Eric Lets Go

Chapter 16

**SOPHIA'S POV**

"Ma'am. You sure you'll be okay to walk back by yourself?" The kind doctor asked me. I nodded to him before he hesitated to leave. After he left I went to find Eric, who was in his burnt apartment.

After he proposed to me, some guy came running into the room all worried saying Eric's apartment was on fire. Eric sprinted back while the doctor helped me hobble back. The walls are extremely black. Everything in his kitchen is ruined. The table, the chairs, the stove, the counters. Everything. I felt like I was at blame here. Eric said something about how he forgot to take out the pizza when he came to save me.

He was standing in the kitchen, his back to me, with his right hand in his hair and his left on his hip. I stood in the doorway and just watched him for a couple seconds. Watching his muscles move with every breathe he took. His back muscles are so mesmerizing. I finally made my way over to him and wrapped my arms around his torso from behind. He took a deep breathe in and put his hands over mine. "Sorry," I whispered.

He turned around and took my hands in his. "It's not your fault," he looked me in the eyes.

"I feel like it is though," I said back.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Because you left to go save me, leaving the pizza to catch on fire!" I exclaimed.

"Who said I went to save you?" He asked with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and punched his arm playfully. "Seriously though," he wrapped my arms around him again, "it's not your fault. Besides, I kinda like the new paint job," he said, moving to my side to look at the wall. I chuckled and looked up to him. I could see he was frustrated but trying hard not to show it.

"I love you," I said to him. I could see through the smile I was getting. He's worried. He's tired. He's angry.

"I love you too," he said and plants a kiss on my forhead. He rubs his hands up and down my arms. "I should probably walk you back. It's getting late and it's been a long night."

"Wait," I grabbed his arm, "where are you gonna stay?"

"Max said he's got an extra apartment I can have 'til mine is fixed up," he says. I nodded and hugged him again.

"Eric?" I asked.

"Mhm," he hummed.

"What's gonna happen to Corey? I feel unsafe knowing he's still out there uncaught, free to do whatever," He tensed up at the question and his grip on me got stronger.

"I don't know yet. I have a leaders meeting in the morning," he took another deep breathe, "if it was up to me, he'd be dead by now."

"Leaders meeting? You're not a leader yet, though," I said, pulling away from the hug.

He smiled, "I was made an official leader the morning of our big fight. I wanted to tell you but after that I didn't think it meant anything."

"Eric that's great!" I exclaimed with a big smile.

"Thank you," he said. For the first time ever, Eric seemed, almost, child like. He's smiling and his head is down shyly. His hair is tussled from running his hands through it. "I'll walk you back now," he said as Max came into view.

"Here are the keys to your new apartment, Eric," Max said.

"Thanks Max," Eric grabbed the keys and stuffed them in his pocket.

"Sophia," Max turned to me, "I'm sorry about the little mishap earlier. How are you feeling?"

Little Mishap? I thought to myself. My life was on the line and he wants to call it a little mishap? I'm furious at his question but I leave it be, because I just wanna go to bed. "For being attacked to my almost death, I'm doing okay."