Behind Closed Doors (Erik Menendez)

Eight

Of course Di and Laur are on the phone that very night. I hadn't kept them that much in the loop, but I knew I needed to tell them about this night.

They both squeal over the phone, talking over each other excitedly. "One at a time!" I shout, looking out my window towards the Menendez house with a smile.

"Okay, okay... so you didn't fuck?" I hear Di ask and immediately roll my eyes.

"Shut up," I laugh.

"I'm just so shocked right now. I didn't know any of this was really happening," Laur says. "You guys would make one hot-ass couple, though." I smile to myself at this comment, as I had been afraid for awhile that Laur had feelings to Erik and would be devastated to know that I shared those same feelings.

"I was stuck for awhile. I wanted to figure things out with him before telling you guys all the juicy details. Maybe I was afraid I'd jinx myself," I tell them, picking at my bedspread. "I just hope things go well from here. I keep wondering if he only kissed me because he was drunk."

I hear Di scoff. "Drunk actions are sober thoughts. Is that the saying?" We all laugh. "But seriously. I've never kissed a guy while drunk if I didn't think about doing it while sober."

"Not sure I can say the same," Laur says.

"You're just a special type... who kisses everyone and everyone after 2 shots," I joke. Next, they ask me what the next step will be. I tell them I have no idea, because I really don't. My best option is to try and see him again tomorrow and scope out the situation, make sure that our kiss wasn't a mistake on his end.

When the call ends, Sarah bursts in my room as if on cue. "Were you out there the whole time?"

She rolls her eyes. "No!" Then she crosses her arms and leans against my doorway, a smug look on her face. "So what happened when you and Erik were missing for, like, 10 minutes?"

I try to fight the smile taking over my face, but to no avail. I bring my fingers to my lips, touching the skin in disbelief that Erik's lips were right there only an hour ago. "We kissed," I finally say, and Sarah lights up.

"Oh my god!" She whisper-shouts, knowing my parents are probably passed out down the hall. "How did that happen?"

I pause for a moment, because I honestly don't even know how or why it happened. "I don't know. It just did. We were sitting on the couch and all of a sudden we looked at each other and just knew what was gonna happen next." I sigh. "It was amazing, Sarah. I just hope he meant it. He was drunk, you know."

She laughs. "Trust me, I noticed him scarfing down each drink that landed in his hand. He's good at hiding it, though. Seemed fine otherwise. Is he, like... an alcoholic? You left that part out."

I roll my eyes at her ridiculousness. "My God, no! He told me he was nervous to see me and tried calming his nerves." I shake my head as thoughts race left and right. "Watch him regret it tomorrow. Or not even remember it happening."

"Don't worry about that. Any guy would remember kissing you, Jo. You're literally drop-dead gorgeous." I smile warmly at her, and dread fills me when I remember she'll be headed back to UCLA tomorrow. Sarah and I have always had such a strong bond, something that became ultra clear to me when she stood up to Claire Daniels, aka my bully in the 2nd grade. Claire was a year above me and therefore a year below Sarah, and when Sarah saw Claire knock my whole meal right out of my little fingers at lunchtime, she stomped right over and poured milk all over her head. I remember laughing hysterically until I saw the scariest lunch lady storming towards us, screaming, "Break it up girls!" Sarah and Claire got detention, but from that moment on, I was never picked on again.