Ink Stain

Erick

Jocks are nearly always stereotyped to be assholes who don't give a crap about the actual academics classes. And for the majority this is true, but there's still the small handful that takes school seriously, as well as life in general. Erick was one of the lucky few that could see this. He knew some lower class men didn't like him all that much since he was the rich pretty boy. But Erick, the real Erick, was a genuine and sincere guy. He always had solid relationships and good friends that were open with him. Except for Sandra though... Poor Sandra. Erick loved her more than anything, thought she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, but he knew she could be a better person. Sandra was always so bitter and cynical, it made Erick feel powerless. Ever since they started dating, Erick's confidence had been a steady decline. He was afraid to lose her. To fail her.

Despite this, the two kept dating and going to parties. These high school experiences were actually very eye opening for Erick. He became more mature and well-adjusted than most other kids his age. From simple things to how much beer he could handle, to more deep and complex things like what makes a good friend. It seemed he had it all figured out. All but that self-esteem. No doubt is it a common thing seen in teenagers, but for him it seemed unnatural. He even kept asking himself why he would feel so insecure. It didn't make sense. Just that lingering possibility of not being enough for someone.

He always put himself on the spot to lead. He always took charge and responsibility for most things that are just out of his control. Erick felt obligated to be a listener, not so much a talker. A lot of people need that one person who will listen without objecting that much. Someone who takes the venting and stands unaffected afterwards.

Erick always knew when something was wrong. Most of the time he could tell when someone was behaving normally or abnormally. Even with strangers, there were tells that said something was wrong. Usually he'd offer his ears to listen for a moment, let them speak freely. But he knew intruding on private matters was not polite at all. It was only meant as a kind gesture though. Sometimes he didn't get into those things to avoid drama, but sometimes it was merely because of the person making themselves unapproachable. How do you listen to someone who aggressively isolates themselves?

Erick thought about this as he sat in his car, waiting in the school parking lot for the early bell. He dragged his fingers across his cleanly shaven face, then saw Sandra walking to the glass doors, textbooks in hand. Erick grabbed his bag and hopped out of the car.