Spy School: last time I fell

Can there not just be one perfect moment?

Erica's POV

I walked into the cafeteria and headed straight for the salad bar. Salad. Yum. My favorite. After serving myself a large portion of greens, I scanned the large room for my friends. Yes, I said friends. I mean, Trixie is my sister, Mike is- not- to- terrible- Zoe is, okay I don't like Zoe, Chip is... well... um... yeah never mind, Jawa is not a bad spy, and Ben... Ben's my... friend? Friend with benefits? Boyfriend? Ugh. Still. Can't. Stand. That. Word. 

Across the room I saw Trixie waving to me, her pale hand shaking around wildly in the air. 

"ERICA! OVER HERE!" she yelled. I can't tell is she is trying to embarrass me or if she is just brain dead. I reluctantly shuffled over to the table and slid onto the edge of the bench next to Ben. He gave me a quick smile and flushed pink. I rolled my eyes. 

"Hello to you too." 

Across the table, Chip, Jawa and Zoe were having a heated conversation about their favorite TV shows. I tried to tune them out, but a few of their words still slipped into my conscious mind.

"James Bond may not be realistic, but its still the best!" Jawa argued. 

"James Bond isn't even a TV show you moron!" Zoe snapped. "however Riverdale IS a show, and it reigns superior over all other TV." 

"Riverdale is stupid." Chip scoffed. 

"Actually," Zoe turned on him, "you love it. I hacked your phone the other week for fun- I mean class- and saw that you spent ten hours binge watching it, that your a part of the fandom, that your favorite ship is Bughead and that you hate Barchie." Chip turned red. 

"Um... no... that's not true... wait- you hacked my phone?!" 

I shook my head and quickly turned back to Ben, Mike and Trixie, then immediately wished I hadn't. Mike was feeding Trixie her spaghetti, and the both of them were making lovey-dovey eyes at each other. BARF. 

"So- Erica." Ben said. I locked eyes with him, noticing yet again the twinkling flecks of emerald green that lit up in his cocoa eyes when he spoke to me. 

"What?"

"We need to talk about something."

"What?" I asked again. Ben glanced around at the table to make sure everyone was lost in their own worlds, then leaned in and said quietly-

"You know, us. I mean- what happened the other week- I mean..." 

"Yeah, we do need to talk." I had spent the past two weeks mulling over in my head what I was to do, to say... and I had finally come to a conclusion. 

"You asked me if I was ready for a relationship that day, and I told you I wasn't sure. Maybe. To be honest with you, I'm still not sure, but..." I paused, wondering weather I should say the next par, but then decided that Ben needed to hear it and so did I. "I did enjoy the kiss..." Ben's eyes lit up, and his goofy smile spread wide. 

"I did too." I glanced around, suddenly feeling like I was being watched on all sides. I stood, and Ben did too.

"Lets continue this somewhere else." I hissed, and he nodded. As I started walking towards the cafeteria doors, my heart light in my chest, fighting back a smile, I felt my phone ringing in my pocket. I stopped, pulling out and answering it. 

"Erica Hale speaking... who is this?" 

"Hello Erica." my heart beat suddenly froze, my blood running cold at the sound of the voice. 

"How do you have my number?" I growled. 

"Never mind that. I want to see you." 

"No- NO!" I snapped. Next to me Ben mouthed- WHO IS IT? I shook my head. "I will not be seeing you- unless I'm standing over your dead, rotting body." 

"I don't think that will be the case. I have something- something important to you." 

"Oh really?" 

"Yes. Really. Infact- let me prove it to you." there was a shuffling sound on the other line, and then I heard a voice that made me feel like I was going to have a heart attack.

"ERICA! Honey!" 

"MOM!" I gasped. "mom are you okay?!"

"NO! Erica- listen closely. I'm at the CIA's private airstrip. You need to come.

"Mom- what's going on-" I asked, trying not to sound panicked. 

"Honey, He has me- and he's going to kill me if you don't come!"