Stay

Jenna was anxious already. Anixous as she waited for the cute new boy to enter the classroom. It was silly she knew, but the butterflies in her stomach said otherwise. She tapped her pencil on the desk as she stared blankly at the notebook in front of her.

"Studying?" She heard and looked up to see Eric slide into the seat beside her.

"Pretending to."

He laughed, "Sound like me."

She chuckled as he placed his arms on the desk, "So Jenna, what's your favorite color?"

She laughed at his randomness, "Purple. You?"

"Green."

"Music?"

"Yes."

He laughed, "What do you listen to?"

"A bit of everything really. I'm not bias. I just like music."

"I feel ya. Do you play anything?"

"No. Not at all. I leave that to Garrett. You?"

"I play bass oddly like your brother."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, in fact I'm in a band with Nick."

"Ohhh. Yeah I knew he was in one."

He nodded, "And yet you didn't know I was in it. Such a shame."

She laughed, "I'll now never make that mistake again."

Eric smiled, his eyes seeming to study the girl before him before he spoke again, "You're really pretty." He said causing her heart to stop. He had always been loud and said what he wanted regardless if he wanted it to come out or not.

She couldn't help but blush madly and he grinned, "You are."

"Thanks." She whispered and he gave her a smile before turning around in his seat. Who was this boy and why did he have to turn her life upside down in less then 12 hours?!

Class seemed to end quickly and not to her surprise Eric waited on her to gather her things.

"So aparently your brother's band has practice today and invited us. Will you be there?" He asked as they walked to her locker slowly.

"Yes. John says someone has to tell them what they sound like and unfortunately I always end up being that person."

Eric laughed, "Well iI hate to say this, but I'm glad this time that you are that person. See you there." He spoke confidently and Jenna simply nodded as he walked away.

"Jared told me you have a crush on the new kid." John said walking up and she groaned, "Can no one keep a secret?!"

John snickered, "Oh my god. The world is ending. Jenna Nickelsen likes someone!"

"Shut up and lets go!"

"Awe." John continued just to annoy her as he followed behind her to his car.

"Shut up!" She shouted again and he laughed behind her. Once in the car Jenna slammed the door and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm joking, Jen. He seems like a cool kid and he did say he thought you were cute."

"Yeah he told me." She mumbled and John laughed, "Oh man. I love how out there he is."

She rolled her eyes as they headed to Pat's for the boys practice, if you wanted to call it that. The ride to his house was a mere ten minutes at best and she quickly hopped out following John to Pat's garage where all their instruments and things sat.

"Took you long enough." Eric said from where he sat, his feet proped up on a crate.

"Did you fly here?"

"I wish!"

She laughed and Garrett shot her a look causing her to sit down a bit away from Eric.

"Hey little Nickelsen." Nick said patting her head as he passed.

"Hey Nick, if you marry Garrett your name will be Nick Nickelsen."

"Hey Jenna, I'm not gay."

Eric started laughing along with Jenna. She loved messing with Nick even if it was over something stupid. He made it so easy.

"Could be. You have nice hair. Even better than mine." Eric chimed in and Kennedy laughed, "Oh man. Don't choose her side. It's the dark one."

"You always agree with the pretty girl, Kennedy. Clearly you don't have a girlfriend."

"Ohhhh." The boys chimed in and Jenna was now in a fit of laughter.

Eric grinned widely as he placed his hands behind his head.

"Yep. He fits in well." Jared said chuckling from where he sat in the floor messing with his guitar.

Jenna's eyes diverted to Eric next to her and his eyes met hers.

"Yeah, I might stick around for a while afterall." He stated his eyes never leaving hers as her heart raced in her chest. She hoped he would anyways.

After that day Eric was a permanent member of their group. In fact, it was odd how well he fit in. It was like he was meant to be with them. That he completed their group.

"Hello!" Eric said loudly as he entered John's house without knocking. The guys and Jenna looked over at him hushing him because they were watching a movie.

Eric stuck his tongue out before falling beside Jenna. He wasn't going to lie. He was attracted to the girl. She was the complete opposite of him. She was quiet, reserved and yet she was funny, which he appreciated. Or maybe just appreciated that she laughed at his lame attempts at jokes.

"Our little Jenna has a date tonight." John pointed out and Jenna rolled her eyes with a groan, "It's not a date."

Eric's eyes diverted to her quickly. The thought of her hanging out with a boy besides their group really didn't settle well with him.

"A boy and girl are going to a movie. That's a date."

"Is not. We are friends."

"Who is it?" Eric asked, his usual funny manner pushed to the side for once.

"My brother!" John stated for her and she winced as Eric's eyes never left her.

"Oh." He mumbled as he leaned back in his seat. He didn't like it one bit. Even if he knew the kid. He didn't want her with anyone. He wasn't shy, but he really wanted to take his time asking her out and John's brother was threatening his plan. What if she started liking him?

Eric stared blankly at the television as Kennedy looked between the boy and Jenna. It wasn't long after that Kennedy moved beside her. He leaned closer to whisper to her and she froze at his words.

"Eric likes you."

Her eyes moved to his and he gave her a grin, "He does. You can tell. When have you ever seen him this quiet?"

Jenna looked at the boy who was fiddling with the zipper of his jacket instead of watching the movie.

"He does not." She whispered back although her heart was beating rapidly.

"He does so."

She looked back at the television ad John spoke up, "Ok, this is creeping me out."

Eric's head shot up and John continued, "You're so quiet I can't focus!"

"What the hell?! You'd bitch at me if I was talking and now you are bitching at me because I'm quiet?!"

"Yes! You never are quiet!"

"Well sorry!"

"Why are you being quiet?!"

"Well, I think I'm getting a cold. So sorry if that dampers my mood!" Eric stated and John rolled his eyes.

"Awe poor Eric." Jenna spoke patting the boys head.

He stuck out his bottom lip, "It's quite sad."

She chuckled and he laid his head in her lap with a sigh. She absentmindingly played with his hair as he shut his eyes trying to think of how to win her over. He had never had to work this hard to impress someone. Not that he was a player or anything but it just came naturally to him. His personality was just too hard to pass up.

He didn't intend to fall asleep on the girl, but it happened and before he knew it she was shaking him softly as she whispered his name, "Eric, wake up."

He turned on his back and his eyes opened to met hers as she leaned a bit over him. A grin hit her lips which he returned with a sleepy smile.

"Sorry." He managed to get out and she tried not to blush, "It's fine."

"You can sleep on me next time, I won't mind."

John laughed from across the room, "I bet you won't, Halvo!"

Eric smiled as Jenna blushed madly. The boy removed himself from her lap and tried to fix his shirt.

"Yeah, in fact you can tomorrow night you know, instead of going on that date with that O'Callaghan kid." He stated boldly and John rolled his eyes, "Careful..."

"It isn't a date!" She forced out as her cheeks were now a burning red.

"Then great. So you'll be hanging out with me."

"She is not ditching my brother for you!"

"Didn't say he was. Maybe Shane should bring a date and then say, I can be hers." Eric said confidently.

"I mean how can you be mad at this guy's persistence?!" Pat asked throwing his hands up dramatically.

Jenna couldn't even speak and Eric took her silence as a yes, "Great. Well you can just text me with the time."

"You are going to make her have a heart attack one day." Garrett said chuckling from his seat. He knew his sister better than she knew herself and he knew she was beyond flustered by his boldness which you think she'd be use to.

Eric grinned, a bit happy he made her feel that way, "Jenna, it'll be fine. Plus, we don't know this particular O'Callaghan kid that well. What if he tries to get fresh with you?"

"Fresh?" Pat asked dying laughing even though the boy didn't know what he meant by that.

"My grandmother says it. Apparently it means, well what you assume it does!" Eric said chuckling.

"My brother isn't going to get fresh with her!"

"He could! And I for one do not think that should happen!" Eric said as if this was a serious matter.

Garrett chuckled, "True..."

John rolled his eyes, "This is ridiculous..."

Jenna groaned and relaxed her head on the arm of the couch. She was trying to contain her nerves but the thought of going on a date with Eric excited her...even if it was kind of a fake one. She would take what she could get.

"Great. Well what time are you leaving tonight?"

She whined, "Eric."

"What?!"

She breathed in, "7."

"Well maybe we should just all go so my brother doesn't feel like shit!" John stated and Eric shrugged, "Sure! Why not?!"

"Oh my gosh I hate you guys."

Eric shrugged once more. He didn't care who came or how she felt about it. He just didn't want her on a date that wasn't with him. Even if that meant embarrassing her a bit.