Eric and Erica

Eric and Erica #TKBMovieContest

She was outgoing. Always in the center of things. Surrounded by friends, laughing at a joke, always like she didn't have a care in the world. Pretty, no matter what color she had dyed her hair or what new makeup look she was trying that day.

Wallflower. That's what he was. Always on the outskirts. Phone in hand, trying to look busy so people wouldn't bother him, when really he was texting no one. Who would he text? Nobody knew his name. Eric was his name. His mom had seen The Little Mermaid one too many times. He thought it made a pretty funny story, but he'd never gotten the chance to tell it. That was what transferring schools in senior year did to a person.

He'd watched her since he arrived. Not in a creepy way; he just noticed her, that's all. It was hard not to. The whole world seemed to notice her. It wasn't her brightly colored hair, pink today, or her eyeliner that went on for miles; it was her personality. She was radiant.

She'd smiled at him in Calculus on his first day, the only person who acknowledged him. During roll call, he learned her name was Erica. He wondered if their nearly identical names were a good or bad omen; he'd never work up the courage to introduce himself and find out.

Their paths rarely crossed. She was in track and he was in choir; they were never in the same place at the same time. Sometimes when he left choir practice he saw her team running laps around the field, and it looked like she was flying. Once they passed each other in the parking lot and she smiled at him again. He lived off that moment for weeks.

And then, when only two weeks remained until he would be done with high school forever, fate decided to have a little fun with the two of them.

When he turned around from his locker, Erica was standing there.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he stammered.

"You're Eric, aren't you?"

"You're Erica."

A smile. "Listen, I want to ask you something."

"You do?" Had he done something wrong?

She glanced at her hands, a little bashful. "Yeah. My question is...do you want to go to prom together?"

"What?" The floor may as well have fallen out from under him.

"You can say no," she said anxiously. "I know it's a little sudden, but...I've been wanting to talk to you all year. I've noticed you, you know. I'd like to get to know you better."

"Yes," he said.

"What?"

"Yes. Of course." Was he dreaming? "I've noticed you, too."

Now she was beaming again, and he nervously returned her smile. "Want to get a coffee?"

He nodded. She slid her hand into his, her palm warm and soft. If he was dreaming, he wanted to stay asleep forever.

***

#TKBMovieContest

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