Gives Me Hope, 2.
~
“Eric!” I shouted, chasing after him. “Give it back!” When I finally reached him, I jumped on his back.
“‘I love you!’” he read, mocking my voice.
“Eric!”
“‘I love you too, Baby!’” he said in a low, creeper-ish voice.
“Bryce does not sound like that!”
We finally fell onto the ground, laughing hysterically.
“And we were just playing around.”
“Mmhm, sure,” our friend, Ethan Goldstein, said, standing above us.
“Really.” I grinned. “At least for now.”
Eric (Johnston) laughed. “Bry is not right for you, girlfriend,” he said in a girl-like voice.
“Why not?”
“Because I love you.” He pouted, hinting it was a joke.
“Aw! Eric!” I rolled on top of him. “Ethan, Kelse — get on.”
“No!” Eric yelled. “Alicein’s too fat already. I don’t need extra weight.”
“She is not fat!” Eric’s sister, Kelsey Monet, responded. “Bro, you’re just jealous she loves Bryce, and not you.”
“I admit it, I am pretty damn jealous.”
I kissed him on the lips. “Don’t be! He’s crushing hard on Tina, anyways.”
“Hey, Eric?” Kelsey asked. “Who told Jess about you and Ms. Jefferson?”
“I did, why?”
“Because he told Stacy.”
“What?”
I got off him. “What the hell?”
“She just texted me saying, “Jess told me about your bro and how he and Ms. J made out and almost did it. And he was with Amy? What a whore.”
“Holy shit, man,” Ethan said. “Ms. J? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to think I was a whore.”
“Oh…” He paused. “Did you love her?”
He looked up at Ethan. “I did.”
“Well, I don’t blame you. She was young and beautiful and full of life,” Kelsey said.
Eric nodded. “Rest in peace, J.C.” He frowned.
“Excuse me.” He stood up. “I need to call Jess. You guys go to the movies first. I’ll meet you there.” He handed me my phone and walked away.
