"Boo!" I smiled; walking up to my best friend of five years at his register. Eric was working; as I had suspected; and I was in town visiting my family.
"Ashley!" He cried out; running over to hug me. My 10 year old sister was on my back (When we had gotten out of the car she had demanded a piggyback ride) but he managed to wrap his arms around my waist.
I smiled. "What's up?" I said; wrapping my arms around his neck. He smelled like Axe; something I had forgotten in the past year since I had seen him last. I kissed his cheek; which isn't something I normally would have done; but I had missed him so much.
"Nothing; working. Which is so boring I could shoot someone." I glared at him and nodded to my sister. He just smiled at her. "Hey Emily."
"Hey Eric!" She cried. She loved Eric; he was her favorite person I ever brought over to our house. Of course; I hadn't really brought anyone besides my two best friends; one guy I dated for a few months before he broke my heart; and Eric. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her pouting a bit. "How come you never come visit me anymore?"
I had to hand it to her. She took after her sister like a pro. I chuckled; and Eric smiled. "I'm sorry Em. I've been super busy with school."
"Oh." she said. "Ashley; can I go look at the candy?" I laughed and let her down; watching her run to the candy aisle.
Eric hugged me again; tighter this time. "Why didn't you tell me you were in town?" I shrugged.
"Wanted to surprise you. Nearly killed me when I talked to you these past couple weeks. I just wanted to be like 'Clear your schedule for some much needed Eric & Ashley time!'" We both laughed as he moved back to his register. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my sister still in the candy aisle.
"So when are we hanging out?" He asked; keeping an eye out for a manager.
"Whenever you want." I smiled. He grinned back.
"I'm off at eight. Give me an hour to get out of this ridiculous outfit and I'll come pick you up."
I smiled and started moving to the aisles to take my sister home. "See ya then!" I giggled.
As I stood in my full length mirror; checking my outfit for the fifteenth billion time; I bit my lip. Eric and I had been best friends since I started my sophomore year here in Illinois; moving in with my father after living with my codependent drug addict mother for several years. We ended up working at the same grocery store towards the end of my sophomore year. He was a grade ahead of me. We hit it off pretty well; talking a lot. At the time (actually; still) he hated most everyone there. His senior year, my junior year, we started hanging out outside of work. We went to different schools so we went to the football games we were versed against; hung out at each others houses; watched movies together. We talked about everything and everything; he truly was one of my best friends.
When I went away to college (5 hours away from the one he went to) we lost touch for a bit. When we came back for Christmas break we started talking again. By the time we went back to school; I was developing a crush on him. Of course; at the time I was dating a girl. So I couldn't do anything about it. We started visiting each other at school every couple weekends; and one weekend at a party we ended up making out. We were both pretty drunk; and never spoke about it again. A couple weeks later I decided to repress my feelings and focus on my schoolwork and my girlfriend. Of course we still talked; but not as often.