dinner interrupted

"Spinach and strawberry salad?" Eric made a face, looking at Roger. "We're suppose to eat it?"

"Taste it, don't judge until you taste it." Roger made a face right back at him. It had been a last minute thing. Really. This was suppose to be a send off dinner for he and Cory before the big tournament and then Eric showed up.

"I could just wait, you know, until after you two have dinner." Eric managed a fake smile as if now he did know he had interrupted something and was feeling a little more uncomfortable second by second. "I ate already, you know."

"Don't be silly, stay." Cory was not helping.

Roger just stared at him taking a drink right out of the wine bottle this time. Sure, he wanted to help a friend, but this was a little too much.

"What exactly happened?" Roger looked at him a bit perturbed.

"Nothing."

"God, you know it was something," Roger raced through his words. "You wouldn't be here, otherwise."

Eric took a bite of the salad as if to avoid the conversation.

"This is really good," he shook his head and chewed then swallowed and sipped the red wine.

"You better spill, now." Roger stared at him.

"I told," Eric cleared his throat. "I told Ellie I hated her."

"You what?" Now Cory shot him a look.

"Well, maybe I do." Eric sighed.

"You do not." Cory was certain of it.

"It doesn't matter. I needed to say it. And, and yeah, I know I would if-if we kept this up. Its best just to burn that bridge, you know." He stared at the plate of buttered shrimp then, pressing his lips together.

"You just wanted to hurt Ellie, that's all." Roger shrugged.

"Maybe I did. Maybe she'll be happier in the long run." Eric said rather coldly as he went on and ate. Roger just watched.

"You suck, completely," Roger winced. "You can't do anything without fuck'n up royally, can you?"

"Roj, that's being a little harsh, you know. You weren't there?" Cory tried to make light of it as he bit into a shrimp then.

"No, you don't get it. He's gonna give Ellie a complex of some kind, you know. I mean, if I were her, I'd really feel horrible about now." Roger grimaced. Eric had certainly ruined his appetite.

"Look, I'm pretty sure Elliot can make her forget we even had a conversation." Eric sighed. "I had to do it. I did. And I don't care if she hates me. I just don't want it to be something on the side. That's not what I want. Its not. I want to really be in love. Totally. And I think it was just lust. Really. It was only lust." He sipped more wine then.

"What about Olivia?" Roger wasn't finished with Eric.

"What about her?" Eric stared at his plate of food.

"Well, does she know how you feel?"

"It doesn't matter." Eric swelled a frown. Roger could see Eric tense as if he might be full of tears. "There has to be someone out there better than me."

"But she might not want that person." Roger told him. "You have to talk to her."

Eric's frown was even more bitter now.

Roger got up then and got the phone.

"I'm just going to have to play cupid, now aren't I?" Roger was going to see this through or else.