, but tried to ignore any unhappy reasons. 

The front door opened and slammed shut. I jumped from my spot at the counter. Ricky kicked off her shoes-literally- and dropped her purse before walking up to her room. Shortly after she disappeared into her room, her door was slammed shut. I blinked a few times in confusion. 

Ricky wasn't the type to go slamming doors when she was angry. She was usually the silent, terrifying angry person kind. However, if she was stressed, she would happily through her cell phone at a wall or snap her pencil in half instead of writing with it. 

I warily entered the living room, collecting her shoes from the opposite side of the room as the door, before heading up to her room. I knocked lightly. No response. I pushed the door open slowly, giving her enough time to say something if she didn't want me in her room or wasn't decent. 

Ricky was laying face down on her bed, her face smothered by her pillow. "Rick?" I asked gently. 

She didn't respond again. I set her shoes down at the bottom of her closet then sat on her bed. I lightly touched her back. "Ricky?" I asked. When she refused to respond again, I gently pushed on her shoulder. "Shrimp, what's up? What's going on?" I asked. 

Ricky finally rolled her head to the side. I reached up to brush the hair from her face. Her eyes stared at the wall. "I like it here, Eric. I've got a home here," she whispered as if it changed everything. 

"I'm glad you feel that way. I like having you here," I responded. I felt uneasy. I hadn't seen that look in her eyes before. I could always read her, but she was as clear as mud at the moment. 

She didn't elaborate after that. I sighed. "What happened? Talk to me, Shrimp. You've got me worried," I confessed. 

She blinked. "Someone filed a few reports against me at work, saying I was doing inappropriate things in the office. I've never done anything bad there, Eric. Matt called me to his office and explained what was being reported. He told me his boss insisted that I should be fired immediately. I guess Matt argued with him for hours about it," she rambled. I could feel my anger boiling already. Who the hell would make up something about Ricky? She was one of the nicest people ever. I wanted to defend her, I wanted to fight her boss over it.

"Matt finally convinced him to let me keep my job, but..." She suddenly stopped talking and buried her head in her pillow again. 

"But what?" I pushed. I was a little more relieved that she would be keeping her job. I felt like I owed her boss a thank you. 

A muffled answer sounded through the pillow. I sighed. "Rick, I can't hear you."

She turned her head. "They're transferring me to New York," she spat out. 

I was fairly sure everything stopped. "You're moving?" I questioned. I didn't want to believe it. 

"I have to unless I want to be jobless," she responded sourly. 

I dropped my gaze to my legs. "When do you have to leave?" I asked finally. 

She sighed. "They're hoping I could get there within two weeks," she answered. 

I didn't want her to move. I was attached. I wanted her by my side here in Raleigh, not on her own up in New York where I would rarely see her.

It was best for her, though. No matter how much I wanted her to stay or was pissed off at whoever made up the complaints, I had to let her go. I had to let her move on. 

I should have slapped myself. I was acting like I owned her, like she was my girlfriend or something. She wasn't. She was just my friend and roommate. She had become a close friend. That was it between us. She didn't like me back, so there was nothing more. 

"I guess I can go pick up some boxes for your stuff. I think I can get some at the rink or I can stop by somewhere to pick some up. We can start packing tomorrow before my game. Marc would probably"

"I don't want to move," she whispered, ignoring me. 

I stopped with my planning and stared at her. "It will be fine. You'll like New York. You've been there several times. Marc and Lindsey are there," I told her. 

She shook her head. "But it isn't the same as you and Ray being here," she responded. 

I took her hand in mine. "It will suck, but it's for the best, you know? You'll do good there."

The more she fought moving, the harder it was for me to let her leave. I would so willingly just tell her to stay, but I knew I couldn't fairly do that. 

We were both quiet for who knows how long. We could've been sitting there for hours or just a few minutes. Time didn't seem to really mean much. 

"I guess our time as roommates is over," she said sadly. 

My heart broke. "Yeah, guess so."

She gave me a light hit on the arm. "You'll always be my favorite movie buddy," she said lightly. 

I forced a smile. "And you will always be mine," I responded.