Fell In Love With My Best Friend.

9th Grade Here We Come

**********

"I have a lot of people blowing my phone up with comments on our double date," Taylor said to Erica.
"Same. I have comments like, 'Who does those anymore?' or 'You guys are crazy.'"
Taylor smiled and took a deep breath as they walked down the hall. "They need to give us more than 4 minutes to get back and forth from classes."
"I know right."
"Have you been missing Liam lately?"
Erica stopped dead in her tracks to look at Taylor. "Liam?"
"Yeah. You know the british fellow who left when we were in 8th grade."
Erica continued walking, but she wasn't done with this question. "No, I haven't."
"Wow, so you actually forgot about him?"
"I didn't forget about him...I just pushed him in the back of my mind."
"Until later?"
Taylor and Erica walked into their classroom, and surprisingly they weren't the last one's in the classroom. Taylor turned to Erica who was playing with her pencil case.
"Taylor?"
"Yes Erica?"
"Should I stay with Rick or go back to Liam if he comes back?"
"Honestly...? I think Liam, but you might fall in love with Rick before he comes back."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"Sorry for bringing it up."
"It's okay. It needed brought up."
"Why?"
"If you didn't bring it up, I would've forgot about my best friend, and what kind of friend would I be if I forgot him?"
"You should talk to him, so you can make sure he didn't forget you, too."
"I don't know.."
"Give it a shot. What's the worst thing that could happen?"
He could have a girlfriend.

*******

"Is it too late to back out?" Erica asked AJ and Taylor.
Taylor and AJ shook their heads as they sat behind Erica. They were in Erica's living room, Erica had her computer on their coffee table, and Taylor and AJ were sitting behind her on the couch while Erica sat on the floor. Erica took a few breaths, and she looked at her friends.
"Are you sure I should do this? He probably doesn't want to talk to me."
"Erica. Just do it this once, and if you don't want to talk to him again, don't," AJ said, with her arms crossed.
"Does Rick know I'm doing this?" Erica asked.
"Don't worry about him."
Erica was all out of stalling skills. She took a deep breath and opened her computer. She got on her Skype account, but she looked at her friends one more time. "Erica, you can do this," they both said at the same time.
Erica nodded as she clicked 'sign in'. Her hands were sweaty, her hands and arms were shaking, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. I can do this. She checked her watch, and it said 10:28 a.m.
"We still have 2 minutes. I can get a drink of water," Erica said, jumping up.
"Erica..." her friends warned her.
"Don't worry. I'll be back," Erica said, running to the kitchen. She grabbed a small glass, filled it with water and she gulped it down in 5 gulps or less. She looked at her reflection. She had mascara on, her long golden blonde hair was down, she was wearing dark jeans, a light blue tank top. She took a deep breath, and she returned to the living room.
"Ready?" Taylor asked her.
"I think so," Erica said as she sat down in front of her computer. Then, someone's user name popped up under 'incoming call'. She looked at it, and it said: Liam'stoocool12. Erica smiled slightly, and she answered the call, still really nervous.
She saw herself on camera, but she wasn't the problem or thing she was worried about. It was the fact that Liam grew longer hair. He had the younger 'Bieber' style hair, and he somehow got lighter skin. He was really tan when he left, but now he was lighter.
"Hey Erica," Liam said. Oh my god. His voice deeper. His voice used to be a little higher and was cracking.
"Hi Liam," Erica said, noticing her shaky hands on the table shake some more.
"Hey Liam!" Taylor and AJ exclaimed as they got in the view.
Liam laughed and waved. "Hey guys, how have you guys been?"
"We've been great. I'm dating Adam, and Taylor is dating a guy named Brad."
Liam was a little surprised by that. "I knew you would go for Adam, but Taylor? Who's Brad? I thought you were dating Bradley."
"He broke up with me because he said he liked another girl 2 grades ahead of him," Taylor said, shrugging.
"Oh. I'm so sorry about that, but who's Brad?"
"He's a Junior who's friends with one of Erica's....friends named Rick. We met them at the park in July," Taylor said, looking down at Erica.
"He's just a friend?" Liam asked, looking at Erica.
"That doesn't matter. I called you to check up. I didn't call to talk about if we're dating other people," Erica said.
"I know," he said, sighing. "Things have been fine here. My parents say they are loving it in California, but I'm not a big fan of it."
"Why not? You have to be interested in those California girls," Erica said, trying to play it as cool as possible.
Liam shrugged. "They're all right."
"Are you dating one?" Erica asked, afraid of the answer.
"I was, but not anymore. I found out that she was using me to get her ex-boyfriend back and everything," Liam said.
"Aw. I'm sorry Liam. Have you dated anyone else before her or now?"
"I dated another girl before her, yes. I dated a girl a year older than me for a few months, but there wasn't a good connection. I didn't feel happy with her, so you know.."
Erica nodded. "Sounds like you haven't had much luck in dating."
"It's true."
"Don't worry. I haven't had any fun either. I dated Luke, the quiet Luke..."
"Wow, really?"
"Yeah. He just walked up to me because I was going through...some stuff. Then, in June or whatever, I agreed to date him. Worst mistake ever. He cheated on me with Leanna."
"Wow. Not only does he talk, he's a total jerk who didn't realize how lucky he was."
Erica smiled. "Yeah, I guess. I'm dating this guy named Rick for a couple months now, but I don't know if I'll ever find pure happiness with anyone."
"You will, don't worry about that."
Erica nodded and smiled. "I hope you have a good time in California, Liam. Don't get too messed up."
"Trust me, I won't. Thanks."
"Yep. Tell your parents I said I hope they're happy where they are."
"Thanks. I think they're calling me down to go for a walk now. I swear, ever since they moved here, they are all about fitness. I'll see ya. I don't know if we'll be able to talk again anytime soon, but take care of yourself."
"I will. Bye Liam," Erica said, trying to get hold of herself.
"Bye Erica. Bye Taylor and AJ!" Liam said before ending the call.
Erica sighed and closed her computer. "That's that," Erica said, standing up.
"How do you feel?" Taylor asked.
"I have no idea. He changed, I know that."
"You probably changed through his eyes, too."
"Maybe, but he really changed. He talks different, he looks different..."
"He went through puberty like we did. Nothing big," AJ said.
Erica shrugged. "I hope Rick isn't mad that I talked to Liam without telling him," Erica said, grabbing her computer.
"He has no reason to be mad. You were just talking to your best friend."
"Yeah I was, but..."
"If he is mad, have him talk to me," AJ said.
"I won't do that. You're crazy," Erica said, laughing.
AJ smiled and shrugged. "It is what it is."
Erica rolled her eyes. "Hey guys, after I put my computer upstairs..."
"Ice cream!" Taylor exclaimed.
"How does she always read my mind?" Erica asked, laughing before disappearing upstairs.
***********

"She talked to another guy on Skype?" Brad asked. "Yeah she did. I heard Taylor and another girl talking about it in the background when I called her earlier." "You don't think she was trying to get back with an ex-boyfriend, right?" "I honestly don't know. I hope not." "Don't worry. She wouldn't do that." Rick nodded. "Lighten the fuck up, dude. Don't get all girly on me." "I'm not getting all girly." "Yes you are. You are whimpering like a little puppy." "I am not," Rick said, shoving Brad hard. Brad laughed and looked at him. "Dude...You got it bad. Real damn bad." "I do not. I can leave Erica whenever I want to, and I will be just fine." "Sure you can." "I can. Do you want me to prove it to you?" "Go ahead, dude. I know you can't do it." "Watch me," Rick said, grabbing his phone. "You fucker. Give me that phone! You are NOT breaking my girlfriend's best friend's heart!" Brad yelled, attempting to snatch the phone away. Rick pulled away and looked at him. "I'm telling you, I can break up with her." All of a sudden, they heard a door slam, and they both snapped their heads to the window. Erica was running away from Rick's house. She was standing in his doorway the whole time, and they never noticed it. Then, Rick got a message. Erica: Don't worry, I'm gone. "Shit," Rick and Brad both said at the same time. "I messed up bad, didn't I?" Rick asked, even though he already knew the answer. All Brad did was nod.