I froze. Erik was kissing me. Erik was kissing me? I pushed him away.
“No, Erik I—,” I started saying. He put a finger to my lips.
“Shh, Cee Cee. I know how you feel about me.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, I know that you love me, but you know Louis has feelings towards you and you don’t know how to put him down gently. Don’t worry, babe, I know.” What has he been smoking? I love him and don’t love Louis?
“Erik, that’s not how I feel.”
“It’s not?” I shook my head. “Oh, I know yo—,” he started saying. But this time I interrupted him.
“Erik, listen to me. No, don’t talk,” I said when he made a noise. “Just don’t talk.” I looked at him sternly, defeating all his protests. “I do have feelings for Lou, I really do. But everything’s really confusing right now. I mean, it’s not every day that you find out your best friend’s part of the biggest boy band in the world.”
“Well, let me uncomplicated this for you,” he said. “Why don’t you go out with me and forget about this Luke Thompson. I’m sure there are plenty of girls chasing after him.” I laughed.
“First of all, it’s Louis Tomlinson. And second, forget about Lou? Oh, Erik, no one can forget Lou. It’s just not possible.” I got up from the bench I was sitting on. “Let’s go inside now. You don’t want them to start the party without us, right?” We went back into the school; the party was in full swing. Yeah, it started without us.
After the party, when I was just about to go to bed, Erik said, “Oh, yeah, did I forget to mention I changed me flight? I’m in the seat right next to you, Cee Cee.” Yesterday, I wouldn’t have complained. Erik’s a fun person to be around, reminds me a bit of Louis. But after today, Jealous Erik was not someone I wanted to sit next to on a plane for several hours. I forced a smile.
“Great,” I told him.
That night, I couldn’t fall asleep. I kept thinking about Louis and Erik. I knew I had feeling for Louis. But most of the time, it was sisterly feelings. But when he kissed me at the airport and outside of the school, my feelings for him were definitely not sisterly at all. As for Erik, my feelings were somewhat like a celebrity crush, I guess. Yeah, he’s cute and all, and I’d love to date him, but it just didn’t look right in my head. It was so complicated it made my head hurt. Why does love have to be so hard?
“Marry Lou,” my mum said. What was my mum doing here?
“Yeah,” Lottie agreed. “Marry him and we’ll be sisters.”
“Marry him, Cee Cee,” this came from Jay. “Marry him; you’re the daughter I’ve always wanted.”
“NO!” my best friend shouted. “Don’t marry him. He’s not for you. He’s mine.”
“That’s right, Cee Cee,” one of my classmates said, “Louis just isn’t for you. There are millions of other girls out there. What makes you think he’ll want you, when he can have me?” Their voices got louder and louder, echoing in my head. Their words blending together. Their sounds piercing my ears.
“Cee Cee, wake up.” My eyes opened and were blinded by the bright light that came through my window. I glanced around. Gloria was in my room, my suitcase in her hand. “It’s time to get up, sweetie, or you’ll miss your flight.”
I went downstairs and saw that Erik was already at the table eating breakfast and chatting with other people.
“Ah,” he said when he saw me, “Sleeping Beauty was awakened.” I sat down and Glo put a bowl in front of me. I’d stopped asking what was in my bowl a long time ago. Sometimes, it was better not knowing. My ears were still ringing from the dream and I could barely hear what Erik was saying. “Change of plans. We’re not flying straight to Doncaster, we’re landing in London. I thought maybe you could meet my family. They’re all dying to meet you.”
“Yeah, sounds fine,” I mumbled.
“Wake up, darling.” Gloria clapped her hands in my face. I jumped and my bowl fell. Luckily, it was empty.
“What? Oh, sorry. I’m just really tired today.” I rubbed my eyes and a car honked outside the building. Our car was here. Erik and I quickly hugged and exchanged contact information with the rest of the group.
“We’ll be back!” Erik called, as we climbed into the car. “See you guys soon.” The car was really small and the front seat was occupied by a bird cage. Inside the bird cage was a lizard, not a bird. So, Erik and I were squished in the backseat along with our trunks. Unfortunately for me (and much to Erik’s pleasure), we practically on top of each other. The car was hot and stuffy. The air conditioning didn’t work and it was too dusty to open any windows. By the time we got to the airport, I was sweating like I’d just gone to the gym—ten times.
I collapsed in my airplane seat and was about to go to sleep when I heard a loud voice. A voice I’d know anywhere. A voice that I had just heard yesterday. It was Louis.
“Cee Cee!” Louis called. Erik jerked upright in his seat.
“What’s Lewis doing here?” he said. Well, he’d almost gotten his name right.
“He’s going back to London today, too,” I told Erik. I waved to Louis. “Here, Lou!”
“Liam,” Louis said, “can I trade seats with you?” Liam nodded and Louis sat down next to me. Erik glared at him from his window seat. I gave Louis a hug. “Hey, babe. How’ve you been?” he asked.
“Lou, you just saw me yesterday.”
“Yeah, but, you know, things can change in an instant. You never know.”
“Well, in that case, I’m doing great. How are you?”
“Well, it started out okay, but since I saw you, it’s been a million times better.”
“You just saw her a second ago,” Erik said, leaning forward to see Lou. “Things don’t change that quickly.”
“Actually they do,” Louis shot back. I sighed; this was not going to be a fun trip. And I was right. Erik and Louis spent most of the trip bickering about small things. From the way I styled my hair to my clothes. It was all about me. The old me verses the current me.
“Guys,” I groaned, “please stop. I really need to get some sleep.”
“See, Lewis, you’re bothering her.” Erik glared at Louis.
“First of all, it’s Louis,” Louis said sassily, “and second, I think you’re the one who’s bothering her. I was just making small talk with her when you butted in and started arguing with me.
“Me? Please, I was defending myself.”
“What were you defending yourself against? Imaginary elephants that should’ve been left behind in Africa? In case you didn’t notice, we’re not in Africa anymore.” I stood up. This was getting annoying.
“Where’re you going?” they both asked.
“Away from you guys.” I started to slide past Lou, when he grabbed my legs and I fell into his lap.
“Don’t go, Cee Cee,” he said, hugging me from behind. “We promise we won’t fight, right Erik?”
“We promise,” Erik said.
“Fine, you kids better not make a single sound for the rest of this flight.” I started getting off Lou’s lap, but he wouldn’t let me.
“It’s alright, you can stay here.” Erik glared at Louis again.
“What? No! She can sit in my lap.” Erik reached across my empty seat and tried to pull me out of Louis’ lap. Luckily for me, a flight attendant came by and told me to sit in my seat. Unfortunately, Louis and Erik didn’t honor their agreement and continued to fight for the rest of the flight.
When we landed, Louis pulled me ahead of the crowd, leaving Erik to fight for himself. We made it to the baggage claim with the rest of One Direction and their crew. I looked around, trying to find Erik.
“Don’t worry about him, babe,” Louis said. “He’ll find his way.” Just then, a flash of light blinded me. I groped for Louis’ hand, but I couldn’t find it. I felt arms circle me and hold me close. It was Louis.
“Louis, is that your new girlfriend?” someone said.
“What’s her name?”
“Where did you find her?”
“Where’s she from?”
“How did you guys meet?”
Flashes and flashes of light went off. I couldn’t see anything since my face was pressed tightly to Louis’ chest. Louis started walking and I stumbled along with him, my face still hidden.
“Guys,” Louis said loudly, “please leave her alone. There’s nothing to see here.” The cameras were still clicking. “Harry, Liam, Niall, Zayn, a little help, please,” Louis called. Something happened and Louis lifted my face away from him. The paparazzi were crowded around the other boys. “This way,” Louis whispered. We were about to sneak away when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Cee Cee,” It was Erik, “why’d you leave me?” He was holding my suitcase. Louis made to grab my suitcase, but Erik pulled it out of his reach. Louis fell.
“Erik!” I cried. Then, the paparazzi were all over us again. Quickly, I helped Louis to his feet.
“Who’s this?” they were all screaming.
“Are they fighting over you?” one of them asked me.
“What? No, Louis—.”
“NO COMMENTS!” Louis said, pushing the paparazzi away. The boys’ security team surrounded us and the other boys. Erik was left out of the circle.
“Is this your suitcase, miss?” a security guard asked. I nodded and he put it in the cart along with One Direction’s suitcases.
“Wait until tomorrow morning,” Harry said. “It’s going to be all over the papers. ‘Lovers spat’ or whatever.” The boys laughed. We got into a van and drove away. Halfway through London, something fell out of Zayn’s trousers. I picked it up and opened it. It was Erik’s wallet and that was when I remembered Erik. Oops.