Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“What? No. God no. You’re not canceling your birthday party just because I can’t go.”
“But it won’t be as fun without you,” he whines, and as silly as that sounds, it’s so Eric.
I can’t help but smile…and feel so lucky. Everyone should have an Eric. I still don’t know why I got blessed enough to have one. “I’m so glad you think I’m infinitely cooler than I am.”
“But—”
“It’s not fair to everyone else. They made plans and bought gifts, and think about all the supplies your mom got.”
He sighs, and I know I have him.
“Fine, but I’m coming over right after. I can sleep over.”
“You don’t have to. We’re having a sleepover next weekend for my birthday.” It’s wild but our birthdays are only a week apart.
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”
“I’m not gonna be much fun.”
“You’re always fun, D.”
I roll my eyes. “Liar.”
“I’ll see you soon, okay?” he says, and emotion clogs up my chest.
“Okay. Bye.” I end the call before he can tell I’m upset.
I don’t want to miss his party. I don’t want to miss half the things I have to miss. I just want to be normal.
I curl onto my side and do my best not to cry.
Eventually, I fall asleep, then wake up and have nothing to do and end up going back to sleep again. Both my parents call to check on me. I pretend I’m not so…sad. Sad that I’m a burden on my family and on Eric.
I don’t know what time it is when there’s a knock on my door, and then it slowly pushes open.
“D? You awake?” I smile at the sound of Eric’s voice.
“Yeah.” I smell cheese and tomatoes before I see the pizza box in his hands.
“Double pepperoni and sausage, just how you like it.”
He knows I didn’t eat much today. We keep small things in my mini fridge, but I didn’t have much of an appetite.
My stomach growls in response.
“Holy shit. I heard that all the way over here.” He laughs, closes the door behind him, then sits on my bed. His floppy blond hair bounces when he does. Eric’s taller than me, more muscular too, with fair, white skin and bright blue eyes. “How are you feeling?”
When I try to sit up, he attempts to help, but I shake it off. “I can do it myself. I need to do it myself.”
“Okay. Sure, D,” he replies, and pretends not to pay attention to how long it takes to maneuver myself so I’m sitting with my back against the headboard.
While I’m doing that, he grabs two slices from the box and puts them on a paper plate for me before grabbing two for himself. Then he gets Cokes out of the fridge.
“How was the party?”
“Eh. It was all right. Wanna watch a movie?”
“Don’t do that. I don’t want you to stop yourself from telling me about your day because you don’t want me to feel sad. I hate that. I don’t want to be pitied.” My gaze darts away, my voice full of vulnerability.
“Okay. It was really fun. We played a lot of games, and I brought you cake too. It’s in the kitchen. You’ll never guess what happened.”
“What?” I ask, taking a bite of my food.
“So, Crystal told me Misty has a crush on me. I told her I like Misty too. We’re gonna start hanging out. I don’t really know what that means, but I’m assuming it’ll be fun.”
A pang of longing hits me in the chest. Not for Eric, because I really don’t see him like that. That’s all I need, to fall in love with my straight best friend. That would be one more thing to make my life miserable. But I do want that—for Eric to be able to come to me and tell me a boy likes me, and for me to say I like him too, and that easily, we’re hanging out. He’s going to have a hundred of these experiences before I even have one.
“What do you think of Crystal?” Eric asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Huh?” Why the hell does he want to know that?
“Crystal? Do you like her?” His blue eyes penetrate me.
“I’ve probably spoken two words to her my whole life, and if she’s spoken any to me, it’s likely, hey, aren’t you that nerdy guy who’s friends with Eric Markham?”
He shakes his head. “You’re not a nerd.”
He’s the only one who doesn’t think so, but I don’t tell him that. “Why do you ask?” Though I have a feeling I know.
“Because I was thinking maybe you and Crystal could get to know each other too. Then all four of us could hang out. It’s about time we got our first girlfriends.”
The ache in my chest grows. This is going to be another way Eric and I are different, another something that could pull us apart. One day, the differences might be too many and I’ll lose him.