Becoming Strong

Chapter 2

Eric lead me to the ice-cream stand on the beach. Was this happening? Had I been seen? By a boy? By a CUTE boy?

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Um...cookie-dough," I answered. Then I remembered I had no money.

"I..um..don't have any money. I totally forgot," I said. He smiled and laughed, showing his blue braces.

"I'm paying! It was MY dog who knocked you over, remember?" He gave the man the money and handed me my ice-cream. Moose stayed at Eric's heels, silently begging for the cone to fall.

"You didn't have to get me anything," I said, taking a bite. Eric smiled.

"Yes I did. My dog tackled you. Ugh one second," he said, turning to a tall, blonde haired girl.

"I need twenty dollars," she said looking at Eric. Eric rolled his eyes, pulling out a twenty.

"You're paying me back," he said.

"Thanks! You're the best!" she said, running off. Eric turned back to me.

"That was my sister, Tiffany. She's twenty and she asks for my money way too much. How come you're not in your swimsuit?" he asked, taking a bite of his ice-cream. I blushed.

"I, erm, I wasn't gonna swim. So I didn't bring it." Wow, this was embarrassing. Sure Kat, don't wear a swimsuit to the beach. You're smart.

"Huh, it's okay. It's basically just a huge toilet anyways." He looked around. "So where's your family again?"

I totally forgot about them. Did they know where I was? They probably didn't care. I looked around and spotted my mom's huge red umbrella. I pointed to it.

"There," I said. Eric walked in that direction, me and Moose following.

"So...how old are you? God, was that awkward again?" he said, quickly blushing.

"No, it's okay! And I'm fourteen."

"I'm fifteen. Well, I turned fifteen two days ago."

"You're lucky. I don't turn fifteen until December," I said. It was the middle of July and December seemed too far away. We finally got to the umbrella. Mom and Daniel were still swimming, and Dane and Jack were probably trying to kiss some random girls. I sat down in a chair, motioning for Eric to sit in the one next to it.

"Nobody's gonna miss the chair." I watched as he smiled and sat down in the chair. I looked over Eric. He wasn't the type of boy who would use me. He didn't look like a "slut". He was sweet. He wouldn't break my heart...right? My eyes caught the scars on his wrists. He had cut himself. I looked at my wrists. I had cut myself. I held my wrists up.

"I did too," I said. He looked at my wrists. He looked at my face.

"I don't know why I did it. My dad died so I guess that's why. But I've been clean for a year." He smiled. My heart did a flip. I cut when my dad had died. But I'd only been clean for three months.

"My dad died. But no-one knows I cut." Why was I telling him this? Did I feel this safe around him? Is this what love does?

I had never really loved anyone before like this. No boy had ever shown interest in me. Maybe Eric was different. Maybe he could help me. To make me stronger. To help me to not have nightmares about my dead dad, not to have anxiety attacks, to come out of my bubble. Maybe.

My thoughts were interrupted when Dane and Jack came up. They'd been swimming. Jack looked at me and Eric.

"Who's this?" Jack asked.

"I'm Eric," Eric said, smiling. Jack ignored him and looked at me.

"You would NOT believe how many hot girls are out here! And this one girl, oh my God. Her ass..." Jack was cut off by Eric.

"You shouldn't talk about girls like that," Eric said slightly looking at Jack. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Like you've never looked at a girl's ass? What? Are you gay?" Jack spat. Eric clenched his teeth.

"No. But you shouldn't talk about a girl you barely even know like that." He looked at his ice-cream. I looked at Jack, who was currently mouthing the word "fag".

"SHUT UP!" I said. Jack looked at me. "You heard me! He's not gay! He's better than you!" I caught myself. Where'd that come from? I mean, sure, my thirteen year old brothers were annoying as crap...but had I just stood up for myself?

Jack and Dane walked away. Eric looked at me.

"Thanks." He blushed. Why did he have to be so cute?!

"I..I'm sorry about him. He's a pain in the butt."

"No, really, I couldn't even stand up for MYSELF. You're awesome," he said, leaning over, kissing my cheek. I blushed. I could guess that I was really red. He smiled, showing his braces.

I was right. Eric was different. Eric was better. Eric, to me, was perfect.