Chapter 27: Slipping Away
The days passed, but the weight in Erica's chest didn't.
She had always thought time healed everything, that one day she would wake up and Nicole wouldn't be the first thing on her mind. That she wouldn't look for her in the hallways or feel a pang of jealousy whenever Cloud made her laugh.
But she was wrong.
The pain hadn't faded—it had just been buried, waiting for the right moment to resurface. And now that it had, Erica didn't know how to handle it.
Her grades started slipping.
She skipped assignments, barely paid attention in class, and when teachers called on her, she shrugged off their concerns with a smile. It wasn't like she was failing yet, but she was getting close. And the worst part? She didn't care.
"Erica, what's going on with you?" Angel asked one afternoon.
They were sitting under the big oak tree near the school gates, a place they used to go as kids. The wind blew gently through Angel's hair, but Erica barely noticed.
"What do you mean?" Erica replied, forcing a smirk.
Angel gave her a look. "You're different. You've been distant, your grades are tanking, and I don't know… you don't seem like yourself."
"I'm fine," Erica said, too quickly.
Angel studied her for a moment, then sighed. "You don't have to pretend with me, you know."
Erica looked away, staring at the cracks in the pavement.
"I know," she murmured.
But pretending was all she had left.
Angel took her hand. "Erica come with me".
"Where are we going?". She asked.
"Somewhere we can be alone".
They walked towards Angel's car—and Erica; she noticed herself looking at Angel with a sweet smile on her face. She feel being much comfortable when she was with Angel.
"Erica why are you still standing there? Come here quick it's almost sunset".
Erica just came back to herself when Angel called her.
When she sat on the car Angel insisted to put the seatbelt on her; when she looked at her, their eyes meet and the second she thought—her heart started to skips a beat. Angel begins to giggle.
"Erica what happened to you? I can hear your heart beat. Do you like me?".
"Like you?? No way who said that?". She answered panicking.
"Okay I'll pretend to believe that".
Angel sighs and steps on the gas; she started to drove as fast as a lightning. And the moment she hit on the road, Erica started to scream and almost cry.
"Angel can you drive a bit slower. I feel that I will puke anytime".
Angel didn't listen to her. She drove the car more faster and then suddenly she stop near a cliff.
Erica opened the car and run outside crosswalk. Everything she saw was spinning around her. When. She started to puke Angel started to giggle.
"Hey!! Why are you laughing? Stop it!! Don't you see what you've done to me?".
Angel stared at her while her face was starting to smile. She whispered at the air. "I wish that one day you could love me too Erica, even though it was impossible".
At the moment she was staring at Erica she didn't notice that Erica already noticed her.
"Where are you looking at?".
When Angel didn't hear her.... Erica walked towards her and taps Angel's shoulder.
"Hey why are you looking at me?, do you like me?".
"Hoyyy!! I don't like you bastard. I was just looking at your face you still had a puke on your cheek. So embarrassing".
"Ohh, do you have a tissue".
Angel took a tissue paper at her car and gave it to her. Looking at Erica while she was whipping up the mess at her face; Angel's face started to turn red. Erica pinch Angel's cheek and slowly move her face close to Angel.
"Are you sick? Why does your face seems burning?".
Erica looked at her with her puppy face—and Angel.... She can't help herself to stop looking at Erica.