Prince Charming, ridicule is nothing to be scared of

Prince charming
Prince charming
Ridicule is nothing to be scared of
Don't you ever, don't you ever
Stop being dandy, showing me you're handsome

-Adam Ant


Eric couldn't explain it. He didn't know exactly why it was so complicated.

He knew it was all his fault.

1. he hated all his friends.
2. he was pretty sure the only thing he needed was ellie.

Yeah, that about summed it up.

When had that happened?

Actually, a while ago. He was certain of it. He thought he was good at figuring this stuff out. Of course, there were the Freshman & Sophomore years when evidently he assumed he would be every girl's yes guy that he went out with. That didn't work. He hated it. In fact every girlfriend always ended up telling him he was gay. GAY. If that weren't enough... Eric heard the same thing from his sister. Why had he believed it?

She'd always made him do everything. Practically. If she wanted a poem written. Well, he had to take dictation. If she wanted a friendship bracelet made for her best friend. Guess who made it? And there was the..always ripping him apart. It could be about anything. His hair. His height. His friends. Not having friends.

Or the time he killed the baby bunny the cat almost ate. She did so make him feel it was all his fault. He didn't even see it. It was horrible, yet innocent. He was all of five then, wasn't he? But possibly it began there.

So he assumed it all had to change. Just like they'd all said. He would change it. He could. He wasn't ever going to be nagged again. Nor live with women. None. What so ever. Because he'd met someone that had changed all that. Cory.

It felt like a nice dream at the time. New school. New place to live. A sister who had moved away because well, she had too. They were just tieing her down, otherwise. It was all going to be a good thing. In the end.

It was settled. Sort of. In his head, he guessed. Although, it felt quite ridiculous now when he thought how stupid he assumed it would have all been. It was like someone wanting to be a nurse who was scared of blood.

Really, he adored Cory. His company. The way he laughed. He was pretty sure he could even kiss him. But that never happened. Just didn't. Maybe he would have known from the get go if it had. But instead it became this long drawn out thing. Nothing ever happened. Instead it turned in more like what was with his sister. Perhaps. Not as harsh. It was as if Cory knew how to work it to his advantage. As in, getting free tickets to obscure concerts since Eric had his connections, doing his homework, practically. After all, Cory was a busy guy. He had places to go. People to be with. And maybe just maybe he'd have time for him.

And during all that waiting. Or near the end....there was Ellie. Which was like a new beginning. Or an awakening. He didn't want to notice her. Really. But there she was, like this magnet with a fixed force field. And he just couldn't escape it.

Yet again all this aloof. It just danced about him. And it didn't feel like living at all. It was watching other people's lives.

Eric was sure of it then. It sucked to be him.