Free Fall

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Erick

I watched her nearly run to her car, wiping furiously at her eyes and I felt my heart tear into thousands of small pieces. Over the past few months Kendall had blossomed into the amazing girl she is, her eyes bright and full of wonder. But all of that that she worked for deflated out of her in seconds, right there in front of me. 

And it was all my fault.

Hurting her like that felt like a stake was shoved right through my heart, causing real physical pain. The tears from my emotional departure from baseball were fresh now, mixed with tears from seeing the love of my life for the last time. I had just turned toward my car, utterly depressed, when someone called my name. 

"Erick."

Cole was making his way towards me, his bag dangling from his hand as it flexed and unflexed around the handle. Surprised, I took a deep breath and positioned the bag on my shoulder. "Hey, man."

"Don't you 'hey, man' me. I'm not here to be buddy buddy again." He practically spat.

My own anger rose. "Then why are you here? Huh? Obviously not to talk about new calls since you refuse to listen to the one's I gave you and caused us the game! My last game, Cole!"

"Don't you dare blame this on me!" He was nearly shouting now. "I understand you're going through something tough, but why shut out your friends that want nothing but the best for you? That's low, Erick. Lower than I thought you were ever able capable of stooping."

The anger was now full-fledged rage. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"For God's sake, at least do it for Kendall! What you did to us is forgivable. What you're doing to Kendall is just-just...completely messed up. She's been through way more than you ever will, and you drug her through the mud. Be a real man, Erick."

I narrowed my eyes, my anger still too thick to realize he was right. "You sound like Kelsey."

Cole's face reddened, and for a second I thought my long-time friend was about to hit me when he suddenly took a deep breath and shook his head. He slung his bag over his shoulder. "Kelsey's right. She deserves better." And he walked off towards the setting sun.

**

Kendall 

"So what do you think, Kendy? Bubblegum pink or sky blue?" Kelsey held the nail polish to the light, staring at them as if they were her most prized possession. I glanced over and mumbled a weak: 'pink' before looking back out the window at the sunset. 

Kelsey sighed and lowered the polish. "Kendall, stop."

"Stop what?"

"This!" She waved towards me. "This moping. Forget him. He's not worth it." Looking back over at her as she focuses on painting her big toe, an unbearable feeling of needing Charlie washed over me. That is where the two girls differ. 

Kelsey excepts me to be able to just forget all the feelings and emotions I have for Erick like it's nohing; I love her to death but being sympathetic is not on her best personality trait. Charlie would never leave my side, constantly giving me the best advice and keeping me busy with dumb conversations so I wouldn't dwell on what was bad.

Getting through this without Charlie was going to be nearly impossible. 

"Kendall? Someone's at the door for you."

Turning away from the window, surprise settled in my stomach. I rose from the bay window seat and followed the nice lady who lent me a home down the stairs and to the open door, where she stepped out of the way and there stood Erick.

He was so painfully beautiful, his hair neatly combed with a tight white polo shirt and dark jeans. He flashed me a cautious smile and I stopped in my tracks, starting to retreat back up the stairs. 

"Kendall, wait. Please hear me out." He took a step into the house and Mrs. Hampshire flashed him a warning glance. 

Swallowing, I timidly made my way to the door and closed it on Mrs. Hampshire's puzzled face.

It was hard to look in his eyes, but he placed two fingers under my chin and lifted it up. "I love you."

All the breath in my lungs whooshed out of me and a little gasp escaped my lips, making me stumble back. Erick looked at me, confused. 

"H-How can you say that?! Just an hour ago you were saying you want someone new!"

"All lies!" He said desperately, stepping towards me. "I care for you..so much. But I have to leave, for my mom. I didn't want you to be here and wishing I was here with you. The guilt would kill me. I can't be what you deserve over there." 

The ice around my heart was starting to thaw. "But you could come back."

A flash of hope crossed Erick's chocolate eyes but it quickly disappeared. "I don't want you to wait for me. The possibilty of coming back is too slim for you to wait. You need to move on."

The pain was only a numb throb in my heart, his presence alone quenches the overwhelming ache even if it was under such painful circumstances. Before I could register what I was doing, my arms were wrapped around his waist and I rested my head against his firm chest. His long arms qere quickly wrapped around my neck, and for the first time in months, I was perfectly happy. For once, all my fears and burdens from what I went through took the backseat to this moment. 

After awhile, I pulled back and stared into his eyes. "You're sure about this?"

He bit his bottom lip and took a deep breath before nodding.

"Then I have to be, too. But I want you to promise me something."

His eyes looked wary and he opened his mouth but I held up a finger. "Don't ever give up on your dreams. Whether it's with baseball or being a doctor or something else...if it's a goal don't lose the ambition."

I turned and limped to the porch steps, taking a seat and patting the space next to me. After he had lowered himself to the step, I continued. "Imagine that day when you can finally say, 'I did it!' When you can say 'I never gave up, I never quit!' Imagine that day when you go pro, or you get accepted into medical school. Where these moments of pain turn into memories for that goal you wanted to obtain. It might take long to reach that moment, and it may be hard as hell. But as soon as you get there you'll thank yourself for the rest of your life."

Erick looked up and squinted at the orange and pink colors shooting across the sky. We sat in a comfortable silence for a long time.

He finally spoke up, startling me. "I have utteely fallen for you. Everything you do, everything you say, everything you are. You're my first thought in the morning, last thought before I fall asleep, and all the thoughts in between. I've fallen for your laughs, which are so contagious. I've fallen for our jokes, which I'll rememebr days later and find myself biting back a laugh. I've fallen for every second I got to spend with you, even if all those seconds will always leave me wanting more. But...it's time to leave those feelings behind."

I knew there was a 'but' coming, but it still caused the air to leave me once again. I looked down the street opposite of Erick and struggled to blink away tears. Erick got to his feet and held out his hand, pulling me to my feet. I fell into him once again, and he held me even tighter before, softly kissing the top of my head. 

"I love you, Kendall Grace. I always will. This is going to kill me leaving but you know what they say. If you love someone, set them free." He pulled back and smiled weakly, his eyes glossy.

Tears were steadily streaming down my cheeks, but I ignored them and forced a smile. "Good luck, Erick."