Dead Serious

Old Faces

"Erica?" A hauntingly familiar voice rang out.

I stood perfectly still for a moment as the familiarity of the situation washed over me. My body tensed, muscles seizing. I whipped around.

It couldn't be...

Jacob scrunched his nose. "Erica? Who the hell is that-"

"Oh my god it really is you!" Before I could object a girl threw her arms around me.

Hugging me, as if I'd just come back from sleep away camp, was the one and only Annie Hudson. Same bouncy blonde hair and lovely blue eyes. Her blue eyes, now that I noticed, shined with a new intensity and glee.

She wasn't exactly the same as ever. It was obvious that she'd gain a bit of weight during the apocalypse. I'd figured it'd been a joke when she had told me she'd eat the country's Twinkie supply if it all went to Hell one day, and perhaps she'd actually tried. Yet she was as beautiful as ever. Practically glowing.

"I can't believe you're alive!" She said. Then she slugged me with a scowl. "What the heck, Eri? I thought you were dead."

"Yeah, I thought you were too." I gaped.

Behind her stood Mason. Same old Mason. Handsome face, with glasses and dark skin, he looked no different than when I had saw him months earlier, except now he looked maybe a little more exhausted.

"It's good to see you, Eri." He said.

"You too." I squeaked out. "I can't believe it. You're both here."

"I know! Isn't this place amazing? Totally zombie free." Annie exclaimed.

My eyes narrowed. "Sure, if you like kidnapping, arrogant bastards."

"Kidnapping?"

Jacob coughed. He'd been watching this whole thing like it was a ping pong match, one he hadn't caught the score to. A look of confusion hadn't left his face.

"So... Locke, are you gonna introduce us?" Nicole asked.

I blushed. "Right... Annie, Mason, these are my... traveling companions. Nicole, Callie, and the tall dumbass is Jacob. Guys, these are my friends from high school: Annie and Mason."

Jacob feigned hurt, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. He gasped dramatically, getting a weird look from a guy at the bar. "Oh, why must you wound me like this?"

I rolled my eyes as Annie giggled at his theatrics. Jacob bowed.

"I like this one." Annie pointed at him.

"Says the theater nerd." Mason commented.

"Guilty!" Annie pulled Jacob into a hug, yanking Nicole and Callie along. "It's amazing to meet all you!"

I groaned. I forgot to mention Annie is a hugger.

"So you guys met Erica while traveling?"

A wide spread grin crossed Jacob's face. "Oh yes, we met Erica while traveling. Erica sure is one interesting character. But both of you must have more interesting stories about Erica than we do. After all, you've know her so long."

I didn't like how he emphasized my real name. I kicked him in the shin. Nicole and Callie snickered, but I couldn't tell if it was because of Jacob's dramatic ass or because I kicked him.

"Stop saying my name like that, Swedtcga."

Annie lit up like a Christmas tree. "Is it embarrassing story time?"

"No, Annie-"

"It absolutely is!" Jacob beamed.

These two were no longer allowed near each other.

"Oh tons! I've know Eri since we were kids!" Annie exclaimed. "I'm always up for embarrassing her."

"Ooh yes please." Nicole said.

"Ugh I hate you all." I mumbled.

"Okay so picture this, freshman year of high school. Erica was the biggest dork you can imagine. Pigtails, braces, Star Wars t-shirts, that sort of stuff. Anyway she wanted to tell Matthew Napoli she was totally in love with him."

"Don't exaggerate." I muttered.

"Anyway she highlighted words of her copy of The Half Blood Prince and have it to him as a way to try and confess. He didn't get the hint so she did the same thing with The Princess Bride. He still didn't get the hint so she went up to him and she told him, but she told him in Elvish. She screamed at him in a different language. He nearly pissed his pants."

"Why, why, Annie? Why did you have to tell them that?" I groaned into my hands.

Jacob turned to me, smiling far too broadly for my comfort. "You were a total stalker!"

"Shut up! I was fourteen."

Nicole smiled. "I'm fourteen and I haven't done anything that stupid."

"Wait til you get a crush." Jacob ruffled her hair. She shoved him.

"And she never spoke to him again." Mason stated.

"Okay well this was fun. I'm going to hurl myself off a cliff. Have lovely day." I feigned tearing myself away from them, but Jacob rolled his eyes and grabbed my shoulder.

"So pigtails, eh?" He teased.

I would have slammed my head into the wall if giving the opportunity. Unfortunately I hadn't. I glared at him.

"Okay okay, Erica has suffered enough."

"Damn right I have." I groaned.

"Besides, we have a doctor's appointment to get to." Mason stated. Annie frowned at the reminder. "But we'll see you around, right?"

"Right..." I sighed. I hated being here, but at the same time, two of the people I cared about were here. It made it harder to consider leaving.

But neither of them were Jake.

"Yes, we'll see you later!" Annie pulled me into a big hug. "I'm sorry we have to go so soon."

I could swear she was nearly crying into my shirt. "I know, Annie. But we'll catch up later. I promise."

"Nice meeting you!" Callie chirped.

Mason pulled Annie away and they took their leave.

I didn't know how to feel about that.

Well I hope that cleared up the cliffhanger a bit. So, thoughts? Liked it? Hated it? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!
~Oz