The Haunting

Chapter 13

Vanessa stared at the empty streets. The pounding music in the background made it nearly impossible for her to hear herself thinking. Vanessa looked around.

Where was Eric?

She was still on edge from the last time she was standing outside of the club. A branch broke and Vanessa spun around, gasping.

Calm down, she told herself. It's only a tree branch.

Suddenly, a hand covered her eyes. She gasped, prepared to scream, but the person's other hand covered her mouth.

Holy cow! she thought. What the hell do I do now?

She considered kicking behind her. P90X had definitely helped give her a better mule kick. But the person with the strong hands started to talk.

"Scream and I won't kiss you."

Eric.

Vanessa sighed. Oh, thank God!

"Eric," she said as he dropped his hands to her waist. She spun around to face him. He had a goofy smirk slapped on his face. She slapped his chest hard. It had no affect on him. "Don't scare me like that."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, leaning in. His lips landed on hers. She took in a sharp breath and then kissed him back. He chuckled against her lips.

God, he's an amazing kisser, Vanessa thought to herself.

"Thank you," he smiled, resting his forehead against hers.

"I said that aloud?" she blushed."

"Yes, indeed!"

She laughed, her face red, and they started to walk. He kept his arm protectively around her shoulders.

"So, you're a teacher... When do you start work?"

"I start tomorrow at my school as a English teacher. When do you begin work?"

She bit her lip. "I'm interning at Seventeen magazine while I'm taking classes."

"Cool."

"Yeah. Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"Extremely," Eric admitted. "I'm also extremely nervous. I hope my students like me."

Vanessa smiled, hypnotizing Eric. "They'll love you. I do."

As soon as she said it, she regretted it. Vanessa had noted that her love with Eric had been like Romeo and Juliet's: love at first sight. And he treated her like a shrine. A holy shrine. And he was an unworthy pilgrim-or wealthy person who went on pilgrimages to far away towns to worship-who would do anything to kiss and touch her. Immediately, he had told her that he found a deep interest in her, but never had they actually said, "I love you."

She had always wanted the guy to be the first to say, "I love you." And never before had she imagined that if she was going to say it, that it would just... slip out. She would've planned it and made it special. And, besides, they'd barely known each other for a week. Hardly a weekend...

"You love me?" he teased, a smirk on his face.

"I never said those exact words...," she mumbled.

"So... you don't love me?"

"I didn't-"

"And I thought that the girl that I fell head over heels in love with would tell me that she loves me, too. But, since she doesn't...," he slouched and started off in the opposite direction.

"Eric!" Vanessa called. She ran and grabbed his arm, spinning him to face her. "Of course I love you! I just... We've hardly known each other for three days. I don't want to just jump in with the 'I love you's and whatnot. I just-"