Hey my beautiful gems, here's another one!!! Hopes you enjoys!! :DD
Chapter 31
LORI’S P.O.V
I was fuming as I walked the halls. I wiped angrily at my uncontrollable tears. How could Eric be such a hypocrite? He doesn’t trust my newfound friendship with Chris yet ironically he’s friends with the most devious person there is. How can he be so blind?? More tears continued to stream down my face. I had to stop and lean against a locker as I cried my eyes out. I felt my chest tighten and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My best friend would rather believe petty rumors – that I am 100% certain Ashley spread – rather than believe me.
I wanted to scream in anger. My breathing was rugged as I glared at the floor in front of me. I shoved my hands roughly into the pockets of my jeans only to feel there was something in there. I took it out revealing a crumpled up piece of paper. I gave it a confused looked as I smoothed it out and read it.
Top 10 Reasons Why I Love You
10. We’ve known each other forever.
9. You tell me I don’t look fat.
8. You laugh at my jokes.
7. We like the same junk food.
6. Long phone conversations with no silent places.
5. You’d share your last piece of chocolate.
4. You always understand.
3. You’ve seen me without make-up – and you still call me beautiful
2. You give bad hair day sympathy.
And the #1 Reason Why I Love you is “If I was lost – You’d Find Me”
I started to cry harder as I read this. I remember writing it. It was few months before Eric’s birthday and I didn’t know how I was going to tell him I loved him, so I decided maybe I should start off by writing it down. I re-read the reasons again and I knew Eric was the one for me. No matter how much we fight, I still love him, I always have I and I always will!
Folding the paper and putting it back into my pocket I wiped away the rest of the tears. I took a deep breath trying to calm my breathing. It’s not over yet. One petty fight is not going to come between Eric and me. I needed to find him. I need to tell him how I feel right now.
I prayed Eric was still at his locker. I ran down the hallways determined to find him. As I rounded the corner my head started to spin. I'm actually going to do it. I'm really about to tell Eric that I love him. I was almost there. I couldn’t stop grinning as I turned the corner. This is it.
I turned the last corner heading onto the hall where our lockers were located. I saw Eric at his locker but he wasn’t alone. My breathing came to a halt and I froze dead in my spot as everything became slow motion. Just ahead of me were Eric and Ashley pressed against the lockers – kissing.
“No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening,” I muttered refusing to believe what I was seeing. My chin started to quiver as a whole new set of tears started to flow down my face blurring my vision. This wasn’t happening.
She actually did it. She actually managed to take away the one person in my life that kept me sane. She took away my rock, my happiness, my love. I was starting to feel light headed and realized I had stopped breathing all together. I let out a sob before covering my mouth.
I had to get out of here. My world was crashing around me and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t take this feeling anymore. I turned around and ran out of the school. I got as far as the school parking lot before collapsing and bawling my eyes out. I heard a car door slam and feet running towards me.
“Lori?” the voice called but I was in too much shock to respond. My body was starting to go numb and I couldn’t feel the left side of my body. I think I was having a stroke. “Lori,” the voice called again sounding louder and clearer. “Lori answer me, what’s wrong?” I looked blankly ahead of me to see Drew crouching down in front of me a worried expression on his face.
My mouth was agape as I stared at him with blank eyes. I didn’t feel like talking, I didn’t feel like breathing, I didn’t feel like living at the moment. The pain was too unbearable and all I wanted was for it to stop, but the only person I knew that could do that was back in the school sucking face with the Ice Dragon.
I could hear my ragged breathing and I sounding like I was having an asthma attack.
“Lori, will you please tell me what’s wrong?” Drew begged hugging me to him. I closed my eyes and continued to cry into his shirt staining it with my tears in the process.
I was so out of it I didn’t even realize when Drew picked me up and carried me to his car. I finally came to when he sat down in the driver’s seat and started his car.
“Where’d you come from and where are you taking me?”I finally asked barely audible.
“I slept in and was running late but that doesn’t matter now because I'm taking you somewhere, away from here” he replied pulling out of the parking lot. I didn’t respond as I stared forward in a mindless state.
I was still hoping this was just a really bad dream and I didn’t really just lose my best friend to Ashley. I was going to wake up and everything was going to be okay. Eric will still be mine and I will tell him how much I truly love him and how I need him with me always.
But I knew this wasn’t a dream and I did indeed lose my best friend to the wicked whore of the west.
ERIC’S P.O.V
I pulled away from Ashley and took a couple steps back. “What the hell Ashley?” I asked bewildered. I can’t believe she just kissed me.
“I just thought…” she muttered looking at me with glazed eyes. “I really like you Eric and I know you like me too. We’ve grown so close over the past few months. Come on you have to admit you find me quite attractive,” she smiled coming closer again. I held up my hand backing away from her a little more.
“Ashley don’t get me wrong, I think you’re beautiful, but you know that Lori is the only girl I see.” I told her honestly. She was silent as she looked at me. I cringed slightly waiting for her to blow up at me.
“But we’ve grown so close over the past few months,” she countered. “You can’t honestly say you haven’t felt anything.”
“You’re right Ashley; we have grown closer, but as friends. I love Lori and she’s the only one for me,” I repeated saying it slowly hoping it would finally get in that thick head of hers.
“Ugh, you think you’re in love with her, but what do you know about love? You’ve never even been in a relationship before. You can’t honestly think that you will spend the rest of your life with your first ‘love’” she argued.
“I knew I was in love with Lori since I was a kid. I literally haven’t even looked at another girl-”
“How could you?” she interjected. “That bitch has had you on a leash for as long as you could remember. I bet if you spent some time away from her you would think differently about your feelings for her.”
“I have been away from Lori numerous times and over the years my feelings for her only escalated.”I stressed. “Don’t you get it Ashley? What I feel for Lori is rare; very few people can say they’ve been in love with the same person their whole life. I love her and that’s that. Deal with it.” I said firmly starting to get a little frustrated. This whole thing was messed up and if Lori ever found out. Holy shit if Lori ever found out, oh God she’d probably never speak to me again. My stomach went queasy at the thought. I know how she feels towards Ashley. Frick she’d have my balls if she ever knew.
“But she doesn’t love you the way you love her. I'm just trying to save you from getting heartbroken,” she said rubbing my arm affectionately.
I jerked it back and gave her a firm look. “You know what Ashley, I don’t know that for sure, and the only way I can find out is if I tell her how I feel about her.”
“But what about what’s been said around school. That skank slept with Chris. You can’t love someone who’s such a slut like her.
“The rumors are bullshit and would you please stop calling her such vulgar names,” I shouted my anger rising. I can’t believe she could stand there and talk about Lori like this and in front of me for that matter. “For someone who has allegedly changed for the better you seem so much like the old you. I'm starting to wonder if the old you ever even left.” She opened her mouth to say something but I held up my hand stopping her. “I have to get to class which I'm now extremely late for,” I growled pushing my way past and stormed down the hall.
I was starting to regret ever giving her a chance.
LORI’S P.O.V
We pulled up to an abandoned skateboard park. I got out of Drew’s car and looked around.
“This isn’t where you rape and kill me is it?” I mumbled looking at him. He rolled his eyes chuckling and motioned for me to follow him. We sat down at one of the benches.
“Are you going tell me why you were crying?” he asked moving closer to me. The image of Eric and Ashley kissing burned into my mind. That’s all I could see. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the side of the bench angrily.
“Tell me one good reason why I should tell you” I lashed out at him. I thought he was going to be upset and yell at me but instead he smiled softly and looked directly into my eyes.
“Because of you giving me a second chance in our friendship I'm not the egotistical arrogant jerk I used to be” he smiled giving me a light nudge to my side. I found myself smile a little.
“Why were you such a jerk in the first place?” I asked diverting the topic off of me purposely.
He seemed to forget about trying to figure out what my problem was as he sighed and ran a hand through his short black hair.
“You remember back in grade 8th when I dated Miranda?” he cringed at the name. I nodded my head slowly. He let out a huge breath before continuing. “She broke up with me the day she was moving. She said she didn’t know why she spent her time with a loser like me” he spat. “I was in love with her. She was my first and I thought we would be together forever” he sighed. My heart ached for him. I’ve never seen Drew like this before. So weak, so vulnerable.
“I swore to myself I would never go through another heart break, and I wouldn’t attach myself to anyone anymore. And that’s how I became the biggest ass – well second biggest, Chris is the king of asses, but I wasn’t far from him” he said looking down. “But then when I started hanging around you more, it felt like old times, when I was me” he said looking into my eyes. “I never meant any of those perverted comments towards you. I was only teasing you. I'm sorry for being an ass to you, I'm sorry for everything,” he apologized looking at me sincerely. Tears filled my eyes as I turned to hug him.
“I forgave you a long time ago.” I whispered hugging him to me tightly.
“Thanks,” he smiled releasing his hold. “I just wish I didn’t screw everything up for myself.” I muttered looking down at the ground angrily.
“Huh?” I asked a little lost. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and staring at his hands.
“I really like Natalie,” he blurted.
“I knew it!” I exclaimed.
“I thought I was in love with Miranda when I was with her, but these feelings I have for Natalie is nothing like what I had for Miranda. It’s stronger, much much stronger. Every time I close my eyes she’s there. Her smile, her laughter, her smell, everything about her makes me feel alive. It was hard concentrating when I was tutoring her in math” he said laughing a little his eyes twinkling as he stared at the ground.
“Wow” I whispered. He looked and nodded his head in agreement.
“Yeah I know” he breathed. “I'm going to ask her out. I just hope she doesn’t shut me down,” he chuckled but it was dry. I could see the fear in his eyes that he might get rejected.
“Trust me she won’t,” I reassured him. He smiled at me and wrapped his arm around my neck kissing my head.
“Thanks Lori, you’re fricking amazing you know that,” he complimented making me chuckle. “So will you please tell me why you were crying back at school?” he asked intently removing his arm from my shoulder so he could look at me. My smile dropped as the dreaded sight of Ashley and Eric flashed into my mind again. I gasped as I grabbed my chest which was beginning to tightening again.
Why did he have to ask again? I succeeded in forgetting about what I saw for a few moments.
“Lori, please maybe I could help with whatever it is,” he offered rubbing my back softly. I moved away from his touch and got up feeling my head pounding. Frick why can’t I just forget about it? I don’t want image in my head anymore.
“Lori please tell me, I want to help” he insisted.
“Are you willing to help me kill Ashley and bury her somewhere where no one will find her body?” I growled suddenly unable to keep it in any longer. He looked up at me confused and got up too and stood in front of me.
“What are you talking about? What did she do?”
“Well she has made my life a living hell; she’s had it out for me for as long as I could remember, and oh did I mention I caught her and Eric playing tonsil hockey by the lockers,” I said bitterly.
His eyes bulged. “Eric?” he said bewildered. “That’ impossible,” he stated shaking his head vigorously. I wish he was right, but unfortunately he wasn’t. I nodded my head sadly tears starting to fall down my face again.
“And do you want to know the funny part” I laughed dryly. Drew looked at me waiting for me to speak. “I was going to tell him I loved him” I said looking down at my shoes.
“NO!” he gasped. He came closer his eyes wide like he was watching an episode from a soap opera. I nodded my head crying harder now. He wrapped his arms around me burying my face in his firm chest.
I pushed myself away from him after a bit. I felt like I was suffocating and it had nothing with him hugging me. My chest was tightening faster now.
“Will you take me home?” I muttered.
“Sure.” He said sympathetically.
He took my hand and walked me back to his car.
The ride was silent. I had managed to stop crying and was staring blankly ahead of me.
When Drew pulled up in front of my house I thanked him robotically and got out. He got out as well following me to my front door.
“There has to be a mistake” he assured me. I shrugged looking away. “Everything’s going to work out” he hugged me. I just stood there not hugging him back. I was numb. I felt nothing anymore. I was done. I was done crying over Eric. I was done wasting my energy on Ashley. I was done with all of it. He lifted my chin making me face him.
“I'm here if you need to talk” he said before walking back to his car. I turned around and walked into my house.
I ran upstairs to my room and slammed my door forcefully. My soccer trophies rattled against the shelf from the force. I went to my closet and pulled out my suitcase and started throwing everything in the angrily.
I needed to get away from here. I couldn’t stay here anymore. I don’t think I could manage seeing Eric every day without wanting to rip my eyeballs out or maybe rip his balls off. Either way I wasn’t sticking around here anymore.
I remembered when dad was sick I found out that he was getting offered a job in Florida. I wasn’t ready to move and leave everything behind, but now that’s all I wanted to do. I wanted a new start. There was nothing left here for me. And as I thought that I felt a bit selfish. I thought about Delilah, Dylan, Drew, David, even Chris and I realized there was a lot here for me, but then Eric’s beautiful smile popped in my head and my anger doubled.
As much as I would miss my friends, I couldn’t bear staying here and watching the person I love with another person, I just couldn’t do it.
I'm ready for this. I'm ready to move to Florida.
As I was packing someone knocked on my door before mom’s head popped in.
“Hey hon – hey what are you doing?” she asked opening the door wider and waddling her way into my room. I ignored her and continued packing angrily. “Lori,” she called. I didn’t miss a beat as I continued mindlessly packing. “Lori Kirsten Stewart, stop packing this instant and look at me,” she said firmly.
I dropped one of my shirts in my hand and looked at her.
“What the hell is going on?”
“I'm getting ready for the move,” I explained in a monotone. Suddenly dad popped his head in.
“Hey what’s going on in here?” he asked coming over to give mom a kiss on the cheek and rubbing her belly affectionately. He then noticed my suitcase on the bed and looked at me quizzically. “Where are you going?”
“I'm ready to move,” I stated. My dad held up his hand and took a step forward as he tried to wrap his head around this.
“Wait, wait. Where are you moving to?”He wondered. I sighed and looked at him.
“I know about your promotion dad and that the job is in Florida,” I explained.
“How-” he started.
“Remember when you were sick I saw the folder on your desk and I took a little peek,” I confessed. “I know the job is in Florida and I'm ok with it, you don’t have to worry about me putting up a fuss. I want to go,” I said confidently.
Understanding dawned on his face and as it did a sad smile came with it.
He started shaking his head as he took a step forward. “We’re not going anywhere hon. I declined.”
“What? Why?” I asked confused.
“Because out life is here. Our friends and family are here, also I’ve been given a greater offer here,” he grinned. “So that means we don’t have to move. We’re staying.” He exclaims clapping his hands together excitedly.
I fell on my bed speechless. We’re not moving? I thought moving to Florida was going to fix this emptiness inside. A clean start is what I was looking forward to. Now that I know we’re not moving I don’t know how I'm going to survive this unbearable feeling inside.
Once again tears started streaming down my face and the tightening in my chest returned.
Dad looked confused as to why I was crying. He gave a quick glance to my mother raising a brow. “What? Was it something I said?” he asked baffled.
Mom shook her head as she sat down beside me. “No sweetheart. Can you give us a few minutes,” she asked looking at me intently. Mom knew my tears had little to do with the news of us not moving.
“Uh sure, yea, I’ll make some tea,” he offered and ducked out of my room. Dad thinks tea fixes everything.
“Lori, what’s really going on?” Mom asked gently. And her words were my unraveling. I buried my face in her bosom and bawled my eyes out. It took me a while to get my breathing in order to tell her what I saw earlier today. When I was finished she held me by the shoulders and looked at me straight in the eye.
“Are you sure there wasn’t some kind of mistake?” she questioned. “Eric would never do such a thing,” she defended. That’s exactly what Drew said. I was sick and tired of everyone defending him. They weren’t there. They didn’t see what I saw.
“Why does everyone keep defending Eric? Apparently he is capable of doing such a thing because he already has,” I lashed out at her getting up. My breathing had turned rugged as I glared angrily at my mother. She sighed and got up slowly. She was due very soon. She held onto her large stomach as she walked up to me.
“This doesn’t make sense. This is Eric we’re talking about sweetie. You’ve been best friends literally your whole life. Talk to him, hear what he has to say,” she suggested kissing my forehead and headed out my room. I slumped against the wall burying my head between my legs.
I didn’t want to talk to Eric. I couldn’t without breaking down in front of him. I have no control over my emotions at the moment and I know I can’t look into those beautiful green eyes of his and not fall apart.
It’s official. Ashley has won.