Through My Eyes (Being Edited)

Eric

Part #1

I don't know why but every time this name pops up in my head, I imagine a beefy-looking guy - what you can call Mr. Muscles - dressed up in rugby head gear and what not. However, my friend is no where near being beefy or being sporty.

No, he's not a bully neither is he a heartthrob or a quarterback. Of course, girls fall for him left and right but still he isn't exactly what those words describe.

He is a tall, dark and handsome guy with high cheekbones and jaw that is angled. I find his moustache quite amusing though. He keeps it clean but when he grows a stubble and naturally, his moustache fills out the space, it tends to fill thicker at one end than the other. We've all had our fair share of making jokes about it.

When college started and we got shifted in another branch, our lives became a tad interesting. Unlike the previous branch, this one allowed interaction with boys under very mild restrictions. Not that Head never glared at Eric and my close-distanced - at times - interactions. You see, Eric and I didn't fall into this friendship on the first day but we became friends through a Friday that fortunately happened.

October 10, the sun was still somewhere between the clouds. It wasn't hot. Technically it was winters here. Or rather autumn. The leaves were gone or were brown. People had their jackets, hoodies and sweaters on. That day, our friendship started. Before that I had seen this guy and thought how good it was that he worked out but other than that, he never crossed my mind.

A. and I used to stroll around the college looking for possible crush prospects. Don't judge us, we were single and com'on it was only for fun!

No. I actually mean it. I cross my heart and I hope to die. . .

But I'll only stay with you one more nighht.

*clears throat*

So, yeah, when I saw Eric, even though he was handsome (get off your high horse, Eric!) but I never thought or even added him, back then, to my list. It was like I knew something would happen. What happened was that he became my buddy. The bestest guy friend. For now he is at least.

That Friday, as my friends and I were standing on the 'flyover' - it's like another ground level that leads us to the our A levels compound and I came up with it so everyone should better love me! - Eric was standing there too but with other set of his friends. Riley, A. and I wanted to do something new! It was getting all boring around us. Nobody was doing anything interesting. Then suddenly, a plan popped up in my head. I didn't voice it out at first but I turned my head to look at Eric. I analyzed him with squinted eyes and lips formed in a small pout. Seconds later, he turned his head to look at me and we made a eye contact before I turned to my friends again.

In those three seconds that we made an eye contact, don't ask me how, I sensed that he sensed I was up to something. I turned to him and this time the question was blurted out.

'Eric, did you bring a car today?'

So much for being straightforward.

'Erm. My car? Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.'

I nodded but kept the idea in. Thinking to myself, how laughable but yet interesting idea it had been.

After my quick exchange with Eric, I turned to Riley to see her eyebrow raised. Dammit!

Later that day, I still couldn't digest the thought that I hadn't accomplish what I had come up with.

I need to do something, I had thought.

We sat by the wooden-weird-chairs by the canteen as I pondered upon it some more and then presented to the two friends. Riley being all goody-two-shoe seemed to hesitate but A. was all ready to set it to action.

I saw Eric standing next to Veronica. A. and I walked over to them. The moment we made it to the group, I blurted out, 'Eric, com'on put your car to some use!'

Eric's eyes widened in bewilderment but in a flash, he controlled his emotions - at least his facial emotions - and politely asked me what that meant. We put up our perfect plan of sneak out but yet Eric wasn't all too sure about it. He nodded and then tried to change the subject a few times but I wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. I wanted to do it and he was going to put the plan to action, I didn't care how that made him perceive me as. I craved something deliciously sweet!

Finally, we got out of collage without being stopped by the guards or the students or the teachers or the head or the - you get my drift, and then we made it to cake shop nearby. A. had a piece of something that I don't remember and I got a death-by-chocolate. *drools*

Eric, eager to show his gentle-manliness, opened the door and then paid half of the bill too even though he didn't buy anything for himself.

Awwwn. *rolls eyes*

Eric, this will get more girls to fall for you. *winks* *winks*

I know I know, how long that list is and how you don't need any longer. Blah, blah. Yeah, heard it many times before.

On our way back, I really don't know what possessed me that day and I apologize for it, Eric but I just had to make you eat somehow!

How I made him eat a spoon full of cake, you ask? Well, you've all see how they feed babies right? They say 'here comes the train, choo choo.'  Blekh, I am not good at it and no I didn't feed him like that. I just loaded a spoon and pushed it in his mouth when he opened it to talk to A. I don't know. I wasn't very lady-like that day. I don't even know what got over me! All I know is the next day, we started hanging out and soon he came up with 'Eshaaaaa', my nickname, which he liked to prolong just to create the effect, you know.

Trust Eric to do everything perfectly and then he calls me a perfectionist. Hypocrite.

Soon, we became friends and then he made it in our group. We grew closer and in no time we became the best friends that were partners in crime, mischief, dance and dirty, vivid imagination. Oh, event managing too. I can't even count the number of birthdays we planned together.

All was great but a thought kept popping in my head, nothing lasts forever. Every time this thought left me queasy.

To be continued. . .