catching up

"What if Eric's got a boyfriend now?" Roger whispered in Olivia's ear. It tickled and she thought she might elbow him in the rib.

"Roger, stop it." She tried to say quietly, hoping Eric wouldn't notice them. He was after all with someone he seemed to be in a deep conversation with. It was weird seeing him. And to have this feeling that he didn't even know she existed.

She felt a little sick too. Like the start of a sore throat or a cold. She could hardly wait to drink the cold iced water the waitress brought her. Suddenly, she wanted to go home and wished she didn't have to face him, and yet she wanted to. She did, but it felt so stifling.

And then Eric looked up and he noticed them. He motioned for his friend to come over to their table.

Olivia was sure her hearing might be going as she sat there startled, hoping she wasn't full of emotion.

"What are you guys doing here?" He smiled.

"We just came from a concert. NeverShoutNever!" Roger acted as if he had been made to go see Hannah Montana.

"Ian, wanted to see that guy," Eric looked over at who he was with. "You remember, Ian, don't you?"

"Ian?" Olivia smiled. "Your brother." She looked at Roger then. "You two should sit with us. Its been a long time since I've seen you. You probably don't remember me." The last time Olivia remembered seeing Ian, he was still full of baby fat, now he was skinny and so grownup.

"Yeah, I remember you." He smiled at her so charming and slid into the seat across from them. He was directly across from Roger. Eric was directly across from her.

"We thought we'd do this cross country thing before we have to start back to school." Eric rolled his eyes.

Ian just laughed.

"Yeah, we're the worst travelers in the world. We go from one Travel Lodge to the next waiting for cable TV," Ian said.

"Travel Lodge?" Roger looked at both of them. "Is that where you're staying?"

"Yeah, its just down the street from here." Eric nodded.

"Maybe we should check that out," Roger said to Olivia then who intertwined his fingers with her's on the table.

Eric just stared then and finally looked at Ian.

"So how was your summer?" He said to both of them. "Did you get my post card?" He then looked at Olivia.

She nodded, thinking how she had Roger had torched it. She wanted to smile, but couldn't.

"I was in this playhouse production," Roger grinned as if he had a tale to tell. "But I managed to keep my job at the grocery store, somehow."

"Sounds like you've been busy." Eric nodded.

"Ellie is with this guy from Texas." Roger then mentioned as if to make Eric jealous, perhaps.

"Ellie's living in Texas?" Eric winced as if that was a lot to absorb. It stung Olivia how interested he was in her where abouts. He didn't care about her. Not the way he cared about Ellie. He'd always care for her, wouldn't he? She chewed at the inside of her cheek trying to stay expressionless.

"No, she's living with Olivia and me. She met Lonnie's brother at his high school graduation, and I guess its been love ever since. He's pretty devoted to her." Roger told him.

"Nick broke up with Kelsey," Olivia said. "But he's living at the house. He's taking it really hard."

"Yeah, and Kyle broke up with Amanda." Roger then glared at Eric. "You know anything about that."

"No, I didn't know." Eric shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world.