Fan Fiction ❯ Looking in a Mirror ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter eight-

 

The next few weeks leading up to Christmas vacation went quickly. Eric and Devan ate lunch together every day at school and Devan got Eric to talk more than he usually would. Eric also spent most of the weekends with Devan, mostly at Devan's house, but they would sometimes go get something to eat, or walk around somewhere.

 

On the last day of finals Devan had asked if Eric wanted to go get something for lunch since the school wasn't serving it due to early dismissal. Eric thought about it for a moment, then nodded saying, “Sure, why not.”

 

Devan had nodded back and headed off to his second hour class for his first final of the day and Eric had gone in the opposite direction to his second hour class.

 

Eric got done with most of his finals forty to fifty minutes before the bell rang and had a lot of extra time to sit there. He worked on a bit of he colleague calculus, and read bit of the lasted science magazine he had, but for the most part he thought about what was going on in his life. About how he felt relating to forensics and even more to Devan.

 

He found now that forensics wasn't a bad thing even if he got really nervous and had a hard time speaking when he was up there. As most people said, he was good at it once he got over the nerves, something he had a problem doing and knew it. But he really liked forensics since if he hadn't joined it he wouldn't have met Devan. Eric thought about how he would have been if he hadn't met Devan. He would have been how he had always been, alone, except for Peter, and still as shy as he had been, not that he was still shy, but he was a little less since Devan practically forced him to be around people, and to talk more.

 

But even besides how Devan made him be more out going against his will, he was happy to have met him. Even if he couldn't quite figure out what he was feeling for him, and why he was feeling it. He still felt meeting Devan was one of the best things, maybe even one of the only good things, that had happened to him.

 

The last bell rang and all the students eagerly headed for the door, they all really wanted to be done with finals and school for the break, so the faster they got off school grounds the faster they could be.

 

Eric was the last out of his class room, and heading from Honors English to his locker took about ten minutes. Then getting out of the school took another five. He actually beat Devan out of the school and sat down on a bench since they hadn't figured out where they were going when they had decided to go earlier.

 

Devan came up behind Eric and rested his elbow on Eric's should, putting his head on his hand.

 

Eric jumped a little bit, not expecting Devan to suddenly be there.

 

“Jump,” Devan said. “So where shall we eat for lunch?” Devan asked, not moving his elbow.

 

Eric's shrug was a little lopsided due to Devan's elbow. “It doesn't matter to me I'm not a picky eater.”

 

Devan gave him a joking glare, “And I am?”

 

Eric shook his head fiercely, “No…I…ah…didn't mean it like that!”

 

Devan laughed, “Chill out, I was only joking Eric. You still do that, freak out whenever I make fun of you or make a joke.”

 

Eric blushed and looked down at his hands as he usually did when something like this happened, and it seemed to happen a lot.

 

Devan smiled at Eric, this was the reaction he wanted since it made Eric seem so cute, the way he always acted shy and confused. “Shall we get some lunch now, I'm hungry?” Devan asked to make Eric feel better.

 

Eric nodded, but didn't look up.

 

Devan removed his elbow from Eric's shoulder and moved around in front of him. Devan took his hand and pulled him to his feet.

 

Eric who didn't even notice Devan was now in front of him was startled to find that he was suddenly standing. He stood there for a moment then looked at Devan, “Did we even decide where we were going?”

 

Devan shrugged, “How about…Short Jimmy Gold?” he asked.

 

Eric nodded, “Sounds ok to me. Do you just want to take one car, or both?” he asked.

 

“We can just take one, and come back here after lunch,” he answered, he didn't really want Eric to drive by himself…or more like to be by himself.

 

“Ok,” Eric agreed, “Um…whose car are we taking?”

 

Devan smiled, “Why don't we take your car this time?” he suggested, having never been in Eric's car before.

 

Eric nodded, “Um…Okay.” He pulled out his keys and headed to his car, Devan following behind him.

 

Devan got in and noted how neat it looked. It was very clean and there wasn't any trash lying around the floor as one might expect of a teenager's car. But then again, he though, this was Eric and he wasn't the average teenager.

 

Eric started up the engine, and thought about where the nearest Short Jimmy Gold was. Then he pulled out of the parking lot, a feat in it self considering all the other high school students wanting to get out of there as fast as they could, and headed to the restaurant.

 

He pulled into the restaurant parking lot and they both climbed out. Devan closed the door and headed for the entrance not waiting for Eric as he locked the doors and hurried after him.

 

They both got into line and stood there looking at the menu while the couple in front of them ordered.

 

Devan stepped up to the register first and ordered some sort of fish meal and a chocolate bunt cake with frosting. Devan paid the cashier lady and stepped to the side so Eric could order.

 

Eric stepped up and ordered and hamburger with nothing extra on it, and paid the lady before joining Devan off to the side.

 

They stood there and waited for there food. Devan got his first and went and sat down with it, starting to eat as he waited for Eric.

 

Once Eric got his food he joined Devan at the table and began to eat right away, finding out that he was actually really hungry. As he slowed down, he glanced up at Devan, who was finished with his food already, except for the bunt cake. And he didn't seem like he was going to start eating it either. Eric ate the last bite of his hamburger and crumpled up the wrapper.

 

Devan smiled and looked down at the cake, “You want some?” he asked, implying the cake with he eyes.

 

Eric looked at him for a moment then shrugged, “Um…not really.”

 

Devan shrugged back, “Ok then,” he said and started to eat it with a plastic fork.

 

Eric watched him as he took a piece of the cake and put it into his mouth. Eric looked down at the crumbs on the table so he didn't seem like he was staring at him.

 

Devan finished the cake quickly and threw all the trash away, while Eric sat there looking at some very interesting crumbs.

 

Devan came back over to the table, “Eric, I don't think those crumbs are going to do anything, so if you're ready to leave, I don't think you'll miss anything.”

 

Eric blushed and stood up form the table, “Right, I was just…ah…” he didn't know what to say so he left it at that as they walked out the door and to his car.

 

*~*~*

 

On the way back to the school Devan looked over at Eric, whose eyes, like a good driver's, were on the road, and asked, “Does your family do anything on Christmas eve?”

 

Eric glanced over at him briefly, before shaking his head, “My family doesn't make a big deal out of any holiday Christmas is no exception.”

 

“Oh, well since you wouldn't be doing anything I was wondering if you wanted to come to some big party thing my parents hold at our house every year. It's really formal and you'd have to wear cloths like we do to forensics, but it'd be nice to have someone other than my sister there that I could talk to.”

 

Eric was a little surprised by the invitation, but nodded, “Uh…sure I'll come, since I would just be sitting at home watching some lame Christmas cartoon or something other wise.”

 

“Good…” then he thought about what he said he'd be doing, “You watch cartoons?” he tried to imagine Eric sitting down to watch cartoons, and had a hard time doing so.

 

“Only around Christmas, its funny how they can get so much violence into them when it's supposed to be a peaceful holiday,” he answered, pulling into the school parking lot.

 

“Funny?” Devan asked.

 

“Well…in the, none humorous sort of way,” he tried unsuccessfully to explain.

Devan laughed, “Yeah something like that. So I'll see you on Christmas Eve, if not before?” he asked as he climbed out of Eric's car.

 

Eric nodded, “Yeah, you'll see me on Christmas eve,” he agreed and watched Devan get into his car before heading home.

 

*~*~*

 

Eric let his siblings know that he wasn't going to be home on Christmas Eve and they both just nodded and went back to what the were doing.

 

He got ready to head over t Devan's house, tying the tie he just recently learned how to tie on his own and pulling on the suit jacket. He headed out to his car and drove the now familiar rout to Devan's house.

 

When he got there, there were a lot of fancy cars and stuff all parked in the driveway and on the street. He felt a little out of place as he pulled up and got out of his car. He walked to the house and rang the door bell.

 

A man with blond hair and blue eyes answered the door. He looked like Devan only a bit taller and older. Eric assumed this was Devan's dad, “Can I help you?” he asked, not recognizing him.

 

“I…um…” Eric wasn't sure what to tell him.

 

Then Devan appeared behind his dad and said to him, “Dad, I invited him. He's a friend of mine from school,” he explained.

 

Devan's dad looked Eric over briefly before moving out of the doorway and offering his hand to Eric, “I'm Greg Wahet.”

 

Eric took his hand and said, “I'm…um…Eric Palep.”

 

Greg nodded, “Nice to meet you.”

 

Eric nodded, “It's nice to meet you too.” And Eric walked past him into the house and Devan led him to a room where a bunch of people were. Eric immediately felt uncomfortable and Devan saw as much on his face.

 

“Don't worry most of these people won't care about you. They won't take any notice that you're even here,” Devan whispered into his ear as they walked threw the room.

 

Eric glanced around the room again, still uncomfortable but relaxed a little at Devan's words. They stood in a corner of the room and talked about what they might be doing for New Years and such.

 

Then Devan looked up and pointed, “Look mistletoe.” He was grinning as he said it.

 

Eric looked up and blushed, scooting back a bit from underneath it, “W…what…ah should we…um…do?” he asked sounding a little flustered.

 

Devan raised his eyebrows and smiled slyly, “Kiss?” he suggested.

 

Eric blushed and backed up more. He then laughed nervously, “Ah, nice joke,” he said, trying not to blush anymore and sitting down on a chair.

 

Devan sighed, guess I have to play as though I was joking, this really isn't the time to kiss him anyway, he though. “Yeah, wasn't it,” he said laughing.

 

Now Abby came by, “Hey little bro, little bro's friend, what are you doing?”

 

“Nothing,” Eric answered quickly, still a bit ruffled from the mistletoe.

 

Abby noticed the mistletoe, Eric's blush and the look on her brother's face, “Right, well I'll just leave you two alone,” she glanced around the room, “Sorta.” Then she left, not wanting to interfere on her brother's time with his friend.

 

Eric blushed even more at what she must have been thinking. He put his hands over his face to hide how red it was.

 

“What exactly is going on in your mind if you're blushing that hard?” He asked, pulling Eric's head up to see how red his face was.

 

“N…nothing,” he stammered in reply.

 

“You're horrible lire,” Devan responded, chuckling, but he let it go after that, not wanting to embarrass him too much in one night.

 

The rest of the night went uneventfully for both of them. They sat around and watched the older people drink, and get drunk, then leave with their wives who had to drive them home. They talked about school and ordinary stuff for high school kids.

 

When Eric noticed it was eleven o' eight he stood up quickly, “Oh, I've really got to get home,” he said quickly. “But, ah…thanks for inviting me.”

 

Devan nodded, “I should be thanking you for bothering to come,” he replied with a grin.

 

Eric laughed and headed for the door, “See you at some point,” Eric said before closing the door and heading to his car. The drive home was filled with confusion and wondering about the whole mistletoe thing and just how his own mind was constantly in a state of confusion since the forensics tournament that he'd met Devan at.