Do It Like That

Zoe was on the verge of making another mistake.

Except... was sleeping with Shane really a mistake? Yes, she had been in a relationship. But it was a relationship that obviously didn't mean anything to her boyfriend, which was apparent now, if it hadn't been previously.

The mistake Zoe was about to make wasn't exactly a mistake, either, more of an... inconvenience.

At 2:30 a.m in the morning, when she had left the club she'd been dancing at for 6 hours straight, she pulled out her cell phone, yet again ignoring all the missed calls and messages from other people, and dialed a number she should have dialed earlier in the day.

She called her mom. She had this irrational need to talk to her mom, to hear the comforting words that only her mother would know to say.

At first, of course, she was pissed Zoe had called so late. Then she went through the routine "Are you drunk?" conversation, before finally listening to what Zoe was wanting to tell her.

"I'm so sorry, baby," she sighed over the phone. "I can't believe he would do something like that."

She went on to tell her that Zoe would be able to move on, soon. She said all the comforting things that Zoe needed to hear.

"I wish I could tell you that it's not going to happen again," her mother stated. "But let's face it. Men suck. There could always be pain hiding around the corner, waiting to come out and hit you over the head. It's the risk everyone deals with. And sweetie, you're brave enough to face that risk. I didn't raise a coward." She paused, deliberately, and then said "I also didn't raise a hooligan. Get to bed. Nothing good happens after 2 am." (*author admits she stole this rule from How I Met Your Mother. She loves that show greatly*)

****

Though she hadn't fallen asleep until 4 a.m., Zoe was wide awake by 10. She had a purpose that afternoon, and she just couldn't stay in bed any longer.

She finally checked everything she had missed on her phone.

The voicemail from Eric was short: "Stop avoiding me."

All the texts from Chevlyn were along the lines of "Call me," "Are you okay?" and "Where are you?"

The one text from Shane: "I'm sorry."

She called Chevlyn first.

"Where the hell have you been?" she answered on the first ring. "I was ten minutes away from calling the police and reporting you missing."

"I'm fine," Zoe assured her. "I just... I couldn't talk to you, with you knowing."

"Why?" Chevlyn sounded hurt. "I'm your best friend, Zo."

"Yes, and as my best friend, you'd be screaming about emasculating Eric and torching his car and various revenge plots like that. And of course, I'd love you for it, but at the same time, you'd be feeling sorry for me. And I don't want you to do that. "

Chevlyn was quiet on the other line, not understanding Zoe's mood. Finally, she tried talking. "But, Zo... you were hurt. Badly."

"Yeah, I remember. But feeling sorry for me isn't going to help me get over it. Just... be there for me. Like you normally are."

Finished with that, Zoe was about to call Eric when a knock sounded at her door.

Coincidentally, it was Eric. Instead of the completely pissed monster that she expected to see, he looked contrite, slightly apologetic, and wary.

Both of them spoke at the same time. "Sorry."

"I've been in love with Brenda for a while..." he explained. "I just didn't know how to end it with you. And it was pure male ego that was pissed off when I heard about you and Shane."

"How'd you hear about that, anyways?" Zoe asked. "Shane told me he didn't say anything, and I know I didn't..."

"Another friend of mine was there at the club, too," he said. "He saw you guys making out and leave together. He was pretty wasted, too, so he didn't see anything wrong with it. Then he called me once he had sobered up, to give me a heads up." He peered at Zoe. "Are you in love with him?"

Zoe shrugged. "I don't know. I could be."

Eric went on. "But I handled this badly. I'm so sorry, and if you want to slap me, throw some beverage in my face, tell everyone I have a small penis..." he winced at this last one. "I understand."

Zoe laughed. "I won't go around telling lies about you," *insert cocky grin from Eric here* "I messed up just as much as you did. Obviously, we weren't meant to be together anyways. Otherwise we'd be more upset about the end of us."

Zoe opened the door to let Eric out after they apologized profusely just a little bit more just as Shane was about to knock.

He looked surprised to see them together, and SMILING together.

"Hi..." he awkwardly started out. "Is this a bad time?"

Eric clapped him on the shoulder. "Nope. I was just leaving." He walked out the door, waving to both of them.

"Did he just put his hand on me without bodily harming me?" Shane asked. "wait. Did he kill me? Is this some strange in-between because they haven't decided whether I'm going to heaven or hell yet? And what are you doing here?"

Zoe just smiled the same smile. "No, you're not dead. Any plans for today?"