‹ Prequel: The Pros and Cons of Loving
The Pros and Cons of Growing Up
Part Three
Aiden’s POV
I could barely remember Katie. We hadn’t seen each other much growing up, but she was a year older than me, very nice, and she wasn’t into bad things.
I sat on our couch, finding it odd that I was married to a man and living with a woman in another country. She was technically my cousin, though. That still wasn’t the ideal living situation.
I continued to think about our predicament as Katie went through the house, cleaning and talking on the phone with her boyfriend or friend or something. I’ve been here like 2 hours, not long enough to know who she was talking to on the phone…
I bit my lip, feeling odd knowing that soon Eric would be in another country. It was unsettling and I began to miss him more than I thought I ever could. My fingers curled around my cell phone and I longed to call him but I knew that would only make it worse. He left crying so hard I thought he just needed some time.
I hope he calmed down, I thought to myself worriedly.
I heard Katie laughing and sighed, going and getting some food from the fridge. Then I sat down in front of the TV and, like every other teenage boy in college, began to pig out and watch TV…
A Few Weeks Later…
Eric’s POV
Frank and Gerard had left for tour leaving me alone in the house. I sat on the couch with my legs tucked underneath me, watching a movie about two teenagers who just discovered the girl is pregnant. I had a bowl popcorn of next to me and a half eaten ice cream sat on the coffee table, melting slowly.
This was the first time I’d ever been fully alone. For three weeks I would be just that. Completely and utterly alone.
The phone began to ring and on the second ring I picked it up. “Hello?”
“Eric! It’s James! What are ya doing?”
“I’m watching a movie.”
James, some guy in my Physics class, was obviously at a party. We weren’t too good of friends but we did homework together sometimes and had gone for coffee once or twice.
“That’s gay!” he laughed. “No offense, man.”
“Well I kinda am gay.” I laughed as well, pausing the television. DVR was really amazing.
“Come and hang out. Get drunk off your fucking face, man. Quit moping.” He gave several high pitched giggles and then hiccoughed.
“Oh shit. Aiden’s calling.” I gasped as my cell vibrated.
“Well he calls every night. You can miss one call.”
I never had and I never planned to, in actuality. Aiden and I always texted throughout the day, but nothing was better than hearing his voice. I missed him so much it hurt but I knew this was the only way I could be with him until he comes home on their Thanksgiving break. Who in the hell has Thanksgiving in November anyway?
“I’ll talk to you later.” I told James, who was no longer even paying attention to. I think he was so drunk he had forgotten he was on the phone as he was hitting on a girl.
I hung up the phone and quickly answered my cell phone before voicemail picked up. “Hello?”
“Hey.” Aiden said cheerfully.
“Hi.” I felt myself smiling. “How’s school?”
“It’s… okay.” He said hesitantly and I heard him moving around his apartment.
“Well I love you.” I said, feeling almost anxious. Like maybe something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.
“I love you too.” I could almost hear him smile. “How’s school going with you, baby?”
“It’s okay.” I replied, walking into the kitchen and getting out a soda. “Same old, ya know? It’d be better if you were here.”
An awkward silence fell between us and I regretted saying that instantly. Then he softly sighed.
“Aiden, what’s wrong?”
“I just… really miss you.” He whispered. “I… you're all I can think about here.”
“I miss you too.” I said. “But I don’t… I know you need to do this.”
“Do I, though? I need you, Eric.” He sniffled. “I think everyone was right… no one said it but you, but everyone thought it. I made a mistake coming here.”
“Hey, I never said it was making a mistake! I just didn’t want you to go!” I said defensively.
“Well I did make a mistake coming here.” Aiden said, sniffling again.
“No, Aiden… no you didn’t. You getting in was a wonderful thing. You should be happy, honey.”
“I haven’t seen you in weeks. We’re married, we should be seeing each other too much!” he exclaimed. Then he sighed again. “I better go do my work… but I love you. Okay? No matter what, I love you and… I’m doing this for you.”
“I love you too, honey.” I sighed and hung up, now not only worried but also wishing I’d never answered the phone like James suggested…
I could barely remember Katie. We hadn’t seen each other much growing up, but she was a year older than me, very nice, and she wasn’t into bad things.
I sat on our couch, finding it odd that I was married to a man and living with a woman in another country. She was technically my cousin, though. That still wasn’t the ideal living situation.
I continued to think about our predicament as Katie went through the house, cleaning and talking on the phone with her boyfriend or friend or something. I’ve been here like 2 hours, not long enough to know who she was talking to on the phone…
I bit my lip, feeling odd knowing that soon Eric would be in another country. It was unsettling and I began to miss him more than I thought I ever could. My fingers curled around my cell phone and I longed to call him but I knew that would only make it worse. He left crying so hard I thought he just needed some time.
I hope he calmed down, I thought to myself worriedly.
I heard Katie laughing and sighed, going and getting some food from the fridge. Then I sat down in front of the TV and, like every other teenage boy in college, began to pig out and watch TV…
A Few Weeks Later…
Eric’s POV
Frank and Gerard had left for tour leaving me alone in the house. I sat on the couch with my legs tucked underneath me, watching a movie about two teenagers who just discovered the girl is pregnant. I had a bowl popcorn of next to me and a half eaten ice cream sat on the coffee table, melting slowly.
This was the first time I’d ever been fully alone. For three weeks I would be just that. Completely and utterly alone.
The phone began to ring and on the second ring I picked it up. “Hello?”
“Eric! It’s James! What are ya doing?”
“I’m watching a movie.”
James, some guy in my Physics class, was obviously at a party. We weren’t too good of friends but we did homework together sometimes and had gone for coffee once or twice.
“That’s gay!” he laughed. “No offense, man.”
“Well I kinda am gay.” I laughed as well, pausing the television. DVR was really amazing.
“Come and hang out. Get drunk off your fucking face, man. Quit moping.” He gave several high pitched giggles and then hiccoughed.
“Oh shit. Aiden’s calling.” I gasped as my cell vibrated.
“Well he calls every night. You can miss one call.”
I never had and I never planned to, in actuality. Aiden and I always texted throughout the day, but nothing was better than hearing his voice. I missed him so much it hurt but I knew this was the only way I could be with him until he comes home on their Thanksgiving break. Who in the hell has Thanksgiving in November anyway?
“I’ll talk to you later.” I told James, who was no longer even paying attention to. I think he was so drunk he had forgotten he was on the phone as he was hitting on a girl.
I hung up the phone and quickly answered my cell phone before voicemail picked up. “Hello?”
“Hey.” Aiden said cheerfully.
“Hi.” I felt myself smiling. “How’s school?”
“It’s… okay.” He said hesitantly and I heard him moving around his apartment.
“Well I love you.” I said, feeling almost anxious. Like maybe something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.
“I love you too.” I could almost hear him smile. “How’s school going with you, baby?”
“It’s okay.” I replied, walking into the kitchen and getting out a soda. “Same old, ya know? It’d be better if you were here.”
An awkward silence fell between us and I regretted saying that instantly. Then he softly sighed.
“Aiden, what’s wrong?”
“I just… really miss you.” He whispered. “I… you're all I can think about here.”
“I miss you too.” I said. “But I don’t… I know you need to do this.”
“Do I, though? I need you, Eric.” He sniffled. “I think everyone was right… no one said it but you, but everyone thought it. I made a mistake coming here.”
“Hey, I never said it was making a mistake! I just didn’t want you to go!” I said defensively.
“Well I did make a mistake coming here.” Aiden said, sniffling again.
“No, Aiden… no you didn’t. You getting in was a wonderful thing. You should be happy, honey.”
“I haven’t seen you in weeks. We’re married, we should be seeing each other too much!” he exclaimed. Then he sighed again. “I better go do my work… but I love you. Okay? No matter what, I love you and… I’m doing this for you.”
“I love you too, honey.” I sighed and hung up, now not only worried but also wishing I’d never answered the phone like James suggested…