Fell In Love With My Best Friend

Chapter 16

Erica and Rick were at the park the next day, but this time he wasn’t sweaty from basketball. They were sitting on a bench in front of one section of the playground where the little kids played on. A little picture of Luke flashed through her mind, but she quickly pushed it away. She didn’t want to think about him anymore. He was old news.  
“So, you’re going in 9th grade? What’s going to be your favorite subject?” Rick asked her.
“I’m really not sure. I hate science, history, and math, so I’m not really sure.”
Rick nodded and shrugged. “I’m not that big of a fan of those either, but I’m pretty good at math. That’s the only subject I can actually tolerate,” Rick added, laughing.
Erica smiled and said, “I think it’s the same for me, but I guess it depends. Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope. I’m an only child.”
“Wow, that’s interesting. Do you like being an only child?”
"I kind of do, but sometimes I feel lonely,” he said, chuckling softly. “So, do you have a boyfriend?” Rick asked.
“Wow. I didn’t know I was doing that good. Just kidding, but no I don’t have one. I had one, but he ended up cheating on me.”
“Are you serious? That’s awful.”
“Nah. It’s not that bad. We only dated a month, so I wasn’t that affected by it,” Erica said, shrugging.
“I’m going to have a talk with that little dude, and he’s going to be sorry he cheated on you. How could he when he had something beautiful in his hands? He really doesn’t have any common sense in his head,” he said, smiling at Erica. 
Erica smiled and tried to hide her blush. “It doesn’t matter. I’m ready to move on to somebody new,” she said, looking at Rick.
“I’m glad.”
Erica laughed and spent the rest of the time with Rick to trying to get to know him, and from where she was, he was a pretty nice guy. Maybe it was a good thing that she wanted to be with him. 
“Hey, can I have your number? I need it, so if I want to hang out again…” Rick trailed off.
“You would want to hang out again?”
“Of course,” Rick said, smiling.
“Okay. Here….” Erica pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at Rick. They exchanged numbers, and after they were done, they decided to wrap things up.
“It was awesome talking with you,” he said, looking down at her. “I really enjoyed it.”
“I did, too. You’re a pretty nice guy.”
“I would like to think so,” he said, chuckling. “Well, I should get going. My mom probably wants me home to clean my room or help her babysit,” Rick said, starting to stand up.
“Your mom babysits?” Erica asked as she stood up, too.
“Yeah. She babysits some neighbors. Two little girls.”
“Interesting. Well, I’ll see you later,” Erica said, smiling and starting to walk away. She could feel him watching her, but she just kept walking.  

                                               *****

“She’s in 9th grade?” Brad asked Rick, a little surprised.
“Yeah, but she’s really nice.”
“Just nice? Are you sure she’s not anything else?” Brad asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rick sighed at the question. His best friend knew him too well, so he gave up and told him.
“Okay...I think she’s beautiful, sweet and I really like her,” Rick said, trying to look Brad in the eye.
“That’s what I thought. Well, if you like her...Go and get her, man.”
“How can I do that? She’s way out of my league,” Rick said.
“Dude… She’s in the 9th grade. She’s not a supermodel in a magazine we’re talking about.”
“I’m not so sure,” Rick said, as he looked up at the ceiling.
“Wow… Yeah, you are so reeled in, brother,” Brad said, patting him on the shoulder.
“I might be.”
“I’m only going to tell you this once, so you better listen to me...Go...And...Get...Her,” Brad said, looking Rick in the eye.
Rick sighed, and he nodded.  “Okay.”
Brad laughed and fist bumped Rick. “All right,” Brad said as he laughed.
“Good talk, man.” 

                                                   *********

Erica woke up the next morning to see that she received a message from Rick.  She grabbed her phone, still half asleep, and she read the message.
Hey. Can we hang out today? I know it’s like 1 a.m., but text me when you get this.
Erica laughed and put her phone down as she jumped out of bed. “I’ll text him back after using the bathroom,” she told herself out loud as she ran to the bathroom.
After she was done using the bathroom, she went back to her room, and she grabbed her phone. She smiled, and she messaged Rick.
Yeah. I would love to hang out.
Erica put her phone down, and she grabbed an outfit to wear. She decided to go with skinny jeans, a tank top that had writing on it that said: Love Me Like You Mean It, and she was going to wear one pair of her high tops with it. 
She smiled and grabbed her phone as she headed for the bathroom to take a shower.