Eric at first had not noticed his slip up while teasing Kailey about Kyle's pretend affections towards her. It was obvious from day to day that Eric was protective of Kai and cared a great deal about her, but this was the first time he'd let slip his possessiveness over her. It wasn't a bad possessiveness by any means, but it was still there lingering in his soul. There was a part of him that wanted to cling onto Kai for as long as he could, a part of his heart that wanted her to himself. He knew by now that he had a crush on her, although he would not openly admit it to anyone, especially not to her. Unless of course she asked. Because of his crush, his protective side naturally became infused and mixed with jealousy when she was around other guys. He hated the fact that a small part of him was a bit worried that she would fall for Kyle, even though his friend had no romantic interest in her whatsoever.

His small fear was brought to life by her words, and even though she was teasing....it wasn't false. Somehow Kyle was persuasive when it came to relationships, and Eric had no clue how he did it. It gave him a bit of a sickening feeling in his chest to hear her openly say so, but he hid it with a smile and brushed it off as if it was nothing. Might as well start putting those acting skills to use. He quickly changed the subject to the marathon to avoid his feeling from expressing themselves too much more. He nodded to Kai's answer, agreeing with her.

When he stood up, Kai handed her own tray to him as well. He gave her a teasing annoyed glance, then proceeded to scrunch up his nose and make a face at her, giggling as he walked away. It didn't take long for Harper to approach him, and he felt his comfortable side very rapidly begin to slide away. He was very relieved when Kai presented herself next to him, grateful that she'd either caught on to his need, or even just that she came over without recognizing.

Almost instantly he stepped a little closer to her, his confidence beginning to rise back up again. What about her made him feel so much better? Harper stood up a little straighter in Kai's presence, giving her a nod as a greeting and presenting a smile, although it was a different kind of smile than what she gave to Eric. What was it with girls?

"Thank you," she said in response to Kai, her tone kind although something was just ever so slightly off in her glistening green eyes. "My mom and I got it at Dillard's awhile back. How are you? Eric and I were just talking about the play. He...said he was going to be busy since auditions are coming up." Her last sentence sounded a bit deflated, the disappointment obvious. Eric glanced at the ground, sticking his hands in his pockets. What was it with these girls and wanting to go out with him? Was it so wrong of him to just politely decline and live his life in peace? He didn't want to be going on dates all the time, especially with girls he had little to no interest in. He wasn't Kyle, why could nobody on this side of the fence understand that?

He felt a prickle along his neck as Kai invited Harper and her friends to audition too. It was the kind thing to offer, but it was something Eric did not want to happen. It would give Harper even more excuses to want to be with him, and it would take away any excuses he had of not wanting to be with her. There was a brief moment of silence after the question was asked, and Eric could see the debate in Harper's eyes as she genuinely thought over the offer.

Eric knew why Kai was asking. Or at least...surely it was part of her reason. Kyle more than likely wouldn't join them if none of his other friends would, so Harper was essentially the balance. If she agreed to audition, Kyle most definitely would too. If she didn't....it wasn't extremely likely for Kyle either.

"Tell you what..." she finally said, a little slowly. In this moment it occured to Eric that Harper had come to the same conclusions he had. She in fact knew about the strange balance between Kyle and Kai's group. She turned her green eyes to Eric. "I will audition...if you agree to go out with me next weekend. Just one date." Eric's jaw instantly clenched, and his muscles tightened as the pressure immediately fell upon his shoulders. If he said no and Harper didn't audition...would Kyle do the same?

He didn't want to look at Kai, because he was afraid of the judgement she may face from Harper if he did so, but he was desperately crying out for some sort of clue on what to say. Should he make this sacrifice for Kai's wants?

It's not all about me. he told himself. If she wants Kyle to audition... He shifted on his feet, sticking his hands in his pockets and nodding softly. "Okay," he spoke, his voice laced with disappointment. His blue eyes shimmered with hesitancy as he looked up at Harper, but he tried to give her a smile. It was a small one, but a smile nonetheless. As soon as the word was out of his mouth, the chairs behind Harper scraped loudly against the floor, both Emily and Kyle rising to their feet. Kyle's eyes were wide, as if he hadn't been expecting this to happen at all, and a part of him almost looked irritated. Why?

"Harper, what are you doing?" Emily hissed in her ear, sidling up next to her. Kyle slid up between Kai and Eric, his arm brushing lightly against Kai's as he ever so slightly pushed her aside. Eric's eyes scanned her quickly up and down, giving her a brief glance of confusion. He didn't understand. Kyle wasn't being rude, at least not intentionally, but he'd never tried to wedge himself between them before.

"Don't let her manipulate you, dude." he whispered in his ear. "If you don't want to go out with Harper, don't. She's just stirring up trouble." He took a quick glance at Kai. "I'll do it." he told her. "I'll audition. I'll come over, I'll do what you want me to do. Just...." he looked at Harper, setting his jaw. "Don't make my friends do something they don't want to do, alright?" Harper crossed her arms, and Emily let go of her, walking over to Kyle. She slipped her arm in his and the pair walked away, leaving Eric, Kai, and Harper standing alone.

I'm so confused. Eric thought, immediately filling the gap between himself and Kailey with just a couple of small steps. His bicep brushed against her shoulder as he turned sideways a little, as if he was going to head back to the tables.

"I'm sorry Harper," he said quietly. "But I really just am not ready to be going out with anyone yet." Hidden from Harper's view, in between their bodies, Eric's fingers brushed ever so lightly against Kai's before he intertwined them. It was only for a brief moment, but the contact helped him relax. She excused them from Harper's presence, and he slowly let go as they walked away back to their table. He nodded as she told him she'd tell him if they were going to be on for tonight, and waited for her to gather her things.

He hadn't brought any of his stuff, but he didn't feel awkward hanging around for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After school Eric gathered his things sooner than usual, sitting eagerly in the classroom as his eyes stayed pinned on the clock. The seconds seemed to pass by slower than ever before, and as the bell finally rang, he lept from his seat, swinging his bag over his shoulder and walking hastily out of the classroom door. He was one of the first people to make it to the front doors, stepping up beside Kai and Anna.

He followed them out to the car, and waited around for everyone else to show up. Eric felt himself stiffen a little as Mary showed up, a familiar face by her side. Brian. He was only a grade younger than Eric and on his basketball team, but the two hardly ever spoke at all. He felt a strange twisting in his stomach upon realization that Brian would be coming with them all. Saying nothing, he got into the car and listened as everyone talked around him to each other.

Eric stuck his hands in his pockets, letting everyone walk in before himself, being the last one besides Lisa inside. Kai went around asking if anyone wanted any snacks or drinks, all the while Eric kept a strangely close eye on Brian. It felt....wrong for him to be here. Almost like he was invading what would have been a fun afternoon. Kyle hung around Eric for awhile, talking to him and keeping him company, but soon left to entertain Mary and Anna.

Eric stood leaning against the back of the couch, watching Kai and Brian's exchange. He quickly spotted Mary doing the same thing, and he wondered if his expression of disappointment was as obvious as hers. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a quiet sigh, turning his body away from them. Why did he care so much? She was just talking to Brian, it was harmless.

But...it isn't harmless. he thought. He's in her grade, he's popular, he's good looking. He's good at what he does. How do I compare to him? Whatever. It didn't matter. He didn't own Kai. Just because he was crushing on her didn't mean she wasn't free to like someone else. She more than likely had no knowledge of his feelings towards her, so of course she would be hitting on someone else. Maybe she didn't even know what she was doing, maybe she wasn't intentionally flirting with Brian but it came off as such.

When it was time to start the show, Eric sat down on the couch. He noticed that Anna moved in rather quickly next to him, followed shortly by Brian. Mary was next to Brian's side, and Eric's eyes traveled to see Kyle and Kai sitting in the loveseat together. He knew it was sort of by accident, and that they were just the last two to snag a seat, but he still felt a small flare of jealousy bubbling inside of his chest at the sight.

The emotion only increased as Kai mouthed the words to him. He gave her a smile, but it could barely be called as such, since only the corners of his mouth turned up then quickly fell back down. He could feel Anna pressed pretty close up againts his side, but it didn't bother him very much. There were four of them crammed onto the couch after all. While watching the show, Eric found that he wasn't really...watching it. He didn't feel the same as he felt whenever he watched movies and tv shows with Kai alone. It didn't help that he was sitting right next to someone that was completely unaware of the jealousy he was causing to bubble inside of Eric's heart. At least Brian wasn't sitting next to Kai, but it was still hard and uncomfortable to have him here.

He was able to pull a genuine grin as he listened to the girls sing, and he and Kyle exchanged glances, Kyle at one point belting out nonsense words to the song just to be involved in the loudness. Eric couldn't stop glancing over at Kai the entire time, a strangely strong urge to be sitting by her instead of any of these other kids. When everything was over, he was slow to move. He was grateful when Brian finally left, although it still wasn't comfortable for him in the room.

"You doin' alright, man?" Kyle asked, sneaking up on him. Eric nodded.

"Yeah," he said, standing up a little straighter and putting on a smile that he didn't feel. "Yeah I'm fine. What did you think?" He shrugged, running a hand through his wavy red hair.

"Eh," he answered. "It's alright I guess. Not horrible. I think I could manage. No idea who I'd audition for though. Joey looks like fun. Parker. Artie." Eric nodded, smiling that Kai had somehow managed to rope him in. She would be pleased. Kyle narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning Eric up and down before casting a look over at Kai. "You uh...you two okay?"

"Yeah," Eric answered, shifting nervously on his feet. "Yeah we're fine." Kyle smirked a little, as if he was starting to put together a small section of a large puzzle.

"You should go talk to her. To Kai." Kyle shifted a little as well. "I don't think I will be staying much longer, I have stuff to do at home." Eric nodded, sticking a thumb in his pocket. "Anna was up close and personal wasn't she?" Kyle said, elbowing him with a grin. After a short bantering exchange, Eric followed Kyle over to Kai.

"Hey Kai, I think I'm going to head out soon." Kyle said. "I think I'll audition, it doesn't seem too bad. Thanks for having me over. I would stay longer, but I know my mom will want me to do some things for her." He gave Eric a kind glance and raised a hand. The two boys exchanged a fist bump and handshake before Kyle walked out the door.

Eric felt a small sigh leave his body, and he cast a glance at Kai. "Glad that he's going to audition?" he asked. For the first time...basically ever...he didn't feel completely normal or comfortable around Kai. There was still some sort of unspoken tension.

Why though? he wondered. She didn't do anything wrong. I don't like this feeling. It was amazing what jealousy could do to a person, no matter how big of a scale it was on.

After Kyle left, there was a little bit of relief, but Eric still felt off, and he didn't appreciate that feeling at all. He continued to tell himself that it was just because Anna and Mary were still here, and this year he hadn't exactly been hanging out with the group, so it was just unusual and messing with his senses. But something deep down continued to poke at him, telling him that it was deeper than that, and there was something else going on.

He gave her a smile as she talked about Kyle, but it slowly faded as she began apologizing about earlier. He slipped his hands in his pockets and nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor as he said, "It's okay. I wasn't expecting her to pull that card." He looked back up at her and tried to give her another smile, but it came across a bit more weakly than he wanted it to. "Wasn't fair to either of us." She moved over to Anna and Mary, and of course he followed as he normally did. But of course the conversation turned to Brian, so he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his social media to distract himself.

Anna and Kai were only teaisng Mary about her guest, but even still the harmless banter gave Eric a jealous hit in his chest. He hated it, but he had the sickening feeling that it wouldn't be going away any time soon. He didn't join in much on the conversation, but gave the occassional smile and laugh when needed, and spoke when spoken to. Soon enough, Anna and Mary decided to leave, and Eric felt a bit guilty as he watched their exchange of goodbyes. Were the girls mad at him for staying? Were they jealous of him?

He leaned against the back of the couch with his hands in his pockets, waiting silently for Kai to come back in. He lifted his chin when she finally did, giving her a soft smile. His shoulders were less tight and his muscles were obviously more relaxed now that no one else was here. This...this was familiar, this was comforting. He turned slowly to watch her as she moved to the front of the couch, flopping down onto it. Her grin made him grin, even if it only lasted for a moment or two.

He rested his arms crossed on the back of the couch, leaning slightly down to look at her as she spoke. He bit his lower lip for a brief moment as she began asking him questions about Brian. Why are you so interested? he wanted to ask, but quickly bit his tongue. He had no right to ask that, and he couldn't even be sure of her feelings, so why should he jump to conclusions?

"I...thought it was unexpected, yes." he answered slowly, his smile creeping slowly back onto his face. His voice showed no hint of any jealousy or negative emotion, and he was already acting more relaxed than he had been before. He dangled a hand down from the couch, his fingers nearly brushing her shoulder. She asked him what he thought of Brian, and he shrugged. He obviously couldn't tell her how he really thought of him. He tried to let go of his jealousy for the moment and genuinely tried to come up with a valid, unbiased response.

"I mean...he's nice I suppose." he answered, already internally cringing at how bad of an answer that was. "I haven't known him for very long. Or I guess...I suppose I just haven't ever talked to him that much. He's a good basketball player, and he's always been nice." He shrugged again, lifting his dangling had to run it through his hair. After a moment of silence Kai sat up straight and began to talk about Anna. Eric listened, his brows furrowing in confusion and thought.

"Anna?" he questioned softly as she turned to face him, feeling as if he was lost. "What about her?" Unknowingly to Kai, Eric was completely unaware of the raging signs Anna was giving about her crush on him. He was so focused on Kai that he was unable to pick up on any signals from anyone else except for the girls who straight up asked, like Harper. He did agree though that things in the group felt a little off, but in his mind he would have never considered that Anna was the problem. Of anyone, he had been suspecting and worred about Brian. He was the outsider of the group, no matter how friendly he was.

Eric already had spent plenty of time thinking about Brian and hoping that he wouldn't try to infiltrate his way into the group. But now Kai seemed to be thinking that maybe Anna was part of the problem, too. She started talking about cross country, and Eric slowly walked around the couch to come sit beside her. He was familiar with the idea of athletes pushing themselves to the point of throwing up. Some of the basketball players did it too, which was never pleasant to have on court. She told him that he should join cross country, and he gave her a cute side smile, letting out a breath between his teeth and folding his hands briefly in his lap.

"I....don't know...." he said giggling a little in the shy way he always did. "I'd love to do it with you, but I just...I've never done anything besides basketball." He hunched forward a little into a comfortable position, looking at her "If you really want me to, I will." he said softly, with sincere honesty. There was a few moments of silence before he asked quietly,

"What do you think it is about Brian that Mary likes so much?" His tone was genuinely curious, and his voice was soft, as ifhe didn't want to ask it too loudly. He thought maybe by asking this he could get at least some sort of an answer from Kai too. What about him drew the ladies so close? His looks? He knew that's about the only reason so many girls came up and asked Eric, like Harper did. Only a certain few girls knew him for his personality, Mary and Anna included. And yet....they all drifted to other boys who they barely knew.

What does that say about me? he wondered. Am I just...not enough? What am I doing wrong? Am I seriously only good for my looks? Is my personality that awful? He himself struggled to comprehend what girls found attractive about him to begin with. He wasn't exactly confident in himself regarding the physical aspect either, but maybe...maybe that's all he was good for.

She wasn't sure why she didn't feel like she could relax as much with a larger group. She supposed it was, because she felt like she had to catch up with everyone, and not get left behind. They were also at her house, so she had to entertain them, and make sure everyone was comfortable and at home. If she didn't try to be social, even with her friends, she would be labled as introvert, who didn't try, and she would get cast to the side. Something about the way Eric look made her feel like she had to explain why she was asking questions about Brian. She was determined not to like him, especially, since Mary was in the picture. If Mary and him went out regularly, it would take him off the table completely, because Kai didn't want to risk ruining something. "If Mary keeps inviting him to be around, he'll start hanging out more with us," she said by way of explanation. "Nice is good," she grinned in a slightly teasing way, "If we have to start putting up with him."

She hoped that their group seemed friendly to newcomers, but she tended to be a little frosty behind their backs until they had become such friends, she forgot they ever weren't friends. Kai waited watching him. He's nice wasn't very descriptive, but she could understand it was hard to give a general description of someone. There was an understanding that it was rude to say something unkind about the person. Kai rolled her eyes, as she noticed the confusion in Eric's face. If she had overheard Kyle earlier, she would have thought that was an obvious clue for Eric to pick up on. "Eric, Anna watches you like a hawk, she tries to sit by you, and she laughs at all your jokes whether you made one or not. I can also tell that she can become unhappy or uncomfortable, when you are around other girls. How have you not noticed?" she let out a little laugh.

Kai immediately stopped laughing, as a thought came to her. What if she had unknowingly ruined things for Anna? What if things become awkward for them? She had noticed a few guys react to girls that liked them, but they didn't return the feelings. They could freak out, and Kai found it rather shameful behavior, and embarrassing for the girl, if she was unconsiously showing symptoms. "Um. Please pretend that you didn't hear what I said. If she hasn't told you herself, she probably doesn't want you to know. She never even told Mary or I, we just know, and I think even Kyle has noticed." Kai was glad she hadn't missed such obvious signs, and she was surprised that Eric had been so oblivious. She hadn't realized that things could get so complicated in highschool.

"I wonder why Anna hasn't said anything," she mused aloud. Her eyes widened, "Do you think it's because we're such good friends?" she looked at Eric for an answer. She hoped not. She didn't want to be in the way, but she also felt her insecurities rise. She didn't want to have to share Eric. It was hard enough with guys, but it annoyed her with other girls. She was glad when Eric got guy time, but a part of her didn't think he really needed friends with other girls at this time. Of course she realized that she had no power over this, and she needed to chill out. She knew that she could never be replaced with any of her friends, or at least she didn't think so, but she still worried that they'd find someone they preferred to hang out with.

She smiled winsomely at him, "See anyone can run. It's not even track where you might jump. I'm sure you run around to warm up for basketball right? I'm starting you off easy. It just takes time to build up endurance. Anyway, I've been considering archery. That can be counted as a PE credit also, and it's a weapon, and you learn about safety and stuff, but it's cooler than a gun, and more difficult. Some friend of the family said it's really expensive. I've also considered horseback riding, or even dance, but I'm not sure if I can ever be flexible enough for dance. My parents have also suggested some form of self defense. I think it'd be kinda fun, but you might end up hating it, since cross country isn't much of a social outing. Some people are good at running and talking, but I am not one of them."

She was a little surprised at Eric's question, and felt a little defensive, so she reflexively went on the attack. She raised a brow, "Trying to get tips or something? Why are you asking anway?" she hurried the last question not wanting him to think that she wasn't going to answer. She looked up at the ceiling, trying to find a diplomatic way to answer the question. It wasn't one she wanted to answer rashly. "Well, he's got an outgoing nice personality. He really seemed to be genuinely nice, and polite. Those are some serious points. Most guys I know the girl has to make the first move, so it's a relief, that Brian meets you halfway. Also," she blushed a little that this could be considered important, "He's not hard on the eyes to look at."

She tried to shrug it off, as if she didn't care about it one lick. "What are you thinking?" her eyes narrowed a little suspicious at the silence. She faded away for a moment thinking about Anna, so it seemed a little random at first, "You know the transition would be kind of awkward, and if your friend didn't feel the same way, it could mess things up. Maybe that's why Anna hasn't said anything. I mean, you were oblivious to her, and she was probably looking for any sign of encouragement at all, and got nothing. Besides, you want a big sign, because you don't want to make a mistake just because you read someone wrong. That would be scary. It could make things all awkward and things would never be the same again. Besides, if you were friends in the first place, someone normally gets friend zoned."

She tried not to say anything that would outrightly friend zone one of her platonic friends, because she'd had a few crushes, and she wouldn't want to be rejected, but she also wasn't always thinking that way. "Think I'll be able to get Liv?" she asked. Her singing was far from the level of Dove Cameron. it would be a high standard, and she wasn't very girlie girl, so it might be hard to pull it off. She was curious to see how Eric would do as Holden, and she wasn't sure if she really wanted him getting that part unless she managed to get Kai.

It might seem a little rude, but she thought there was more of a chance of Eric getting Holden than the part she wanted for herself. Holden wasn't as main of a character, and Eric was a year older, so they might be more willing to give him responsibility for that role. She thought that Anna would be good as Willow personality wise, but, she'd seen the interest, when Eric announced he wanted to try out for Holden. She was pretty certain Anna would at least try out for Andi, which was a little awkward to think about her friend getting dumped on live television, even though it was only a play. Above all, Kyle would make an awesome Artie. That was the one thing she knew for certain. She wondered what part Mary would get.

Eric returned her grin, if only slightly as she told him that nice was good. He gave a small nod and glanced down at the floor, very much disliking the idea of Brian joining their group. At least if he and Mary started hanging out more and maybe started dating, Kai would be off the table for him.

Kai's eye roll instantly made him feel stupid, even if she wasn't meaning it to be. He felt himself grow slightly hot as she went off on an explanation of all the things Anna was doing.

I do that with you...he thought as he listened to her, his jaw clenching a tad. So does she pick up on my feelings? Or has SHE somehow not noticed? Who's not noticing who?

"Oh." he said quietly when she finished, looking down at the couch for a moment. "I just...I don't know, I just haven't." he answered glancing from her to the floor. "Been focused on other things I guess." He lightly toed the back of the couch before slowly making his way around to sit beside her. Kai's laughter came to a stop, and she quickly asked him not to say anything about it. He folded his hands loosely together in his lap and nodded, looking down at the floor. "Okay." he said. He looked back over at her, a small and infinitely kind grin on his face. His eyes glimmered with true sincerity. "I won't say anything."

Kai wondered aloud how come Anna hadn't said anything, and her next question made his heart drop like a brick into his stomach. "I...I don't know." he said quietly. "I hope not. But I'm not going to just...stop hanging out with you, Kai. Even if it is the reason." He paused for a moment or two, his eyes once again drifting to the floor. He twiddled his thumbs slowly together as he thought, finally saying,

"You're my best friend. I don't want to lose you to her." His voice was just barely above a whisper, and although he did a good job of suppressing most emotion that he was feeling, there was still a lacing of it there, slipping off of his tongue in a way that carried great meaning with them. He slowly looked back over at her, his bright blue eyes glimmering in the dimmer light.

I don't want to have to share you more than I already do. he thought, instantly feeling guilty for doing so. It wasn't fair for him to think that. She had to have more than one friend, and by default she would surely have more than one guy friend. Brian hadn't done anything wrong, but it still got on his nerves that he would probably be joining their group.

Soon the subject shifted to cross country, and he couldn't help but feel his heart lift back up from the pits as she smiled at him. He listened to her talk until she was finished. "Archery would be really cool," he said. "I think dance would be really fun." He nudged her playfully. "Neither of us are extremely coordinated, so wouldn't that make it more fun?"

Upon asking the question about Brian and Mary, he instantly regretted doing so. That wasn't the reaction he had been expecting from her, and she fired a question back at him, to which he shrugged and looked at the floor, not wanting to be made to look like an idiot or get scolded. "I don't know, just...curious is all." He hated how off he was feeling, and if she was really being as pointed and mean as he thought she was, or if he was just being more sensetive than usual. She began to list off all the reasons, and he nodded slightly, keeping his eyes on the floor as he listened.

What does she think of me? he thought a bit selfishly, but also with a somewhat cut of sadness and fear. Could she list off that many things about me? Or am I just not enough for her? Is he better? Is she going to like him more? Fall for him? Become best friends with him? His worries only intensified as she chimed in with the last bit, a blush spreading across her cheeks. On a normal basis, Eric could laugh and joke and poke fun at her for her crushes, and they've talked about stuff like that before together, even a little more seriously. But this time....it wasn't the same. He tried to give her a light teasing grin, but it only slightly came off as such.

She asked him what he was thinking, and he subconsiously began running his thumb up the side of his other hand, another small nervous tick that in later years would be picked up by Kai if she noticed it happening enough. He shrugged a little and sat back, leaning into the back of the couch. He shook his head softly, before looking at her briefly. "Just....thinking." he answered vaguely, once again his voice nearly as soft as a whisper. The tiniest of smiles graced his lips, but yet it still conveyed a message of love, loyalty, and if one looked hard enough...sadness.

Thinking so many things that I just can't tell you. he thought, his eyes shimmering pools of kindess and mystery. You'll think I'm crazy if I do. There was a moment of silence, the two of them just thinking their own thoughts, before she spoke up again. He turned his head to look at her once more, the warm light from the two lamps that were on and the shadows from the remaining darkness in the room creating sharp contrasts on his face.

He listened to her speak, his expression staying the same the entire time.

Solemn thoughtfulness.

She made more than one good point, and he couldn't help but feel even more hopeless about his crush. Maybe he should just let it go and let in the girl who was actively showing interest in him. Kai obviously wasn't, so why should he waste his time dreaming about something that would never happen for more than one reason. Kai wasn't interested, and he would never gather the courage to even tell her anyway, so what was the point? Might as well start thinking hard about someone who was obviously thinking a lot about him.

But I don't like Anna like that. he argued with himself. I don't even...really know her too well as a friend. I don't hang out with her like I hang out with Kai, never once have I spent a day with just Anna. But... His gaze shifted softly to Kai once more, his eyes swimming with hidden emotions. I spend countless days with just you. And I like that. I REALLY like that. I don't want anything to change. I want to keep being by your side, even...even if it is always as just a best friend.

"It makes sense," he said as input, even though he wanted to say much more. "I can understand being scared to tell someone you have a crush on them. No matter how old you are or how close of friends you may be." He looked at the floor again. She asked him if he thought she would get the part of Liv, and his shoulders relaxed a bit, the slight tension leaving his body. He hadn't even realized he had been tense at all, but being on the subject of what he was hiding from her must have made him more nervous than he had been aware of.

"I think you will." he reassured her, giving her a true genuine smile this time, no tension whatsoever evident in his eyes or body. "And even if you don't, I STILL think you'll at the very least be Maddie. I believe in you." He rocked lightly over and bumped her lovingly with his shoulder, his grin fading into a more relaxed and caring smile, his eyes glittering in the lamp light.

"You know...I was thinking earlier that Kyle would make a pretty great Artie. Or even Joey for that matter." he said. "I think he's going to enjoy it more than he says he will. Even if at first he's a little overwhelmed." He leaned forward a little bit again, his elbows resting on his thighs and his hands dangling a little off of his lap. "And I think we will all have fun. It'll be interesting to see how it all works out and who gets what part."

After a little bit more talking, it was time for him to leave. He and Kai wrapped up the evening with a goodbye, and he gave her a quick hug before walking out the door, heading quietly in the dark to his house.

Kai tried to be dramatic, slapping her cheeks with her hands, "Moi isn't coordinated?" her voice was filled with incredulity, "Speak for yourself." She wasn't entirely sure that whole response was correct grammar. In a more serious tone, she explained her thoughts, "I feel like I could be dance coordinated, but I'm not sure about archery." When she responded to Eric about his questions about Brian, she noticed that he appeared to be down. He had obviously found her initial response rather harsh, and she had hurt his feelings.

She thought it might be easier, if she just ignored it and moved on, but she did make a mental note to be more careful, instead of blurting things out. She realized that unlike other times they had spoken about guys, he was finding this uncomfortable, so she searched for a safer topic. She didn't like the way this whole evening had felt awkward, yet they continued on being uncomfortable for a while longer. She didn't think Anna and Eric were that close anyway. Even though Anna could be a bit blunt and oblivious, even she realized that Erc might not take a confession of affection well. It could very well push him away, and she would have no chance of reconnecting, once she was scared shy.

She really hoped that she got Liv, and she planned to work really hard at it. She wasn't sure what to do about her singing, because there was no way at all that she could yodel without embarrassing herself and the whole crew, but she also didn't want to hold out too strong of hope. It would make her nervous and not do as well, or she felt like it could jinx the whole process. "Hmmm." she had an interesting thought, and she wasn't sure how to react, or if she should share. They were simply platonic friends, so she didn't want to act weird about a kiss, making him feel like he was unworthy or creepy and weird or something, but they were only platonic friends, so focusing too much on a possible kissing scene might not be giving off those vibes. She wanted to seem nonchalant and chill instead of crazy with a crush.

She tried a different tactic. It would probably make Eric anxious, but hopefully not about her. "Better hope that I get the part. Harper might audition out of spite, and she'd probably love a possible kissing scene." She had a feeling that Brian would join the play. He really seemed to click more than simply making friends to Kai, and he would make a good Diggie. Mary might not be happy. Kai nodded agreeing. After chatting a bit longer, she finally escorted him to the door, and they parted ways until the audition.

~~~~~~

Kai was determined to show everyone what she was capable. Everyone mainly being the judges, because she didn't care as much about those standing on the sidelines. The auditorium was rather dark, and seemed huge, since there were only auditioners here, rather than a whole audience. There were spotlights direct at center stage, so they would be shining in her eyes most of the time that she was on stage. She was glad to see a lot of her friends here. She eeked out at Kyle, even though he had promised, and she noticed Brian, who she didn't go talk to.

It was nervous wracking that they wouldn't know the results for possibly up to a week. She did her best on the singing, and she had her audition lines memorized perfectly. She did a lot of short scenes from singing to faking a bam what, to pretty crying, to being in love. She also tried being a little macho when she played Maddie, and screaming at each other like sisters can do. It was a relief to observe that she made a good impression on those watching. They didn't seem to be thinking that she was definitely going to win, but their faces gave her hope that they were genuinely considering her, even though before too long she hadn't had any experience at all. She wasn't sure if being real young and a mother who chauffered her wherever she wished to go at the little theatre camps that she had attened when she was young, if they could be counted or included in the count of those she is surveying.

She watched as her friends did their turn. Since she was trying out for the role of Liv, they advised her to try out for Maddie also. They were pleased to see that for a girl who didn't play basketball at all for a team, that she made a hoop regularly enough for it to be more than luck. Her dribbling would need work, but again, it could have been much less skill to work with.

She cheered Eric on, and laughed whole heartedly as Kyle took on the mantle or Artie superbly. There was no doubt in her mind that he would get that part. She was a little surprised to see Mary try out for Willow. She was rather quiet, and Willow could be very bold and aggressive. Those who were watching the auditions encouraged her to try out for a few more parts just in case. It would give her more time in front of the judges, which would help them pin down her vibe, and what she should do. Anna auditioned for the role of Andi, which sort of made sense. Honestly, Kai thought she would make a better Willow.

She wasn't sure if it was good or bad that Eric could potentially fake date two girls he knew. Would it fan the flames of Anna's crush? Would it push them both farther a part? Would Eric finally notice and start acting weird himself? Would Anna do anything about it? She was surprised to see another brown haired brown eyed girl apply, for either Liv or Maddie also. Her name was Sara Lynne, and she had been in drama for a little while, even though she had only been in highschool drama for a little while. Kai was a little intimidated by her audition.

"What did you think of the performances? Didn't everyone do wonderful?" she whispered to Eric. "Have you ever met Sara Lynne?" She thought she would make a better Liv than herself, and she wondered if Eric thought similarly.

(Sorry, I sort of have no idea how comprehensible my writing is)

Eric's eyes slightly widened as Kai mentioned a possible kissing scene with Harper. A slow smile crept across his face, one that was shy and embarrassed all at once, but his eyes twinkling with a hint of orneriness. "Yeahhh," he said quietly, turning to look at the ground as his fingers interlocked, his thumbs rubbing together in a shy awkward motion. He let out a small and breathy laugh, shaking his head before looking back at her, his cheeks slightly more blushed now than they were before. He looked like a toddler whose mother had embarrassed him in public, his youthful filled with an energy that only he could possess.

"Given my options, I would much rather it be you." He cast her a side glance, his words coming out sounding teasing but an underlying flirty tone hidden beneath the layers of everything else. A grin lit up his face, and he giggled. After talking for awhile longer, it was finally time for him to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Eric entered the auditorium, his heart began to pick up pace. Holy crap what have I gotten myself into? he wondered, the first thought to enter his brain. It's a lot bigger than I remember it being. This is a lot of empty space. That is a huge lonely looking stage with too bright of a spotlight that's going to be on me. Nuh uh, nope, no way. I'm out. I stepped right into this trap.

However he didn't turn and leave. Instead, he continued to walk forward. He'd had every chance to leave, for he'd come alone. Kai was already here, and he'd snuck in rather quietly, his footsteps quiet on the floor. But he continued to advance, walking as casually as he could over to the group of auditioners. It didn't take him long to spot Kyle, and he sidled up next to him, sticking his hands in his pockets and letting out a breath.

"I see you made it here alright," Kyle said a bit sarcastically, as if he was genuinely surprised that Eric came. This was confirmed as Kyle spoke again. "I'm surprised." Eric gave him a smile and said quietly,

"Yeah, me too." The boys chuckled, and Eric felt his jaw clench as he looked around the large dark room. He'd come dressed in a semi nice outfit, consisting of all dark colors. By dark, this of course meant mainly black. His torso was covered by a nice black button up shirt, the collar slightly popped, and black skinny jeans dressed his lower half. On his feet he wore a nice pair of black and white Converse, and the silver chain necklace his mother had given him rested around the base of his neck and thumped lightly against his chest underneath his shirt.

His dark wavy hair was combed to the side, but naturally so, looking neat but not forced. Out of the guys that were here, Eric was the best dressed. Kyle stood beside him wearing a white T-shirt with a torn jean jacket over his shoulders and baggy black basketball shorts. On his feet were an older pair of basketball shoes, and his his red curly hair was looking a bit longer than usual, hanging down a bit into his amber eyes. He stood a bit slouched with his hands in his pockets, blowing bubbles with his gum as he looked around at everyone. His chin was held a little high, signifying his confidence and yet minimal lack of care to be here.

Eric meanwhile stood straighter, but his chin was pointed slightly downwards, and his eyes shifted, subtle signs of his lack of confidence and anxiety about being here. The two boys side by side were quite a pair, and the contrast was made even more bold by the height difference. Kyle was not short, but compared to Eric he could look it. The top of his head reached the bottom of Eric's ear, and if it hadn't been obvious before, it was obvious now that Eric was only going to get taller.

Eric dipped his head and gave a small wave and smile to Kai. She was one of the first ones up, so he didn't want to approach and distract her until she was finished. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her audition, and his cheeks flushed as Kyle noticed and nudged him playfully on the arm. When Kai finished her audition, he approached her as quietly as he could, grabbing her arm excitedly and whispering,

"You did so good!" His nerves seemed to instantly fade now that he was next to her, like they always did. He watched intently as a few other kids auditioned, his turn approaching rapidly. Finally, it was his time, and he gave her a nervous smile as he walked up onto the stage. The lights were bright and the warm glow relaxed his muscles. His audition ran smoothly, and he was surprised at himself for getting into character as much as he had.

When his turn was over he went bashfully back to Kai, his hands still shaking a little from nerves. "How did I do?" he asked nervously, letting out a cute giggle. He watched Kyle audition, a smile splitting his face as he heard Kai's laugh. He looked over at her, his expression halfway hidden in the darkness of the room, but his eyes twinkling with a deep admiration. It was perhaps a good thing that she wouldn't be able to see his entire expression, because unbeknownst to even him, it was the face of someone gazing upon someone they loved very deeply, a proud smile on his face.

He broke his gaze away, running his fingers through his hair and looking back onto the stage to see Kyle continuing to act exactly like Artie. There was no doubt in his mind that he would land the part. The other girls auditioned, and to his surprise they didn't do too badly. He was a bit intrigued that they seemed to flop roles, each one choosing a character opposite of their personality. A girl he'd never spoken to before appeared on stage last, auditioning for the same part as Kai.

She did well, and he knew she had some experience to back her up, but his heart was set on Kai, and he believed she would surpass her. Afterwards, he stepped out into the hallway with Kai, listening to her questions. "I thought everyone did very well," he answered with a nod and a smile. "As for Sara...I've never met her before, no. I've seen her around but we've never spoken."

"Hello, hello, my wonderful peeps!" Kyle said dramatically, swooping in behind them and flinging his arms around both of their shoulders, his body wedging between theirs. It was slightly awkward, since he was sort of in between their two heights, so it wasn't as even as it could have been if Kailey had been the one in the center. Nevertheless, they were still able to walk rather smoothly, except for the small hiccups once in awhile in their gaits.

"You think everyone got what they wanted?" he asked, looking between his two friends. Eric smiled, rolling his eyes playfully.

"I think YOU got the part you wanted. I think the judges will have to deliberate a little on everyone else." He leaned forward a little, looking at Kailey. "I wouldn't be too worried about yourself, either, Kai." he told her loyally. "You did great."

"Pff," Kyle scoffed. "She did fuckin' great! Everybody did. Excuse the language," he said nonchalantly, waving his hand a little at Eric. His fingers slapped him lightly against the jaw since his hand was around his shoulder. Eric gave him a teasingly annoyed look and threw his arm off, casting most of Kyle's weight onto Kai. The two stumbled a little, and Eric was instantly there, grabbing them and steadying them before letting go.

Kyle slapped Eric on the chest a little playfully before backing up and straightening his clothes. Eric shook his head, maneuvering to where he was walking alongside Kai once again.

2 weeks later....

Eric awoke to his alarm blaring in his ears, to which he groaned and reached over, slapping it off. He rolled onto his back, opening his eyes to see the early morning sunlight streaming through the blinds of his window and casting dancing light onto his walls. He looked down to see Gunner laying on the floor with his head raised and his ears perked, his dark brown eyes wide with curiousity.

"Hey boy," Eric said, his voice rumbling in his throat, his morning voice sounding a little lower than his regular one. He dropped his hand down off of the bed, to which Gunner scooted a little closer and licked his finger. Eric chuckled and sat up, the sheets falling into his lap. Goosebumps formed on his bare chest and shoulders as the true temperature hit his skin now that the sheets were off of him.

His clock read 6am, and he sighed, not wanting to get up for school but knowing he had to. He pushed himself out of bed, opening his closet and picking out an outfit for the day. He grabbed a towel and a rag and went into the bathroom to shower. He'd made a habit out of not showering right away once he got in, but rather standing and letting the water run over him as he stood with his eyes closed.

Once clean, he pulled on a white T-shirt and some light skinny jeans that were torn a little at the knees. He walked back into the main part of his room, his dark hair still wet. He ran his fingers through it as an act of combing it instead of using an actual comb.

"Come on, Gunner, let's go out." he said. His dog stood up and followed him down the stairs and out the back door to go to the bathroom. Eric left him outside and walked into the kitchen, opening the cabinets and the fridge to grab some cereal for breakfast. His father was already gone for work, and wouldn't be back until early evening, so the house was eerily quiet.

After finishing up his morning routine, Eric decided to leave Gunner out for the day. It was a nice morning and he knew it was supposed to be good weather all day. It would probably do the dog some good to be outside more anyway. He gathered his things and walked out the door, walking several blocks to the school. Summer was graduated and had started her first week at college, and Eric sometimes wondered what she was up to or how it was going.

Once at school, he put some of his extra things into his locker and as always began looking for Kai. He was fairly early this morning, with about ten minutes to spare until the first bell rang, and he wondered if Kai would be here soon or if she already was. Most kids showed up about fifteen minutes early, but this was rare for Eric, for he usually showed up within the last three minutes to spare.

Since he had some time, he decided to go check the auditorium doors to see if the cast was posted yet. The directors had told them that they would be posted sometime this week, and everyone had been anxiously waiting for awhile. Finally, Eric was able to spot Kai on his way there, and he glanced at the clock to see that they had about five minutes left before the bell rang.

"Hey!" he greeted her, his body jittering with a little more excitement than was usually visible. An excited grin was beginning to creep across his face, and his bright eyes were lit with a childish playfulness. "I think the cast is posted," he told her in an excited whisper. "Do you wanna come look with me? I don't think Kyle is here yet."

He could see the auditorium doors from here, and it looked like there was something on them. It could be something else, but he couldn't think of what else it could possibly be other than the cast list. He grabbed her arm a bit excitedly before letting go and turning to walk over there, although he was walking a little faster than normal.

Once he reached the doors, his excitement only grew, because big bold letters at the top read,

Cast List

He began to read through the list of names, finally landing on his own. Directly across from his name was the character's name, and he let out an excited, "Thank god," when he saw that Holden's name was there. "I got it!" he exclaimed. "I got the part! Oh thank god..." He had been hoping that he would get Holden and that the directors wouldn't place him as Diggie or some other major character. He much preferred to not be in the spotlight all the time but still have some fun and good scenes.

(Sorry this is short, have been out of writing for a bit and just lost inspiration halfway through)