Who to choose?

Chapter 12 - There Will Be Tears

Chapter 12 - There Will Be Tears

"Turn my swag on, to the look in the mirror, say what's up, what's up, what's up," I hum along to Alexa Goddard's voice, while I glance at passing people.

It's Wednesday, and right after school I drove downtown. Me and Evelyn's best friend anniversary is coming up and I have to find her a gift. I've been walking past shop after shop for two hours now, yet I can't find the freaking perfect gift! A perfume? Nah, she probably has one already. Clothes? No, she has that too. What about a book? Nope, she's not that big of a fan of reading. 

I sigh frustrated and take my earplugs out of my ears. Usually, music helps me calm down, but not today. I'm just so stressed about everything. The gift. School. And don't forget the boys. Who should I choose? Who should I freaking choose?

I've thought about it so much, but I just can't seem to make up my mind. I can't even find one negative thing about each. Well, except for Eric and the fact that the only thing it seems we have in common is Coke and music. There's just no... spark, you know?

And fortunately (or unfortunately) there is with both Ian and Alex. Alex is funny, yet sensitive, while Ian is... well, the same things. Yet, they're still different in a way I can't quite put my finger on.

I let out a frustrated sigh. I've asked myself the same question over and over, but I have to ask again; How am I supposed to choose?

Suddenly I notice something in my peripheral vision (don't ask me how) and I rush to the shop window. Aha! It's perfect! I grin and hurry inside like I'm afraid someone else will take it before me.

I walk over to the older lady behind the counter. Wait, it's the same lady I saw looking at Lars a week ago! I smile at the thought.

"Excuse me," I say. "Could I take a closer look at something in your window?"

"Of course," the lady smiles kindly. She steps out from the counter and I notice a name tag on her shirt. Lisa. Oh my gosh! Lisa and Lars, that's just too perfect!

"What did you want to look at?" she asks. I grin and at point at it. The perfect gift. 

"Oh, that," Lisa smiles. She takes it out of the window and hands it to me. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I nod in awe. It truly is.

It's a beautiful small dow figure, just big enough for my palm. It's wings are outstretched and it's head looking upward, like it's getting ready to fly. It's made out of glass and its transparent color reflects light, making little rainbows dance around it. A perfect picture of peace.

"I'll take it," I say without a second thought. Lisa nods, goes back behind the counter and starts wrapping it carefully in paper. I'm taken a little back when I hear the price. I wasn't expecting that much. But you know what? Evelyn is worth it.

So I pay and walk out of there with a big grin on my face. Lisa says a kind "goodbye", making me promise to come back sometime. I definitely have to play matchmaker and hook Lisa and Lars up!

I'm in such a happy mood that I don't notice someone coming towards me, and I crash right into them.

"Sorry!" that someone says. Hey, I know that voice.

I look up to see Eric smiling down at me. My happy mood gets knocked down a notch when I remember I have to break it off with him. And that sooner than I thought. But, it has to be done and why not do it now?

"Oh, hi Eric," I say

"Hi," he smiles.

"Do you want to grab a coffee or something?" I ask before I can change my mind. Don't be your usual cowardly self now, Samantha!

"Sure," he smiles wider. I don't know how long that smile will last.

We go to the closest coffee shop, which is Starbucks. I love Starbucks' coffee, so I don't mind at all. I choose a Frappuchino while Eric chooses just an ordinary coffee. I roll my eyes mentally. With ALL the different choices here, he chose ordinary? Boring! Another reason why I should break it off.

We sit down at a table outside, since it's a sunny day. We drink in silence for a while. It's not that I don't want to talk, but more like I can't come up with a single thing to say. Eric just smiles at me. I'm sure he thinks this is just a comfortable silence. Which it definitely is not.

Maybe I should break it off now? I had hoped to at least finish my Frappuchino first, but I guess not. Maybe it's like with a band aid? Just rip it off and get it over with. I take a deep breath.

"Eric, I don't think I can see you anymore," The words rush out of me. It actually feels good to get it out there.

"What?" His eyes widen and he looks shocked. I guess I was wrong about him not liking the first date then...

"This," I gesture between the two of us. "Just doesn't feel right. I'm really sorry."

"What?" He says again. Someone processes things slowly... "How can you say that? We've been on one date!"

He has a point, but I don't want to tell him about the two other boys unless I have to.

"Just go on one more date with me," Eric pleads and puts his hand on top of mine. "Please, give me a second chance."

He gives me what must be his puppy face. Oh no... I always have a hard time resisting puppy faces, whether it's Aaron, Evelyn, Kylie or Mom.

I stare into his blue eyes. What should I say? I have to choose one of the three guys... And I have to start breaking it off somewhere. Everyone deserves a second chance though.

I open my mouth to answer him, but a high pitched voice interrupts me, "Eric?!"

Eric stares shocked over my head and quickly removes his hand from mine.

"Willy?" he asks with wide eyes.

I turn around and see a beautiful, but really angry, girl standing behind me. Her hair is red, she has a long, lean body and intense, green eyes. Which are glaring at me.

I turn away from this model girl, ashamed even to call myself a girl compared to her.

"Willy?" I ask Eric. "Who is she?"

Eric's mouth opens and closes like a fish, but no words comes out.

"No, no!" Willy says angrily and comes up at the side of our table. "The question here is, who are you?"

I look at Eric and raise an eyebrow, "Do I need to tell her who I am?"

"Of course!" Willy rolls her eyes. "I'm his girlfriend."

I gasp and stand up from the table, almost knocking the Frappuchino over.

"His girlfriend?!" I scream and stare at Eric, then Willy, then back at Eric. If he has such a beautiful girlfriend, why in the world did he want to date me? Don't tell me he was actually hoping for a lap dance? Because seriously, I would not have given him one! Maybe it will happen one day when I get a husband, but for me to do it before that? Well, it would have to snow in August.

"I take it you're not just a friend of his then?" Willy asks me.

I shake my head, "No we used to date." I put extra emphasize on the used to part.

"Yeah? Well, then he lost us both," Willy says, glaring at Eric.

He looks shocked and confused, but stutters out a, "Wait, I can explain!"

I roll my eyes. There's clearly nothing he can say to change our minds. He was greedy and wanted more than one girl at once. Who knows, maybe there's more? For their sake, I hope not.

Surprising even myself I walk in front of Eric, who has now stood up, and I slap him.

"Go to hell," I say through gritted teeth, then I walk away.

I hear another connection between a hand and a cheek some seconds afterwards and then Willy walks up beside me. We walk outside together, then stand there for a moment.

"What a jerk," we say at the same time. I smile at the goddess in front of me, and she smiles back.

Then we both turn on our heels and walk away in different directions.

The next morning

~ Ian ~

I run. I run and run and run. I've got to get there first! I'm gonna win this time!

I hear someone coming up beside me and I try to push my legs to go faster. Almost there... I reach out my hand and touch the brick wall.

At the same time as someone else.

I let out a frustrated sigh. I was sure I had this one. As the rest of my football team finishes the race by touching the wall too, I turn toward my fellow winner.

Alex Johnson.

Exactly as expected. It's always one of us who wins the races. We're the number 1 and number 2 players on our team. But we have never figured out who is which, it always depends from practice to practice.

"Nice work," Alex says, a little out of breath.

"You too," I say and then I walk up to our coach.

"How was it today?" I ask while I grab my water bottle and take a big gulp of it.

"Good," our coach, Mr. Anderson says. "But it could have been better."

I nod, taking the hint. He had hoped there wouldn't be a tie today, so he could finally choose the captain of this season.

As I head for the shower I see Alex start to talk with the coach. I sigh. As much as I want to hate Alex for being equally as good as me, I can't. He's a good guy, I can't deny that.

I only have a quick shower since I don't want to be late for class. Having morning practices isn't always the easiest. Just as I button my jeans and reach for my t-shirt, my cell makes a sound, indicating that I've got a message.

I mess through my bag. Jeez, why do I always have so much unnecessary stuff in here? Do I really need to bring my head set and my computer to school?

Finally I find my cell. It's a message from Samantha.

Oh no, maybe she doesn't want to see me anymore. Was it wrong of me to let her meet the Pitacchis? Maybe she hates Italian but was too polite to say so? I really hope not, because I had a great time.

It's probably nothing important.

But when I open it to see what it says, I'm no where near reassured.

We need to talk. Can you meet me at Muy Bien after school?

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AN: I really didn't think this was going to be so short... But it is, so that's why I added the whole practice thing at the end.

The picture on the side is Willy. Isn't she gorgeous? (Just pretend she has green eyes)

Today's song: There Will Be Tears - Miranda Cosgrove

Favorite quote: "Do I look like I was born just yesterday?"

Toodlepies!

xSongLikeThisx aka Emily