Now though, it’s all over. We can finally move on.
I kick up my feet and let the smile drift across my face like leaves in the wind.22ChloeI lean back in my chair and look across the room at the large white and black industrial clock as the second hand glides across its face. I bounce my knee a little bit to myself and wonder if maybe, just maybe, our little Erik problem hasn’t been solved. There are five minutes left in my tutoring session, and although nobody showed up, I’ve been patiently waiting.
When David called the night before, relief flooded through me. I thought that finally, finally, we’d figured it out. Finally, Erik was going to get what he deserved and he’d leave me alone.
Maybe I was wrong.
Both my knees start bouncing and I can feel a bead of sweat begin to drip down my back. Maybe Erik was faking it, and he wasn’t showing contrition at all. Maybe this was a ruse, and we’re fucked, and I’m going to jail, and David’s going to get fired, and—
I look up as the doors to the tutoring room open. Erik pokes his head inside and looks around before spotting me. My heart leaps in my chest as he enters the room wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a CU football team t-shirt. He walks over and gives me a hesitant smile, and I almost don’t recognize him without the shit-eating grin.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey.”
He hesitates. “Did you, uh, talk to David?”
I nod. “I did.”
“Cool. Cool.” He lingers near the table and gestures at the chair. “Can I sit down?”
“Go ahead.” I cross my arms. “But I’m almost done here.”
“Cool, good, yeah. I mean, I just need a second.” He drops his backpack on the floor and sits. He stares at me for a second then looks away. “Look, Chloe. What I did to you was fucked up.”
“Yeah, it was,” I say softly.
“I shouldn’t have touched you. Coach was right to hit me for that.”
“But that wasn’t all you did.”
He winces. “Nah. I mean, the printouts and the banner and the phone call, that shit was me too. I felt betrayed and angry and I was being a petty asshole. I shouldn’t have done it, and I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry we toilet papered your house.”
He hesitates. “Nah. I deserved that.”
“Okay then. I’m sorry we drugged you and left you alone in the woods.”
He smiles a little bit and stares at the floor for a long moment without speaking. Then he looks up again. “I’m kind of glad you did it, to be honest.”
I raise an eyebrow. “That’s… weird.”
“I know. But I think I had an experience that night. Like, a really profound experience. I still feel it lingering, you know what I mean? Like I can still feel everything around me.” He lets out a breath. “I know it’s stupid and weird.”
“I’ve never taken acid before,” I say. “So I can’t really relate.”
“Well, anyway, Coach says he’ll take care of me and won’t get me kicked off football, which is good. And I’m deleting that footage of you guys. So I’m sorry for blackmailing you, and I’ll leave you all alone. I just want to play football and keep my nose clean.”
“Good for you,” I say and smile a little bit. “Hey, who knows, if you actually work hard at football and don’t think too much about fucking around, you might make the pros.”
He laughs. “Damn right I will.” He stands and grabs his bag. He walks toward the door then stops and turns. “I really am sorry. I just felt stupid. I liked you, you know?”
“That’s okay,” I say. “I mean, it’s not okay, but whatever. It’s okay if people don’t like you back, it doesn’t mean you’re… less, or whatever.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” He takes a breath. “Anyway. See you around.” He walks out the door and I let myself smile.
I really, really hope I don’t see him around at all.
I stand and start gathering my stuff. When I’m packed and about to head out, the door opens again. I get a jolt of panic, afraid it’s Erik returning to take everything back. But instead, it’s David, wearing his usual slacks and team polo. I feel my heart leap in my chest.
“Did he show?” he asks.
I nod and run over to him. I throw my arms around his neck and he laughs then kisses me. We kiss slow and deep, and I savor his lips, his tongue.
“Well,” he says, voice soft. “I guess that worked.”
“He apologized. Said he was sort of happy we drugged him? I don’t know. He seemed different.”
David nods. “I know. I saw it too.”
“Think it’ll last?”
“No,” he admits. “But I think he’ll find some other target when he eventually comes back to himself.”
“I guess that means we got away with it.”