Spy School: Life After Graduation

Chapter 43: 19

Boom okay so here's the second update for this week! Idk why i chose taco bell tbh. Just go with it lmao :)

Taco Bell
DC
6:30 PM
Sunday
July 19th

Erica's POV:
We went to get some food. Only a few of us came. Ben's siblings were ordering off of UberEats because they didn't want to go out. Their dates were either with them or home. Chip and Jawa and their girlfriends were at Jawa's just talking because they were a lot closer to each other than everyone else. Cyrus and Jillian were at their house catching up and talking with Alexander. She was his mom after all. That left me, my mom, Mike, and Zoe. We were at those bar-like tables in the middle of the room. and I was next to my mom and across from.

Her arm was around me, like Mike's around Zoe. I ordered some salad of some sort. Don't really remember what they got since it wasn't very important. Especially at the time.

We sat there for a while, just talking and eating. I was staring off into space thinking.

Why does he have to be so selfless? Like I love it and all but ugh! Now he's super injured and in a coma. I really miss him. When he wakes up and is a little better I'm going to punch him. I cannot believe him. I never realized just how much I needed him until I don't have him. Like I realized I needed him a long time ago. But I had no idea I rely on his company and goofy little grin. And that mischievous smirk. Wow I've changed so much. And I even made a super risky decision to get married at 21. To a 19 year old. But to be fair, why should I wait? I love him and have since up in the Washington Monument back in his first year. 7 years ago. He made me smile and I wanted to just stay up there forever. But the mission wasn't over. I really should thank him for thawing me. I was never this happy when I isolated myself and put up the oh-so-infamous ice walls. And you know what? I- huh?

A hand was waving in front of my face.

"Erica. Erica dear? Are you alright?"

"Uh yeah. Mhm. Yep. Fine. Just uh... thinking."

She gave a worried look.

"Where are Mike and Zoe?"

"Dancing out in their car. Mike was getting really upset again so she took him to their car and they're dancing to music to help him calm down. She was even playing with his hair absentmindedly while he ate since she finished first. Pretty cute Zike moment. In my eyes at least."

"Aw that's sweet. But do you just ship everyone?" I asked jokingly.

"Pretty much dear." She replied with a smirk.

I laughed a little.

"What's on your mind sweetheart?"

"It's nothing." I fake smiled and brushed me hair back behind my ear. "I'm fine."

"Sweetie, I love you. But do I look like an imbecile?"

"No?"

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

"You're not fine. You were staring off into space the entire time."

"Cuz I was... thinking."

"Erica, I'm also a woman. We're never fine when we say we are. What's wrong?"

"I never realized how much I needed him everyday until I can't. I knew I needed him but I didn't know I literally can't function properly knowing he's not okay. Now when I go home tonight for the first time since I invited him back after he graduated, Mav and I will be alone. It'll be me and Mav without him. And it'll be us, alone in a quiet house. Silent, save for a bark every now and then or a sob. I will be without him and that makes me upset. He's 19. 19. And he chose to spend the rest of his life with me. It better not have only been a couple weeks." I stifled a sob.

"Erica, sweetie it'll be okay. He'll be fine. It may be a while before he wakes up, but he is alive."

"I know. But I still really miss him."

"I know sweetheart. It'll be okay. He'll be okay."

I sighed.

"I hope so. I really do."

Okay sorry it took a while, but here's the second update from Friday. I didn't have it all the way done when I posted the first one and then realized that I was a chapter ahead and needed to go back. Hope you enjoyed and gn!