Reader: The Story of Erin Williams

Reader: The Story of Erin Williams Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After a student council meeting and track practice, Erin finally arrives home.

"Hey, dad," she shouts as she puts her coat on a hanger. She doesn't hear an answer, drops her backpack, and goes into the kitchen. She sees a note on the fridge.

"Working late tonight, Dad" 

Erin sighs and walks back to the front door. She picks up her backpack and heads upstairs to her room. She turns on her computer and takes out her math homework. As she sets it on her desk, she sees the picture of her and her parents from about four years ago. She stares at it for a few minutes until her computer made a sound, saying that it's on. She brushes away a small tear from her right eye and begins to do her homework.

About an hour and a half later, she goes down and reheats some spaghetti from the night before. As she sits down at the table, her father's car pulls up in the driveway. She continues to eat as he comes in dressed in his suit and tie.

"Hey, dad," Erin says.

"Hi, honey," He smiles as he loosens his tie. Erin notices that part of his suit coat has a hole in it by his right forearm.

"What happened to your coat?" She gestures to his sleeve.

Doug Williams looks at his arm and shakes his head, "It's nothing."

"I thought you only did desk work," Erin snaps.

"I do, I just got a tiny hole stuck on something and it got bigger, that's all."

Erin rolls her eyes, "Whatever," she sighs and goes back up to her room and slams the door. She lies down on her bed and stares up at the ceiling. She knew he was lying. He had to; it was his job. Erin's father is an FBI agent. He has been since he was twenty. He is a part of an elite task force that specializes in abnormal abilities. Doug Williams can read minds like Erin can. He sighs as he hears her crying upstairs. He could only hope that tomorrow would be a better day for them.

 

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Erin walks down the hallway towards her physics class with Ryan. She understood why he would be upset about confronting Drake. It took her almost five years to stand up to the harassment in grade school. She hears him up ahead thinking about her. She smiles when she hears that he wants to see her. She catches up to him and walks in step with him.

"Someone took their happy pills this morning," She says with a smile.

"Erin!" Ryan gasps. 'Oh crap,' he thinks, 'now I actually have to talk to her.'

Erin laughs at his thoughts, "I swear, Ryan, you make the funniest faces sometimes."

"I... I'm just surprised that you're talking to me after... after the way I acted. In all honesty, I said that stuff just because I was pissed off at Drake."

"Well, then don't be," She shrugs.

Ryan gives her a confused look.

"I see too many people who wish that things will get better for them but chose not to do a thing about it." She sighs, "Ryan, you're a great guy and you deserve better than that. If you want to see a change, you've got to do something to change it."

Ryan nods and they walk into the classroom. Erin gave up focusing in class a long time ago. She could easily read the book instead of listening to another boring lecture by Mr. C. She gazes out the window as she thinks about her dad and why he wouldn't tell her the truth about his jacket. Her mind slowly comes out of her daze and she feels someone looking at her. She looks to her right to see Ryan staring at her. He quickly looks back at the board. Erin bites her lip to stop herself from laughing.  She takes out her phone and quickly texts him.

"I saw that." She looks up the board and covers her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her smile. She sees Ryan get his phone out and check it. He looks over at her and smirks. Shortly after, she gets a text.

"How'd you get my number?"

She smiles and types back, "One of the perks of being popular."

She looks back over to see his reaction. He opens his phone and laughs as the last bell rings. Erin gathers her things and walks out the door with Ryan. 

"You know I'm serious about Drake," She murmurs.

"Yeah," Ryan nods, "I know. I feel that if something's going to happen, it'd be a spur of the moment kind of thing."

All of a sudden, Ryan is shoved into the lockers. Erin stops in her tracks and backs away. She has to let him handle this himself... and Drake is easily a foot taller than her.

"What now, Drake?" Ryan yells, "Did I do something specific to annoy you, or do you get off by pushing me around?"

~He did it,~ Erin thinks. Then, Drake takes a step towards him.

"No," Drake smirks which sends a shiver up Erin's spine. When Ryan does that, it's cute, but it creeps her our when Drake does it. "You just look extra stupid today," Drake continues. Oh crap, she thinks, it back fired. Then, she looks into Ryan's eyes. There was no fear. It did work! Drake grabs Ryan by the shoulders and throws him into the lockers. Only this time, he never hit it; he went through.