Please Come Home
Then Somebody Bends Unexpectedly
“What are you going to do?”
I looked up at John and saw him looking at the letter in my hands. It was my acceptance letter from UCLA. I had applied to transfer there back in the winter so I could get away from Eric and be where Ferris was. After seeing the softer side of Eric and dating him for nearly four months I wasn’t sure any more if I wanted to leave ASU or not.
“I’m not sure,” I sighed. “There are pros and cons to both options.”
“Hey guys what’s going on?” Eric asked with a smile on his face as he walked into the kitchen where John and I were. He had seemed happier these past few months.
“Nothing. How was class?” I threw down the letter and walked over to give Eric a hug.
Eric avoided my hug though and ran over the table to pick up the letter. He quickly scanned it before looking up at me with apparent hurt in his eyes.
“What is this, Foster?”
“It’s…”
Eric interrupted me. “So you’re just going to leave me too?”
Eric started back towards his room and I chased after him, pleading.
“Eric, it’s not like that. I applied back in December when we still hated each other.”
“You’re still considering going there though, aren’t you?! I should have never believed you. You’re just like the others.” Eric yelled as he slammed his door.
I walked tiredly up the steps to the apartment. I had barely gotten any sleep this past week; I was too busy between my homework and trying to get Eric to forgive me.
“So Foster, what’s up with you and Halvorsen? You guys have been looking pretty chummy recently.” A voice said from behind me and I whipped around to see Grant standing there.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, Grant.” I snapped before opening the door.
As soon as I opened the door I saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on the table. I walked over and smiled as I read the card that accompanied them.
Foster,
I’m sorry. I know you truly care. Please forgive me.
Eric
I heard someone enter the open door behind me.
“Thanks so much for the flowers, E…” I started but abruptly stopped when I saw who had actually entered the apartment.
“So you are dating Eric, huh?” Grant sneered at me. “What does he have that I don’t?”
“Everything. He’s nice, he’s passionate about music, and he cares about me more than as a one night stand.”
Grant stormed towards me and pinned me against the wall. “I could be all those things too but you won’t give me a chance. You’ll give Eric fucking Halvorsen a chance but not me?”
“Grant you better step away from my girlfriend.” A voice said from the doorway. I saw Eric begin to march over to where Grant had me trapped and I had never been so glad to see him.
Grant unpinned me from the wall and started towards the door. Right before he was about to leave he turned around and said, “You better watch yourself Halvorsen. I’ve wanted Foster since high school but you stole her from me. Well no one steals from Grant Sigler and gets away with it.”
“What a douche.” Eric muttered while rolling his eyes before he turned to me and smiled. “I see that you found the flowers.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I did. Thank you. They’re beautiful.”
“I’m sorry about getting as mad at you as I did. Forgive me?”
“Of course.” I smiled as I leaned up and give Eric a kiss which he quickly deepened.
“I missed doing that while I was mad at you.” Eric laughed before leaning down and kissing me again.
A ringing phone awakened me from my sleep and I groaned as I put a pillow over my head, trying to block the sound out.
“Eric, answer your phone.” I groaned.
I had been staying in Eric’s room every night since our fight. I still hadn’t decided if I was going to transfer or not but I wanted to be close to Eric while I still could.
Eric chuckled. “Babe, it’s your phone.”
I groaned again as I hit my phone in an attempt to end the annoying sound. The ringing stopped and I sighed in relief.
“All better,” I said as I snuggled closer to Eric.
The silence was interrupted a few seconds later by my phone once again.
“Fuck,” I grumbled and I could hear Eric laughing as I sat up to answer my phone.
“Hello?” I snapped.
“Umm…hi. Is this Foster Hamilton?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“Hi Foster. This is Jackson, your brother’s roommate.”
I instantly became fully awake as I heard these words. “Oh my gosh. Is Ferris okay?”
“I’m not sure. He’s been having some trouble with some of his basketball teammates, his grades, and the girl he was dating cheated on him. He’s been in depression mode these past few weeks. I didn’t know what else to do except call you.”
“Okay…umm…I don’t really know what to do. I mean I live in Arizona.”
“Well Ferris has been talking about how he wants you to transfer here. I think you should just go ahead and move out here now.”
“I still have to take finals.”
“I’m sure ASU will let you take them online.”
I racked my brain over what I should do. I knew there was a possibility that I might leave ASU for UCLA but I didn’t think it would happen this soon, if at all.
“Go.” I heard Eric say.
I turned around to look at Eric. “What?”
“Go and move out to California. Your brother needs you.”
“But what about us, Eric?”
Eric shook his head. “I don’t know, Foster. I mean you’ll be out in California and I’m going to start working with my new band next fall. All I know is that home is where you need to be and right not home isn’t Arizona, it’s with your brother.”
I choked back tears before putting the phone up to my ear once again. “Jackson? Tell Ferris I’ll catch the next flight to California.”
I hung-up my phone and quickly threw my arms around Eric.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“You have to,” Eric said and I could tell he was fighting back tears.
“You’re right.” I said as I got up from the bed and began throwing all my things in a suitcase.
I was finally packed and asked John to drive me to the airport. I didn’t think I’d be able to get on the airplane if Eric went to the airport with me. I’d want to stay with him. I thanked John and made plans to pick up my bigger things with a moving truck at a later date. I gave him one last hug and asked him to watch over Eric before walking towards my terminal.
The plane from Arizona to California only took a few hours but it felt much longer. I was so worried about Ferris that I could barely sit still. Ferris was always happy no matter what so I knew things had to be pretty bad for him to be depressed.
I made it to the UCLA campus but had to ask quite a few people before I found Ferris’ room since the campus was so large.
I finally found the right room and anxiously knocked on his door.
I heard footsteps before the door opened, revealing a very happy looking Ferris.
“Foster! What are you doing here?” Ferris exclaimed as he hugged me.
“I came here because you’re depressed and needed me. You look fine though.”
“Depressed? Why would I be depressed?”
I shook my head trying to make sense of everything. “Jackson, you roommate, called me and said that you were extremely depressed and wanted me to fly out here as soon as possible.”
“I’m fine…and I don’t have a roommate named Jackson. My roommate’s name is Thomas. I don’t even know a Jackson.” Ferris said with a look of confusion on his face.
“Then…who called me?”
“I don’t know. Read the number off to me.”
I read the number off and Jackson typed it into his phone to see if the person was in his address book.
“Foster, that number belongs to Grant Sigler.”
“What?” I exclaimed as Grant’s threat to Eric went running through my mind. I’m sure this was all part of his plan. He wanted me out of the picture when he did something to Eric.
“I think Grant’s going to do something bad to Eric.” I told Ferris as I quickly dialed Eric’s number.
“Why would Grant want to hurt Eric?” Ferris asked but I ignored him as I counted the rings.
Eric’s phone kept ringing before finally going to voicemail.
“Shit! Eric didn’t answer. I have to get back to ASU.” I yelled back at Ferris as I ran down his hallway and out the door.
“John, do you know where Eric is?” I asked through the phone.
I was driving back to the apartment after just landing at the airport. I still hadn’t been able to reach Eric so I had decided to call John and see if Eric was with him.
“No, I’m actually in Texas right now. The guys and I had a show last night. Is something wrong with Eric?” John asked.
“I don’t know.” I said as I pulled into my parking spot and threw open the car door before running up the steps.
I threw open the door to the apartment and began calling out. “Eric! Eric, are you here? Where are you?”
I heard a sound come from Eric’s room and ran back there. I pushed open the door and saw Eric lying on the floor. I began crying when I saw that his face was bruised and bloodied. It was obvious that someone had beaten him up and just left him lying there. I was guessing that someone was Grant.
“Eric, it’s ok. I’m here now. I’m going to call 911, ok?” I kneeled down next to Eric and pulled out my phone.
Eric slowly turned his head to look at me. “Foster? You came back?”
“Of course I came back. I realized home isn’t home without you.”
I looked up at John and saw him looking at the letter in my hands. It was my acceptance letter from UCLA. I had applied to transfer there back in the winter so I could get away from Eric and be where Ferris was. After seeing the softer side of Eric and dating him for nearly four months I wasn’t sure any more if I wanted to leave ASU or not.
“I’m not sure,” I sighed. “There are pros and cons to both options.”
“Hey guys what’s going on?” Eric asked with a smile on his face as he walked into the kitchen where John and I were. He had seemed happier these past few months.
“Nothing. How was class?” I threw down the letter and walked over to give Eric a hug.
Eric avoided my hug though and ran over the table to pick up the letter. He quickly scanned it before looking up at me with apparent hurt in his eyes.
“What is this, Foster?”
“It’s…”
Eric interrupted me. “So you’re just going to leave me too?”
Eric started back towards his room and I chased after him, pleading.
“Eric, it’s not like that. I applied back in December when we still hated each other.”
“You’re still considering going there though, aren’t you?! I should have never believed you. You’re just like the others.” Eric yelled as he slammed his door.
I walked tiredly up the steps to the apartment. I had barely gotten any sleep this past week; I was too busy between my homework and trying to get Eric to forgive me.
“So Foster, what’s up with you and Halvorsen? You guys have been looking pretty chummy recently.” A voice said from behind me and I whipped around to see Grant standing there.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, Grant.” I snapped before opening the door.
As soon as I opened the door I saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on the table. I walked over and smiled as I read the card that accompanied them.
Foster,
I’m sorry. I know you truly care. Please forgive me.
Eric
I heard someone enter the open door behind me.
“Thanks so much for the flowers, E…” I started but abruptly stopped when I saw who had actually entered the apartment.
“So you are dating Eric, huh?” Grant sneered at me. “What does he have that I don’t?”
“Everything. He’s nice, he’s passionate about music, and he cares about me more than as a one night stand.”
Grant stormed towards me and pinned me against the wall. “I could be all those things too but you won’t give me a chance. You’ll give Eric fucking Halvorsen a chance but not me?”
“Grant you better step away from my girlfriend.” A voice said from the doorway. I saw Eric begin to march over to where Grant had me trapped and I had never been so glad to see him.
Grant unpinned me from the wall and started towards the door. Right before he was about to leave he turned around and said, “You better watch yourself Halvorsen. I’ve wanted Foster since high school but you stole her from me. Well no one steals from Grant Sigler and gets away with it.”
“What a douche.” Eric muttered while rolling his eyes before he turned to me and smiled. “I see that you found the flowers.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I did. Thank you. They’re beautiful.”
“I’m sorry about getting as mad at you as I did. Forgive me?”
“Of course.” I smiled as I leaned up and give Eric a kiss which he quickly deepened.
“I missed doing that while I was mad at you.” Eric laughed before leaning down and kissing me again.
A ringing phone awakened me from my sleep and I groaned as I put a pillow over my head, trying to block the sound out.
“Eric, answer your phone.” I groaned.
I had been staying in Eric’s room every night since our fight. I still hadn’t decided if I was going to transfer or not but I wanted to be close to Eric while I still could.
Eric chuckled. “Babe, it’s your phone.”
I groaned again as I hit my phone in an attempt to end the annoying sound. The ringing stopped and I sighed in relief.
“All better,” I said as I snuggled closer to Eric.
The silence was interrupted a few seconds later by my phone once again.
“Fuck,” I grumbled and I could hear Eric laughing as I sat up to answer my phone.
“Hello?” I snapped.
“Umm…hi. Is this Foster Hamilton?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“Hi Foster. This is Jackson, your brother’s roommate.”
I instantly became fully awake as I heard these words. “Oh my gosh. Is Ferris okay?”
“I’m not sure. He’s been having some trouble with some of his basketball teammates, his grades, and the girl he was dating cheated on him. He’s been in depression mode these past few weeks. I didn’t know what else to do except call you.”
“Okay…umm…I don’t really know what to do. I mean I live in Arizona.”
“Well Ferris has been talking about how he wants you to transfer here. I think you should just go ahead and move out here now.”
“I still have to take finals.”
“I’m sure ASU will let you take them online.”
I racked my brain over what I should do. I knew there was a possibility that I might leave ASU for UCLA but I didn’t think it would happen this soon, if at all.
“Go.” I heard Eric say.
I turned around to look at Eric. “What?”
“Go and move out to California. Your brother needs you.”
“But what about us, Eric?”
Eric shook his head. “I don’t know, Foster. I mean you’ll be out in California and I’m going to start working with my new band next fall. All I know is that home is where you need to be and right not home isn’t Arizona, it’s with your brother.”
I choked back tears before putting the phone up to my ear once again. “Jackson? Tell Ferris I’ll catch the next flight to California.”
I hung-up my phone and quickly threw my arms around Eric.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“You have to,” Eric said and I could tell he was fighting back tears.
“You’re right.” I said as I got up from the bed and began throwing all my things in a suitcase.
I was finally packed and asked John to drive me to the airport. I didn’t think I’d be able to get on the airplane if Eric went to the airport with me. I’d want to stay with him. I thanked John and made plans to pick up my bigger things with a moving truck at a later date. I gave him one last hug and asked him to watch over Eric before walking towards my terminal.
The plane from Arizona to California only took a few hours but it felt much longer. I was so worried about Ferris that I could barely sit still. Ferris was always happy no matter what so I knew things had to be pretty bad for him to be depressed.
I made it to the UCLA campus but had to ask quite a few people before I found Ferris’ room since the campus was so large.
I finally found the right room and anxiously knocked on his door.
I heard footsteps before the door opened, revealing a very happy looking Ferris.
“Foster! What are you doing here?” Ferris exclaimed as he hugged me.
“I came here because you’re depressed and needed me. You look fine though.”
“Depressed? Why would I be depressed?”
I shook my head trying to make sense of everything. “Jackson, you roommate, called me and said that you were extremely depressed and wanted me to fly out here as soon as possible.”
“I’m fine…and I don’t have a roommate named Jackson. My roommate’s name is Thomas. I don’t even know a Jackson.” Ferris said with a look of confusion on his face.
“Then…who called me?”
“I don’t know. Read the number off to me.”
I read the number off and Jackson typed it into his phone to see if the person was in his address book.
“Foster, that number belongs to Grant Sigler.”
“What?” I exclaimed as Grant’s threat to Eric went running through my mind. I’m sure this was all part of his plan. He wanted me out of the picture when he did something to Eric.
“I think Grant’s going to do something bad to Eric.” I told Ferris as I quickly dialed Eric’s number.
“Why would Grant want to hurt Eric?” Ferris asked but I ignored him as I counted the rings.
Eric’s phone kept ringing before finally going to voicemail.
“Shit! Eric didn’t answer. I have to get back to ASU.” I yelled back at Ferris as I ran down his hallway and out the door.
“John, do you know where Eric is?” I asked through the phone.
I was driving back to the apartment after just landing at the airport. I still hadn’t been able to reach Eric so I had decided to call John and see if Eric was with him.
“No, I’m actually in Texas right now. The guys and I had a show last night. Is something wrong with Eric?” John asked.
“I don’t know.” I said as I pulled into my parking spot and threw open the car door before running up the steps.
I threw open the door to the apartment and began calling out. “Eric! Eric, are you here? Where are you?”
I heard a sound come from Eric’s room and ran back there. I pushed open the door and saw Eric lying on the floor. I began crying when I saw that his face was bruised and bloodied. It was obvious that someone had beaten him up and just left him lying there. I was guessing that someone was Grant.
“Eric, it’s ok. I’m here now. I’m going to call 911, ok?” I kneeled down next to Eric and pulled out my phone.
Eric slowly turned his head to look at me. “Foster? You came back?”
“Of course I came back. I realized home isn’t home without you.”