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“Speak of the devil,” Eric said with a chuckle. His heart thumped loudly in his ears. This was his last chance to try to mend things before he left for good. Waiting until senior year to fix things made him feel as if he were going to suffocate.
Carefully holding the back door open, he grabbed a bouquet of balloons, flowers, and his guitar. He only took it out for special occasions, but today was one of those days.
Justin grabbed a bunch of flowers and balloons, and lastly, Cameron grabbed the rest before he shut and locked the door.
They must’ve looked like an embarrassing sight as they walked across campus with their very public displays. They positioned themselves on the corner where the girls usually met for lunch.
Eric put his bunches down and started playing, louder than he usually tinkered around in his room. But like riding a bike, strumming his fingers against his guitar felt familiar.
“There they are,” Justin said, way too loud for comfort. Eric snuck a look from his guitar, and he smiled when he caught Holly’s attention across the courtyard. Even from far away, her attention was magnetic.
He smiled and waved her over. All three girls hesitated to come, Aimee and Diane, the frontrunners of the group.
Justin flashed their glittery sign that asked the girls to the Spring Fling. By the looks on Aimee’s and Diane’s faces, and their eagerness to take their bouquets, he knew they’d accepted. Now it was his turn, and he felt ready to run. What would he do if she turned him down?
No, he was going to remain positive. With one hand, he reached back to grab the bouquet, but kept his eyes trained on Holly, who hid behind her roommates.
Aimee and Diane split apart as he stepped forward, and Holly was left standing alone.
It was time.
24
Holly
Holly missed Eric. Since she was fifteen, she had relied on herself to get through each day, keep a smile on her face, and feed herself. She could provide for herself, find resources, and stabilize her emotional well-being. What she couldn’t do was feel the way she did when she was with Eric—uplifted, cared for, and loved. Even with his weaknesses, he was an amazing person and made her want to be a better person.
So why was it so hard to see him standing in front of her, expressions of love in his arms? The most handsome guy she’d ever met, flowers, balloons, and music.
Diane and Aimee bounced around her in a blur, hugging their respective boyfriends. They had tried to be subtle about their dating around her, but studying in a quiet apartment held new meaning for her now. It meant they were a step ahead in a phase of life she had been close to having herself. It was only she who stood on a fence, by herself, with no answers. Only confusion.
“Holly.” Eric’s voice was soft and careful. “I know it’s selfish to ask, but I can’t help it. We only have a few weeks left until I move away, and all I want to do is take you to the dance and spend the rest of our time together.”
Holly gulped as emotion clawed at her throat. Nothing was solved if they went to the dance together, or even spent every possible waking moment together, but Holly couldn’t help it either. She also wanted to be selfish. “I will agree to the dance.”
His eyes lit up, and he passed his guitar off to Justin so he could sweep her off her feet and twirl her around. Balloons and flowers blurred in her vision as they twirled, and too soon, she realized she was supposed to be keeping him at arm’s length. It felt too good to be in his arms, and she gradually stiffened until he finally put her feet on the ground again.
“Sorry, I was just excited.”
Giving what she hoped was a reserved smile, she nodded. “Me too.”
The sun beat down on them, but the air was cool on her face, making it a perfect day. Holly sat a few inches away from Eric on the cement wall while the six of them discussed the details of the dance. The Spring Fling was only a few days away, but Holly hadn’t even thought of it as an option.
“What should we wear?” Aimee asked, her cheeks brightening to a cherry red.
Apprehension filtered through Holly’s thoughts. There was no way she’d let her roommates help her with another dress. She had a perfectly good one sitting in her closet. Would it be terrible if she wore it twice?
“How about your navy blue one,” Eric said, sending her a wink. “We already rented our tuxes in preparation.
“So green for you,” Cameron said to Diane.
“And we’re wearing pink again,” Justin said to Aimee. “Matchy-matchy.”
“Again?” Aimee pouted. “But I was going to buy a new dress.”
“It doesn’t matter what you wear,” Justin said, squeezing Aimee closer to him. “You’ll look great in anything.”
It was weird hearing another couple share cheesy lines. She glanced at Eric to find him staring at her. Immediately, he dropped his gaze. It was like they’d gone back to square one.
