They talked until the girls got there. His dad warned him not to make any rash decisions. Maybe wait at least until he got back. Eric agreed, still not convinced that he could actually go through ending things with Sofia.
After breakfast, they all went for a stroll. Eric waited until his dad and Tina were walking ahead of them and out of earshot. Their walk up until then had been a quiet one. He could tell Jennifer was embarrassed. She’d hardly said a word all through breakfast.
He turned to Jennifer. “I’m sorry if I—”
“No.” She placed her hand on his arm and stopped. “Please. Please, whatever you do, don’t apologize for anything. I feel so stupid.”
“But I didn’t mean to—”
“Mean to what, Eric? Remain faithful to your girlfriend?” She scoffed. “She’s a lucky girl. You shouldn’t have to apologize for being a good guy. Like you said, anyone else might’ve taken advantage of the situation, girlfriend or not. I should’ve never acted the way I did.” She squeezed his arm. “I should be the one apologizing, and I am. My behavior last night was appalling.”
Eric smiled. “I wouldn’t call it appalling. You’re young, beautiful, and single. It was New Year’s Eve and you were having fun—nothing wrong with that.”
With a weak smile, Jennifer started walking again and shrugged. Eric walked alongside her but she didn’t look at him. Instead, she stared at the ground. “We both know it was wrong of me to push even after you so politely turned me down, but I’d rather not dwell on that anymore.” Finally, she glanced up at him again. “Can we just forget it ever happened?”
“What happened?”
Jennifer gave him an appreciative smile. After strolling around a nearby open market place, Eric managed to push his issues with Sofia to the back of his mind, at least for a while.
After about an hour, they stopped to munch on some churros they’d purchased from a vendor.
“Eric.” Jennifer leaned against the railing of the bridge they were standing on. “I know I was the one that asked you to forget about last night, but I can’t help but feel like you’re still feeling uncomfortable.”
Eric turned to her. “Not at all, I just have a lot on my mind today.” He bit into the churro and looked out in the road below them.
“Anything you wanna talk about?”
Talking to another girl about Sofia might help, but after what happened last night, he didn’t think it a good idea. He shook his head. “Not really, just school and my internship.”
When Eric got back to his dorm room that afternoon, he read the long text Sofia had sent him earlier. He hadn’t wanted to hear what she had to say all day. Even now, he wasn’t sure wanted to, but he read it anyway.
I want you to know I’ve never once given any thought to what my life would be like without you in it…until now. I know even after I explained why I let it happen, you weren’t completely satisfied with my answer, but since then I’ve had time to reflect and I think I have a more honest explanation. I was afraid to tell you before, but because of everything that’s happened I think you deserve the truth. After giving it much thought, maybe my brothers were right. Brandon was wrong for taking me into his room and even initiating the kiss. I’ll give them that. But nothing takes back the fact that I let him. Why? I gave in to the moment. Plain and simple. Curiosity got the best of me. Eric. I can’t take back what I’ve done. Believe me, if I could, I would. I just want you to know if I live to be a hundred, the fact that I gave in will be my biggest regret. Even if my prayers are answered and somehow we work things out, I will forever regret the pain that I’ve caused you. No matter what happens. I love you. Always have. Always will.
Eric read it several times, the lump in his throat present the entire time. He was going to have to do one of two things. Either he got over that damn kiss and let it go, or he got over Sofia and let her go. At the moment, both seemed impossible.
***
Eric didn’t respond to Sofia’s text. He hadn’t responded to any of her texts in days. Including the last one where she said she was done torturing herself. He still couldn’t stomach discussing the fact that she’d given in to Brandon just like that. She probably even enjoyed the moment.
He was also done torturing himself. He’d spent every evening that week so far after classes and his internship with his dad and the girls. They caught a show one of the nights and tonight he and Jennifer were on their way to a concert. His dad had gotten tickets for them. Some Spanish rock band Eric had never heard of. His dad said they were supposed to be good, but Eric didn’t care. He just wanted the distraction. Having gone days for the first time ever, without any contact with Sofia was killing him. If this was a taste of what his life would be like withoue like wt her, he was going to be one miserable bastard.
Eric held Jennifer’s hand through the crowd as they made their way into the concert. They stopped to buy drinks at the concession stand.
“You want a mixed drink?” Eric remembered the kind of drinks Jennifer preferred New Year’s Eve.
“I’ll take a beer,” Jennifer said, blushing.
Eric laughed. “You don’t have to.”
“Trust me, I learned my lesson.”
They took their beers and walked around the huge lobby of the arena. They were early. It was fun to people watch. Before long, they were on their fourth beers. Eric’s dad had given him one of his credit cards. The prices for everything in the concessions were ridiculous, but his dad insisted he not worry about the money and just enjoy himself.