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"HEY YOU," Erin said as Rudy walked up to the old treehouse that their dads built them ages ago. Erin was sitting on the edge of the platform with her feet hanging of the edge. Erin offered her hand as Rudy climbed into the treehouse.
"I can't believe this thing is still standing." Rudy said as he sat down next down next to Erin.
"C'mon we're not that old, plus Ollie and Dylan hangout here sometimes." Erin reassured Rudy. The two of them looked around the treehouse remembering all the fond memories they had made here.
"Woah, Ru, look here." the two of them huddled around a small engraving in the side of one of the panels. "Awww, it says 'E and R 4 ever.' I forgot we did that." Erin said as she looked up at Rudy as she stuck her lip out and made a pouty face. "We were so innocent."
"Oh, uh, that is really cute. I forgot all about that too." Rudy said, lying. He remembers that day, very clearly. The friends engraved that on their first day of high school. They promised each other that they would always be best friends, no matter who or what got in the way.
"Didn't we like make a pact or something?" Erin said sitting back down in the treehouse.
"Haha oh yeah, it was like if we weren't married by 50 we would get married or something." The two of them laughed as they remembered how naive they were to think like that. "But I mean, I guess there is Jairus now, so you're off the hook."
Erin's face turned pale. Rudy didn't know that they had broken up yet. "Well, um, about that," Erin started nervously, "Jairus and I actually broke up last night, after the bonfire." She looked down at the floor not really knowing how Rudy would react.
Rudy was shocked, but relieved. He didn't really know what to say, but he tried to put some words together to somehow comfort Erin. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He placed his hand on Erin's shoulder.
Erin looked back up from the floor with tears in welling up in her eyes. She remembered the hateful words Jairus spat at her just a day before. Rudy realizing Erin was on the verge of tears pulled her into a hug. One of his famous Rudy hugs that felt safe and familiar. They reminded her of all the times growing up where she would be falling apart and Rudy would give her a hug and make everything feel better. Erin cried into Rudy's shoulder as he stood there and took it all. His heart broke inside, he hated seeing his best friend upset like this.
Erin pulled back from the hug and wiped away her tears, "He was the worst waste of time and energy, but I loved him, I really did and I hate myself for it." Rudy watched as his best friend as she fell apart on the inside. Rudy not really knowing what to do, sat down beside her, held her hand, and looked her in the eye.
"You deserve the world, Erin. You are so so special. God, if only you knew how much you mean to me, and your friends and your family. And screw Jarius, in fact screw anybody who makes you feel like you are less than spectacular." Then Rudy looked her straight in the eye, "because, Erin, you have been and will always be the kindest, most selfless, most amazing person on this planet. Don't even doubt it for a second."
There was a long pause. Erin didn't have the words to say so she just pulled Rudy into a hug and whispered into his shoulder with her sad, broken voice, "You're a really good friend."
Rudy quickly replied sarcastically to lighten the mood, "I know I am." They both laughed a little before Rudy started again, "And for the record you make being your friend really easy." His heart lightened up a little bit. They both looked into each other's eyes, platonically. He loved Erin with every ounce of his being. He loved being her best friend, but he also longed for something more. But nevertheless, regardless of how he felt, Rudy kissed Erin on her forehead and stood up.
Rudy reached out for Erin's hand and helped her stand up, "C'mon Air Bear, wipe your tears, we have a cruise to go on." Erin indulged in one more famous Rudy hug before the two of them headed back home to pack for their once in a lifetime trip.
