The Lilac Gardens

Angry

He wished he could stay in this moment forever.

Will gazed at the endless sky, dreaming about nothing. He glanced down at Erica, her head still in his lap. Her hair was tangled from rolling around like his thigh was her pillow. A tiny drop of drool hung out from the side of her mouth as it sat agape.

She's adorable.

Will made up his mind. He would tell her the truth when she woke up. He would tell her what he liked. That he liked her.

He also would tell her that she'd better not like pineapple pizza. That stuff came from the devil's personal menu.

Erica stirred, shifting her head and stretching shuffling her arms. Will's heart pounded quickly, like it was trying to break through his ribcage. She opened her eyes, her hazel orbs looking at him directly. She grinned sleepily.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," he said back, hoping his voice didn't crack.

Erica sat up, yawning and stretching her arms up into the air. Her hair was like a lion's mane: messy. Her dress was rumpled from laying on the ground for so long.

"What time is it?" she said through her yawn, lazily picking up her phone, pressing the home button. Her eyes bulged out of her head as the screen turned on.

"3:30?!" she yelped, falling back onto her bottom. "It's 3:30?!"

Shoot. Had that much time already pass from when she fell asleep. Will's heart began to pound faster, not from his anxiety about telling Erica how he felt, but from fear. He dismissed the feeling. It wasn't important, right?

"I lost count of time," he said quickly, his conscience taking over. "I'm sorry."

Erica didn't listen. She stared at her phone intensely, scrolling up her screen.

Will scrambled upward, straightening his posture. "Hey, but really quickly, I just need to tell you-"

"Oh my God, oh my God," she kept muttering, her face pale, cutting him off. Will felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He clamped his mouth shut, frightened. This was more of a serious issue than he thought.

Erica's phone began to ring, a sweet melody that did not fit the situation. Erica tapped on her screen hurriedly, stumbling to stand up.

"Hi, yes I know," she said into the phone, clearing her throat. The was an indecipherable sound from the other end. Erica's face contorted into shock, her eyes wide.

"What?!" she yelled into the phone. Her eyebrows crossed. "But it was an accident, I promise to get to the other one, could you please please please arrange another meeting?"

All the color that was left in Erica's skin seemed to drain into an invisible hole in her body. "Ok..."

She took the phone away from her ear and pressed a button. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, as if trying to calm her self, but her face gave her away.

"Look Will," she said, kneeling down into the grass, leaning over the blanket to pack up what food was left out. "I've got to go,"

Will sat like a rock, watching the angry storm unravel. Then he snapped out of his stoic state, grabbing trash and stuffing it into the basket with her.

"Hey, everything's good, right?"

"Of course, of course..." she muttered, packing container after container into the basket.

"Are you sure?"

"Everything's fine, Will."

"Are you really sure? Because I can-"

"I'M FINE." she said loudly. Will stopped the motion in his hands made, shocked at her voice. She had never raised it at this high a  level. He had never heard it so mad. She threw her head into her hands, rubbing her eyes with the palms.

"Ugh, why didn't you wake me up!" Erica groaned, frustrated. Will froze, terrified at her for seeing her angry for the first time. "I told you to wake me up at 2:45!"

"I didn't- I don't-" Will stuttered, fear coursing through his veins. Erica sat up straight, her usual bright and colorful eyes were stormy, full of vicious madness that Will took a step backward.

"I lost the interview!" she groaned, hands digging into her scalp like she was going to tear out her hair. "How am I gonna get the job now?"

"Hey, calm down." Will tried to soothe in the midst of his terror. "I'm sure you could work something out-"

"Will, please just go." she said, squeezing her eyes closed shut. "Go. Please."

Will was stuck. He could leave her feeling like guilt socked him in the face or he could stay, disobeying her angry wishes for him to get away. He could stay and help her with her problem, trying to find a solution for the missed interview, he could calm her. Leaving would induce nothing but less assistance and a possibly ready to fight Erica.

He took one look at her, stressed, disheveled, and frightened. Will decided.

He folded up the checkered blanket slowly, not bothering to brush out the grass stuck on the bottom. He grabbed the picnic basket, and turned away from her. He walked toward the exit in silence.

If she wanted him to leave, he would respect her wishes.