Looking Beyond

Chapter 22: The Talk

     Brea rested her hand on the door to Jacob's room. She paused and glanced over towards Erik's room. She abandoned her thoughts of Jacob temporarily, walked over to her friend's door, and knocked. "Erik?" She called out.

     The door flung open. "Brea? Sup?" Erik stood before her wearing only his basketball shorts. Erik watched her eyes roamed down from his face to his shoulders, and down his torso. "Um...Brea?"

     Brea blinked a few times. "Good Lord Erik-Michael! You've been hiding THAT under your shirt all this time?" She shook her head and gave a devilish smirk. "No wonder Sav's into you." Erik's eyes widened. "Oh don't start with that. I know about your, ahem, arrangement with her. I share her room, remember?"

     A light blush fell on his cheeks. "So, what can I do for you?" He grabbed a shirt to put on and invited her inside the room he shared with Trevor. "Have a seat." He pointed to the chair near the head of his bed.

     "Nothing." She stated as a matter of fact. "However, you can do something for you and Savannah."

     Erik pulled his shirt over his head. "I need to let her be. She's still upset over the whole Dan thing. Never mind the fact that I'm..." He quieted, and his face grew serious.

     "Erik, you're not allowed to withdraw now."

     "I'm not."

     Brea rolled her eyes. "Erik-Michael, out of everyone in this house, we're the most alike and you know it." Erik rolled his eyes back at her. "I'm telling you that you NEED to talk to her." She reached out and touched his arm. "I think she knows deep down that she's in love with you – that it's always been you."

     He moved his arm away from Brea. "I'm sure she is, because, you know, talking endlessly about how blue Dan's eyes are really is convincing me that she wants me."

     "How stupid are you? Who does she go out with all of the time? Who did she ask to start a business with? It sure as hell wasn't me!" She searched for any reaction from Erik. "You know, she's always sabotages any decent relationship options she gets. Dan was safe, because he never reacted. It frustrated her, but he was safe. The entire time this was going on, you were there, loving her the best you could, and she let you."

     "Brea, you know better than to get my hopes up."

     "I wouldn't if I didn't know that she loves you. She's coming around to seeing it. So, would you please talk to her?"

     Erik sat on his bed, deep in thought.

     The bedroom door slammed shut. "I'm going out tonight Erik. Want to come?" Trevor flung his towel onto his bed, in preparation to put his on pants.

     Brea's mouth hung open and she was quick to slap her hands over her eyes. "Oh. My. I...um..."

     "Brea?" Trevor, still standing beside his bed naked, stared back at the visitor in his and Erik's room.

     "Put your pants on Trevor!" Erik shook his head. "I keep telling you! Nobody wants to see you flopping and wiggling!"

     "Flopping and wiggling?" Brea's muffled voice choked out to Erik. She buried her face deeper into her hands. She still harbored hurt feelings in regards to Trevor, but that didn't mean that the current view upset her. She was more embarrassed that she was going from this particular moment to Jacob's room for, most likely, the rest of the night. She could feel her face burn. How is she going to explain this?

     "What is she doing here Erik?" Trevor yanked his pants on and quickly zipped them.

     Keeping her hands on her face, Brea answered. "I came over to tell Erik to talk to Sav."

     "I have pants on Brea."

     Brea slowly moved her hands from her face, revealing how red she had turned. Erik stifled a laugh. Brea glared at him. "I came over to tell him that Savannah's coming to the realization that she's been in love with Erik this whole time, and all he needs to do is talk to her."

     "There's no harm in talking to her bro." Trevor agreed.

     "Threre. It's two against one. You've been out-voted Erik. You are going to talk things out with her." Erik pouted. "And with that, gentlemen, I shall take my leave." Brea fled to the door, ready to escape.

     "Hey Brea?" Trevor stopped her. He noted the increase rouge tint to her face and smiled. "You can tell me. You liked what you saw, didn't you?"

     "I..er...um...that is..." She clutched her journal tighter. "I got to go!" She raced out of the room and down the stairs. She'd hide in the office she shared with Dan to compose herself before she attempted to visit Jacob.

     Erik grabbed his dirty shirt and threw it at Trevor. "Give it up."

     "I saw an opportunity to flirt, and I took it." Trevor threw the shirt back. "So, what are you going to say to Savvy?"

     "I don't know. I'll let you know later." Erik left for Savannah's room. 'This should be interesting.' He thought to himself.

* * *

     Erik stood outside the door and took a deep breath. "It's now or never." He pushed the door open. "Vannah-Girl?"

     Savannah looked up at the doorway, having been torn from her thoughts. "Erik!" She sat up and smoothed her blankets out. "What's -"

     Erik strode up beside her bed and took a seat. "We need to talk Savannah."

     She bit her lower lip and nodded. "We do." Erik looked her right in the eyes, and Savannah noticed that she had never seen them this sad before. She didn't like it.

     "I don't know how to even begin this, so I'm just going to throw it out there and see what happens." He took Savannah's hand into his and looked away from her. "Savannah. Vannah-Girl. I love you." He took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't just love you, I'm IN LOVE with you."

    Savannah felt her heart skip. This time, she'd happily tell Brea that she was right. "I love -"

     "Let me finish." Erik turned back to face her. "This entire time we've spent hanging out, talking, working, and erm, doing other things, I have loved you. Every single part of you: the dark curls of the hair on your head, to your ghetto booty, those long legs, and..." he squeezed her hand, "your amazing personality. Everything. I love it all. Even when you'd go on and on about Dan, I listened – because I love you."

     "Erik." Savannah barely noticed that she had started to cry. She stroked his face with her hand, seeing for the first time how he leans slightly into her touch. She gently pressed her lips against his own, feeling something that deep down she's known all along. She was in love with him too.

     Erik pulled back and cleared his throat. "I can't do this anymore Savannah. I can't just be here for you so you can feel better. I can't deal with the rules. I want to talk to you about how you make me feel, how I love making you feel good. I want to give you everything you've wanted. I want to give you a home and kids. I want it all or nothing." He dropped his voice. "God, I want to kiss you now."

     "Then kiss me." She whispered.

     "No." He pulled his hand away from hers. "I can't until I know that you're really over Dan. I need to know that you want me because you do – that I'm all that you're going to need. Not because I'm second best."

     "You're not second best!"

     "I'm sorry Vannah-Girl, but my heart can't take it anymore. You take all the time you need, and I'll wait. But while I wait for you, I refuse to be a substitute for your affections. Once you get everything sorted out in that mind of yours, I'll be here. Just like always. Because I love you." He stood up and left Savannah to herself and her tears.