Loved From Afar (COMPLETED)

misunderstandings pt 2

Authors note: Highschool age Amelia and Sheila pictured above, again not my art. Left Amelia, right Sheila

Amelia sat in her apartment and stared at the wall. Her eyes were puffy from her sudden bout of crying. Amelia had been coming home crying for the past three days. After the run in with Eric outside of his shop she had bailed on her mother and Amanda. She still felt horrible but she couldn't possibly keep this charade up if he was already seeing someone.
"I should've known he had a girlfriend." She whispered as Sheila reentered the room. She was toting a tray full of different candy toppings and a tub of icecream.
"Babe you don't know that for sure." Sheila stated as she set down the tray.
Amelia lifted her head from it's position atop her knees and sighed.
"She was gorgeous Sheila, why else would he have her on his arm?"
Sheila grabbed her friends face.
"Are you stupid?" The sweet voice with which she spoke was strange paired with the words. Amelia's lips were puckered from the pressure being applied on her cheeks. "Yes."
It was a simple answer but it was wrong. Sheila pinched her cheeks hard and stood up from her seat on the bed. "Oh my gosh girl please how about before you act all heartbroken and avoid him for another week, you ask him!"
Amelia rubbed her pinched cheeks and gave her friend a sulky look.
"He might think I'm weird and clingy...it's not like we're dating." Her voice petered out on the last word and she looked at her friend.
"What if he regrets it?" Sheila looked at Amelia and saw the genuine pain and pining in her eyes. Sheila sat back down and took her hands.
"Honey there's only one way to figure this all out." She grabbed Amelia's chin and tilted her head to face a picture frame that sat on Amelia's side table. It was a framed picture of Amelia and Eric smiling with his arm around her neck.
"You have to talk to him." Sheila let go of her chin but Amelia continued to stare at the photo.
"Sheila....if he doesn't love me back what am I supposed to do?" A few tears streaked down Amelia's face as she looked back at her roommate.
"Honestly I don't know, but no matter what happens I'll always be here for you." Sheila leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her troubled friend as she cried.

Eric pulled away from Gizelle's apartment and headed to work. He'd spent the night because he had promised to spend as much time with her as possible. Being separated for six months had been no easy feat on Gizelle's part. Eric could say the same although he'd been more easily distracted by familiar friends and work. Eric watched the road as she popped into his mind again. He sighed and his grip on the wheel tightened. He was sure that he could make it through the next four days but after this whole thing was over, would they just go back to how things were before? Eric felt his stomach roll at the idea of not being able to be around her as much. He pulled into the back of the store and climbed out of his car. He would just have to see how things worked out, leave it up to fate.

Amelia paced the floor and texted Sheila again.
"Are you sure I should do it now, maybe I should wait until they close?" She asked in a frantic attempt to bail. Sheila's reply was instant.
"No, do it now or you won't do it ever."
Amelia groaned knowing full well that her friend was right. She tugged on her loose ponytail and bit her lip. Finally she forced herself out of the lobby of her building and across the parking lot.
Once she started driving she let her mind wander, trying to distract herself from the task that was closing in faster and faster with every light she came to. She reached the shop all too soon and climbed out of the car. She went her lips and approached the door. They were still closed but Eric would let her in since he was the opener today. Amelia knocked on the glass door as she saw him emerge from the back toting a tray of freshly baked goods. His head came up with an annoyed expression but melted into a smile as he made eye contact with her. He set the tray down and removed his oven mitts then made his way to the door. He flipped the bolt lock and held the door as he ushered her inside. He smiled at her again making her heart thump almost painfully inside her chest.
"What's up, you're awfully early." Eric asked with a chuckle. He seems more cheerful than usual? Amelia thought as she smiled back.
"I actually needed to talk to you about something."

Eric felt his smile fade as she finished her statement. Was she breaking up with him? Of course she's not you moron, you're not dating her! His mind yelled at him. Eric nodded silently and led her to a table in the farthest back corner. Once they were seated Amelia seemed to be fidgeting with the collar of her shirt nervously.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for...making you help me with this whole escapade." She said quickly as she broke the awkward silence. Eric raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Wait, why are you sorry I knew what we were doing is...is something wrong?" He reached across the table to grab her hand but she pulled away folding her hands on her lap beneath the table. Eric slowly retracted his hand and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Amelia, what happened?" She looked up at him now and her eyes shone with regret and fear.
"I should've known you had a girlfriend and I shouldn't have thought it was a good idea to play this game just to avoid ridicule from a self righteous, stuck up, brat like Amanda." Amelia stood quickly and wrapped the coat she was wearing tighter around herself. Before he could reply however she continued.
"I'm telling mother and Amanda everything today I'm so sorry Eric." She rushed for the door and before he could reach her she was gone. He stared out the front door and felt his heart fall into his stomach. What did she mean girlfriend? He wracked his brain trying to figure out why she would think he had a girlfriend in the first place. He groaned as he pulled on his dark, messy hair.
"Okay Corté you've messed up and now you have to fix it." He muttered to himself as he turned around. He marched over to the counter and swung the kitchen door open to reveal Kendall entering the back door with her usual air of nonchalance.
"Kendall!" He shouted when a plan suddenly surfaced in his somewhat murky mind.

Kendall jumped and turned around to see Eric staring at her very seriously. What had he gotten himself into now?
"Okay, what did you do this time?" She asked with a smirk. Eric tugged on the tips of his hair signaling his anxiety and stress.
"I messed up bad." He stated as he started to pace the length of the small kitchen.
"Yes I can tell, what exactly did you mess up lover boy?"
Eric stopped pacing and folded his hands under his arm pits.
"Amelia thinks I'm dating someone." As soon as the words left his mouth Kendall snorted then a gale of laughter escaped her. Eric's eyebrows almost found his hairline as he watched her fold in half her arms wrapped around herself as she laughed.
"Dude...stop...your life is like a hallmark movie." She gasped in breaths between words. Once she was upright again Eric had his hands on his hips and looked distinctly like an upset mother hen. His striped apron didn't help matters.
"Okay explain how she got that from the whole, fake dating but actually liking each other, thing?" Kendall asked as she leaned against the metal table to her left.
"Well that's the problem...I don't know who she thinks I'm dating so..." he shrugged and Kendall nodded her understanding.
"...So you can't fix it until you know what you broke." She finished for him. Eric nodded then he smirked and sidled up next to her. His mischievous look was unnerving, she was sure the plan he was, no doubt, concocting involved her. A carefully placed glare was aimed his way as he began to speak.
"So I'm thinking you could stop her before she tells her mother and cousin we aren't dating so that I have some time to mend this before a disaster takes place, please?" He stuck out his bottom lip and batted his eyelashes. Kendall rolled her eyes but cracked a smile and shoved his face away while simultaneously smacking him in the back of the head. "Ouch!" He yelped as he rubbed the back of his head. He was smiling now and he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you kendall." She shrugged it off nonchalantly but his smile warmed her heart. Eric was like a big brother to her and of course he'd given her this job so she would do anything for him even if it involved being a delay to help his love life.